Buying and Collecting Coins

I have been collecting, buying and selling United States coins for more than 50 years. I am not a dealer. The purpose of this guide is to provide information to novice and intermediate collectors, or anyone who intends to spend their hard-earned money to buy a collectible coin. The best advice that I have ever read was written by Q. David Bowers and probably by others before him who said "read the book first." Buy something you love/like. Purchase with the intent to hold and treasure your coins. Obviously the market is intent on telling you that you SHOULD buy because the coin is a "bargain for the grade" or because the price/value can only go UP. We all KNOW how nonsensical those statements are, but every collector can tell you about a bad purchase.Coin Value