worthwhile magazines for collectors

[JKK]

I'm interested in people's opinions of what are good magazines for collectors to take. I've been getting COINage and frankly I'm not very impressed, at least from my own standpoint of numismatic interest. They're great on the latest and coolest modern Mint cash cows, but they tell me little that helps me build, preserve and catalogue a collection of older coins.

[123cents]

I know what you mean. I have subscribed to Coinage and a few other coin magazines but didn't really like any of them. I just subscribe to Coin World at the present time.

[JKK]

I do realize they're trying to please a truly vast hobby; no problem with that conceptually. But in a typical COINage, I end up seeing maybe one article that helps me be a smarter collector. The rest of it I find myself skipping. When you find yourself mostly not reading what you pay for, well...

 

Plus, I was trying to change my address by phone and COINage made it pretty difficult. As I sat on toll-call hold and kept getting sent to voice mail, I began to wonder if I should just take my losses and let it expire, then plan to take another magazine. Which is how I ended up posting about their competition here: I was bored waiting on hold at COINage.

[bsshog40]

I get "Coins" which is good. Last issue I got was for May this year and they had a great article on the most valued Morgans.

[zrlevin]

I get "Coins" which is good. Last issue I got was for May this year and they had a great article on the most valued Morgans.

 

I get "Coins" as well, and I have to say that I enjoy it.

[Dcoin]

I enjoy reading the ads in these mags... I take the price stated and subtract about 25% to 30%. That’s about what I look to pay at a show. I also enjoy the history based articles. I know they are not always strictly numismatic in nature, but it’s what I enjoy.

[MunkyMan95]

CoinWorld and The Numismatist come to mind

[rbrown4]

I subscribe to Coin World which also provides the CoinValues magazine. I may on occasion look to see what the other magazines have as far as articles, etc. and will purchase on a case by case basis depending on what it is.

 

Rey

[CoinCurious]

I get CoinValues and Coinage. I definately like CoinValues better.

[JKK]

Well, this gives me a good spectrum of what's out there. It doesn't look like anyone else is too enamoured with COINage. Kind of like with personal computing, where PC Mag is the one everyone supposedly gets but if you ask a knowledgeable group about PCM, they'll all say variations of 'faaaaaaaaaaa'.

[physics-fan3.14]

Well, this gives me a good spectrum of what's out there. It doesn't look like anyone else is too enamoured with COINage. Kind of like with personal computing, where PC Mag is the one everyone supposedly gets but if you ask a knowledgeable group about PCM, they'll all say variations of 'faaaaaaaaaaa'.

 

I like CoinWorld, when I can afford it (poor college kid, remember).

 

And I agree, PC World is where its at.

[EZ_E]

Numismatic News is my favorite with Coin World coming in second. Most of the glossy magazines seem to lack much substance to me as well.

[DaveG]

Personally, I think the monthly magazines (Coins and COINage) are aimed at beginners. (I subscribed to Coins for three years about a decade ago. I really enjoyed it the first year, moderately enjoyed it the second year and felt that it was really repeating itself the third year.)

 

I currently subscribe to Coin World, for the news and feature stories and Coin Values, for the price guide, and I'm a member of the ANA, so I get Numismatist (it usually has an interesting article or two each month).

 

I also belong to a couple of specialist clubs, each of which publishes its own journal. If you have a specific interest (Liberty Seated coins, Barber coins, southern gold coins, etc.), you'll probably find the specialist club publications the most worthwhile.

 

There are also some free e-mail publications that are worth reading: I get the E-Sylum (about books and research about coins) and the E-Gobrecht (Liberty Seated coins). There's also one that focuses on Bust and earlier coins.

[JKK]

And I agree, PC World is where its at.

It's the only one I kept taking after I got out of the IT business. I remember when I sold computers, long ago, and hotshot customers would come in airily telling me "PC Mag says this or that..." as if I was supposed to be impressed. That would be about like me going into my local coin store and bragging that I read Coinage. 'Yeah, we all cringe and scrape before Your Numismatosterone', they would say--or at least be thinking.

[bsshog40]

Personally, I think the monthly magazines (Coins and COINage) are aimed at beginners.

 

Well I find that coins has some pretty good articles in it, and personally don't feel it's aimed at beginners.

[hoard]

I subscribe to Coins

[ldhair]

Just Coin World at this point.

That and the boards is about all the reading I need.

[JKK]

What's at least heartening here is that no one else seems to care much for Coinage, which means I wasn't the only one that said to himself 'wait a minute, why again am I buying this?' Evidently after awhile collecting, people move on to other coin mags that better suit their specific interests. Looks like Coins and Coin World are the frontrunners.

[Bruceswar]

Coin Values usally has some good grading tips.

[michael]

numismatic news

 

coin world

 

numismatist

 

www.coinraritiesonline.com online news magazine coin commentary and road report

[Zoins]

I read coin magazines when I visit the bookstore, sometimes over a cup of coffee. I don't generally buy coin magazines because there's usually only one or zero articles of interest to me and the ones I've seen have a large number of their pages devoted to a price guide which I don't use.

[Zoins]

I just visited the Borders again and it seems that the vast majority of ads in the coin mags they stock are for unspectacular raw coins or coins slabbed by IGS Grading. Does this mean magazines at the local book stores are not targeted to people who spend time on these boards and buy coins slabbed by the Top Four?

[cointagious]

Read all that you can. You can never be too smart.