The 7 Important Supplies Every New Coin Collector Should Have
Each year, millions of Americans continue to expand and enjoy their precious metals collection. Precious metals coins, such as the American Gold Eagle or the American Silver Eagle, are good coins to begin a collection with. Even coins such as the Mexican Gold Peso can be a good coin to add to a collection. All three can be purchased from Metals.com. Because coins are valuable commodities that you can actually hold in your hand and appreciate, there are several supplies new collectors should always have in order to get the most out of their collection and maintain their value.
1. Coin Tubes
For collectors that need to store a large number of coins, but don’t need to keep them in an album or holder, keeping coins in a coin tube is an excellent choice. Coin tubes are typically hard plastic cylinders that fit the size of the coin being stored. They are typically airtight and sturdy enough to allow storage for years.
2. Coin Albums
Collectors that wish to move beyond regular coin holders and show their coins can choose an attractive coin album. These folded “albums” allow for coins to be stored in individual slots across a page, not too different from the concept of a photo album. Coin albums are capable of keeping coins safe and protected for years while also allowing for show without exposing them to handling by others.
3. Cotton Gloves (Soft)
Because gold and silver coins are metals, they can easily react to the chemicals and oils contained on the skin if handled with bare hands. Using soft, cotton gloves is always a good idea when handling valuable coins, as they keep the residue found on hands from transferring to the coin. Allowing residue to remain on coins after storage can discolor gold and silver coins and ultimately decrease the value of the metal.
4. Cotton Cloth (Soft)
Similar in purpose to cotton gloves, a soft cotton cloth allows for easy wiping of coins without damaging the face. This type of cloth can be a collector’s best friend if the necessity to display and handle coins is a regular occurrence.
5. Coin Tongs or Tweezers
If cotton gloves are not available, using coin tongs or tweezers is an ideal way of grasping and holding the coins in your possession. When using tongs, it is always best to take hold of the coins by the rim rather than by the face. This way, there is no accidental damage to the face of the coin.
6. Magnifying Glass or Loupe
Often, collectors want to take a close look at the design of their gold and silver coins. A magnifying glass or loupe are excellent tools to use in order to inspect coins in great detail in a way that the naked eye cannot. In addition, a magnifying glass or loupe can be small enough to store or carry anywhere.
7. Coin Reference Guide
Beginning coin collectors could benefit greatly from buying a comprehensive coin reference guide. These guides can help collectors determine the origin of rare or hard to identify coins. Guides such as A Guide Book of United States Coins, also known as The Red Book, is perhaps the most comprehensive coin collecting guide and is available on Amazon. In addition to books, online resources such as the Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) or the Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) can provide insight into a variety of coins for the savvy collector.
With these seven essential supplies, beginning collectors can be well on their way buying the right types of coins as well as using the right tools to maintain the value of those coins.
The Metals.com Staff
