Wonder if that quarter in your change is worth something? Or if the old penny your uncle says is worth a fortune really is?

Sure, the answer is probably somewhere on the inter-webs, but connections aren’t always available, and online info isn’t necessarily accurate. It’s better to rely on experts and now you can have one at your beck and call. And you won’t have to pay consulting fees or lug around heavy reference books.

Whitman Publishing, publishers of the definitive guides to US coins, offers a series of pocket guides for coin collectors. The five spiral-bound notebooks are available for US cents, nickels and dimes, quarters, half dollars, and dollar coins. Each has accrual-size photos and lists mintages, regular and proof releases, and major varies of each coin.

The guides also have plenty of blank pages to record notes and other information you might want to jot down, like when and where you saw or bought a coin.

What they don’t have is coin values, so you’ll have to sleuth that out on your own. Sources include PCGS Coin Facts or Whitman’s own A Guide Book of United States Coins: The Official Red Book of U.S. Coins. It’s updated annually and lists grade-by-grade values, auction records, historical information, detailed specifications, high-resolution photographs, and mintage data.
And we’re sure you’ll consult expert advice before making any big-ticket purchases or sales.

Coin collecting is fascinating hobby that can be enjoyed by all ages and can provide a life-long source of pleasure and reward. And like with most things, knowledge is power.

Get familiar with the Sheldon Coin Grading Scale before you buy and use it as a guide. Some coins that are very expensive in “mint condition” are quite affordable at lower grades. Learn as much as you can about the coins that interest you and keep your antennae up for market developments.

And having one of these pocket guides hand will help you navigate the hundreds of varieties you may come across while you’re out looking.