Tips for beginners

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Buying Coins

There are a few things to look out for when buying coins. I have found that it is best to buy the higher condition coins (Unc. to BU) as they have no real let downs. When buying lower condition coins (Fair - EF), you have to make sure that they are not damaged or diseased as this will affect its price and its overall look.

When you buy your first coin, it is usually a 'willy-nilly' pick from a group of coins that appeal to you. This is a good thing as specialising in a single coin type usually takes time for you to decide what to do with your collection.

When buying coins, you should look out for:

Verdigris - Greenish grey discolouration, caused by oxidation. A disease that grows on coins if kept in damp and humid places. Copper is the most vulnerable, silver is more immune to verdigris, and gold takes ages before verdigris sets in.

Edge damage - Dented rims, and chips on the edges. This is commonly found on British copper coins between 1797 - 1860, especially on cartwheel pennies. This is where the coin has been dropped at some time. Blistering is also a type of edge damage that is found on tin coins through corrosion.

Scratches and other surface marks- A scratch across the surface of the coin can be off-putting. Some coins however can have die flaws that resemble scratches, an example of this is the 1736 I/A in Britannia farthing which has a scratch through the date that appears on every coin of this type.

Streaky lustre - This is found after the coin (EF. or higher) has been badly stored so that the lustre remains look streaky and quite off-putting.

Wear - Some parts of the coin have been worn down so that detail is not seeable and letters are not readable. This is usually found on coins that are Fair or below, and usually attract no interest (unless it is a rarity). This sometimes occurs as a die flaw, an example of this would be the 1902 type A farthing which has a blank patch on Britannia's breastplate.

The above things are all bad and not worth buying unless you really want it. Damaged coins sell for less than perfect coins.