Numismatics is one of the most interesting hobbies, many people do not part with it all their lives. When assembling a collection, you need to be well versed in the cost of coins - this will allow you to make profitable purchases and not make too much money when selling unnecessary copies.
It should be understood that the value of a coin is determined not so much by the year of its issue as by its rarity and quality of preservation. You can find 200-300-year-old coins worth several tens of rubles, and Soviet coins worth tens of thousands of dollars. An example is the Soviet coins of 1947 - they are very rare, their cost starts at $ 10,000. The coins of the USSR of 1958 are also valuable, the average price is about 60-80 thousand rubles. Their rarity is due to the fact that they did not go into official circulation.
There are also valuable coins among the issues of the last 10-20 years. For example, 50 kopecks for 2001, minted at the Moscow Mint, cost in the region of 30-50 thousand rubles. Coins of the same year in denominations of 1 and 2 rubles, made at the same mint, cost around 30 thousand rubles.
Copper, silver and gold coins
It was these three metals that were most often used in the production of coins until the beginning of the last century. For copper coins, the cost of the metal itself is negligible, it can be ignored. The same goes for coins made of copper and nickel alloys. Silver is a precious metal, so even the poorest preserved coins have some value, at least the price of the metal. Finally, the value of gold coins consists of the price of the metal and the value of the coin itself as a numismatic value.
The so-called investment gold coins can often be found on sale. As a rule, their price is seriously overpriced, so the purchase of such coins is justified only if the coin is purchased for a long time.
Coin safety
As already mentioned, the value of a coin is greatly influenced by its safety. Traditionally, several levels of preservation are distinguished: non-circulated coins, exceptionally good preservation, very good preservation, good preservation, very satisfactory preservation, satisfactory preservation.
Non-circulated coins are of perfect quality, as they have not been in circulation and do not have any scratches, scuffs, etc. At the other end of the scale are coins of satisfactory preservation - they still have some value, but the inscriptions on them are already barely readable. Coins of the worst preservation have no value.
There are also coins of a special minting - Proof. They have a perfect mirror surface, among other similar coins, they are distinguished by the highest value. These are collectible items that do not enter ordinary currency circulation. High quality coins are also distinguished - they are made on conventional machines, but using new tools and do not have defects visible to the naked eye.
How to determine the value of a coin
It is best to use specialized catalogs, which provide detailed information on the value of coins of various countries and different years of issue. When evaluating the value, be sure to pay attention to the safety of the coin, since the catalog price is fair for coins of high safety. The only exceptions are the rarest coins, which are very difficult, if not impossible, to find in good condition.
