How to Get Answers to Numismatic Questions

Do you have a question about a coin, bill, token or medal, or about the hobby of coin collecting? Several questions are answered in our Coin Collecting FAQ. For your convenience, the FAQ topics are listed below.

If your question is not answered in the FAQ, you may want to consult one of the reference books cited in the Numismatic Publications topic. Most should be available at your local library or at a local coin shop.

Another option is to ask in an online discussion newsgroup:

• rec.collecting.coins: for all numismatically related subjects
• rec.collecting.paper-money: for U.S. and world paper money, banknotes and scrip

Post your questions to one of the newsgroups rather than e-mailing them here. You will reach a large audience, including several persons who may have the answer to your question (the hobby is so vast that no one can be an expert in all of it) and who may be able to respond quickly.

More information about these newsgroups is available in the FAQ. Your question may have already been asked and answered in one of these groups. Archives of newsgroup postings can be searched at Google.

Selling your coins?

Telesphere Numismatics is always interested in buying collectible U.S. coins and paper money and pays very competitive prices. Please see our Buying Coins page for more info.

How to Scan Coins

In response to widespread interest in preparing coin images suitable for use on the Web, we have published detailed Tips for Scanning Coins.

Coin Collecting FAQ
Table of Contents

What's It Worth?

1. What are my coins worth?

Collecting

2. What is numismatics?

3. What coins do people collect?

4. What's the best way to get started?

5. Where to find collectible coins

6. How to handle coins

7. Grading

8. Pricing

9. What's the best way to clean my coins?

10. How can one tell when a coin has been cleaned, especially if it was cleaned long ago?

11. How should I store my coins?

12. Tools of the trade

13. How can I protect my collection from loss by fire or theft?

Internet Resources

14. Numismatic Newsgroups

15. Numismatic Web sites

16. Other numismatic resources available on computer networks

17. Are lists of coin values available online?

Coins as Investments

18. Risks of investing in coins

19. Bullion coins

20. Rare coins

Miscellaneous Topics

21. Numismatic Publications

22. What are proof coins? What's the difference between the various proof sets offered in recent years by the U.S. mint?

23. What are slabs?

24. How can coins be removed from slabs?

25. What materials have been used to make coins?
Written and hosted by Tony Clayton (tony@tclayton.demon.co.uk)

26. What's the best way to send coins to someone?

27. Clubs and other collector organizations

Glossary