I’m new to collecting coins, and these are the little things I must learn
New dies are used every year, and replaced as they wear out, so there can be varying sizes even within the same date. There are books on die varieties and a little time spent on Google should help you find what you want.You’re going to learn what you need from reading on your own, more than from anyone here.
My husband is interested in collecting coins as a new hobby (He LOVES gold) which is what sparked his coin interest. His birthday is next week and I want to get him a nice coin to start him off with a book on collecting. Can anyone suggest a good starting place?
Your husband had better be well to do to collect gold coins. The real gold ones that is, not the gold colored ones such as the presidential dollars. It would be wise to go with your husband to a couple of coin dealers and let him check the different coins out. The first book should be what is called "The Red Book" a guide to US coins. It goes through all the US coins with mintage figures, a little on grading the different series, where to find the mint marks and a lot of useful info. The values guide in it is to be used as a guide only, for the book only comes out once a year. The first rule to coin collecting is to buy the book before the coin and never clean a coin. It actually takes some work to put a nice collection together and in the end make a few dollars. Your husband has to make up his mind what he wants to be. A coin collector who collects coins with a goal ahead such as a complete set on Lincoln cents 1909-2010. An a accumulator who just has a lot of coins but no goals and has really no collection. A numismatist a collector who has goals but also studies coins and knows their history, such people collect say varieties of early large cents or bust dollars and of course ancient coins. Last but not least is the investor who must have lots of money and can do $10,000 coins and up. Less money usually does not work and the person loses. Hope this helps. I alow email through yahoo answers if I can be of more help.