Welcome to Carl's!
I'm sure others will chime in after the holiday excitement dies down some...
First of all... Don't attempt to clean your coins. Don't even think about washing them, or
dipping them... For now, leave them be. There is a coin cleaning/restoration outfit, but
collectors use their services for super scarce and perhaps, valuable, coins. Until you know
what you have, well.... It's called NCS and you can google their site.
Second... Google around under coin supplies. You will find many different kinds of capsules, plastic
holders (called flips), cardboard/cello holders (called 2X2's), envelopes, etc., to store your coins in.
Recommend you use PVC free anything that you will put a coin into.
Oh, yeah... Go buy last year's "Redbook" somewhere. Maybe there's a local coin shop? You could
stop in at a local coin shop, and if the owner is decent enough, may help with supplies, and the Red Book.
It's (The Redbook) only $10 or so, and has lots of coin info...on ALL U.S. coins... values, too. Good to have,
if you want to continue in the hobby..
Those sealed envelopes on eBay, purporting to be "unopened" and containing treasures, are generally
not worth much more than current "spot" price of silver . You can check completed prices, for current values.
The US Mint stopped shipping in envelopes in 1966, I think...? Some will say they are unsealed, unsearched, who
really knows?
But, never go nuts and pay a lot for a set. Sure, sometimes there will be a special proof coin, worth something extra,
but be sure for the most part, someone who knows the coin, will have checked them already. Unless of course, you
know the seller, and his/her father/grandpa stuck them away years ago... Pay the usual price that they seem to sell
for... Look in completed auctions for pricing history.
And then, there are "certified, graded" coins.. Several "Third Party Grading" companies will take your coins,
check them for varieties, errors, place a"grade" on them, and encapsulate them in a PVC free plastic holder.
Three outfits are sorta on top... PCGS, NGC, and ANACS... They charge money, and often a lot of money,
depending on your coin, and the service you wish.. It's worth using their services on scarcer, and the more
rarer coins... Your Redbook will come in handy here. Handle your coins by their edge, BTW. Don't get fingerprints
all over their faces (Called obverses) and backs (called reverses).. If any of your coins are large silver dollars,
you might wanna wear powder free rubber gloves just in case.... Cotton gloves are avail, too.
There's a lot of information out there, regarding coins. It's a hobby you won't "learn" in a short time. It takes
a lot of patience, care, and of course, a love of old coins and their history... Don't spend a lot of money
for super investments at first, either.. Just take it easy, read the book, and google a lot. Joining a larger coin
related hobby website like PCGS, is a good idea.. Lots of great folks over there, and good info too (incl me).
http://www.pcgs.com/Whew.... I'm pooped and I haven't had my coffee yet....
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