Contents
Every chapter, in order
The guide follows the NUMISCOPE Method: identify a coin, check it, value it, then decide. Each chapter ends with a one-page summary and a list of common mistakes.
Identify
Reading a coin
Obverse, reverse, edge, legends, dates and denominations, and where US mint marks are found.
Identifying an unfamiliar coin in ten minutes
A step-by-step method using free catalogues, for foreign and unfamiliar coins too.
What makes a coin scarce
Mintage, survival rates, key dates and recognized varieties.
Mint errors versus damage
How to tell a genuine mint error from the damage that is often mistaken for one.
Bullion at a glance
The major gold and silver coins, rounds and bars, with a specification table.
Authenticate & grade
First checks at home
Weight, size, magnet and sound tests, and what they can and cannot prove.
Counterfeits and altered coins
Common fakes, changed dates and mint marks, and fake bullion bars.
Condition and grading
The 1–70 grading scale, luster, strike and eye appeal, explained in plain English.
Problem coins
How to recognize cleaned, polished, whizzed and artificially toned coins.
Grading slabs and certificate checks
The major grading services, verifying certificate numbers yourself and spotting fake holders.
Photographing coins with a phone
Simple setups for close inspection and for clear selling photos.
Value
Melt value Sample chapter
Spot price, fineness, troy ounces and the melt formula, with four fully worked examples. Read sample pages
Premiums and spreads
What dealers charge over spot, what they pay, and why the gap exists.
Real market value
Sold prices versus asking prices, auction archives, and why price guides differ.
What drives collector value
Rarity, condition, demand and provenance, and how they combine.
Buy & sell
Where to buy and how to vet a seller
Dealers, coin shows, mints and online marketplaces, and how to check who you are buying from.
Red flags and scams
Listing tricks, misleading investment pitches and fake slabs.
Negotiating and reading a dealer's offer
How offers are built and how to respond to them.
Selling: dealer, auction, online or private
Costs, timelines and risks of each route, compared side by side.
Inherited collections
What to do, and what not to do, before selling anything.
Keep
Choosing a focus and building a collection
Setting a budget and collecting with a plan.
Handling, storage and preservation
How to hold, store and protect coins so they keep their condition.
Records, insurance and a tax overview
Purchase records, insurance and a plain-English overview of tax. General information, not advice.
Signature tools
The Coin Check Protocol
A six-stage checklist before you buy or judge any coin. See page 1
The Real-World Value Worksheet
Metal value, premium, sold comparables, condition and selling costs on one page.
The Deal-or-Walk-Away Scorecard
Score authenticity, price, seller and remaining doubt before you pay.
Appendices
Buying in the UK
Britannias and Sovereigns, VAT on gold and silver, and UK dealers.
Quick-reference tables
Bullion specifications, US mint marks and silver content of older US coins.
Glossary
Coin terms explained in plain English.
Sources and further reading
Every source cited in the guide, chapter by chapter.