Not every experienced coin collector can confidently determine the authenticity of a particular coin, much less indicate its real market value. Are there reliable ways to classify coins, determine their safety and value?
Instructions
Step 1
The novice collector should be aware that there are a considerable number of coin catalogs. For Russian coins, two of them are most often used: the so-called Krause catalog and Uzdennikov's catalog. These catalogs contain data on the prices of coins, depending on their grade, preservation and rarity. The higher the safety of the coin, the higher its price will be.
Step 2
The rarity of a coin is determined by the number of coins available for collecting, it depends on the circulation of a particular coin. The highest praise is given to the limited editions.
Step 3
Any of the catalogs used is able to determine only the total price for a coin, regardless of its actual safety. This limitation is a big disadvantage of evaluating with catalogs.
Step 4
The real value of a coin is its actual market value. As a rule, it differs significantly from the price indicated in the catalog. Establishing a market price largely depends on demand, prices for precious metals, the quality of a particular specimen, and many other factors. There is only one way to find the "correct" price - you need to find the price of exactly the same coin already sold.
Step 5
In the world, the components of a huge numismatic market are mints, sales agents, auctions, individual collectors, as well as organizations that offer services for the independent classification of coins. In Russia, the structure of the numismatics market is still in its infancy and includes small auctions and many collectors.
Step 6
The collector should approach the purchase of coins fully aware of the possible risks of misjudgment. Those buyers who do not have enough experience in numismatics should pay attention to coins that are not too high value. A novice numismatist can gain experience by referring to manuals, catalogs and studying a large number of coins.
