''Coins'' (formerly ''Coins: The Magazine of Coin Collecting'') was an American monthly

numismatic Numismatics is the study or collection of currency, including coins, tokens, paper money, medals, and related objects. Specialists, known as numismatists, are often characterized as students or collectors of coins, but the discipline also inclu ...

publication.

History

''Coins'' magazine was founded by

Chester L. Krause Chester Lee "Chet" Krause (December 16, 1923 – June 25, 2016) was an American author, numismatics, numismatist, and businessman best known as the founder of Krause Publications in the 1950s. Early life Krause was born in the Town of Helvetia, ...

in 1955 and was called ''Coin Press''. Originally published in

Iola, Wisconsin Iola is a village in Waupaca County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 1,236 at the 2020 census. The village is bordered by the towns of Iola and Scandinavia. The community was named after a Potawatomi princess. Geography Iola is lo ...

, by

Krause Publications Krause Publications is an American publisher of hobby magazines and books. The company was started by Chester L. Krause (19232016) in 1952 and published '' Numismatic News''. In the coin collecting community the company is best known for its ...

from 1955-2002, it was absorbed into

F+W Media F+W (formerly F+W Publications and F+W Media) was a media and e-commerce company headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1913 in Cincinnati, F+W published magazines, books, digital products (including e-books and e-magazines), produced online ...

, which published the magazine from 2002-2019. In September 2019 it was acquired by

Active Interest Media Active Interest Media (AIM) is a publisher specializing in "niche enthusiast magazines" (i.e. magazines targeted at hobbyists). History The company was formed in 2003 by private-equity investment firm Wind Point Partners by the acquisition of '' ...

. Then the magazine became part of Active Interest Media's Home Group, based in

Des Moines, Iowa Des Moines is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities in Iowa, most populous city in the U.S. state of Iowa. It is the county seat of Polk County, Iowa, Polk County with parts extending into Warren County, Iowa, Wa ...

. Along with ''

COINage Coinage may refer to: * Coins, standardized as currency * Coining (mint), the process of manufacturing coins * '' COINage'', a numismatics magazine * Tin coinage, a tax on refined tin * Coinage, a protologism or neologism In linguistics, a neolo ...

'', it was one of the top numismatic magazines by circulation, with 100,000 subscribers as of October 2009. In May 2023, it was announced that ''Coins'' would cease publication effective with the June 2023 issue, bringing an end to its run.

Content

Each issue featured articles related to coin and paper money collecting, numismatics, investing, the history of the hobby and of coins in general, as well as tips on collecting and a “coin finds” column, where readers could write to discuss any interesting coins found in circulation. In addition, the magazine featured several pages of coin values for coins of obsolete denominations such as the

half cent The half cent was the smallest denomination of United States coin ever minted. It was first minted in 1793 and last minted in 1857. In that time, it had purchasing power equivalent to between ¢ and ¢ in values. It was minted with five diffe ...

, to modern coinage, as well as commemorative coins and proof sets. R.W. Julian was a regular contributor. Each month, the magazine focused on specific coins or series, such as Barber dimes, or Susan B. Anthony dollars. In addition, it occasionally featured reviews of recent numismatic books, and a “market watch” column that tracked

bullion Bullion is non-ferrous metal that has been refined to a high standard of elemental purity. The term is ordinarily applied to bulk metal used in the production of coins and especially to precious metals such as gold and silver. It comes from ...

values.

Regular Columns

In addition to the monthly feature stories, each issue contained regular columns, including: ''Coin Finds'' — In which readers can write or email to talk about Coins they have recently found in circulation. ''Market Watch'' — Tracking the values of bullion such as gold, silver, and platinum. ''Basics and Beyond'' — A column focusing on Dr. Mike Thorne's recent pickups and show experiences, as well as occasional reviews of numismatic books. ''Grading Standards'' — A coin grading column. ''Bargain Collector'' — Focusing on some of the best "bang for your buck" coins in the hobby.

Distribution Channels

''Coins'' was carried by

Barnes & Noble Barnes & Noble Booksellers is an American bookseller with the largest number of retail outlets in the United States. The company operates approximately 600 retail stores across the United States. Barnes & Noble operates mainly through its B ...

in their periodical section.

References

{{Active Interest Media, state=expanded 1955 establishments in Wisconsin Defunct hobby magazines published in the United States Monthly magazines published in the United States Magazines established in 1955 Magazines published in Wisconsin Numismatics journals Magazines published in Iowa Mass media in Des Moines, Iowa Magazines disestablished in 2023