Mail Bag – What is a Burnished Coin?

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Today’s Mail Bag question comes from Rebecca G regarding the term “burnished”. It is a term that gets tossed about a lot but it can lead to question as to what exactly it means. Rebecca writes, Hi, I was reading about a 2006-W ASE (editor: American Silver Eagle) and it mentioned that it was burnished. What does that mean and why is this coin so much more than other ASE coins? Rebecca G’s email This …

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Mail Bag – What is Whizzing?

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Today’s Mail Bag post comes from an email that came in last week from Raj. Their question has to do with coin cleaning and understanding the term Whizzing. Hi, I’ve heard of cleaning a coin by whizzing it. What does that mean? Should I clean coins this way? Raj via Email Raj, thanks for taking the time to write and ask this important question, especially for new collectors. As a general rule, you should not …

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Mail Bag – Are Commemoratives Worth Collecting?

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Today’s Mail Bag question comes from Raul and it has to do with commemorative coins. His question is simple: Is it worth collecting them? Clinton, I saw your Twitter post this week on a Geo(rge) Washington commemorative coin you got. What do you think of it? Is it worth collecting these types of coins too? Raul First, for those that missed the Tweet, this is the one he is referring to in his email: As …

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Mail Bag – Report More Coin Auctions

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Today’s Mail Bag question isn’t really a question but more of a request. It comes from Carl W, who used the contact form on the About page to reach out. They write, You never report any coin auctions on your site. You need to report more on them because it is important. Carl W Thanks for taking the time to write Carl and I 100% agree with you: Coin auctions are important. But equally, they …

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Mail Bag – Is Going to A Coin Show Worth It?

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Today’s Mail Bag question comes from Steve G. and as a new collector, he wants to know if going to a coin show is worth it. They write, Hi, I’m new to collecting and have been slowing building up my collection. There is a coin show coming up in Denver in September and I wanted to get your ideas on if it is worth it. I’ve never been to one so I didn’t know if …

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Mail Bag – Should I Unwrap Coin Rolls I Want to Keep?

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Today’s Mail Bag question came in over the weekend and it comes from Asim H.. They asked a great question around collecting coin rolls and how to store them. Hi, I have some new rolls of quarters that I picked up at my bank. I plan on keeping some of them after I’m done searching for W quarters (Editors Note: They are looking for 2019-W Quarters that are part of the Great American Coin Hunt). …

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Mail Bag – Should I Open Up a Mint Set?

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Today’s Mail Bag question comes from Hanna J. who had a great question about Mint Sets. They write, Hi, I wanted to know if it is ok to open up a mint set when I buy it from the mint? I like keeping my coins in individual holders but I wanted to make sure I wouldn’t get in trouble. And is the same for proof sets? Hanna J Thanks Hanna for writing in and first, …

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Mail Bag – Is There a Good Coin Grading Book?

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Today’s Mail Bag question is from Carl B. and it concerns coin grading books. They write, Hi, I wanted to ask what you think is a good coin grading book. I’ve been looking and there are a lot of them. I’m new to coin collecting and I’m looking for a book that will help me get better and grading what I have. Carl First Carl, thanks for your question and taking the time to send …

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Mail Bag – The America The Beautiful W Quarter are not Fair

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Today’s Mail Bag feature comes from reader Adrian H.. His question has to do with finding the American the Beautiful W Quarter in the wild, no matter which particular one. He contacted me via the contact form on the About page here on the site. You can too by going to this link, scrolling to the bottom of the page, and sending me a question or comment. Hi, I have been trying for months to …

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Mail Bag – What Collecting Software do You Use

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Today’s Mail Bag question comes from Robert F and it is one I’ve been asked about a lot. Robert reached me via the contact form on the About page, which you can do too if you have a questions. Hi, I want to know what software you use to manage your coin collection. I have been looking for something other than Excel, which I use now, so I can add photos of my coins. Robert …

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