So, You Want to Start Collecting Coins? Welcome to the Hobby!
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So, You Want to Start Collecting Coins? Welcome to the Hobby!
If you’re new to coin collecting—first of all, welcome! You’ve just stepped into one of the most fun and surprisingly addictive hobbies out there. Coins are tiny time capsules, little pieces of history that have been passed from hand to hand, decade after decade. And the best part? You don’t need to spend a ton of money to get started. In fact, you probably already have everything you need sitting in your pocket right now.
Start With Your Change
Seriously—your own change is the easiest place to begin. Every time you get coins back at the store, take a minute to actually look at them. Here’s what to keep an eye out for:
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Older dates: In the U.S., dimes, quarters, and half-dollars from before 1965 contain silver.
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Mint marks: Those tiny letters (like “D” for Denver or “S” for San Francisco) can turn a common coin into something special.
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Oddballs: Off-center strikes, double images, or anything that just looks “off” might actually be a minting error—and collectors love those.
Think of it as a little treasure hunt you can do every single day.
Get Into Some Simple Habits
Like any hobby, coin collecting gets better when you make it part of your routine. Here are a few habits to build:
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Always check your change—even if you’re in a rush, give it a quick glance.
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Keep a “finds jar” for anything that looks interesting so it doesn’t get spent again by accident.
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Look things up—if you find a coin that seems different, hop online or grab a coin book to learn more about it.
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Handle with care—if a coin looks shiny or unusual, hold it by the edges. Oils from your skin can leave marks.
These little habits will help you grow as a collector without feeling overwhelming.
Where to Hunt for Coins
Once you’ve gotten the hang of checking your own change, you can branch out:
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Ask family members if they have old jars of coins lying around—lots of people do, and they’ll often be happy to let you dig through.
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Coin roll hunting is a fun way to search. You can get rolls of coins from the bank and sift through them for silver, rare dates, or errors
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Flea markets and garage sales sometimes have jars of coins people don’t even realize are collectible.
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Coin shows and clubs are amazing for meeting other collectors and learning from people who’ve been doing this for years.
A Few Tools That’ll Make Life Easier
You don’t need a fancy setup, but a couple of basics go a long way:
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A magnifying glass or jeweler’s loupe to see tiny details.
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Coin albums or folders where you can organize coins by year—it’s super satisfying to watch the spots fill in.
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Protective sleeves or “2x2s” to keep special coins safe.
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A soft cloth or gloves for handling coins you think might be valuable.
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A good beginner’s guide, like The Red Book, which is kind of the go-to resource for U.S. coins.
The Best Part: Enjoying the Journey
Here’s the truth—you might not find a super rare or valuable coin right away. And that’s okay! The fun is in the hunt, in noticing details you never paid attention to before, and in discovering that even something as small as a penny has a story to tell.
So the next time you get a handful of change, pause before tossing it in the cup holder. You never know—you might be holding a little piece of history.
Happy collecting, and welcome to the community!