A.C. Dwyer's Coin Stories

For Beginning Coin Collectors

Susan Headley's Coins at About.com

This is one of my favorite sites, especially for the beginning collector. She has lots of good articles that help make coin collecting enjoyable. Be sure to sign up for her free e-newsletter.

One of the premier third party grading and certification services that also has census reports, price guides, and a registry for collectors. A great place for socializing with other collectors is through NGC's registry. The nice thing about this registry is that both NGC and PCGS certified coins can be entered into the registry.

Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS)

A premier third party grading and certification service that has news, census reports, price guides, and a registry for collectors. A nice place for socializing with other collectors through their registry. However, unlike the NGC registry, the PCGS registry only allows PCGS graded coins to be entered.

Coin Directory

A nice directory of coin websites along with some interesting articles.

Clubs/Organizations

American Numismatic Association

Most coin collectors are a member of this organization at some time or another. Membership comes with a subscription to the monthly The Numismatist magazine.

Florida United Numismatists (FUN)

One of the largest of the regional clubs covering the southeastern U.S. Best known for its FUN-Topics magazine (comes with membership) and their annual convention each January in Orlando.

Central States Numismatic Society

Another of the large regional clubs, it covers the mid-western U.S. Membership includes a subscription to The Centinel magazine. They hold a large annual convention each Spring that has rotated among different cities in the past. It appears the convention may stay in the Chicago area beginning in 2010.

Token and Medal Society (TAMS)

Are you passionate about collecting Civil War or Hard Times tokens? Then this is the society for you. Membership includes 6 issues of the TAMS Journal each year, discounts on books published by the society, and access to their extensive circulating library for only the additional cost of postage and insurance. 

World Mints

The United States Mint

Almost every coin collector has probably purchased something from the U.S. Mint at one time or another. Keep abreast of all the latest news and releases about mint products such as the Presidential dollars or the next round of State/Territorial Quarters. Be sure to check out the Direct Ship program for Presidential dollars and help them to circulate.

The Bureau of Engraving and Printing

If it's paper money you collect, then you'll want to check out this website. The paper money counterpart to the U.S. Mint has lots of great information like how to detect counterfeit notes. Be sure to check out the Money Facts section and its list of topics on the right side of the page. 

The Royal Canadian Mint

While producing over 1 billion circulating coins each year, the mint also produces special circulation coins to mark special events or occasions. The 2010 Vancouver Olympic mascot coins are examples of some of their most recent special circulation coins. 

The Perth Mint - Australia

Founded in 1899, this mint was a branch mint of Britain's Royal Mint and was commissioned to produce gold sovereigns and half sovereigns which were used as circulating coins throughout the British empire. Today the mint focuses on bullion coins and bars for investment purposes. 

The Royal Australian Mint

This mint was opened in 1965 and commissioned to produce Australia's decimal coinage beginning in 1966. Since 1969, the mint has produced coins for a number of other countries including New Zealand and Israel.

The Royal Mint - England

The official website of the Royal Mint. The amazing thing is that you can still get "original" proof sets from as far back as 1972.

Free Auction Archives

Heritage Auction Galleries

Of all the auction archives, Heritage is the king! If you have certified coins in your collection, then the Heritage archives are the best tool out there for keeping track of the market for your coins. The best part is the archives are free. But to view prices, you must first register with them (it's free too).

Teletrade

If it's certified lower grade rare coins or more modern U.S. coins that you collect, then Teletrade has the archives you want. While Heritage is king for rare coins, Teletrade takes the crown if it's an Eisenhower dollar or state quarter your interested in. Free registration opens up the full archives to you including prices realized.  

Stack's

One nice thing about Stack's archives is that it doesn't take any registration to view the prices realized. Although I would rate Stack's archives second to Heritage for certified coins, they are clearly number one if you are interested in raw coins.  They also put out some of the best auction catalogs that are better than most coin books and the top rate Numismatic Sun magazine. You can ask for a free trial subscription to the catalogs or a free sample copy of the Numismatic Sun.