What do bears, space, and national parks all have in common? They have all been featured as part of a coin design! When a coin catches your eye, save it and start a collection. Coin collecting is a fun hobby.
Being a coin collector means using certain words to describe your coins. Get familiar with the parts of a coin and basic coin terms.
Fun Fact! A person who collects coins is called a numismatist ("noo-miz-ma-tist"). Numismatics ("noo-miz-ma-ticks") is the study and collecting of things that are used as money, including coins, tokens, and paper bills.
You can collect all kinds of coins with all kinds of designs for all kinds of reasons! Coins can:
Help you remember a place you traveled
Have interesting designs
Be really old or brand new
Make you happy
You can display, share, and trade coins with friends and family. You can also join a coin club to share your love of coins. Visit the American Numismatic Association website to find a club near you.
Learn more about coin collecting with our Coins For You booklet (PDF, 4MB).