What do you do in your downtime? Do you ever spend that time doing something you genuinely enjoy, like a hobby?
Not only does having a hobby help give your brain a mental break from working, but it can actually help improve your career as well.
Collecting coins is a popular hobby as it gives collectors a unique connection to history and other cultures. If you’re thinking of starting this fun hobby yourself, have you considered the coin collecting supplies you’ll need?
We’re here to help! This guide will walk you through everything you need for coin collecting.
Soft Gloves
When you first start finding the best coins to collect, the last thing you want to have to worry about is damaging them. This not only leads to diminished value, but it’s disappointing to find a rare coin only to inflict preventable damage on it.
Our hands and fingers have natural oils on the skin, which can damage the surface of a coin quickly. The best way to prevent this is by wearing soft gloves any time you handle a coin.
Your best option is to wear soft, cotton gloves, but you can also use powder-free latex gloves as well.
Pad or Cloth
Another common way to unintentionally cause damage to coins is by dropping them. Older coins, especially, are extremely delicate and can be dented if dropped.
To prevent this, lay down a soft pad or cloth before you handle your coins. This way, if you do drop them, they’ll have a soft cushion on which to land.
Regardless of the difference between the types of coins you collect, using a cloth is always a good idea.
Coin Tongs
Another way to ensure you’re handling your coins in the best way possible is to get a pair of coin tongs.
The tongs look almost like a pair of tweezers, and they typically have plastic coated ends for gentle handling.
If you don’t yet have gloves, tongs are a great alternative for keeping your coins safe. Of course, for added protection, you can use both gloves and tongs.
Remember, when picking up a coin, you should do so by the rim, not the face of the coin, to help prevent damage.
Coin Holders
When you’re first getting started in your collectible coins hobby, you’re going to need a place to store your growing collection.
Coin holders come in a variety of options, but one of the most popular options are 2×2 pieces of cardboard with clear plastic covering the middle.
You lay the coin on the clear plastic, so it can be seen through the hole, fold the cardboard in half, and staple it shut.
If you decide to use cardboard holders, you’ll want to get a flat clinch stapler so that the staples don’t stick out from the back of the cardboard coin holders.
Coin Albums
If you’d prefer to display your coins in a more organized way, consider getting a coin collection album.
Coin albums work just like photo albums. You insert your coins into the small plastic sleeves of the coin album, so they stay organized. And, you can see both the fronts and backs clearly, unlike when using a coin folder, which only displays one side of the coin.
This is a great option for displaying your coins proudly while also keeping them protected.
For a layer of double protection, you can use cardboard coin holders and a coin album by inserting the holders into the album sleeves.
Coin Tubes
If you’re not ready to display your full collection, consider using coin tubes for storage.
These hard plastic tubes allow you to stack coins in a safe way. And, they have a durable plastic lid, so you won’t have to worry about the coins falling out.
This option is ideal for collectors who are still deciding how to display their special coins.
Magnifier
One of the most exciting things about collecting coins is getting to admire the beauty and detail of each piece.
The problem is that many of these unique coins are small and hard to see with the naked eye.
Consider getting a magnifier of some kind, so you can explore the coins up close and personal. You can use a hand-held magnifier to examine your collection, but you’ll need to be careful not to drop it on the coins.
To prevent that, you might look for a crafting magnifier that can hang around your neck. This keeps your hands free and your coins safe.
Some coin collecting enthusiasts prefer to use a loupe magnifier like a jeweler uses to examine precious stones. Whatever you decide to choose, a magnifier will help enhance your coin collecting experience.
Lighting
Even with the best magnifying glass, you won’t be able to see all the details of your collection without good lighting.
Stay away from fluorescent lighting, which is often too soft to allow you to see all the intricate details of a coin.
Incandescent lighting, on the other hand, is not too harsh or too soft, making it the perfect option for examining your coins.
Reference Books
Once you really start getting excited about your coin collection, you’re going to want to find out as much as you can about your unique coins.
While the internet is a great resource for collectors, don’t skip out on picking up a few coin reference books as well.
Whether you’re hoping to make money by collecting valuable coins or you intend only for this to be a fun hobby, coin collecting books can offer great insight into the most interesting coins around.
The Right Coin Collecting Supplies Are Key
Now that you know more about all the essential coin collecting supplies you need, it’s time to start seeking out pieces for your collection! With the right tools, this can be a hobby you’ll enjoy for the rest of your life.
Looking for more helpful lifestyle information like this? Check out our other informative articles today.
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