Coin Week on April, 2025: What's a good 1st coin to start collecting?
Coin Week 2025. Money.org · 2013 National Coin Week archive 2013 National Coin Week
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Your husband had better be well to do to collect gold coins. The real gold ones that is, not the gold colored ones such as the presidential dollars. It would be wise to go with your husband to a couple of coin dealers and let him check the different coins out. The first book should be what is called "The Red Book" a guide to US coins. It goes through all the US coins with mintage figures, a little on grading the different series, where to find the mint marks and a lot of useful info. The values guide in it is to be used as a guide only, for the book only comes out once a year. The first rule to coin collecting is to buy the book before the coin and never clean a coin. It actually takes some work to put a nice collection together and in the end make a few dollars. Your husband has to make up his mind what he wants to be. A coin collector who collects coins with a goal ahead such as a complete set on Lincoln cents 1909-2010. An a accumulator who just has a lot of coins but no goals and has really no collection. A numismatist a collector who has goals but also studies coins and knows their history, such people collect say varieties of early large cents or bust dollars and of course ancient coins. Last but not least is the investor who must have lots of money and can do $10,000 coins and up. Less money usually does not work and the person loses. Hope this helps. I alow email through yahoo answers if I can be of more help.
How to clean lots of coins at the same time?
CLEANING SILVER COINS
Silver coins, when newly minted, have a bright silvery-white surface. A chemically active metal, silver tends to tone deep brown to black. Circulated silver coins will often have a dull gray appearance, sometimes with a deep gray or black area. Silver coins acquire a blue, green, or violet oil-like tone through tarnishing that can enhance the appearance and desirability of an old silver coin and should not be cleaned.
Many collectors will not buy silver coins that look as if they have been cleaned. When tarnish becomes dark brown or black, and a coin's design is hard to see, there may be some desirability to cleaning it using non-harsh methods, but never with an abrasive paste or cloth.
Clean dark silver coins with ammonia, vinegar, rubbing alcohol, lemon juice or polish remover with aceton. Allow coins to soak in a container of the liquid until any dirt or encrustation has been dislodged.
Air-dry or pat them dry with a soft, clean cloth. Do not rub or polish. This may scratch the surface of the coin and will remove metal from the coin's surface. Any wear or scratches will decrease the value of your coin!
Note that silver coins can oxidize rapidly, especially in the presence of sulfur, such as is found in paper products. Some oxidized toning can be desirable but black silver coins are not. Only store your coins in proper containers, such as 2-inch by 2-inch sulfur-free envelopes available at coin dealers.
CLEANING COPPER COINS
Copper is among the most chemically active of all coinage metals. When a copper coin is first struck it has a brilliant pale orange surface and turns brown when circulated.
Copper coins tend to look worse after being cleaned and are more easily ruined than gold or silver coins. When absolutely necessary, clean dirty, green crusted, badly corroded copper coins without scrubbing them. Try soaking them in grape oil (or olive oil if grape oil is not available).
Some results can be obtained in one to four days, but don't be afraid to wait several weeks, months, or even a year for desired results. Remember, some of the green patina may be desirable in a copper coin. Although not so much a problem in Colorado, the prudent collector in a humid climate does not collect red copper coins which oxidize badly. Even in Colorado, it is wise to keep a desiccant in proximity to brown copper coins to absorb air moisture. Every six months, check your copper coins and stroke them with a soft camel's hair brush, such as is used on photographic lenses.
Another way to clean copper coins, use a product (available from any good coin supplier) called MS70. Use rubber gloves, this stuff will dry out your skin. It is safe, but if whatever is on the coin is stubborn, the coin can be soaked for days and even weeks in the MS70. You may use a soft toothbrush that will not harm the coins surfaces to remove the dirt in the devices and continue soaking. When you are satisfied with the coin's appearance, neutralize the MS70 from the coin with baking soda and warm running water. Dry the coin thoroughly and then apply a coat of Blue Ribbon coin cleaner and preservative, and let it dry for several days (or as long as it takes). Wipe any excess off with soft cotton balls, and store in safe cardboard 2 x 2's with the clear centers (use the ones that staple shut, not the self stick, that glue dries out and may not be safe). Make sure that the supplier tells you that the 2 x 2's you bought from him are safe. If the coin is somewhat discolored, you can use Dellar's Darkener after the soaking in MS70. Wipe any excess off and let it dry for days, or as long as it takes so that no more can be removed from the coin with a cotton ball. Use this before the Blue Ribbon until the coin is satisfactory to you. The Blue Ribbon is a cleaner also, and may remove some of the darkener, but the end result will be a beautifully clean and conserved coin for your collection.
NICKEL COINS
Nickel coins, when first minted, are dull silver in appearance, not as bright as silver. Circulated nickel coins have a gray appearance. Nickel coins are best cleaned with clean, warm, soapy, distilled water and a soft toothbrush. For stubbornly stained nickel coins, ammonia, diluted 3 to 1 with distilled water, has been used successfully.
STEEL COINS
Steel cents actually rust in the presence of humidity. Although difficult to store properly, "steelies" were made in such large quantities that they are never likely to become rare.
Cleaning Coins Process
If you have decided to clean your coins, clean them the same day they are discovered to prevent corrosion from continuing to build.
A first cleaning step for any coin may be to soak it for a few minutes and wash it in clean, warm, soapy, distilled water in a plastic container, using a mild liquid dishwashing soap and a very soft toothbrush. This may be all that is necessary. To make your soapy solution, use one tablespoon dishwashing liquid soap to a pint of water in your plastic container. Remember that metal containers can cause galvanic action of dissimilar metal alloys and will damage your coins!
Accumulated dirt and grime can usually be safely removed from a coin with the application of petroleum jelly (such as Vaseline) to both sides using a cotton-tipped swab (such as a Q-tip). Carefully remove the residue with clean swabs and finish with a soft, lint-free cloth.
Isopropyl or denatured alcohol is another non-abrasive cleaner that can be used in place of grape or olive oil. Never, however, use baking soda for a cleaning rub; baking soda may make a coin shinier, but will almost always ruin the coin's numismatic value.
A good example of corrosion that should be removed is Polyvinylchloride (PVC), a chemical found in older plastic coin holders that over time leaves a green, adherent, acidic, sticky, slightly scummy, scuzz discoloration on coins. This scuzz can spread so it is best to remove it as soon as possible using an organic solvent. One such organic solvent is acetone. You must adhere strictly to the warnings shown on the container, as a solvent such as acetone (found in nail polish remover) can be dangerous. Organic solvents can be used to remove tape or adhesive residue.
Some archeologists, professional coin dealers, and metal detecting hobbyists have used ultrasonic tanks that use ultrasound waves to agitate the clean, warm, soapy, distilled water in which coins are immersed. Sound waves are more gentle than even a soft toothbrush.
Expensive, specially made, commercial coin cleaning agents are available at coin shops. These cleaners should only be used as a last resort. You should never put gold coins into jewelry cleaner. Neither should you should dip silver coins in silver dip or polish them
After cleaning any coin, rinse it with distilled water, not tap water, which contains minerals that may leave spots on the coin. Some people suggest adding a final rinsing in isopropyl or denatured alcohol.
Dab or pat rinsed coins partially dry with a soft, lint-free cloth, then allow them to air-dry without touching each other on a soft cloth without rubbing, which can cause minute scratches
Good Luck !
Carlson or Gates: Playoff Week 1?
Flip a coin. Gates is a stud, and even if he has a bad week no one will blame you for starting him. If it is that windy look for short, safe passes. Those are often caught by TE's and RB's. Gates is a huge target, and has good hands.
I like Carlson too. Soon to be an elite TE, and is Seattle's best offensive option as I see it.
Will one of these guys score a TD? who can say for sure? This dilemma is why I never carry more than 1 TE except on a bye-week.
Best of luck in the play-offs, and hopefully both these guys have monster days as they should.