Tag Archives: Coin Collecting

Beginner Coin Collecting – Part 1

Posted on May 2, 2012 by harveyclay | 2 comments

Part 1 of a 5 Part Series on Coin Collecting for Beginners

As I searched the Internet for supporting material for this 5 part series I found a lot of websites and blogs that are just out there to gather the advertising dollars. Not that Ad Dollars are bad, but the articles were overshadowed by the Ads to the point where the visitor doesn’t want to stay on the website long enough to gather the information they were looking for.

This is Part 1 of a 5-Part series for Beginner’s who want to start Coin Collecting. The articles will offer some suggestions on how to get started; list some likely places to find supplies; offer a few tips and “Do’s and Don’ts” from personal experience; and offer some helpful advice on how to find the coins you want to collect at prices your budget will allow. *Note: This will not be the perfect Coin Collecting Guide and it will not offer ALL the ways to start collecting coins. These will be suggestions from Bel Mar Coin Club members and will offer tips and tricks they have learned along the way.

The best way to get started is to visit a Coin Show. If your local area does not offer one of the BIG Whitman Coin Expos, you can search www.CoinShows.com to find a Show near you.

Whitman Coin Expo

The Whitman Shows offer the most comprehensive information and supplies for Collectors, but even Local Coin Shows will have what you need to get started. If you live in a rural area, you may have to travel a good distance to get to a Coin Show, but if you have interest in Collecting Coins, it will be worth the drive to get there!

Once you arrive at the Coin Show, be sure to take it ALL in and talk to as many Coin Dealers as you possibly can. Most Coin Dealers are more than willing to share information which will help you get started in Coin Collecting. I am a fairly new (3 years) Coin Collector, and my son and I have attended 3 Whitman Coin Shows and 4 Local Coin Shows, and we have enjoyed each and every one!

Click on the underlined hyperlinks within this article to find a Coin Show near you. And remember – if you live near Harford County, Maryland, be sure to visit the next Bel Mar Coin Show!

Next Article: “Part 2 of 5: How to decide which coins to Collect!?!”

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Posted in Beginner Coin Collecting, Current / Recent Articles

Tagged Coin Collecting, Coin Shows, Coins

Getting ready for May 2013

Posted on April 30, 2012 by harveyclay | 13 comments

May is a BIG month for The Bel Mar Coin Club.

Our Semi-Annual Coin Show will be Saturday May 18th, 2013 beginning at 9:00 am! Mark Your Calendars Now!

Please click on the “Coin Shows“ Page for more information.

Club Members are asked to distribute Flyers, invite Friends, Family members, and Neighbors, and show up EARLY on the 19th to help set up!

But that is never a problem with our Club. Bel Mar Coin Club members are very active, and several have a table at the show. If they don’t have a table, they will be there to meet & greet and answer any questions Visitors have.

There will be a Coin Grading Specialist available to help you determine the value of your coins. You can bring your collection along, or just a few special coins you would like to have graded.

As always, there will be Coin Dealers ready & willing to buy your coins, or sell you the coins you are looking for to add to your collection. Please be sure to visit each Table, and don’t be shy – ask questions if you don’t see the types of coins you are looking for.

There is usually at least one Dealer who specializes in Currency, so bring your friends who like to collect Paper Money, too.

We are also planning a “Kid’s Auction” this time, which is always a BIG hit with our younger Collectors.

For more information, click on the “Coin Shows“ Tab above.

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Posted in Current / Recent Articles

Tagged Coin Collecting, Coin Shows, Coins

Lincoln Cent Historic Coin Flips

Posted on April 21, 2012 by harveyclay | 1 comment

How do you engage kids in Coin Collecting today?

How about combining a bit of US History with Coin Collecting?

“History – ugh!” you may hear from the kids, but what a concept!

Let’s start with the Lincoln Cent. Abraham Lincoln was born in 1809. In 1909 the US Mint broke new ground by allowing Victor David Brenner to design a coin with the image of an actual person on it! According to historical documents, it was President Theodore Roosevelt who had the courage to commission the Lincoln Cent and to order the Mint to break new ground by having the image of a former President on the Coin.

There is much history around the inaugural Lincoln Cent, and even more due to the controversy of Mr. Brenner’s initials on the coin!

Here is a link to the full Wikipedia Page on Mr. Brenner and his commissioning by President Roosevelt:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victor_David_Brenner

The US Mint removed Mr. Brenner’s initials from the dies that struck the Lincoln Cents halfway through the year. Because of this, the 1909 V.D.B. and the 1909-S V.D.B. are some of the rarest Cents today!

Here is a fact some may not know: a 1909-S (San Francisco Mint) V.D.B. Lincoln Cent in “Almost Good” AG3 condition is worth $650.00 Retail, and the same coin in “Mint State 67 condition still having its Red color” (MS-67R) is worth up to $100,000.00 dollars! Click here to see this beautiful cent!

Below is a picture of a sheet of 20 2″ x 2″ coin flips designed to hold and display any collectible coin. One of our members has printed 1.5″ x 1.5″ photos of significant events in history from each of the years of the Lincoln Cent, beginning with 1909. Now young coin collectors can learn a little about United States History as they build their coin collection!

If you have a young collector in your family, think of ways you can incorporate education with collecting. If your favorite coin to collect is a Buffalo Nickel, or a Mercury or Roosevelt Dime, you could also print the small 1.5″ x 1.5″ pictures to include in the flips. You can order perforated paper stock and set up a printing program within Microsoft Office to help you with the printing. If you would like advice, or need help doing this, just contact the Bel Mar Coin Club using the Comments or Reply form, or check the About Us page for contact information.