Gold coin collecting can be an exciting hobby to take up. After all, who doesn't enjoy the lure of a shiny gold coin? Maybe you've watched movies where villains hunted down valuable Krugerrands, you could have a part of that too, only in your case, buying and selling old rare coins isn't an illegal activity! Still, it is a hobby with a unique and thrilling flare.

Some of the old rare coins are the most valuable, but most legitimate rare coin dealers warn openly that dealing in the gold collection is more of a neutral investment for your money.

Don't expect to land huge bargains or get great return on your Sovereigns or Brittanias. Dealers note that the market for gold has stabilized and won't provide rich profits, but they also point out that gold remains a reliable commodity.

Gold coin collecting can be made even more exciting when the words "unken treasure" appear. Common tales of pirate gold and sunken ships stir up all sorts of thoughts of riches and instant wealth for people, and some people know very well that sunken treasure and gold coin collecting can be an attractive lure.

It's quite true that sunken treasure does exist, and rare coin dealers or collectors are always excited when treasure coins are dragged upwards from ocean depths. That doesn't mean that every dealer claiming to have coins procured from sunken treasure has something you should invest in.

Banks are a great place to get additions for your gold collection hobby. For old rare coins, however, rare coin dealers are possibly your best option. Be careful, though. Some of the dealers also specialize in scamming customers.

While the overwhelming majority of them are honest and reputable, a handful of the dealers will give the entire industry a bad name. Be sure to do a good amount of research on the dealer you plan to use before purchasing any old rare coins.

Always look for dealers that subscribe to the Professional Numismatists Guild (commonly known as PNG) for your gold coin collecting. There are thousands of dealers all over the internet (and especially auction sites such as eBay), but these dealers do not always maintain the recognized code of ethics of the PNG.

The PNG requires many specific things for dealers to be members, making guild members a good choice to do business with. For buyers' convenience, the PNG has a dealer directory to ensure honest business.

There is a wealth of information on the internet for gold coin collecting, sunken treasures, the commodity of gold, and rare coin dealers. If you're planning to delve into the hobby of the gold collection, be sure to do your homework and research to know what you're getting into.

Start small, don't get too excited, and always be careful in what you're investing your money into. Deal with reputable dealers or individuals that subscribe to the PNG, and avoid bargain offers that seem too good to be true or ones hyped up with tempting tales of pirate ship gold.