Many collectors make the mistake of assuming that the monetary value of a coin and its numismatic significance are associated with availability. When considering the coinage of many countries a great number of very affordable coins can be a challenge to locate. Even those dealers who specialize in the coinage of a particular nation may concentrate on the most valuable and popular items and ignore coins that are actually quite significant and a genuine pleasure to collect. This circumstance creates a mixed blessing for the innovative collector. When just the right coin is found it could be available for less than the cost of lunch—but it might have taken months, if not years to locate the piece! Having gone on many of these “chases”, I can assure you that the sense of accomplishment and satisfaction gained from finally acquiring the prize has very little to do with the cost.

Collecting Commemorative “Minors”.The term minor coinage is often used to identify smaller than silver dollar size coins not struck in gold. When producing a commemorative issue, by far the most popular practice is to select a large size coin or to produce the piece in gold. There are exceptions to this rule and such small denomination commemoratives create an extremely interesting and challenging collecting category. The mere task of identifying the pieces you might wish to add to your collection can result in hours of enjoyable research.

Perhaps there is no better way to illustrate how “minor commemoratives” can be collected than to examine some of the coins struck in Brazil during the 1930's and 40's. Here we find a rich and varied assortment of special coins in different denominations and metals. To someone unfamiliar with Brazilian history, this fascinating coinage will certainly prompt investigation to learn more about the people and events that deserved commemoration. When considering the small denomination issues, none of these coins can be considered expensive. My experience has been that locating many of these issues in uncirculated condition can be a major challenge. The Brazilian climate has much to do with this scarcity. Coins struck in copper-nickel or aluminum-bronze are quickly oxidized in humid climates, especially in areas where salty ocean air is present.

Granting some latitude for opinion, there can be more than 30 different types needed to complete a basic collection of these commemorative issues. The cost of such a collection might be about $500US or less—assuming you can locate the coins. I have had the opportunity to examine several very nice collections of modern Brazilian coins and I've yet to see all of these commemorative issues in what I would class as choice uncirculated condition.

East From BrazilAnother very interesting an enjoyable set of minor commemoratives includes some fairly modern issues from Egypt. Beginning in the late 1950's a great variety of small size commemorative coins have been produced in several denominations and metals. No less than their larger cousins, examining these special and yet very affordable coins provides the stimulus to learn more about modern Egyptian history and culture. Acquiring all of these fascinating coins will offer more than an adequate challenge. This is especially true if one limits purchases to pieces in choice condition.

The minor denomination Egyptian commemorative issues illustrate an important consideration for the collector more interested in the challenge of the hunt than the cost of ammunition. In many instances, a nation will produce high denomination coins struck in precious metals primarily for export to well-heeled collectors. In general, small denomination commemoratives are intended to be “the people's coins” and stay at home. For this reason, the collector in North America may face a significant challenge in being able to locate coins that are supposedly worth a fraction of what the readily available “export” commemoratives might be selling for. Many of the copper-nickel commemorative issues from Egypt have mintages of about one million coins. With a population of more than 60 million that doesn't seem like an abundance of coins. How the North American collector manages to locate one choice example of each issue will depend on the time and effort they are willing to put into the hunt—not how much they are willing to pay.

Before Heading Into The WoodsEasily the most practical piece of equipment any beginning collector of world coins needs at hand is a copy of the Standard Catalog of World Coins. This thick telephone book size tome has been produced for many years. My suggestion would be to purchase a used obsolete copy, or borrow one from a collecting friend before purchasing the latest and greatest edition. I'm all for “buying the book before the coin”, but it seems a little silly to pay more for the book than the coins could end up costing.

Finding A Guide.There are many fine dealers who are quite interested in accommodating the needs of world coin collectors at every level of participation. I will leave it to you to track down the right sources.