Buying Coins on eBay

eBay is an excellent resource for finding bargains on rare coins of all types. You should start your research with “Advanced Search” feature located on the search results page. This feature allows you to make coin searches based on Country and other criteria. For example, if you are looking for rare coins in the Houston, Texas area, you may restrict your search only to a specific area and deal with available coin sellers. You should also specify a maximum and minimum price you’re willing to pay for a rare coin, offer free shipping; only accept PayPal and other options.

When buying a coin, you should look for trustworthy coin sellers who have many positive feedbacks and if possible no negative feedbacks. If a negative feedback is listed, you should read it. Most active sellers who have made a lot of sales have a few negative feedbacks, even if they’re always being honest. There’s always the possibility of an unpleasant customer or con artist showing up and it doesn’t mean those sellers are at fault. Most coin sellers on eBay are scrupulous about coins grading and offering good pictures so you may judge the offer for yourself. Be cautious and very suspicious if a coin seller has a feedback score under 90 percent.

You shouldn’t expect to buy a coin at fifty percent or even twenty-five percent discount, it’s plainly unrealistic.

If you want to have a pleasant experience with your eBay purchases, read the following tips and you’d never have to be concerned about your eBay rare coin purchases again.

1. It is recommended to buy from Power Sellers. These people are already well established in eBay community and care about their customers and reputation.

2. If you choose not to buy from Power Seller or a coin seller with feedback number lower than 200, you should check their latest sold items (are they rare coins?) and when the seller is registered with eBay. If a seller has been around eBay for 1-2 months, you might just find a scam.

3. If possible find a coin auction with “No reserve price”. It means you don’t have to bid up to “normal” price on the coin, and you have better chance in landing an excellent deal on a rare coin.

4. Examine through auction listing and read Return policy. You should make sure that the seller gives you at least a week to review coin and determine if the coin was correctly advertised.

5. A useful eBay feature that not all eBay members seem to know about is a feature known as “Want It Now”. Just click the “Want It Now” link located at the bottom of the search page and you may post an ad for a specific coin you are looking for. It is a free service.

It is also strongly recommended to use the “contact seller” feature to get specific information from a seller; it helps you to get a better sense on their familiarity with the item and most importantly, their honesty. If you get vague answers, don’t deal with the seller.

Coin Collecting for Beginners

Hard work is the global mantra nowadays. As you get endlessly caught up in the fierce rat race for power and wealth, stop for a while to think whether hard work and stress are making you dull! If you are constantly anxious or jittery, it’s the right time to have more quality time for yourself and family. A spare-time activity like coin collecting can become a competitive and exciting sport. It can give you a few benefits like diverting your attention from mundane tasks and relieve stress. So just hoard rare coins instead of those boring paper dollars for a change!

A coin collecting hobby usually starts from humble beginnings. For instance, you may have been given tiny coins by friends after trips to other countries or you may come across rare coins while rummaging about in a souvenir or antique shop. Many collectors base their collection on subject, period, year, and country. If you have a family member or friend who travels often globally, you could find it easier to collect coins of many different countries. You can choose a specific foreign country that really interests you, say Japan; collect latest and old coins of that country. Naturally, you should also collect old and latest coins of your country.

Coin collecting by year involves collecting the same type of coin based on its manufacture year. For instance, if a coin was made first in 1950; a successful coin collecting means owning 59 coins of the same type, manufactured from 1950 to 2009. If a specific monarch’s reign interests you, you may collect coins from the period. Alternatively, serious coin collectors can collect coins from ancient Roman or from medieval kingdoms.

Subject coin collecting would prioritize on a specific subject, for example, animals, flowers, or buildings.

Occasionally coin collectors collect by error, by inadvertently collecting faulty or imperfect coins. These include off center coins and clipped coins. For rare and old coins, these defects will significantly reduce their value or even make them worthless. Defective coins are extremely rare nowadays as precision machinery and strict quality control has reduced the possibility of flaws. Ironically, a few coin collectors consider defective modern coins as valuables!

Apart from collecting coins by international travel or mail exchange, you can buy them in local antique shops, coin shows, auctions and flea markets. Some coin collectors report that rummaging through charity boxes in local stores also often leads to exciting discoveries. But, always inform the shop owner before you embark on such activities.

Coin collecting is fun, but where should you keep them? Many collectors have coin box, but keeping coins inside a box can lead to scratches. It’s also harder to locate a certain coin when required. To begin you collecting hobby, you should consider storing coins in paper files or coin albums and keep them in a files holder. You may also opt for little plastic bags to keep your coin collection. That way, in contrast to boxes, you can always see your coins without directly touching them. However, make sure that the coin albums or plastic bag do not contain PVC, which might damage the coins inside. Special coin storage can be bought from hobby shops, online stores, or coin shops.

Before you start purchasing expensive and rare coins for your collection, you should invest in a price guide, desk lamp, and magnifying glass. You should also contact and join a coin collection club in your town, to get latest news on coins collecting and trade any surplus coins.

Buying Collector Coins 101

Before you can go running off to purchase your gold coins you should know a little bit about them.

Dirt and grease from your fingers can scratch or tarnish your gold coins so avoid unnecessary touching or wear gloves. Exposure to air oxidizes metal causing the color to change, so place the coins in protective sleeves.

You should decide what types of coins you will collect. Do you want to collect rare gold and silver coins, common everyday coins, coins from other countries, or ancient coins dating back to the 1800′s.

Dealers are a good source of information as well as coins. They can help you spot a fake, help you determine if a price is too high or a great deal, and are more likely to hear about rare coins that are for sale.

You will need to find a place to buy your coins at a reasonable cost. Consult with other long time collectors and see who they buy from.

There are far too many types of coins to collect for any one person to know them all. Instead find someone who specializes in the specific type of coins you are after.

Sometimes the minting institution will change its minting methods or revive old methods. You will need to keep up with these details as they will help you spot a fake.

* Coins can be unsellable during the years it takes for them to gain value.

The following places and steps will help you get the coins you want for your collection.

Go local

There are coins shops in almost every state across the U.S. Visiting your local shops will be a convenient source of coins. Flip through your local phone book to find the shops closest to you. Going into one of these shops will give you the chance to carefully examine the coins you are interested in even if you don’t buy them. The experts and other collectors you find in the store can also be a great resource as they offer you their knowledge and advice. Be careful of the prices as sometimes the stock of not so rare coins may be low in these shops which will lead to higher asking prices than other resources will charge.

Auctions

You can also go to coin auctions in person or online. This can be a great way for you to get your coins. Learn the rules and practices of the particular auction before get there. Be sure to set a maximum price in your mind before the auction starts so you don’t get swept up in the competition to get the coin and pay too much.

Buying coins by mail

Buying coins in the mail can be very practical and convenient. Coins dealers that sell through the mail usually don’t have high building and maintenance costs and pass this savings to you. Be aware of the dealers’ reputation, and return policies. You don’t want to buy form someone with a bad reputation or someone that doesn’t make refunds on damaged or fake coins. Immediately inspect your coins upon arrival for damage and authenticity.

Final thoughts:

* Do your research and look for the best coins available.

* Keep an eye out for those very rare coins. They show up when you least expect it.

* Have gold coins appraised by a gold expert to keep you from over paying or overcharging.

* Be careful buying coins online as there are fakes out there waiting to take your money.