To some people there’s little distinction between hoarding and collecting coins. Both have been going on for centuries and both result in the owner having an abundance of coins.

But hoarding is generally done for either the face value of the coin itself or the value of the materials the coin is made from. And collecting is done for the artistic value of the coin.

Hoarding coins has been around longer than coin collecting. For as long as coins have been minted, people have been hoarding them.

Coin collecting as we know it today, is thought to have originated around the 14th century. It was once referred to as the hobby of kings. Probably because only kings could afford to keep coins for their artistic appeal and not worry about their monetary value.

At that time in history, most people were too busy trying to feed and cloth themselves and their families to worry about a coins artistic value.

Today, coin collecting is something everyone can participate in. Although cost is a factor, small or specialized collections can be easily affordable.

The government has even made coin collecting easy for the average person. The state quarters are collectable coins that can be acquired for no more than 25 cents a piece.

They can be found everyday in anyone’s pocket change. The more recent issuance of the presidential coins is another easily collectable coin. The U.S. government began issuing these coins in 2007 and they’re easy to find.