Coin Collecting: Resources that Aid in Numismatic Research
Coin collecting often starts out informally. Maybe you get a set of coins for your 10th birthday, which leads you to collect coins from each year afterward. You inherit a collection from grandpa and suddenly get interested in understanding the history of the coins. A good coin collection includes other resources that provide contextual information for the coins.
Scott Douglas is a prime example of a collector who didn’t stop with coins. He started collecting coins as a young person. Today, his library related to coins is almost unparalleled – three home library rooms’ worth. He started collecting books about coins to learn more about them. After decades of collecting, he is selling his collection of reference books. He calls it a practical decision. It is bittersweet. The coin community will have access to books that may be unavailable through any other source, but Douglas may miss his collection. Here are some of the books we think are invaluable for collectors.
The Charlton Coin Guide
This guide is updated each year to help you determine the value of your coins and paper money. It’s a straightforward guide to what a numismatic dealer might pay for the items in your collection. Even the older versions of the guide can be helpful in understanding how a collection might be appraised and how it increases in value. The 2022 version is its 61st edition, so this guide knows coins.
Canadian Coins Volume 1: Numismatic Issues
This catalogue provides even more information about the coin-collecting scene. It discusses more of the history of Canadian circulation pieces and breaks down their values by condition. It’s both larger and more focused than the Coin Guide, featuring just Canadian circulation coins from over the decades.
Canadian Coins Volume 2: RCM Issues
This second volume references Royal Canadian Mint collectibles issued since the 1950s, from price trends to original issue prices to information about designers and engravers. Coin collecting isn’t just about the face value of the coin. Coins have value based on their rarity and the themes represented. You will be bewildered by the vast array of coins the Mint has released just for collectors over the years. This volume is in its 11th edition.
Canadian Government Paper Money
Paper money is another type of coin collection that has its own language. This reference from Charlton, soon to be in its 34th edition, includes background information on the various series of Canadian banknotes as well as detailed breakdowns of print runs and values by variety and serial number.Collecting paper money can be more difficult than collecting coins because the paper doesn’t last as long as coins. It is rewarding.
Canadian Colonial Tokens
Tokens were the coin-like objects used in Canada in the 18th and 19th centuries before the country had a uniform currency. There’s been a resurgence in collecting tokens as part of history. This reference guide is invaluable for identifying and understanding the different tokens minted by various organizations and individuals and their values. Practically every area in Canada from Ontario east had its own tokens. Some were minted by the local governments, while businesses or blacksmiths stamped out or imported others. If you catch the token collecting bug, you’ll be on an interesting hunt for unique tokens that have years of history behind them.
Get Resources to Help You Understand Coin Collecting
Coin collecting is an underrated hobby. When you start to read about coins, you learn there’s much more that goes into a coin collection than meets the eye. The coins have a lot to say, from their design to minting errors that help someone understand the history of the coin. Bolster your knowledge about coin collecting by finding resources that teach you about Canadian coins for sale. Colonial Acres has a large inventory of resources that can provide information on the coins in your collection. Shop for coin accessories, supplies and reference books.