How actively do y'all sell and/or trade coins?

The reason I'm asking is that I've bought a few "fire sale" ancients that I've managed to turn over for a profit - not huge, but averaging around 25% after overhead. The coins were in my possession for a while, I enjoyed them, posted them, researched them etc., and I felt no loss at selling them since they weren't really up my collecting alley.

I do have several collections that I consider serious endeavors, and I wouldn't sell those coins, but I'm not a hoarder. I'm far more interested in the research aspect of numismatics: reading papers and examining different interpretations, trying to understand the historical trends that certain coins represent - that sort of thing. It doesn't give me any particular satisfaction to own a box full of coins. In fact, I read my literature far more than I look at my collection. Sometimes I wonder if I'm really a coin collector or a history buff.

Does this make me a traitor? How often do you guys sell and trade, and do any of you sell enough to make your hobby self-sustaining? Enquiring minds want to know...

 

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I seem to adopt coins for life => I have never traded or sold one of my coins.

Ummm, I have given a couple away as "contest prizes", but other than that, I've kept all of my coins (I seem to be a bit of a hoarder that way)

 

Over the course of the last few years, I've sold the majority of my US coins in favor of ancients. I somewhat unexpectedly did rather well in the sales so I've used those to fuel future purchases. I've sold a handful of ancient coins as well, and turned a reasonable profit on them, even with only holding them for a short period (after finding an upgrade).

I'm now at a phase where I intend to keep everything I add to my collection. This is causing me to be much more contemplative and selective and is letting me hone the "purpose" of my collection much closer as time goes on.

 

I keep most of my coins, but have some I get rid of time to time. I have some I could get rid of, but too lazy atm. Not sure if I'd profit, break even, or loose money with them lol

 

The curious thing is that I didn't intend to sell any coins, but I took the advice of this board and bought various pieces opportunistically, that is, when a particular coin in a decent grade looked like a bargain, I simply bought it, regardless whether it fit into my collecting regimen. So after enjoying those coins for a bit, I took better pics, composed some intelligent write-ups and put them up for sale at twice what I paid. To my surprise, they actually sold. They sat on the shelf for a while first, but that didn't matter - I already have a profession and have no need or desire to be a coin dealer. I don't have any Hawaiian shirts anyway.

 

i've sold some of my cheapie lrb spares, but nothing i've payed much money for. i could see myself selling some stuff if i "upgraded" . but i've only been collecting for....
well, 2 years this december.

 

Never considered profit, so, I don't care who gets how much, if and when it gets sold. Won't be by me. I can tell you that the coins they will get will be in amazing condition and hopefully, all uncleaned.

Over the last several years, I've probably done an average of 10 - 20 swaps a year. They ranged anywhere from $20 - $500 value, the latter being insured and registered. I do not swap my coins, the ones from my collection, unless I am upgrading as a result of another swap or a great ebay auction. I swap modern coins at my disposal, silver commemoratives, silver bullion and whatever I can get to fulfill a friends request. The list of private contacts just grew over time and I usually end up getting something older and silver that I really want, in return.

I seem to be fascinated with coin appearance and enjoy taking a photo or scanning a coin to get a better close up look. I zoom in, zoom out and can look at a coin for days, wondering who did what to it and how it ended up looking the way it looks. The frosted natural patina look is my prize in the hobby.

You can be a numismatist and not own a single coin, at least that is my understanding. Then you can feel like your hobby is more research than coins, I guess.

I have a couple of books, bought them mostly for the quality coin photos within the pages. That is one thing the numismatic resources often lack, good quality, large colour photos.

Aside from these books with photos, I can't bring myself to spend money on elaborate packaging, grading of my collection, books, cleaning supplies and anything else that isn't another beautifully toned, uncleaned coin. It hurt when I invested in Air-Tites, but, I knew that had to be done. For the rest, cardboard holders and staples suffice.

I hope I wrote enough and for the most part in answer to your topic.

 

I've been doing a lot more selling lately than I have in the past two years. Some of it was stuff I already had in my collection and some have been coins purchased on eBay just to flip. I have had a lot of luck lately flipping coins on eBay. I have been buying coins with average to below average pictures and just relisting them after I re-image them. In doing that I haven't had to dip into my bank account to purchase a coin I plan to keep for several months now.

 

It seems that once I finish a series or type set, I'll keep it for a few years and then sell it. I don't spend as much time looking at the completed sets as opposed to when I was on the hunt. If I sell the pieces separately, I'll cherry pick a few to keep for my own. It's the thrill of the case that causes me to collect, just as much as the ownership. Within the last 5 years, I have taken some funds from my coin sales to finance a begining base into paper currency.

 

I have been selling a lot lately, but I only sell coins I have doubles of, so my collection does not actually get smaller. The coins I sell I either buy intending to sell or I buy them not realizing I already had one. What I do is dig through the dealer's value bin and buy everything I know I can sell, regardless of if I need it or not. Then I keep the ones I didn't have and sell the rest. It's not a lot of money compared to what many people here spend on coins, but I can buy coins for 10 cents each and sell them at an average of $1.25, so it does add up. I've been reinvesting what I make to buy coins that I didn't have to fill holes in my collection. I have a few hundred dollars in my paypal account right now from selling like this, so it can add up.

 

I sell coins to buy coins.I have a collection worthy of 10.000 dollars nearly.And this money is the profit coming from the early sales.So we can say my collection cost nothing to me at all

 

I'm wondering the same thing, John. Right now I'm enjoying buying large lots of ancients 'blind' or semi-described, which means there will be some (many?) that don't fit into my collection.

Not sure how I will deal with those. I've given away a number of such coins in contests (on a different coin site) but am considering eBay or listing on CCF. Or perhaps Forum.

I have thousands of old US coins too and will probably try to sell some of those. Most would be considered junk silver although there are some of greater value. One of these days I'll send the more valuable ones for slabbing since that seems to be de rigueur for such coins.

The US coins were pulled from circulation by my grandfather. Some of the more valuable or interesting ones include:
-- 1932-D quarters (so many that I am hesitant to send them in all at once!)
-- 1893-S Morgan dollar
-- 1907 Liberty Head half eagle (definitely MS63 but might make MS64, a considerable jump in value so it is worthwhile to send it to PCGS)
-- bunches of higher grade Indian cents

 

My story is a lot like Randy's. I have a hundred or so coins that I would like to get rid of but am too lazy to market them as individuals complete with full write ups. Most are duplicates but I am starting to realize that I do not need three different variations of the same coin in some cases so some are less identical to what I'm keeping than others.

Over the last few years I have given away more coins than I have sold (mostly to school groups where I have given a talk on coins). I'd like to sell more in person where I would not have to worry about the buyer not liking the coins and where I'm not giving all the proceeds to the post office. The vast majority of the coins I have sold have been for what I paid or less since the idea was to get rid of them rather than become a dealer. About half of the recipients of coins I have sold or traded in the last five years are people here on CT; becoming active as an eBay seller to strangers has little appeal.

 

And John... I'm proud of you for correctly placing the apostrophe in the colloquial version of "you all".

Apostrophe misuse bugs me.

Here's a funny tutorial:

http://theoatmeal.com/comics/apostrophe

 

I was watching Paula Deen deep-fry some lard-dipped butter sticks before I posted.

 

... bacon wrapped?

 

Sentence after sentence, I decided to quote the entire paragraph. Golden words and right on the money.

Over the years, I have mailed away coins to rookies in the hobby and supported a contest here or there by providing a coin prize. The value of the coins is not great and the post office costs as much if not more than the coins, but, I make sure the gift is at least AU to UNC and most times, mint sealed. I cover all related costs.

If I am to become a dealer or sales person of coins, then it is no longer my hobby. I haven't tried selling for profit, yet. Lets see if I can keep it that way.

I prefer swaps because it requires thought and a commitment from both sides. You try to provide the best coins, value, photos, descriptions and in return, you usually get the same treatment. You develop a relationship with partners in the parts of the world where the coins interest you the most and things are a lot simpler with better results. At least that has been my experience. This way, those pesky postal costs remain as the only obstacle.

I've purchased my share of deceptive photoshopped ebay auctions. Who here hasn't received a coin with hairlines over the entire surface, when the auction showed or mentioned no such surface damage. I am more careful and ask many questions, if and when I buy a serious coin on ebay.

 

... and what exactly might that be, that buying coins won't teach you about buying coins?

 

Perhaps, as long as the coins sold mean nothing to you beyond their cash value. What I recall learning is how hard it can be to replace a coin you sold when you later decided that you wanted that thing after all. I so envy those of you who can take your very specific want list to a coin show and see a dozen coins that will fill the want.