Advice for a newbie to the darkside

Neptune

Just thought maybe some of you long-time darksiders may have some good advice for a newbie darksider who likes to silver coins - preferable low to mid-range priced. Where is a good website, book, other info that describes the coins - is there a 'darkbook' - like the red book?

theboz11

Krause is a must for world coins,,several other such as Spinks are specialized.

Photo Posting 101

Book site

Customer Protection

Coins of England and Great Britain.

Coins of British India

AuldFartte

I'm a "Darkside" newbie, too, and I'd love the website info as well. Thanks for asking, Neptune I'll look forward to the answers from the experts here.

I recently bought what I think is "THE" book for world coins - "2005 Standard Catalog of World Coins" by Krause.

Krause also has the same info for the 19th, 18th and 17th centuries. I'm going to get these soon, too.

oldshep

If you like silver and good to moderate pricing try these( Both are forum members)
link1Silver Eagle Coins
and Danglen at link2Palm Coast Coins.
I've never gone wrong with these guys.
Shep
P.S. The Krause Book of World Coins is the bible - pricey but big as a telephone book - you can drool over for hours.

syraq

Coins of British India







Thanks, I didn't know about this one!

laurentyvan

Thanks, I didn't know about this one!

Ditto!

Askari

The modern Krause (1901 to present) is always the best place to start. Despite the criticisms and critiques and complaints you'll read here, it is a wonderful browsing compendium. (Be sure to keep a towel by your side. ) It will open your eyes to more than you ever thought possible could exist in numismatics -- and you're just touching the surface!! Using the prices as guidelines, you can find collecting themes to fit your tastes and budget.

If you have no idea where to start, try a "one from each country" set. That will "induct" you into "what's out there" in modern coins. Before you ever finish it -- if ever you do -- you'll be enticed by appealing temptations ... feel free to step off the path as long as you like. You're in "Hotel California" Land and you ain't never gonna leave!!!!

Neptune

thanks for the good tips, so far folks - will check these out!

MacCrimmon

Britannia - plus good general info on British coins, etc.

Neptune

ttt

lordmarcovan

<< <i>is there a 'darkbook' - like the red book? >>


Indeed there is, though it's a helluva lot thicker, and comes in four volumes, each the size of a major metropolitan telephone book. As others mentioned, it is the Krause Standard catalog.

They're expensive, costing over fifty bucks per volume for new ones, but you can usually find used copies and earlier editions on eBay fairly cheaply. Whatever the price, they quickly pay for themselves, and are a very sound investment. Most folks start out with the twentieth century (1901-present) volume, and Krause also markets a cheaper version of that called "Collecting World Coins" (which is still telephone book sized, but only includes the circulating issues and not the commems and stuff).

1901-present


1801-1900


1701-1800


1601-1700


Since I stole the pics from their website, here's a courtesy link to Jake's Marketplace.
Their prices seem fair, but there are plenty of other places to shop around, too.

Just plug in the keyword "Krause" on eBay.

Another thing I should mention is that before the mid-1990's or so, the Krause catalog was only one volume, but it covered two centuries (1801-present), so if you don't care about the most current prices, you can get two centuries of coverage pretty cheaply if you can find an edition before 1995 or so (I forget exactly what year they went to the one-volume-per-century format, but somebody should be able to chime in with that info.) The prices for most coins aren't updated that often from edition to edition, so a ten-year-old Krause catalog is still useful, and with two centuries of coverage, it would pack a lot of bang for the buck (particularly since you could probably buy it quite cheaply).

I second oldshep's recommendation of Dan ("Danglen") at Palm Coast Coins.

There are a number of other great dealers all over the world, too, of course, and a wealth of knowledgeable Darksiders right here. You're in good hands.

Bruce

Neptune, If you are interested in the "one per country" direction as I have taken (I am crowding 300 at this point) I am a source of many spares that I have at bargian prices. As I have stated to many others that I have sold to, "I am not a coin dealer out to make a profit" I am just a fellow collector helping out another fellow collector

Philip

The new 19th century Krause is due to be released next month.

CIVITAS

<< <i>"I am not a coin dealer out to make a profit" >>



Thank goodness, cuz I really hate those guys.....

Neptune

Another thing I should mention is that before the mid-1990's or so, the Krause catalog was only one volume, but it covered two centuries (1801-present), so if you don't care about the most current prices, you can get two centuries of coverage pretty cheaply if you can find an edition before 1995 or so (I forget exactly what year they went to the one-volume-per-century format, but somebody should be able to chime in with that info.) The prices for most coins aren't updated that often from edition to edition, so a ten-year-old Krause catalog is still useful, and with two centuries of coverage, it would pack a lot of bang for the buck (particularly since you could probably buy it quite cheaply).

Now this seems like a good idea and then add an '05 to the mix. Thanks again for the recommendations, and Bruce - I don't think that I will be going for one for each country at this point, but will keep you in mind once I learn a little more about what I want. I will be going for the 'designs' and affordability that I like and are in my price range - and certain dates that I like to collect. I do prefer the silver, but if the design is one that I like, then I will consider those too!

I kind of feel overwhelmed because there is SO much out there, but am verrrrrrry bored with US coin designs.

- Pam

Sylvestius

<< <i>Krause is a must for world coins,,several other such as Spinks are specialized. >>




Unless you're an old time British Collector then Spinks is very general!


But you knew that didn't you!

theboz11

generally speaking.

Askari

<< <i>(I forget exactly what year they went to the one-volume-per-century format, but somebody should be able to chime in with that info.) >>

1996 (23rd edn.) was the last of the combined centuries -- I still have that one, still use it and won't let it go!! It's a real help when you know a coin appeared near the turn of the century but you don't remember on which side, as well as it lets you see the full date range of many issues.