While everyone seem to be mad for gold Silver has been steadily growing in worth .
Although Silver has not grown at the same rate as gold it will probably continue growing in value.
One investor tried to corner the market in silver but was eventually thwarted.
Ancient Coin Collecting
This can be both a business and a fascinating hobby.
All coin collecting is fun and some areas may be very profitable.
One interesting area to collect is Ancient Coins.
This is not always the easiest area to identify but it cna be very satisfying.
If you have been put off by high price in the past then you might like to reconsider as the world of Roman Coins particularly has recently expanded following huge discoveries of Roman Coins in the former Yugoslav republics
Many of these coins are quite unique and you stand an excellent chance of finding an unrecorded variety.
Ancient Coin Buying Tips :
A few things to consider when buying ancient coins:
* Which area to specialise in – the way to enjoy and make money from ancients coin collecting is to become an expert in a specific area.
* There are dozens of areas to specialise in – Ancient Rome and Republican Rome are popular and easily obtained. They also have more valuable silver and Gold Coins which are very attractive to collectors.
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* Greek and Indian coins can be fascinating as can coins from Persia (Iran), Israel and China.
* Research is foremost in identifying Ancient coins. You have to be able to identify not just the country of origin but also the ruler or typea of the coins of that country. You can do this in a library or on the internet
* Coin Magazines and Reference Books are indispensable when identifying coins and these can be purchase quite cheaply ( ebay or car boot sales are best)
* Organisation is the key to success in coin collecting or dealing and you should from the outset have separate folders for the coins of each country and a database on Excel of Open Office to track purchases, sales and lists of coins either for your own collection or for individual customer.
* You could also list your own wants list with the amount you are willing to pay for each coin. This will help you budget properly.
* You may at first be tempted with offers of uncleaned coins and if these are fairly cheap it will give you some experience in identifying and cleaning (with an ultrasonic cleaner only) Old coins. Ads for uncleaned and unsorted coins are common on ebay but the chance of getting silver or gold coins is minimal (in my opinion).
But it is good fun and will keep you amused for hours.
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* An ultrasonic Cleaner is quite cheap (around $30)and will make an amazing difference t some coins. You should not be surprised though to receive very worn coins in such an auction lot. Despite what vendors say, any superb example will already have probably been removed.
* To start with, choose an affordable range of different coins and compare them for wear and condition. This will give you experience in grading older coins.
* A good place to find ancient coins is (surprisingly) at local flea markets or car boot/house sales. Private individuals seldom know the vale of ancient coins so you may get some great deals.
* Auctions – are the best places to buy and to sell. Buying is best in smaller countries like Belgium or Italy where ancient coins are not so interesting to local people. When selling then choose the USA,Canada or Great Britain where there is a coin-hungry market.
* A word of warning – there are fake gold and expensive silver coins so check those out carefully.
* Always check feedback on any vendor before buying.
One thing is certain - you will get a lot of satisfaction from Ancient Coin Collecting
Filed under Ancient Coins, Coin Collecting, Treasure Hunting by on Apr 16th, 2010. 
