What is this coin?

There are several methods you can use to identify unknown coins. Going to coin shops and coin shows is one way. Another way is to look it up in a reference book. For world coins, the major reference is the Krause Standard Catalog of World Coins by Krause Publishers. Most local libraries have a copy. There are many guidebooks for American coins. See the recommended reading section for suggestions.

Usenet

There is also the Usenet group rec.collecting.coins. You can post to the group through sites like Google Groups. When you post, there are a few things you'll need to tell the newsgroup readers before they can properly identify your coin:

any writing on the coin, if you can read it
what language you think the writing is in, if you can't read it
any pictures on the coin
what metal it's made out of (or what color the metal is- copper, silver, bronze, etc)
the year (if you can read it)
the size of the coin: its diameter (size across) and its thickness
does it have any ridges (reeding) on the edge
does it have any other usual qualities (some coins have a hole in the middle, others have a ring of one metal around a center of another metal, called "bi-metallic")

The more information you can give the newsgroup, the more likely it is that you'll receive a helpful answer. One last thing- if you have access to a scanner, coins scan very nicely if you have the right equipment. You can post a scan of your coin on your webpage (or just in your directory). Don't post an image to the newsgroup! It is text-only and people will get annoyed with you. Just post a message with a link to the image.

Clubs

Joining a local coin club is also a good way of finding information and meeting other collectors. For American residents, there is also the American Numismatic Association. They're a non-profit organization that offers many services to all ages of collector, and publishes a newsletter with tips and information in it each month. For international collectors, try a search in one of the coin site directories listed on the links main menu to find clubs near you.

Ask the Coin Doc

Coinsite has a feature called "Ask the Coin Doc". You fill out a form to ask your question, and the responses are posted on a sort of bulletin board. Give him the information that I listed above for the newsgroup.

Ask an Expert

Heritage Rare Coins has a similar feature called "Ask an Expert". You can email in questions related to coins and collecting. They also have a very useful FAQ sheet- be sure to check that first to make sure your question hasn't already been answered before submitting it by email. When you submit your question, give them the same information I listed above for the newsgroup.