Coin Collecting For Dummies [Paperback]

Neil S. Berman (Author), Ron Guth (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 3, 2008

Can’t make heads or tails out of coin collecting? You need Coin Collecting For Dummies, 2^nd Edition, the treasure trove on information on numismatics. This hands-on guide escorts you through the world’s oldest hobby, helping you decide which type of coins you want to collect, keep your collection in mint condition, buy and sell coins on the Internet, find interesting coin shows to attend, and assemble and diversify a great collection.

The purpose of this fun, easy-to-access guide is to turn you into a world-class coin collector in as little time as possible. You’ll learn what coins can teach you about history and geography, develop organizational and observational skills, and learn to use analytical tools, all without event thinking about it. And you’ll learn the basics about ancient coins, U.S. coins, world coins, and the wild-and-wooly stuff that really gets your numismatic juices flowing. Discover how to:

• Start your collection correctly
• Evaluate coins using age, condition, rarity, and more
• Buy interesting coins without breaking the bank
• Locate rare and expensive coins
• Get savvy about avoiding fakes
• Get the whole family involved in your collection
• Develop a buying strategy
• Clean and handle coins safely
• Keep your collection secure at home and on the road
• Investigate tokens, medals, and miscellaneous coins
• Create complete collections of copper, nickel, silver, or gold U.S. coins

When it comes to numismatics, Coin Collecting For Dummies, 2^nd Edition is right on the money!

Editorial Reviews

Review

‘...a treasure trove of information on numismatics.' (Stamp & Coin Mart, July 2011).

From the Back Cover

Covers the essentials of coin collecting at an affordable price

Spend wisely — and then keep your collection in mint condition

Can't make heads or tails of numismatics? Welcome to a treasure-trove of information on numismatics — or rather, coin collecting. This hands-on guide escorts you through the world's oldest hobby, covering topics such as how to decide which coins to collect, ways to protect them, buying andselling on the Internet, attending coin shows, to assembling and diversifying your collection.

Discover how to:

• Store your collection correctly

• Understand how age affects value

• Locate rare and expensive coins

• Get savvy with avoiding fakes

• Get kids or loved ones involved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: For Dummies; 2 edition (January 3, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0470222751
• ISBN-13: 978-0470222751
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 0.8 x 9.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #24,650 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #17 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Antiques & Collectibles > Reference
  • #21 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Antiques & Collectibles > Coins & Medals

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

41 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Immensely Helpful Introduction, January 18, 2002

By 

Mike Blaszczak (Mercer Island, WA, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Coin Collecting for Dummies (Paperback)

I'd bought a few mint sets, and ocasionally thought about saving particularly good-looking coins. Someone gave me some more coins for Christmas, and I've exploded into coin collecting.

There's a ton of stuff to learn. This book covers alot of it in a very approchable way, and isn't quite as condescending as most of the "For Dummies" books. The humour is a little too frequent for the level of the content, but the book is a great start for the new collector.

There's a few sections the book could have done without, like the chapter on record-setting auctions. It would've been great to balance it with a section on the most underrated coins, or the best bargains.

If you're interested in getting started, this book is for you. For anyone with experience, it's probably not appropriate.

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly Recommended!, February 24, 2005

By 

D. Vantasil (Fort Worth, TX United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Coin Collecting for Dummies (Paperback)

For any of you who are interested in coin collecting, or if you happen to inherit somehow a collection of coins, this is the book for you! It is filled with information on how to take care of your coins, what to look for when purchasing, selling, trading or anything else regarding coins. The book is full of knowledge that is easy to comprehend. Buy it for youself or for your kids!

35 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Coin Collecting For Dummies, November 18, 2001

By 

martin kaplan (Houston, TX) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Coin Collecting for Dummies (Paperback)

"Coin Collecting For Dummies" is a book both for the beginning and advanced collector (and coin investor)...it belongs in every coin collector's library! The adage "buy the book before you buy the coin(s)" applies to this excellent volume. The book is well written, easy to understand and covers everything the collector/investor should consider before, and while, collecting/investing. It is never to late to learn from the information in "Coin Collectring For Dummies"! Humor is sprinkled throughout the book which keeps information that is sometimes academic from being too dry. The beginning collector can easily feel that he is "on the wrong side of the table" (dealer versus collector) and the information in "Coin Collecting For Dummies" definitely "levels the playing field". The cost of this book is far less than the price of many coins...not reading this book will definitely "cost" the collector/investor with money ill spent! A must read!