Five-spot is slang that was used for the five-dollar bill in the 1930s. Click here to check out the new look!Close

Close to perfect

Keep your coins in top condition.
Top Condition

You can keep your coins nice depending on the way you:

Hold them. Hold them by the edges when you look at them. The oil from your fingers can make permanent marks on a new, shiny coin.

Keep them. Keep your coins in cardboard or plastic coin holders. If you can't get holders, wrap each one separately in a soft cloth.

Look at them. Always keep a velvet pad or soft cloth underneath the coins when you look at them. This way, if they fall, they won't become scratched.

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Knowing the difference between a good coin and a bad coin is called "grading."

Count out 100 pennies. Line them up with the newest, shiniest ones on one side, and the dullest, most faded on the other.

Use a magnifying glass to examine each penny.

Can you see the lines in Lincoln's hair? Which features wear off first?

How do pennies change as they get older?

Spot a special dollar

Want to add dollar bills to your coin collection? Bills are more fragile than coins, so you have to take special care of them. Keep them in a dry, safe place away from loose change.Keep $1 bills that have a little star next to the serial number.

Here are a few ways to add bills to your collection:

• Keep $1 bills that have a little star next to the serial number.
• Save a $1 bill from each of the 12 U.S. Federal Reserve Banks.
• Collect as many $1 bills with different U.S. Treasury secretary signatures as you can.

Little Star

The star means the bill is a copy of one that was ruined in a printing press.

In perfect condition the starred bill is worth a little more than a dollar.

CloseFederal Reserve Banks

Each bank stamped a different letter on bills made before 1996.

CloseSecretary of the Treasury

As of today, there have been more than 74 different secretaries.

Watch for bills signed by secretary of the U.S. Treasury Timothy Geithner, who was named by President Barak Obama.

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In terms of what it can buy, a coin or a bill that's still in circulation will never be worth less than its face value.

For collectors like you, the value of a coin or a bill is measured by more than the factors such as age, beauty, and rarity—the factors buyers and sellers look for.

That value comes from what you learn as you examine and research each coin. Besides, collecting is fun!