Over the course of five days in the middle of January, some of the finest examples of world coins to hit the market will be on the block at the Stephen Album Rare Coins auction in Santa Rosa, Calif. There will be no better chance for coin collectors to pick up currency from some of the world's most historic and important eras and kingdoms than the five-session auction that will take place Jan. 16, 17 and 18.

Anyone who wants to take a look at the inventory before the sale kicks off, or who can't make it to the West Coast in person, should be sure to go to iCollector.com to take part in an accompanying online auction.

Huge selection
Collectors will have their choice of approximately 220 different lots over the course of the three days the auction will be taking place. It's a startlingly large assortment and variety of coins and collectibles, ranging from Ancient Greece to the great Middle Eastern dynasties of the mid first millenium C.E. The possibilities for coin collecting are nearly endless. The fifth session will feature a twist on the rare coin theme by offering several military medals from around the world alongside the exotic numismatics.

Schedule
Bidding kicks off at 9 a.m. every day. The first and second session will both take place on Jan. 16, with Session B taking place at 2:00 p.m. Sessions C and D will go off the next day, with the second installment of the day also starting at 2:00 p.m. Finally, the auction will wind down on Jan. 18 with Session E, which also starts in the morning.

Investment
One of the most interesting things about coin collecting is that it is more than a personal inventory, it can be used as an investment tool. The coins that will be up for bid at the Stephen Album auction are perfect examples of collectibles that have stood the test of time, and will likely continue to be great long-term investments, as their worth is both intrinsic and commodified.

It's rare that opportunities like this come around. For long-time coin collectors, novices or anyone looking to find an interesting new investment or pick up a piece of history, the mid-January auction will present an exciting chance to consider some of the most important pieces of coinage in world history. And iCollector.com is the only place on the web to participate.