19-Aug-2025

Key Takeaways: Never clean your coins. Cleaning almost always decreases value by removing historical patina and causing invisible damage. Patina and “grunginess” are good. What looks like tarnish or dirt is often a sign of authenticity and provenance, especially with historic rare coins. Even gentle cleaning risks harm. Professional graders and dealers can detect cleaned

20-Aug-2025

Key Takeaways Use non-PVC, airtight holders in a stable, dark, climate-controlled space. Limit handling; wash hands or wear cotton gloves. Store securely in a safe, safe deposit box, or insured depository. Coin collecting and investing are not just about buying and selling. Any coin collector, investor, or numismatist must understand how to care for and

20-Aug-2025

Key Takeaways Get the collection professionally evaluated before deciding its future. Choose to keep, sell, or split the collection based on value and sentiment. If keeping coins, store them securely, document details, and avoid cleaning or touching them. Becoming a coin collector isn’t always a decision you make. If a family member or close friend

08-Sep-2025

Hang around coin collectors long enough, and you’ll hear mention of vintage coins and rare coins. In many cases, these terms may be used interchangeably. Don’t make this mistake – they have two distinct meanings. A rare coin is any coin that retains only a few surviving specimens. A vintage coin, on the other hand,

09-Sep-2025

Key Takeaways: Age is the biggest factor for rarity. The location of a coin’s mintage can make a big difference. Historical factors, including wars or government policy changes, can create rarity in unusual spots. Coinage in the land of the United States predates the country itself. Even during the days of the thirteen British colonies,

09-Sep-2025

Perhaps the most storied and vaunted mint location in US history is the Carson City Mint. The mint, which produced American coinage between 1870 and 1893, is a symbol of both the Comstock Lode silver boom and the coincident era of the Wild West. Because of these connections and its relatively short production run, the