COLLECTOR EDUCATION · UPDATED 2026-08-12
How to screen coins and banknotes
A first screen can tell a collector what needs closer checking. It is not professional authentication, grading, or a guarantee of authenticity. Keep photos, provenance, and certification details for high-value items.
Start with consistency
Compare issuer, date, denomination, variety, and stated material against reliable references, holder labels, and provenance. A mismatch in design, weight, or description is a reason to pause—not a reason to guess from one photograph.
Coins: measure before concluding
Record weight, diameter, and thickness with suitable tools. Inspect edge lettering or reeding, denticles, legends, and strike details. Magnetism is only one clue: different varieties may use different metals.
Banknotes: protect the paper
Look at paper texture, fibre, intaglio feel, registration, margins, and serial numbers. Do not use pens, chemicals, soaking, or harsh light to test a note; these can cause permanent damage.
Provenance and certification matter
Keep purchase records, clear obverse/reverse photographs, prior collection history, and certification numbers. For a slabbed item, compare the label and holder to the item and use the grading company’s public certification lookup where available.
When to seek an expert
Stop DIY screening for high-value Chinese silver dollars, scarce varieties, suspected errors, repairs, or a material difference from reference examples. Do not clean, polish, press, recolour, repair, or crack out a holder before advice.
Prepared by the CBG COIN Collector Education Team. For item-specific help, provide clear photos, measurements, weight, and any provenance.