Collecting: how to find coins, stamps, badges and medals
What you collect and how to describe it
People look for all sorts of things in this category: coins and banknotes, stamps, badges, medals and decorations, bonds, cards. Every field has its own terms, and sellers reply faster and more accurately when they see them in your request. For coins that means the country, year, denomination and the variety in the catalogue; for stamps, the series and whether the gum is intact; for badges, the maker and the print run. If you are a beginner, say so and write what you want to collect, and sellers will help you choose.
How it works in BlaBlaPrice
Instead of endless scrolling through auctions, you create one request. It is checked and you are told what is missing. Collectors and shops answer in the chat: what they have, in what condition, the price, delivery, and whether there is a certificate. Reviews are shown next to the offers, and the best match is shown first. Only the seller you choose gets your contacts. The general rules are on How it works.
What to put in your request
- Collectible — coins, banknotes, stamps, badges, medals, bonds;
- Issue — country, year, denomination, variety in the catalogue;
- Condition — UNC, XF, VF for coins, MNH for stamps, any defects;
- Original or copy — whether you need a genuine item with a certificate or a copy is enough;
- Material — silver 925, bronze, porcelain;
- Quantity — a single item, a set, a series or a whole collection;
- Budget per item or in total;
- City for delivery.
Example: “Looking for a 50 paise coin from 1992, variety as per the catalogue, UNC condition, original. Courier delivery to Rawalpindi. Budget up to Rs 6,600.”
Authenticity and condition
The biggest risk is fakes and “improved” items. Ask for clear photos of both sides, the weight and size for coins, and for expensive items a certificate or an expert opinion. Condition has a big effect on the price: the same coin in UNC and in VF can cost very different amounts. Cleaning a coin usually lowers its value, so items “polished until they shine” are not always good. Also ask what the item was stored in: a capsule, an album, a stock book.
How to compare and common mistakes
Compare by condition, papers, price and return terms. Do not buy on the basis of “I will work it out later”: without a catalogue it is easy to overpay. Do not mix different issues under one name. For stamps and paper money, watch the storage: damp and direct light spoil them, so ask what the items were kept in. For badges and medals, check whether the screw, clasp and enamel are intact. For coins and banknotes alone there is a separate page, coins and banknotes, and for old books see second-hand and rare books.
