subject: Coin Collecting As A Hobby [print this page] Many people get a lot of enjoyment in their lives from having hobbies that allow them to escape from the drudgery of everyday life. Some people collect dolls and sports cards, and some decide to take up coin collecting as a hobby. Coins provide a special kind of allure for some people, and just the thought of being able to hold onto a special coin can break someone free from the boring monotony of their everyday life.
If you decide to take up coin collecting as a hobby, then there are some basics that you want to know about before you just dive in. Many people have been the unfortunate victims of scams and overpaying for coins, simply because they did not learn about coin collecting, they just kind of leapt and started to collect coins with very little knowledge of what to do.
Before you decide to rush out and start collecting coins, here are some tips that you should be aware of that will help you become successful and fulfilled collecting coins.
1. Research coins and their values before you make a single purchase.
Even slight differences can make tremendous sways in the price of a particular coin. You never know when one was in limited production one year, and then mass circulated the next. These little differences can mean the difference between paying $ 5 for a coin and $ 500. And some coin dealers are unscrupulous enough to want to take advantage of new found coin collectors.
2. Keep a level of doubt and common sense when you purchase coins.
When a 100 year old coin is placed in your hand, it can be hard to overcome the emotions that spill over and almost compel you to purchase it. However, you must be able to control those emotions when you are buying coins and have a little doubt and common sense. Don't trust that the seller has your best interests at heart. Very rarely is this the case.
3. Keep it as a hobby and not an obsession.
Once in a while, a new collector will become overwhelmed by the thrill of coin collecting and instead of just making it a hobby, it becomes an obsession. This is not what you want to allow to happen when you are choosing to collect coins as a hobby. When you make it an obsession, not only do you spoil the fun of it, but, you can also quickly end up spending too much time and money on your collection.
