How To Preserve Your Currency Collection Effectively

Currency collection is both a hobby and an investment to many people. After reading the “Newbie’s Guide To Collecting Currency In Singapore”, it is time to know about the ways to effectively take care of your collection.

1. HANDLING

Employ some precautions when handling the banknotes and the coins. To pick up your collection properly, you can either use a pair of trusted tweezers with studded ends or wear a pair of cotton gloves. Avoid using your bare hands as it may stain the coins and soil the notes. Furthermore, your collection may absorb contaminants that may damage it.

2. KEEPING

To create an appropriate storage environment for your precious collection, start by finding a dry place that avoids direct sunlight and artificial light. The high levels of ultra-violet rays are not only harmful to us but also to the notes. So store it at a constant temperature of 20-24 Celsius with a relative humidity of 45-55%.

Notes and coins are best kept in small containers, protective holders, and albums. Or you may purchase a safe for your home to avoid paying the recurring fee of renting a safe deposit box.

3. CLEANING

More than anything else, improper cleaning has damaged valuable coins. For example, un-circulated coins should never be cleaned as improper cleaning can cause permanent loss of value, original mint finish, and antique color. This is why experienced collectors and dealers recommend that the experts should only be the ones to polish coins.

4. INSPECTING

To help detect deterioration at its early stages, you must regularly inspect the condition of your collection. Complete repair may no longer be possible if the deterioration is discovered too late!

Image Credits: pixabay.com (CC0 Public Domain)

Image Credits: pixabay.com (CC0 Public Domain)

When you decide to take action, always seek the advice of an expert regarding the cleaning or restoration procedures as unqualified attempts will more likely cause a decrease in its value.

Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4,  & 5

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Newbie’s Guide To Collecting Currency In Singapore

Welcome to the wonderful world of currency collection!

History manifested coin and banknote collection as a pastime for scholars. Nowadays, being a scholar is not a mandatory feature of a collector. It is the interest towards currency collecting that drives this hobby into motion.

Banknotes are unique collectible pieces that  embody arts, culture, politics, history, and distinct serial numbers. Coin collecting, on the other hand, has been popular since the medieval times (collected by the European monarchs in 1500s).

As a start, you can collect the banknotes and coins available in Singapore and in the neighboring countries. If you have a limited budget, it is more inexpensive to collect currencies in lower denominations. Joining a currency collection club and attending related exhibitions are useful ways to update your knowledge. For instance, the Singapore Historical Banknote Collections’s Facebook page announced the “Singapore International Coin Fair” last April 1-3. It is a coin and banknotes exhibition that happens only once a year. Follow their page to stay informed.

Newbie collectors are advised to specialize not only because of a tight budget but also because of the opportunity to become an expert on a certain series. Currency collection with a face value can both signify a hobby and an investment.

TYPES OF BANKNOTES

  • UN-CIRCULATED COINS: These notes are taken out from a pack of unused banknotes and are placed carefully in protective holders.
  • COMMEMORATIVE ISSUES: These notes are issued to honor a special event such as the ones issued to celebrate SG50.
  • RARE NOTES: These were created with misprints or errors. Being one of its kind, these are sold at a high premium.
  • NOTES WITH DISTINCTIVE MARKS: These are notes with distinctive logos, commemorative text, and serialized numbering of notes printed.
  • NOTES WITH LIMITED CIRCULATION: These are sought after notes due to its limited supply.
  • NOTES WITH AUSPICIOUS NUMBERS: In the Chinese culture, there is a widespread belief of auspicious or lucky numbers. These auspicious feature can only be found in notes where numbers are serialized.

TYPES OF COINS

  • SINGAPORE CIRCULATION COINS: A complete set of all the coins in Singapore must start in 1967. There are 6 denomination of coins in circulation such as 1 cent, 5 cents, 10 cents, 20 cents, 50 cents, and $1.
  • CIRCULATION COINS: One of the least expensive and the most popular collection among beginners.
  • EARLY COINAGE OF SINGAPORE: These are the coins issued before the formation of the Republic (expanding way back to 1819).
  • NUMISMATIC & COMMEMORATIVE COINS: These are released occasionally at various times of the year.
  • COINS BY THEME: These are collectible coins with themes such as people, endangered species, sports, and many more.
  • BULLION COINS: These coins are mainly minted with gold, silver, and other precious metals. They are sold at premiums marginally above their “gold content” to entice investors.
Image Credits: facebook.com/SingaporeCoinsAndNotesMuseum

Image Credits: facebook.com/SingaporeCoinsAndNotesMuseum

Sources: 1 & 2

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