Foreign Coins: Love By The Pound!

Chances are if you are reading this blog, you are a coin collector. (Or desperately trying to understand your husband's / boyfriend's / grandfather's coin addiction) Well... you coin collectors out there have probably thought at one time or another, some or all of the following list:

• There doesn't seem to be any 'deals' out there to buy
• U.S. coinage does not change that much, I need some variety!
• My local dealer always has the same items in his display case
• I am not THAT concerned with making money in coins, just collecting
• I love collecting, but don't feel like I'm learning anything
• I 'think' i know almost all there is to know about coin series XYZ

For those of you that find yourselves in these troubling and frustrating situations, I have a solution! FOREIGN COINS! I know when you started, it was ALL about U.S. coins, but in an effort to keep that love of coins alive, I am offering a solution to the numismatic blues. Think about investing some time / money in Foreign Coins.

It's a fact that the great majority of coin dealers care very little about foreign coins. With a few exceptions, most dealers either throw the foreign into a bucket, pick out just the silver coins, or ship it off to someone who IS interested in it. Here's a few reasons to think about picking up some foreign coinage:

• Foreign coins are OFTEN sold by the pound (rather than by the piece)
• On two separate occasions, I have found very RARE foreign coins ($$$!)
• You will learn about geography and history through researching your coins
• You will make other valuable coin contacts through research or trading
• You will feel like Indiana Jones looking for hidden treasure

I have spent countless hours searching through bags and buckets of foreign coins, and when I feel the need to get involved with my collection, and not just patiently wait for the value to rise, I dig in and sort the foreign. I now have a little box of 'unidentifiable coins', and there is no feeling on earth like FINALLY figuring out where one of these little mysteries is from.

So, to end this infomercial-like blog: Next time you're at the coin store, ask Mr. Dealerman if he's got some foreign coins laying around that he'd like to part with at a reasonable price. Head here to get yourself the most useful book for identifying and checking values on foreign coinage (at the bottom of the page), and most of all HAVE FUN!