Everything has to have a beginning; so this is it!

At some point a bag full of coins moves from being just that, to being a collection. I?m not really sure how that happens, maybe it?s when the bag gets to heavy or the need to spend some of the coinage overrides the desire to horde massive amounts of metal away for future years. Whatever the reason it has happened and history (my personal history? that is) will mark today as the day I became a coin collector. Now, after perusing several websites and services, downloadable software and my own brief but failed attempt at database creation I?ve settled here at the ?Collectors Society?? although it sounds pretty posh and I?m surprised they let me in.

Entering coins seems self explanatory and the journal features is nice, but there is so much I didn?t realize I didn?t know about coins and it seems ?coin sets? is where the collection really comes alive.

In true essence of a Journal it?s here I?ll document my path and right now research is on my mind and finding the answers to some seemingly basic questions.

What is a Coin Set and do I already have one? ? A.K.A - Does a bag of shiny currency count.

Grading? is this what makes it a collection? Should it be done? By whom, how and ultimately how much?

Presentation? dropped in a bag no longer; how should it be stored and retrieved and presented?

And the final question (mostly on my wife?s lips). How are you going to fund your new hobby? It sounds expensive honey?