Product Description

Can’t make heads or tails out of coin collecting? You need Coin Collecting For Dummies, 2^nd Edition, the treasure trove on information on numismatics. This hands-on guide escorts you through the world’s oldest hobby, helping you decide which type of coins you want to collect, keep your collection in mint condition, buy and sell coins on the Internet, find interesting coin shows to attend, and assemble and diversify a great collection.

The purpose of this fun, easy-to-access guide is to turn you into a world-class coin collector in as little time as possible. You’ll learn what coins can teach you about history and geography, develop organizational and observational skills, and learn to use analytical tools, all without event thinking about it. And you’ll learn the basics about ancient coins, U.S. coins, world coins, and the wild-and-wooly stuff that really gets your numismatic juices flowing. Discover how to:

• Start your collection correctly
• Evaluate coins using age, condition, rarity, and more
• Buy interesting coins without breaking the bank
• Locate rare and expensive coins
• Get savvy about avoiding fakes
• Get the whole family involved in your collection
• Develop a buying strategy
• Clean and handle coins safely
• Keep your collection secure at home and on the road
• Investigate tokens, medals, and miscellaneous coins
• Create complete collections of copper, nickel, silver, or gold U.S. coins

When it comes to numismatics, Coin Collecting For Dummies, 2^nd Edition is right on the money!

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #27020 in Books
• Published on: 2008-01-03
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 384 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780470222751
• Condition: USED - VERY GOOD
• Notes:
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From the Back Cover
Covers the essentials of coin collecting at an affordable price

Spend wisely — and then keep your collection in mint condition

Can't make heads or tails of numismatics? Welcome to a treasure-trove of information on numismatics — or rather, coin collecting. This hands-on guide escorts you through the world's oldest hobby, covering topics such as how to decide which coins to collect, ways to protect them, buying andselling on the Internet, attending coin shows, to assembling and diversifying your collection.

Discover how to:

• Store your collection correctly

• Understand how age affects value

• Locate rare and expensive coins

• Get savvy with avoiding fakes

• Get kids or loved ones involved

About the Author
Neil S. Berman: Neil S. Berman has been an expert numismatist and professional rare coin dealer since 1968. Coming back to the United States from Israel at the end of 1967, he apprenticed to the world-renowned Dutch numismatist and coin auctioneer Hans M. F. Schulman. He incorporated as Neil S. Berman, Inc., in 1968. In 1974, Neil became an associate of Metropolitan Rare Coin Company of New York. For the next several years, he represented Arthur and Donald Kagin of Des Moines, Iowa, then the largest coin dealer in the Midwest, as a purchasing agent. Later he represented Superior Galleries under the Goldbergs, also as a purchasing agent. In 1979, Neil, with his brother Jed, founded First Federal Coin Company, the first East Coast coin company to sell rare coins into IRA, Keogh, and pension plans. From 1983 until 1990, he was the purchasing agent for Asset Services, Inc., the largest coin company serving the financial community. Neil donated his large collection of German and Swiss silver minor coins to the American Numismatic Society (ANS) in 1989. In 1997, he received the American Numismatic Association (ANA) Service Award from ANA President David Ganz. In 2005 and 2006, he was associated again with Superior Galleries of Beverly Hills, this time under the ownership of numismatist Silvano DiGenova.
Neil catalogued the U.S. gold in the 1977 Kagin’s ANA Coin Auction Sale, the first New York coin auction sale in 1981 of Spink and Sons, England’s oldest and largest coin dealer, and a coin auction sale by Superior Rare Coin Galleries of Beverly Hills in 2006.
Neil has been published in Barron’s, Trusts & Estates, The National Law Journal, The Financial Planner, Pensions World, and Executive Jeweler. In 1987, he wrote, with Hans Schulman, The Investor’s Guide to United States Coins, which sold 40,000 copies and received a Numismatic Literary Guild award for Best Investment Book. In 2007, he wrote the second edition of the book with Silvano DiGenova. Neil has just completed a book on rare coin auctions.

Ron Guth: Ron Guth is a jack-of-all-trades and master of one — numismatics. Ron is a certified public accountant (CPA), a licensed auctioneer, and a writer, but the bulk of his time is spent on his true love — coin collecting and dealing. Ron’s battle with coin fever began when he was 12 years old, and he’s never gotten over it. After a decade of collecting, Ron went professional in 1976, when he began working for a local coin shop in Tampa, Florida. In 1978, he partnered with David Goldsmith and purchased the Bay Area Coin Exchange in Tampa. Ron and Dave blasted through the silver boom, and then split up in 1981, when Ron moved to Evansville, Indiana (his wife’s hometown), where he set up shop on First Avenue. In 1984, Ron formed Mid-American Rare Coin Auctions with Jeff Garrett of Lexington, Kentucky. The company quickly established itself as an innovative leader in the industry and, within the first year, became the fifth largest rare coin auction company in America. In 1988, Ron sold his interest in the company, went back to school to finish his bachelor’s degree in accounting and finance, and has since become a numismatic consultant and a major dealer in German coins.
In 1984, Ron won the American Numismatic Association’s Wayte and Olga Raymond and Heath Literary awards. He has written many coin-related articles and is listed as a contributor to several books, including Walter Breen’s Encyclopedia of United States Coins, Krause Publications’s Standard Catalog of German Coins, Roger S. Cohen’s American Half Cents, Walter Breen’s Encyclopedia of United States Half Cents, and others. Ron has served as a numismatic consultant for many rare-coin companies, including major firms such as the Professional Coin Grading Services, Heritage Numismatic Auctions, and Early American History Auctions.

Customer Reviews

Coin Collecting For Dummies
"Coin Collecting For Dummies" is a book both for the beginning and advanced collector (and coin investor)...it belongs in every coin collector's library! The adage "buy the book before you buy the coin(s)" applies to this excellent volume. The book is well written, easy to understand and covers everything the collector/investor should consider before, and while, collecting/investing. It is never to late to learn from the information in "Coin Collectring For Dummies"! Humor is sprinkled throughout the book which keeps information that is sometimes academic from being too dry. The beginning collector can easily feel that he is "on the wrong side of the table" (dealer versus collector) and the information in "Coin Collecting For Dummies" definitely "levels the playing field". The cost of this book is far less than the price of many coins...not reading this book will definitely "cost" the collector/investor with money ill spent! A must read!

Be a dummy and waste your money, or...
...be smarter and purchase something which at least contains helpful information. Unfortunately, I did waste my money on this book and found it totally unorganized and of very little practical help. I've been curious about many of these so-called "for Dummies" type of books. If this is an example of one, you could do much better by either contacting the American Numismatic Association (ANA) at their website at
or a wonderful and little known website entitled: "Coin Facts" which is found at . The Coin Facts website is the best reference source I have found for coins----I've been collecting for over 25 years. Even better, the websites are free to browse and print from. In addition, every state in the US has a state coin association and they always love to help folks---especially young persons. I've found great enjoyment not only in coin collecting but MEETING the many interesting folks who engage in this endeavor. You don't need to purchase any book which denigrates the reader even in its title--especialy when it gives such poor and disorganized material.

Immensely Helpful Introduction
I'd bought a few mint sets, and ocasionally thought about saving particularly good-looking coins. Someone gave me some more coins for Christmas, and I've exploded into coin collecting.

There's a ton of stuff to learn. This book covers alot of it in a very approchable way, and isn't quite as condescending as most of the "For Dummies" books. The humour is a little too frequent for the level of the content, but the book is a great start for the new collector.

There's a few sections the book could have done without, like the chapter on record-setting auctions. It would've been great to balance it with a section on the most underrated coins, or the best bargains.

If you're interested in getting started, this book is for you. For anyone with experience, it's probably not appropriate.