So how do most dealers get their merchandise source? Is it all from the general public selling or other dealers? Any dealers care to give an example?
mostly behind the scene(s) at coin show(s) ( talked to a few of the dealer(s) at the last few shows in my area )
And don't forget buying collections from collectors when they decide to move on to a new collection or get out of collecting (or from their estates after they pass on.)
So I take it to be a dealer you would have to live in a big city to keep customers coming in off the streets buying and selling more product.
In south central PA, collectors, old school types, are dropping like flies. Estate sales bring out all the local show circuit and flea/farmer's market dealers.
Almost all my purchases are from specialist coin auctions or better, from general auctions that I visit to buy as a general antique dealer. The general auctions have few coin lots but the prices are sometimes very low due to buyer ignorance or indifference.
There arent many dealers near me. Most are pawn shops and loan companies that buy silver and gold only. These guys generally pick up their items from people off the street and pay half of the melt value of the coins. It's sickening! They then take most of the coins to a dealer in a different state when they go on business trips and sell them for profit if they don't sell in their shops before then.
There was at one time some lady at this antique mall near me that was a hugeeee scrap gold buyer. This woman had bag after bag of coins, gold, and even old currency that she would save for a trip once a month to Atlanta and sell them.
