I’m not entirely sure why, but this might just be my favorite post I’ve written here. There’s something intriguing about peeking into where people keep their treasures, isn’t there? Especially their valuables. It’s kind of like discussing money—it’s not something people typically do openly these days, so I’d imagine that sharing photos of coin collections might be in the same category.

While I won’t share *everything* with you today, I will give you a sneak peek into my two-year collection, how I store it, and how I keep track of my coins. Although it might not be as thrilling as delving into people’s finances, if you’re interested, you can check out my Net Worth Tracker at RockstarFinance.com for some money motivation 🙂

Once you’ve satisfied your curiosity, come back to finish reading…

I’ve organized my coin collection into two parts:

Now, just because collection #2 exists doesn’t mean those coins are worthless. Some are actually pretty decent—they’re just ones I opt not to keep with my “special” ones for various reasons. Maybe I already have a similar coin, or it’s simply not my style of collecting. It’s a way of ensuring I have some trading or selling leverage to boost my #1 collection 🙂

[A little side note: I used to keep everything all in one place, but it drove me nuts. I wanted to enjoy my favorite coins without distraction, so separating them lets me focus better. It’s not that I plan on selling them often.]

Before diving into the specifics of my collection, the *first* stop for any new coin is my desk, right below my computer monitor. Here’s why:

I like to admire and enjoy my new finds before storing them in one of my two collections. They typically stay on my desk until either I get tired of them or newer, more exciting coins come along. These provide a pleasant break from my workdays—I’m a self-employed entrepreneur working from home, after all.

You can read more about this process here: How to Appreciate Your Coins More

Now, let’s get to the heart of my collections…

Here’s where the magic happens: my favorite coins, whether inherited, purchased, or traded. Whenever I want to admire my collection, I grab this container. If you’re into minimalism, you might appreciate this method, as it keeps everything centralized in a small area and easily stored in a safe. For now, there’s nothing super valuable in mine, but that’s another story…

I also prefer my coins to be “raw” and un-slabbed so I can hold and admire them, maximizing space in my box. I’m not against slabbed or graded coins—if I had something truly valuable, I’d probably get it professionally graded—but I prefer a less bulky option. To me, this feels more “real” and exciting, and I protect them using “air-tites,” my favorite storage type. They don’t fit all coins perfectly, but they do the job nicely if you size them right.

One of the things I enjoy wondering about is whether any of my coins are more valuable than they initially seemed. If they’re not professionally graded, there’s a chance for a little surprise, although the opposite could be true as well.

Here’s a sneak peek into this collection:

I use an old cigar box I found at a yard sale years ago—it’s nothing fancy. You can do the same or find one that suits your collection size. Just be aware that some advice says cigar boxes might be bad for coins, while others say they’re fine minus the humidifier. If this concerns you, you might want to explore other options. (Any thoughts from you, readers? Should I be worried about my coins losing value over time? ;))

That’s a glimpse of my special collection. Maybe next time, I’ll share it all if I’m feeling adventurous 😉 For now, I’ll keep you guessing to make sure you come back! Plus, as mentioned earlier, there’s nothing too secretive or valuable inside just yet. I’ve only been collecting for two years and consider myself a very casual collector without a dedicated budget for coins—though I’d like to change that someday!

This collection sees a lot of action! It’s where I keep coins or currency I might trade or sell. Anything not deemed “worthy” of my special collection goes into this compact binder.

Here’s a look at it:

And here are a few pages for your viewing pleasure 😉

This binder is packed with all kinds of goodies: American coins, foreign coins, paper currency, tokens, and even a few old stock certificates. Anything numismatic that I don’t wish to keep long-term ends up here, and I sometimes swap things in and out of my special collection—it’s an evolving process.

Of course, this is just one way to organize things, and I’m sure it’ll evolve over time, but I thought I’d share in case you’re on the lookout for ideas. For now, it works like a charm.

Why it works:

However, this is just my one way of handling things. I’d love to know how YOU manage and store your collection!

Do you use a similar method, or do you have a completely different system in place that’s effective for you?

If you have the time, please share in the comments. I’m sure everyone here would love to learn more!

Before wrapping up, I’d like to say a bit about how I track everything. I plan to share more details in a future post, along with the spreadsheet template I use. One nice perk of this organizational method is how easy it is to keep track of everything. Knowing where everything is makes maintaining an inventory easier! Here’s what mine looks like:

Updating it on time is another story, haha, but once you get started, it’s a straightforward system requiring just a few keyboard strokes and some paper. Plus, it saves time and stress by avoiding repeated look-ups—everything’s in one spot!

Oh, and I completely forgot about this last box… My foreign coins and currency. (Why does this stuff always slip my mind? :)) Outside of my favorites that I’ve placed in Collection #1 or intend to trade in Collection #2, I have this nice old box from my grandfather that holds a variety of non-U.S. coins and paper money.

At one point, these were scattered everywhere, but now they’re in one spot for easy access. It might deviate from the minimalist approach I mentioned earlier, but I can’t help it—there’s something captivating about them. So this third container will probably stick around unless I decide to sell them off someday. Not quite sure what my plan is yet—I have time until it’s full!

So there you have it: a peek into my collecting methods 🙂

Use this insight wisely, my friends—it’s powerful stuff. And please, share your own methods down below. I’d love to learn how to manage this hobby even better—I’m still quite new at it!

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UPDATE: I finally uploaded the spreadsheet I use to track all my coins. It’s not fancy, but it gets the job done 🙂 Most importantly, it gives me an overview of everything I have and what I think they’re worth. Here it is if you’d like to check it out: Coin Collecting Spreadsheet

Some notes on it: