What should you collect as a hobby; coins, paper money, or stamps?
Which will be the best investment?
I find it strange that some people who collect coins, paper money, or stamps, always want some kind of return on their investment. These are the same people who think nothing of buying a new car and then selling it a few years later for a fraction of what they paid for it. A new car loses value as soon as you drive it on the road!
As for investing in paper money, if someone is buying notes and thinking how much will they be able to get when they sell them again, this person has the wrong hobby. Enjoy collecting for the pleasure and for the fun of it.
Coins and stamps are tangible reminders of years gone by. Yet, while coin collecting is flourishing as a hobby, stamp collecting is decreasing in popularity. Many families who inherit stamp collections are more interested in getting the collection appraised than continuing the collection. You can’t collect something if you don’t know what it is.
Stamp collecting dates back to 1840, when the first stamp was issued in England. One of the earliest indications of stamp
collecting is an advertisement from an English newspaper in which a young woman sought used stamps as a way to wallpaper her room. Soon, post offices discovered stamp collectors as a good source of revenue. From there, stamp collecting began.
There are no rules about stamp collecting. Some people collect stamps from a certain country while others focus on a particular theme, such as flowers, ships or buildings.
Unfortunately, stamp collecting has simply lost its appeal to younger people.
Coin collecting, on the other hand, is at its peak in popularity. Rare or modern coins offer history that collectors can hold in their hand, and every period during the past 2,500 years is reflected in coinage.
Stamps disappear and become part of the ground. A coin can be dug up and, while new varieties of stamps are not really being discovered, new types of coins from all over the world are still being found. How many stamps or bank notes do you think you’ll find while out exploring with a metal detector?
Whilst improperly stored coins can degrade and lessen in value, paper money can be damaged by handling, sunlight, or water. All are subject to flood, fire, or other natural catastrophes.
A stock certificate with half of it burned away is just as good as a mint one in terms of its value on the exchange. In fact, as long as ownership can be proven, it often doesn’t even matter if the physical certificate exists. The same can’t be said for paper money.
You can insure against these problems, and go to great lengths to assure proper storage conditions, but all of this costs money and adds to the cost of the investment, often for many years before there is going to be any return at all.
Today, coin collecting is one of the world’s most popular hobbies. Amateur collectors enjoy coins for their beauty and rarity. Added to this is the excitement of searching for and finding specific coins and the challenge of identifying new ones.
Why is coin collecting thriving and stamp collecting dying? Coins are still being used and are still fascinating. It is an investment as well as a hobby. Coins continue to go up in value while many stamps are at the peak value they will ever receive. Furthermore, many are going down in value.
Enjoy your hobby, and consider whatever you invest in it to be pleasure money, the same way you would count money you spent going to ball games, or dining out, or buying new clothes. Then, whatever you or your family get out of your collection is pure profit, whether it is more or less than what you originally paid.
After all, if you spend $20 a week going to the movies, you don’t expect to get anything back for your $1,000 a year collection of ticket stubs, do you?
I believe there is room in both the collecting of coins and paper money for both collectors and investors.
The important thing to remember in investing in coins or banknotes is rarity and desirability.
Gary Anthony Lacey is the owner of the Coins Online web site at: http://www.coins.money-maker.co.uk/ where you can learn more about collecting coins.
Art Deco seems to be very popular now. I watch several antiques and collectable shows on British TV and Art Deco items make good money at antiques fairs and auctions.
But what if you are the collector wanting to remodel your home with these unique objects from the early part of the last century.
This video by Antique Art Deco Store showcases various antiques, mirrors and clocks that could inspire you with ideas or help you decide the styles you like.
Instil the thrill of coin collecting in your children; it will be fun and exciting for them and you. It is a way to engage with your children and educate them in a fun way. If one or more of your children are hooked on the idea you have have a built in way of rewarding them for excelling at school, helping at home and for them keeping their room tidy.
A fun learning aid
Coin collecting can be an aid to learning geography and history. It will also instil a sense of value and values in them. Value because they will learn that collecting can be profitable, or unprofitable, and values because collecting encourages self-discipline, self-worth and patience.
By letting them make most of the collecting decisions they will learn to be astute in their dealings with sellers and dealers. While it is good to teach children trust and honesty they also have to learn that not everybody is trustworthy and honest. They will also learn that something old doesn’t necessarily mean that it is necessarily worthless.
If sufficiently enthused they look for places to buy or find coins. I’ll bet that quite a few relatives have some unwanted coins laying around. Take them to flea markets, garage sales, antique fairs and get them looking through Craigslist or the listings on eBay. When looking on-line don’t just look locally, you can buy thing from all over the world these days.
In the United Kingdom we have printed publications like Loot and Exchange & Mart, there are you usual on-line sources like eBay and Craigslist although the latter is not as popular here as in the US. During the summer months there are many boot sales; a kind of fair held in the open and consisting mainly of private sellers offering second-hand things.
These are all sources where you can buy coins usually at cheap or reasonable prices. Teach your children how to haggle to get lower prices. With antiques and collectibles prices are not set in stone.
Motivate your children
Encouraging your children to see coin collecting as a hobby is not necessarily easy, but still possible. Try to motivate them to like coin collecting by helping them realize the importance and benefit they can get from it. Kids love the idea of treasure trove so the promise of their collection going up in value will inspire them. No false hopes though your kids will never forgive you. Explain that any increase in value is long term and that collectibles do lose value sometimes too.
Start with coins with a story then show them to your children. Sit down with them and tell them the stories about the coins. This will build their interest. There is lots of useful information on the Internet for you to get clued up on your coins.
Decide your budget
Coin collecting as an investment for your children’s future must comprise some ancient coins and some precious metal coins like the American Eagle Silver Dollars. Collecting coins to educate your children should include coins of the world.
Many novice coin collectors wonder how they can gain more experience with their new hobby. Here are some tips that can help novices make their online and in-person visits more fun and enjoyable.
Remember that coin dealers are human beings like everyone else.
Some novice collectors feel intimidated when they visit their local dealer’s shop or go on the Internet to purchase rare coins. The way to get around this is to remember that coin dealers are human like everyone else. There is a real live person on the other end of the computer terminal. Once this stress is removed, shopping for rare coins becomes more enjoyable.
Remember that it is okay to ask dealers questions.
Novice collectors can have fun learning many things about certified coins, buffalo nickels and other rare coins if they take the time to ask dealers questions about those coins. Contrary to popular belief, many dealers are more than happy to answer any questions that a novice collector might have about rare coins. These dealers understand that an educated collector becomes a life-long collector. As a result, novice collectors should ask their dealer questions about the coins and currency that interests them the most. Reputable websites have a contact number or e-mail directly to the business and encourage questions.
Remember that it is also okay to look at the dealer’s stock of rare coins.
Many novice collectors have difficulty looking through a dealer’s stock because they are afraid they may drop buffalo nickels or Morgan dollars onto the floor. Ninety-eight percent of the fun of coin collecting is actually seeing rare coins up close or knowing that they can be purchased and obtained quickly and easily. This experience is fun and it also helps novice collectors learn the nuances of various coins that make a collector more knowledgeable about coins. As a result, they should be encouraged to rummage through a dealer’s stock as much as possible or browse the online collections at length.
Remember that a dealer has to earn a living, too.
Some novice collectors scowl at the prices that dealers charge for their coins. This problem can be alleviated to a great extent if the novice collector remembers that a dealer has to earn a living like everyone else does. Dealers have to purchase their merchandise on the open market. They must also account for shop expenses, taxes and earning a living. For these reasons, dealers must price their merchandise in such a way so they can earn reasonable living selling coins to collectors.
American Eagle Silver Dollars are congressionally authorized and produced by the United States Mint at West Point, New York and are legal tender coins with a face value of one dollar (though they are worth considerably more since the market price of one ounce of silver has been many times greater than one dollar for more than four decades). Unlike silver medallions, silver bars, or art bars, American Eagles are Official Legal Tender guaranteed by the U.S. Government as to silver weight and silver purity.
Since the first day American Eagle Silver Dollars were released in 1986, they’ve been the most highly prized and most popular Silver Bullion Coins in the world! Many consider the design of the coin to be one of the most beautiful coins ever produced. Requiring no assaying, American Eagles are easily converted to cash at any time.
The obverse (front) of the coin features Adolph A. Weinman’s stunning Walking Liberty design originally used on U.S. Silver Half Dollars from 1916 through 1947. The reverse design is a rendition of a heraldic eagle by John Mercanti and also features a shield, with 13 stars, representing the 13 original American colonies, positioned above the eagle’s head. Highly prized for their historical beauty and pure silver content, American Eagle Silver Dollars are the largest Silver Dollars ever issued by the U.S. Mint. (These are impressively large and substantial coins.) By law, each coin contains one full troy ounce of pure silver. Each coin contains 1.0000 troy ounce of 99.9% pure silver and is 40.6 mm (1.598 inches) in diameter.
Both sides of the American Silver Eagle Dollar Coin
Every Silver Eagle is a work of art, minted to exacting standards by the United States Mint. These classic coins are among the most affordable ways to own government minted bullion coins.
These coins are commonly used as investments or gifts or collected or as protection in case of national disasters or bank failures.
(SILVER COINS ARE STANDARD RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ALMOST ALL SURVIVAL AND NATIONAL DISASTER SITUATIONS WHEN BANKS MAY FAIL OR CLOSE AND PAPER MONEY IS USELESS – ONLY SILVER AND GOLD IS ACCEPTED EVERYWHERE IN EVERY EMERGENCY.)
How to invest in the beautiful silver eagle & get FREE coins too
You can buy American Silver Eagles from many sources throughout the world but I belong to a program that not only guarantees delivery – fast – but when you participate in the program you can earn FREE Silver Eagles! Remember these coins are 99.9% pure silver.
My program is very simple. For every 2 you get 1.
What I mean is for every two coins bought by your members you earn one coin. These are large one full ounce 99.9% silver coins. So if you have even one subscriber who is getting two one ounce silver coins a month then you’d be earning a one ounce silver coin a month just from that one member. Or you could have two people each getting one coin – same thing. So for every 2 sold you earn 1. This can be any combination of new members or subscribers who are automatically getting a coin or two a month. I started Silver Snowball because I wanted to give people a simple, low cost and RELIABLE way to accumulate pure silver coins.
And of course you can earn much more than just one bonus ounce of silver a month. For example with 10 coins bought you’d earn 5. With 100 you’d earn 50 one ounce American Eagle Silver coins. This is a simple affiliate program so ALL the commissions go to you. You don’t have to build a downline or depend on someone else to do that for you.
Your own FREE web site and full support
You also get a Splash Page (web site) for generating prospects.
Follow up emails sent on your behalf.
Follow up phone calls made on your behalf.
Next day shipping of your order and your member’s orders.
Reliable support and service from experienced, caring management.
Newsletters with marketing advice and updates on money and metals.
The peace of mind that comes from accumulating real wealth.
Give this program some serious thought. Silver Eagles are an investment and highly collectible – plus silver, and therefore silver coins, is set to rise considerably over the next year. To invest in American Eagle Silver Dollars with this program you need to participate in the program. Not only will the creators of the program help you so will I. Please let me know if you have any questions. Like all commodities precious metals go down as well as up so study the market for yourself and do not invest money you cannot afford.
It’s Halloween again and the ghosts and witches and spirits will be out in force tonight. Tomorrow they will transform back into sweet little children again. The costumes will be discarded or stored away and a million scooped-out pumpkins will be on their way to landfill.
But what about Halloween for the collector? What things produced for today’s celebrations will be tomorrows antiques? Already vintage Halloween collectibles are selling on eBay so there are opportunities for both dealers and collectors.
There are skulls, black cats, Jack o’ Lanterns, plastic pumpkins, postcards, candy holders, cake picks and costumes. The best items are German or US made, the German made items were mainly exported to the States.
Look out for the vintage items produced between the Great War and WWII. These are highly collectible and are fetching the best prices.
There are so many Halloween niches that as a collector it’s best to decide on the items you like best and stick to collecting them. A dealer would research the niches and pick the most profitable.
Don’t neglect to hide away some modern things for the future though, you could be the owner of that rare plastic witch that turns out to the big ticket item of the future.
There’s a good article here with advice on keeping kids safe at Halloween and it has links to further reading on the history of Halloween costumes and the true origins of Halloween.
The shortest answer to this question is yes but as there are exceptions it is better to answer “it depends”. As with all antiques and future antiques care should be taken when cleaning and some items are best lefty to experts to deal with.
Silver Coins
Never polish collectible or antique coins whatever the metal. This is a job for experts and cleaning at all can ruin the value.
Silver Tableware
It is okay to polish most sterling silver tableware but do it the right way. Don’t use a polish or cloth that is too abrasive as this could ruin and devalue the piece. Never use a power polisher on silverware.
Here are some tips to remember when cleaning and polishing silver:
Use Your Silverware. Handling helps keep silver free of tarnish, so use your pieces regularly.
Wash By Hand. Wash and dry silver by hand. Use a little detergent-based liquid soap in warm water.
Dry By Hand. Use a soft dish towel, don’t leave to dry as water may stain the silver. Never leave your silver to dry on stainless steel drainers or rubber mats.
Use Silver Polish. Buy a quality silver polish and follow the instructions carefully. Rub the polish into the items thoroughly as this will achieve the best result when buffing.
Buff. After a short time allowing the polish to dry use a clean, soft and dry cloth to buff your silverware to a bright sheen. Only do this by hand.
Store Carefully. If you intend to store your silver for a long period apply a tarnish retardant.
Wash Before Use. Silver polish tastes horrible so wash your silverware before use in the way suggested above.
Silver-Plated Items. You will wear the silver plating away if you polish such items too frequently. It is preferable to use them often and wash as above to prevent tarnish forming.
Whether you collect antique or modern silverware these tips should ensure you protect the value of your investment. When buying new items there is normally a product-care leaflet included. Read it carefully for additional or special instructions.
People collect so many different things now that many of the items will never get universally popular. There must be thousands of collectors who share their passion with only a handful of other enthusiasts.
Magazines, especially antique and specialist-subject publications, are popular collectors items. But the varied subjects covered by them mean the market for them is as fragmented as the topics. So are special interest magazines worth collecting?
Some time ago I auctioned a collection of Wheels & Tracks magazines on eBay. They were given to me by a guy who was having a clear out at home and fortunately he didn’t just ditch them into the trash.
As a result of that sale I think that magazines, even special interest magazines like Wheels & Tracks, should only be collected for there value and interest to the owner. They are not a big earner so as a general rule they are not an investment. As with all things there are exceptions to the rule but W&T is not one of them. Maybe in the future someone’s grandchildren will get to sell them for a tidy sum but there is no immediate profit to be had.
Wheels & Tracks was first published in 1982 and continued to arrive on the news-stands every three months until 2001. Just why it was discontinued I don’t know but the articles are just as interesting now as they were when first published.
Inside is the pages are packed with photos, detailed drawings and reviews. There is a readers forum, a section named Indentifile that asks readers to identify vehicles and other objects from photos. There’s a discoveries section, book reviews and lots of other features. Not only a historical record of military hardware but a veritable treasure trove of information for the military enthusiast.
While focusing on the vehicles used by the armed services during the 20th Century it is inevitable that both WWI & WWII are covered throughout the series. Vehicles of the United Kingdom, United States of America, Republic of Germany, most other European nations and many other countries around the world are featured. A lot of the vehicles, which were total wrecks when found, have been restored by collectors and exhibited at military shows. Those articles, usually accompanied with progress photos are particularly interesting.
If military vehicles and military history are your thing then look out for Wheels & Tracks, they have a wealth of interesting articles, facts and photos in their pages. As for collecting magazines and other publications pick a subject you enjoy. You may not get a monetary return on your investment but the pleasure you’ll derive from reading the articles and looking at the photos cannot be quantified in profit terms.
Recently, a friend asked me to help her brother sell his collection on Lladro glass figurines on eBay. These are expensive glass collectibles and I knew nothing about them – but I don’t have to. The principles for selling expensive collectibles on eBay are the same, regardless of what is being sold.Obviously, like any eBay auction, the seller must have a powerful listing with great pictures. This is always true regardless of what the merchandise is. Expensive collectibles offer splendid opportunities, but also need special precautions.
Tip 1.Price: decide the lowest amount you will accept for each figurine and set that price as a reserve. Then make your opening bid absurdly low – yes, absurdly.
Example: if you will accept $1,000 – make your opening bid $25. There is no risk in this, because you don’t have to sell unless the bidding reaches $1000, but the low price attracts buyers, (assuming there is demand, of course).
Looking at completed eBay auctions allows us to track prices, Again and again we learn that starting the price where the seller hopes it will end is not a wise tactic.
For instance, a seller wants to get $750 for his figurine. An opening bid of $750 won’t attract nearly as many buyers as an opening bid of $25 and – surprisingly – the lower bid almost always gets higher prices. There is some psychology at work with the cheap price. It may not make logical sense, but it’s the reality of life on eBay.
Tip 2.Devote space in your auction listing explaining how you will pack your item to ensure safe transit. This is critically important because in the back of every buyer’s mind is the dread of receiving a package that rattles. A collectibles buyer will inevitably be thinking of the hassle she will have to go through – and the possible loss of purchase price – if her item is broken. She needs to know that the seller has carefully considered this issue and has a solution.
Tip 3.For the protection of both of you, insist that the buyer pay for appropriate insurance. Don’t allow this to be an option. You definitely do not want the liability of a broken collectible that costs hundreds of dollars. In fact, if a customer objects to paying for insurance, this might possibly be a red flag. A genuine collector is very eager to add to her collection and wants her figurine to be protected.
Tip 4.We can safely assume that every Internet buyer has heard stories of fraud on eBay and elsewhere on the Net. Therefore, anything you can do to prove the authenticity of your collectible is well worth your time. Is there a marking on the bottom? Do you have the original box or other container? Does it have a label? Is there a certificate of authenticity or an appraisal by a respected organization? If the answer to any of these is “yes”, then be certain to emphasize your authenticity in your auction. Taking pictures of your proof is especially effective.
Tip 5.I don’t suggest offering a guarantee except in the most general way – that is, you, the seller, are telling the truth about the product. Anyone bidding on a collectible is knowledgeable and therefore they know what they’re buying so there should be no reason for a return. If someone expresses dissatisfaction and mails your merchandise back, there is every likelihood of it being broken. You do not want the hassle of trying to collect on broken merchandise or putting yourself into a litigious situation with someone who refuses to believe that the collectible was broken via return shipping.
Also, you don’t want to take a loss on your eBay fees, which might be substantial if the price is high.
Tip 6.With a really expensive item, always offer the option of an escrow service – at the buyer’s expense, of course. They may not want this service, but make certain they have the option. You, of course, know that your merchandise is legitimate, but the buyer isn’t so certain. eBay recommends an escrow service that is available to all members.
Tip 7.If you’re willing to ship worldwide, you need to take special steps to protect yourself. In the US we have AVS (Address Verification System) which offers some protection. A very large portion of the fraud suffered by buyers occurs outside the United States and you are justified in protecting yourself. Losing the purchase price on a $5 item isn’t such a big deal – but a $1,000 collectible absolutely does matter.
Your bank can advise you on the time it will take to verify foreign funds. Be certain to let any prospective buyer know in your auction that there will be a delay if they are outside of your country. Do not let your merchandise out of your hands until you are sure!
If you follow these ‘rules’, the chances of selling your expensive collectibles at the highest possible prices will be greatly increased.
About The Author
Sydney Johnston
Learn how to sell on eBay with 16 hours of online instruction taught by a 10 year eBay veteran. Own an eBay business instead of an eBay hobby. http://auction-genius-course.com
Many of the photographs on this site are provided by FOTOLIA.com
Update: September 2, Still some work to do but I’m happy with the theme, I hope you are too. I’ve now incorporated Expert’s Articles completely within the blog so no more clicking links just to read the article.
The next job is to introduce more articles more frequently and change the colour scheme.
© Marek Slusarczyk – Fotolia.co
