Coin collecting is incredibly common today – whether you collect for fun, a hobby or are interested in buying coins for investment.
If you are new to coin collecting, you’ll want to understand how to build a coin collection, what to consider when doing so and importantly, how to protect your coin collection.
Types of coins that you can collect
There are a wide range of different coins that you can collect – each being special in their own way and holding interest for different people.
Bullion Coins
These types of coins are made from precious metals. Typically, gold and silver, but they may also be made in platinum or palladium. Bullion coins are not designed to be in normal circulation. Instead, they are typically used as investment assets.
Proof Coins
Proof coins are the highest quality commemorative coins. They are specially minted, with the process ensuring no marks or imperfections in the finish of the coin.
Commemorative Coins
Commemorative coins are issued by the Royal Mint usually in celebration of a national event of significant importance. There is often a link to a royal occasion but not always. They are intended to be souvenirs so the number in general circulation can be low.
Error Coins
Occasionally errors are made in the minting process resulting in a coin having a flaw which makes it different. It is rare for these to make it into circulation, so they are hard to find.
Circulating Coins
Also known as business strikes, these are coins which are in circulation for everyday use. Different variations of each coin are in circulation, with some being rarer than others and therefore more collectible and likely to be worth more.
Historical Coins
These may date back to Roman or Greek times or be associated with a specific time of history.
How to build a coin collection
There are a range of ways to build up a coin collection depending on your interest, budget and if you are collecting as a hobby or as an investment. Most sources suggest spending some time thinking about why you want to build a coin collection and what you want to collect before you go ahead and begin – you could collect coins based on a theme, topic or even just a specific type of coin.
Coin type
You may choose to collect only 50p pieces for example, or coins made from a certain type of metal such as gold or silver.
Whatever it is that you choose, if you collect in this way, you’ll likely focus on one specific area in order to build up your collection.
Coin collection based on a theme
You could choose a theme from which to build your coin collection. It may be that you have a particular interest in a certain period of time and collect coins from this era. Or that you are interested in royalty and build your coin collection around this.
Choosing a theme or topic that you are interested in and building your collection in this way is a good way to make your coin collection personal to you.
Commemorative coins
You may also choose to collect commemorative coins – both those that are in circulation and those not. But this is another way to build a coin collection. Coins are created to celebrate many special events such as the London 2012 Olympics, the Golden Jubilee as well as different book characters such as Paddington Bearand the characters from the Beatrix Potter books.
What to consider when building a coin collection
Value
The value of coins varies significantly and not all coin collections will be worth a large amount of money, whereas others can have significant value.
Coins which are common command a lower value than those which are rarer and harder to come by. Coin condition will also impact the value of your coins and therefore collection.
Interest
Theming your coin collection around an interest is a good way to build your coin collection as well as to keep you interested and passionate about collecting.
Buying coins for investment
If you are looking to build a coin collection as an investment it is likely that you will need to be prepared to spend a little more on the coins that you buy. The rarer coins or those created from precious materials are likely to be worth more, but also cost more to buy.
If you are looking to invest, your collection may focus more on bullion coins, as well as the rarer to find coins.
Do be careful when investing in coins and be sure to avoid fraud or scams. Do your research and only buy from reputable sellers.
How to protect your coin collection
Storing your coins
It is important to store your coins correctly to keep them safe and all in one place as well as to preserve their condition.
You may want to keep them in a coin holder, a coin folder or an album. The quality of the storage required will likely depend on the value of your coins. For extremely valuable coins you may need to invest in a specialised coin holder. You may also need to consider storing your coins in a safe if they are particularly valuable.
Handling
Coins also need to be handled in the correct way so as to avoid damage or impacting their condition.
Insurance
If you have a sizeable collection with a high value attached, then you will want to protect your collection with adequate insurance. You may want to consider a high-net-worth insurance policy as some standard home insurance policies may not offer high enough cover levels for your collection.
A high net worth insurance policy is designed to provide cover for high value, sometimes specialist items including valuable collections. You may need to share a detailed catalogue of your coins and their value with your insurer when you take out your policy to ensure you get the right cover for your collection, your insurer may also request that your collection is stored in a certain way (i.e. in a safe) to protect it from theft.
Collections can be highly valuable, and you’ll want to be sure that they are protected given the time and money spent on building them. That is why it is so important to get the right insurance for your needs. Speak to us at Anthony Jones Insurance brokers today – as a specialist high net worth insurance broker we can provide a bespoke service to those needing to insure their valuable belongings. Get in touch with us on 0208 8290 9086 or email us at personal@anthonyjones.com.
