FORMING A COLLECTION

There are many ways to collect coins. Two broad categories of collecting I call "closed end" and "open end" collections. A "closed end" collection is a definite series, such as US cents from 1909 to the present, or one coin from each type from a particular country. It is clear what coins belong in the collection, and you know when you have finished the collection. This style is popular with American collectors, due in part to all the albums with little holes for each coin in the series, and the urging of some that "you have to collect a series". Another approach is the "open end" collection. This is the more traditional approach to collecting, where one tries to collect a representative sample of coins in an area of interest, rather than each coin in a particular series. An example of an open end collection might be crown sized coins of the world, or coins of the Indian States, or just modern world coin. One does not try to get one of everything in a series, but rather whatever is of interest within a fairly broad theme. This style of collecting can more easily accommodate changes in ones collecting interest. It can also be easier on ones budget since there are no "key coin" holes to fill. Many collectors combine some aspects of both, such as collecting a few representative coins of each nation that participated in World War II. You might want to give some thought to how you want to organize your collecting style.