CHAMBERSBURG, PA—Summer will be over before you know it and then what will you do?

Why not start a new hobby?

Try coin collecting! It’s a hobby almost anyone can do, and you can do it alone or with a friend or family member. It doesn’t take a lot of pricey equipment and you decide what types of coins you want to collect.

It can also be a lucrative hobby if you know what you’re looking for.

There’s really no mystery to coin collecting, but you should probably familiarize yourself with a few terms first:

The front of a coin (the “heads” side) is known as the “obverse.”

The back side of a coin (the “tails” side) is called the “reverse.”

The edge is the outer border of the coin, not to be confused with the rim, which is the raised part of the edge.

The legend is the principal inscription on the coin.

A mint mark is the small letter or symbol that designates at which mint the coin was made (Philadelphia, Denver, San Francisco or West Point). Click here to learn more about the parts of a coin.

Next, think about how you want to build your collection—by coin type, mint mark, country, timeframe or design/theme, to name a few.

According to the U.S. Mint, it’s simple to start a coin collection—you can even start with coins you already have! You can also get coins from a bank, coin shows, coin collectors/dealers and auctions.

If you become serious about collecting, you can adopt a new moniker. Someone who collects coins is known as a numismatist—(noo-miz-ma-tist) and numismatics (noo-miz-ma-ticks) is the study and collection of money, including coins, tokens and paper bills.

The American Numismatic Association hosts more than 300 coin clubs across the US and other countries that can provide tips and resources for collectors.

Sound exciting? Check your pockets, purses and under sofa cushions, then come check out our coin, currency and stamp auction on Monday at 5 p.m.!