In order to judge the coal spontaneous combustion tendency under the real condition accurately, two kinds of lignite, two kinds of bituminous coal and two kinds of anthracite have been selected to research coal spontaneous combustion characteristics by using the measurement device of coal spontaneous combustion. The field experimental results showed that the lignite has the largest temperature oxidation heating rate in the low temperature slow oxidation phase and high temperature accelerated oxidation phase, while anthracite has the minimal. The ignition temperature of coal samples were determined using thermogravimetric analysis. The results indicated that lignite has the minimum ignition temperature, while anthracite has the highest ignition temperature. Comprehensive evaluation index of coal spontaneous combustion propensity is determined I < 200 for strong spontaneous combustion tendency; 200≤I≤400 for secondary spontaneous combustion tendency, and I＞400 for weak spontaneous combustion tendency.