coin collecting could be a expensive  hobby but you dont have to empty your wallet to built your collection if you follow simple guidline.

in this guide i will teach you how to built your collection at low cost.

i will share some secret and will give you real life example of how to save a lot of money.

rules # 1 be patient. Developing patience is not easy but coin collecting is not a race. most coin except for some extrem rarity  will be available trough ebay many many time per years so if you dont get it this time you will next time. especialy be carful on new release for example earlier this years the royal canadian mint have release the 2008 quebec city twoonie. in the first 48 hour after the first one who appear on ebay the average price was 9$ plus shiping i even have see some sell for 12$. today you can get one shiping include for less then 5$.

rules # 2 do your homework. dont buy the last minute ending auction take time to evaluate all option. do your research, did you chek the upcomming auction.  have you browse store and buy it now. i dont count how many time i have sell a coin in auction starting them at fair price to see it reach sky cause 2 or 3 people was over bidding on it while i had the same identical coin in my store in buy it now for less then the ending price. talking about evaluate all option here another example the 2006 p canadian cent is a hard to find coin they mostly sales in a range of 7$ to 12$ but this particular cent havent been put in circulation they have been release in set or special roll available at the mint. one of the set who enclose this rare cent was the christmas set. so i found a sellers on ebay who was selling this christmas set for 13$ i buy  a couple from hin i cut them out keep the cent, the colored christmas quarter and the 50 cents and put the rest in my pocket.  now my cost is down to 9.85 i resales the colored quarter at 10$ and the 50 cents for 2$ here it is my 2006 p cent if now free.

rules # 3 open your mouth. when you buy coin on ebay most of the time their is shipping fee so when you find a coin you whant from a sellers you thrust dont be shy to talk to him many sellers on ebay do this as a hobby its not their primary income so they are passionate by coin like you they may have lot more coin then the one they list. sometime just not enough time to list everything sometime cause a low price coin may have not enough chance of selling at good price to worth the work and listing fee. so ask them for coin your looking for they will be happy to manage a buy it know for you. in 2006 for example i have list the 3 varietie of 2006 mint nickel one buyer notice i had also many mint nickel from different years 1970, 1977 low 7 1996 far 6, 2000 p ect. that one was list because they are popular. he send me a email telling me he notice i look like to have lot of mint nickel and he was looking for 1981 in mint condition. this coin not rare  and not expensive but none was available on ebay at that time. so i manage a buy it now for him at low price and the extra nickel travel for free.

rules # 4  be selective. to aspect for this one. first be selective in your coin choice everybody running on budget for their hobby. for sure you still have to pay the rent and do the grocery. if you cant afford a coin in good condition dont buy it in bad shape just to fill a hole. for sure some old coin worth lot of money in good contion but i see too offen buyer buying recent coin at half price just because they are circulated. for example if  you dont whant to spend the price to get a 1991 25 cent in mint condition dont spent the half of his price for a circulated one. cause any serious collector will agree to say in circulated condition it has no real value and will probably never have befor you die. so if you really cant stand a hole in your collection see rules # 1 and try to find it yourself in your poket change.  the second aspect is be selective in your sellers choice when you feel confortable with a sellers you see he have honnest price and always send you nice coin stick to him. be part of his malling list, ask him to be inform about hes new inventory, send him a wish list (see rules # 3) you cant monitoring ebay 24/7. so being the first to know will offen let you put your hand on a real deal befor other buyer even notice.

thats all for today i will try to put more tips soon

i also whant to mention english is not my first language (im french) so if i have make some spelling mistake or use bad sentence composition please let me know

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have a nice day