Articles by Jeff Garrett

Take the scenic route when collecting circulated coins. The most common advice any experienced numismatist will dispense is “buy the best you can afford.” I have shared this particular nugget of wisdom many times myself. In practice, it usually means [...]

Last week, I experienced one of the most amazing events of my 45-year numismatic career. While I have often said that every day in my profession is like the Antiques Roadshow, seldom does something come out of left field that [...]

Last week, I experienced one of the most amazing events of my 45-year numismatic career. While I have often said that every day in my profession is like the Antiques Roadshow, seldom does something come out of left field that [...]

With the popularity of online set registries, coin collecting has become a competitive sport. Sometimes one point is insignificant. Your credit score might be 720 or 721, but the one-point difference really does not matter much. On the other hand, [...]

During my tenure as a member of the Board of Governors for the American Numismatic Association (ANA), one of my prime responsibilities was to make decisions about ANA conventions, which is no small task given their size and importance. The [...]

Someone once said, “beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” This sublime statement has become a reality in the rare coin business. Toned coins are now extremely collectible and highly sought after. When I started buying and selling rare [...]

My company has been submitting coins for grading and authentication since the inception of third-party grading in the 1980s. Today, we send in thousands of coins to be graded each year, so the process of coin certification has become second [...]

When the public brings in coins for an appraisal these days, they often have done at least some research. But working with these folks also reminds me how little the general population knows about the world of rare coin grading. [...]

Ten answers to the question: What coins should I pursue? I often have conversations with others about the growth of numismatics. Most, if not all, agree on the importance of attracting young people to the hobby. Not long ago, I [...]

When I began collecting decades ago, my first goal was to complete a set of 1941-to-date Lincoln cents. I lived in Florida at the time and locating the early San Francisco Mint issues in circulation was very difficult. After several [...]