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Plain-English guides to grading, buying, selling and storing coins, written by the Changes Hands research team. Not investment advice.

How Coin Grading Works: The Sheldon Scale Explained

A coin's grade is a shorthand for how much of its original design and surface survives. Collectors use the 1 to 70 Sheldon scale, and the difference of a few points can matter more than the date. This guide explains the scale, what graders actually look at, and how problem coins are handled.

PCGS vs NGC vs CAC: What the Labels and Stickers Mean

PCGS and NGC are the two grading services the US coin market trusts most. CAC does something different: it reviews coins already graded by them and stickers the ones it considers solid for the grade. Here is how the three fit together, and what that means when you buy or sell.

How to Sell Coins Online Without Leaving Money on the Table

Selling coins well is mostly preparation: knowing what you have, deciding which coins deserve grading, and picking a sales channel that fits each group. This guide walks through the process step by step, from sorting a jar of old coins to shipping a slabbed rarity safely.

How Much Is My Coin Worth? A Step-by-Step Way to Find Out

A coin's value comes down to four things: what it is, its date and mint mark, its condition, and whether it has problems. Work through them in order and you can place almost any US coin in the right ballpark before talking to a buyer.

Auction House vs Coin Exchange: Fees, Speed and Price Discovery

Auctions and exchanges both match buyers with sellers, but they do it on different clocks and cost structures. Auctions shine for rare and unique coins; exchanges suit coins that can be grouped into interchangeable classes. Here is how to think about the trade-offs.

What Is Junk Silver? 90% Silver US Coins Explained

Junk silver is the trade name for worn, common-date US silver coins bought and sold mainly for their metal. The name undersells them: they are genuine, government-struck silver in small, recognizable units. Here is what qualifies, how much silver they contain, and what to check before you treat a coin as junk.

How to Store and Insure Coins Without Damaging Them

Coins are durable, but their surfaces are not. Most damage to collections comes from the wrong holders, damp air and well-meaning handling, and most losses come from storage that was never insured properly. This guide covers both halves of the job.

Buying Coins in Vaulted Custody: How It Works and What to Ask

When you buy a vaulted coin, you own a specific physical coin that someone else stores for you. That arrangement makes trading faster and cheaper, but it only works if ownership, insurance and record-keeping are done properly. This guide explains how custody works and what to check before you trust anyone with your coins.

Common Date vs Key Date Coins: What Makes a Date Scarce

In any coin series, most dates are common and a handful are scarce. Those scarce dates, the keys, can be worth many times a common date in the same condition. Understanding why a date is scarce helps you spot real opportunities and avoid the fakes that follow every key.

Collectible Coins as an Asset: The Risks to Understand First

Coins can be rewarding to own, and some people hold them partly as a store of value. They also carry risks that stocks and bank deposits do not. This guide sets those risks out plainly so you can decide how much, if any, of your money belongs in coins. It is general information, not investment advice.

Glossary

<a href="/learn/glossary">Coin collecting glossary</a>