Today's Collector Focus: Starting Your Own Coin Collection: 

Collecting coins is not only a fun hobby but it could also bring a great satisfaction once completing a certain desired series of coins. Coins usually reflect the events of the time in which they are produced, and thus collecting coins can be also interesting historic wise. However, without planning ahead your collecting agenda you might find yourself frustrated for not reaching your collecting goals at the desired pace. If you are still a bit lost or puzzled on how to start your own coin collection, we advise you to make a few decisions before starting your collection. 

First it is important to decide what will be the budget that you would be willing to spend on this hobby. The price of coins varies according to their condition and rarity and setting up a budget in advanced will make your collecting activity a more effective one. 

Based on the budget you set, you can choose to focus on a certain coin collecting field. For example some coin collectors decide to focus on collecting coins only from their own country. Other collectors choose to collect certain coins chronologically by their years of production. This method is useful as many of the coins catalog and books are organized according to their year of production. For example, you can choose to collect a Lincoln cent from the first year it was minted. As many of the coins have different mint marks, you can also broaden your collection by adding each coin with its specific mark. 

Other options are to collect coins series with a significant design, marks or any other unique features. For example, you can choose to collect coins with a unique alloy such as gold, silver and copper. 

There are also collectors which focus on collecting coins with a specific subject (eagles for example) or from a certain periods such as medieval coins. Others focus on collecting coins which were minted by a certain ruler or other historically significant bureaucrat. 

There are many additional specific fields in the coin collecting activity. Many collectors collect coin with a certain print value (such as coins with a 1 denomination value) while others decide to collect a large quantity of a certain coin which can also be a decorative piece such a vase full of pennies. 

In determining the valuation of a certain coin the condition of the coin can influence its value significantly. While evaluating the coin there are a few subjective factors that could be taken in consideration such as the following: The aesthetic interest of the coin, dents on the rim, unsightly scratches or other blemishes on the surface of the coin, the luster of the coin, the toning of the coin, the level of detail retained. Any damage to the coin can substantially reduce its value. 

There is a list of a common acknowledge terms to describe the condition of a coin: 

Mint State (MS), Uncirculated (UNC), About/Almost Uncirculated (AU), Extremely Fine (XF or EF), Very Fine (VF), Fine (F), Very Good (VG), Good (G), About Good (AG), Fair (FA, FR), Poor (PR, PO).

The success of your coin collection activity depends both on your financial capability as well as the level of your desire to pursue this kind of hobby. With any budget and energy that you might choose to invest in your coin collecting activity, we are sure that you will find it a great source of enjoyment and satisfaction.

One of the great sources to your coin collecting activity is http://www.coollectors.com where you can buy, sell, exchange and catalog your coin collection or simply review collections of other collectors. You can also become a member of the sites growing collectors community, connect with other similar collectors exchange coins and ideas. 

Collectors Today’s Focus: The Mughal Empire Coins

The Mughal period in India commenced in 1526 AD when Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodhi, the Sultan of Delhi and ended in 1857 AD when the British deposed and exiled Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last Mughal emperor after the great uprising. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids and at the height of their power in the late 17th and early 18th centuries, they controlled most of the Indian Subcontinent—extending from Bengal in the east to Balochistan in the west, Kashmir in the north to the Kaveri basin in the south. Its population at that time has been estimated as between 110 and 150 million, over a territory of more than 3.2 million square kilometres (1.2 million square miles).

The Mughal Coins

The Mughals brought about uniformity and consolidation of the system of coinage throughout the empire which was the most significant contribution to the monetary history of the subcontinent. The system lasted long even after the cessation of the Mughal rule in the region.

The system of tri-metalism (use of gold, silver and copper in coins) which characterizes the Mughal coinage was largely the creation of Sher Shah Suri (1540 to 1545 AD), an Afghan, who ruled for a brief time. Sher Shah issued a coin of silver which was termed the Rupiya. This had a weight of 178 grains and was the precursor of the modern rupee. It remained largely unchanged till the early twentieth century. Gold coins called the Mohur (weighing 169 grains) were issued along with the silver Rupiya and the copper coins, called the Dam. Numismatics of the Mughal era reflects originality and innovative skills in the designs and minting techniques of the coins. 

The coin designs gained maturity during the reign of Akbar (1542 to 1605). Innovations like ornamentation of the background of the die with floral scrollwork were introduced. Jehangir (1605 to1627) took a personal interest in his coinage. The surviving gigantic coins are amongst the largest issued in the world. 

The Mughal rule in India brought Muslim design to the coins of India. Since Islam forbade the use of people and animals in artwork, most of the coins of the Mughal Dynasty were decorated with beautiful script such as the example below. The coins with zodiacal signs, portraits, literary verses and the excellent calligraphy took Mughal coinage to new heights.

At Aurangzeb period (1658 to 1707) the format was standardized to incorporate the name of the ruler, the mint and the date of issue.

Today’s Collectors Focus: Indo-Greek Menander 160-145 BC.AR Coin 

Menander I Soter "The Saviour" (known as Milinda in Indian sources) was one of the rulers of the Indo-Greek Kingdom from either 165 or 155 BC to 130 BC. His territories covered the eastern dominions of the divided Greek empire of Bactria and extended to India.

Menander has left behind an immense corpus of silver and bronze coins, more so than any other Indo-Greek king. During his reign, the fusion between Indian and Greek coin standards reached its apogee.  

One example, as featured on Coollector.com Showcase @ http://www.coollectors.com/item/1674 is the coin in the picture, featuring Indo-Greek Menander 160-145 BC.AR Drachm weight 2.30; grams size 19.23 mm; Obverse: Helmeted bust of king

right; Reverse Pallas standing left,holding shield on raised right arm and hurling thunderbolt.