Coin Supply Express

Many people hate to see the number on the scale, but coin collectors know better. If you have a coin collection, you know that a coin scale is a great way to verify the authenticity of the coins you are selling and buying.

Even if you’ve had experience with coin scales in the past, you still might be impressed with some of the modern options. For example, pocket scales are called so called because they literally fit in your pocket—most are about the size of a checkbook.

Other features to look for:

• Easy to read LCD display
• Elegant stainless steel surface
• Modes to measure ounces, grams, carat, grain, and taring
• A wide scale of measurement from 0.01 of a gram to 100 grams or more

Plus, if you’re interested in splitting the expense or just sharing the love, pocket scales are great for a number of other uses, like weighing gemstones or even calculating postage price.

That being said, pocket scales are extremely affordable at coin collecting supply websites like www.CoinSupplyExpress.com. One popular model, the 250 gram pocket scale from American Weight, is only $22.02.

"I just received my coin album but how do I put my coins in it?" That is a frequent question and the answer is obvious once you know it but if you aren't quite sure what you are looking for it can be a little bit confusing.



This video can also be seen at Coin Supply Express at our Information and Education page.

By: Jeff Ambio, ANA, NLG

Coin collecting has grown steadily in popularity since the end of World War II. Periods of particularly substantial growth in the number of collectors in the United States have been noted for the early-to-mid 1960s during the run-up in silver prices, the early 1980s as people began to realize the investment potential of rare coins and the early years of the 21st century thanks to new designs for circulating coins such as Westward Journey Nickels and Statehood Quarters. Over the years the most successful collectors—those that have had the best chance of staying with the hobby and protecting the financial investment that they have made in coins—follow a few basic guidelines handed down by seasoned collectors and professional rare coin experts. These guidelines are free to all who invest the time and interest in learning about the hobby of coin collecting before rushing into their first rare coin acquisitions.

1. Buy the Book before the Coin. There is a wealth of knowledge out there about rare coins and the market in which they trade—certainly much more than was available to collectors in the 1950s and 1960s. Take advantage of this knowledge by investing in a few basic books about coins and coin collecting. What you learn could prevent you from making costly mistakes when buying and selling coins.

2. Find a Reputable Dealer and/or Auctioneer. The firms or individuals that you choose to do business with can seriously impact your commitment to coin collecting. Work with an honest, reputable and knowledgeable dealer or auctioneer and you are likely to remain a happy collector. Get a dishonest individual or firm that sells you problem-ridden or overvalued coins and chances are good that you will soon be moving on to another hobby. Always do thorough research on any dealer or auctioneer to determine their levels of professionalism and integrity. And remember that finding a reputable dealers or auctioneer also has other benefits, such as the knowledge that they can share about coins and coin collecting in general.

3. Start Small. Never rush into making an expensive purchase. For starters, you might not know enough about what you are buying to determine whether that $1,000 coins is really worth $1,000. Second, it would be a shame to spend large amounts of money making initial purchase only to find out within a short while that coin collecting is not really your cup of tea. For these and other reasons, I recommend getting started by collecting coins out of circulation. Lincoln Cents, Westward Journey Nickels and Statehood Quarters are particularly popular for this purpose as they are readily obtainable and cost only face value. If you want more of a challenge, however, you can also consider Kennedy Half Dollars and Presidential Dollars—coins that still worth only face value but will probably require you to make special trips to your bank to obtain examples in quantity. Focusing on coins such as these allows you to dive right into collecting while you amass the knowledge and experience required to move on to more costly acquisitions.

Coin collecting should be fun, especially when you’re just getting started. Of course everybody hopes to crack open the old piggy bank and find a long lost rare coin that will more than pay for a family vacation to Hawaii but that’s probably not going to happen.

If you’re new to coin collecting and just not sure where to start then I suggest that you consider state quarters. Will your state quarter collection be worth anything? Probably not more than $12.50 (maybe $14 after you collect the 2009 territory quarters) but that’s not a reason to overlook state quarters.

First off, you are new to collecting. You don’t know what to collect and you certainly don’t know what has any value. Before you consider jumping into rare coins with a wad of cash you should start with something that is relatively free, impressive in size and a challenge, but not impossible, to complete. State Quarters are all of those things.

Collecting state quarters can also teach you how to revalue your collection. For example, when you raid your coin jar and find quarters you’ll find some that look pretty nice and some that look like they’ve been run through the vending machine a few hundred times. You’ll put the best into your collection and the rest back into circulation but you’ll know that the ugly one has to go. You’ll watch your collection change over time as you replace old coins for newer, better looking coins. In the end, if there ever is an end, you’ll have a state quarter collection that you can be proud of. Once you’ve got your collection together you can store it in a Dansco quarter album, Whitman quarter album or in a colorful state quarter map.

The keys to collecting coins are to enjoy the hunt and to be proud of your prize. Once you get started with the “free” quarters that are in circulation you’ll learn what you like in a coin and what you don’t like in a coin. By the time you’re wrapping up your first state quarter collection you’ll be doing new research for your next conquest. The experience of state quarters will teach how to search for coins that are impressive to you as you find example that are more rare and more expensive than where you started.

See this article at Coin Supply Express.

Dansco slipcases are an inexpensive way to maximize the protective benefits of your Dansco coin albums. Each slipcase is produced with the corrosion-inhibiting protection of Silver-Guard, which is a military specification material that permanently neutralizes corrosive gasses in the air that can cause toning and discoloration. Silver-Guard works with silver, gold copper and nickel coins as well as medals, medallions, bars and ferrous metals. While a Dansco slipcase won’t remove existing toning on your coins, it will minimize air-flow within your album. Remember, it is best to store your coins in a cool, dry place that is way from extreme temperature and humidity changes. In other words, your closet shelf is a better choice than your garage attic.

Dansco Slipcases

• A full 2-mil coating for years of protection
• Military spec Silver-Guard
• Six-Sizes - a slipcase for every Dansco Album

Dansco Slipcase and the Dansco Album models they serve:

5/8” Dansco Slipcase
For all Dansco albums with 5/8” binders:
6108, 6109, 6110, 6151 v.2, 6170, 6172, 7061, 7063, 7094, 7095 v.1, 7095 v.2, 7101, 7107, 7111, 7112, 7117, 7121, 7123, 7127, 7130, 7132, 7137, 7144, 7146, 7150, 7157, 7160, 7161, 7165, 7171, 7175, 7176, 7177, 7178, 7179, 7180, 7183, 7371, 7372, 7373, 8145, 8176, 8180, 8182, 8183

3/4" Dansco Slipcase
For all Dansco albums with ¾” binders:
6121, 6141 ,7062, 7065, 7066, 7091, 7092, 7098, 7102, 7103, 7125, 7172, 7173, 7174, 7181, 7215, 7229, 7232

7/8” Dansco Slipcase
For all Dansco albums with 7/8” binders:
6122, 6142, 6171, 7003, 7005, 7007, 7010, 7011, 7080, 7084, 7085, 7086, 7113, 7143, 7166, 7350, 8102, 8125, 8143, 8144, 8181

1” Dansco Slipcase
For all Dansco albums with 1” binders:
6120, 7070, 7184, 7186, 8113, 8184, 8185

1 1/8” Dansco Slipcase
For all Dansco albums with 1 1/8” binders:
6152, 7000, 7004, 7006, 7008, 7015, 7016, 7017, 7018, 7030, 7099, 7140, 7400

1 1/4” Dansco Slipcase
For all Dansco albums with 1 ¼” binders:
7100, 8100, 8140, 8166

Collecting Sports Legends: The Ultimate Hobby Guide by Joe Orlando

A coffee-table book that spans every major sport and takes the reader on a journey through the treasured memorabilia of America's famous and beloved icons.

Composed by the leading experts in the field, including PSA President, Joe Orlando, Collecting Sports Legends covers the best of the best. Never before has one book featured such a variety of hobby subjects. From Babe Ruth's baseball cards and game-used bats to autographs from the likes of Arnold Palmer, every major sport, sports legend and sports collectible is featured.

Designed to appeal to fans of all ages, this visually stunning book is rich with vibrant images of hundreds of players and includes facts and trivia on each of their accomplishments and achievements. Whether you are a hardcore collector or just an avid sports fan, this book not only brings the legends of sports to live, but also provides crucial tips on how to assemble a world class collection.

You can read more about the author, Joe Orlando, and his comments about writing this book at the Professional Sports Authenticator website.