My first coin show

Hey Handsome Toad,

Yep, boardinghouse reaches don't get one very far. This time I would likely have gotten a good whack with a cane or smacked with a roll of nickels. There is time for rudeness and then there are the other times.

jeankay

 

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there is a difference between ignoring people and leaving them alone. i prefer to let people look in peace and let the coins do the talking. i really dislike dealers who are very much "salesman" and try to push coins - i guess since i'm not making a living doing this i can afford missed sales. if you are really interested in a coin i believe you'll ask to see it or based on what's in the case might ask if i have some other coins of interest to you.

if i make a sale great, if not, that's fine too. it's just a hobby for me. after a day of people saying "just looking" it can be maddening, but i always seem to have a person come up toward the end of the day who is very genuine and strikes up a conversation, buys a few coins and teaches me a few things about life or coins or something else. they always buy the most common coins and common grades - that always makes me wonder if they are buy coins because we had a good conversation...

-Steve

 

I also attended the Santa Rosa show and it too was my first coin show. It was much more crowded than I expected, and I really went just to see and 'feel' how these things went.

I had a small wish list... primarily seeking a Kennedy .50, 1979 S Type II with the clear S. I asked a few tables and was finally pointed to one guy out of Sacto... He had the complete set, asking $100. I noted I only wanted the single coin and he noted the single coin alone would be $100.

Now red book lists this coin @ $15 for MS65. This guy wanted $100!

You folks warned me about Ebay but you never warned me about the shows.

While I will not treat this one experience as the norm, it did surprise me to see the arrogance and inflated price.

Guess I'll just keep looking.

On the show, I thought the $1 was reasonable, they gave a goody bag and raffle entry for the buck. Was certainly more coins than I have ever seen in one location. Felt busy and crowded, and I too never reached across or in front of anyone.

Attending the show made me realize initiating a rapore with the local coin dealer in town has its merits. He charges based upon the ... Coin value magazine (which I recently bought one) and will let me choose, marked price (which can be old and out dated) or current price in coin value mag.
At least that sets a standard as opposed 'I feel generous/greedy today'.

 

PR-65 - all S Kennedy's (cept'n 98) are proofs. But you're right about the price, he played you and I hope you played him back by instantly walking away.

Ribbit :smile

 

Jeankay,

Been reading some of your other thoughts since I first replied as well as others.

Do manners count? YES! I don't go to a ton of shows but when I do there are a few dealers I will always stop at even if it's just to say hello. Why? because they've always treated me with respect and I have shown them the same.
Pulling up at their table is like sitting down to chat with an old friend. I'll look and often buy but they don't push me because they know me. They know that if I see something I like I'll inquire. If I see something I'm interested in I'll ask if they can get me a price while I do some wandering. They always do and I usually buy.

There will be idiots too. Just avoid them as you have stated.
I went to a show about a year ago and this guy is hawking rolls of 2006 Cents and Nickels to me WHILE I'M WITH ANOTHER DEALER.
When I was done I simply walked to his table and asked him why I would pay a premium for something I could get at a bank? I was nice but the idiot is watching me discuss Two Cen Pieces and Three Cent Silvers. You'd think something might click in his brain that modern rolls was not what I was there for.

Keep going and making friends. It pays off. Hey might even consider meeting another CT person there with more experience to help you along.

 

what the dealer was telling you was he wasn't going to break up the set and you could have just the one coin you wanted, but the price was still $100.00 and you got the other coins for free. a bad joke probably very badly delivered. i'm sure he meant no harm, unless he did

current "market price' is $20.00 for the Type II S, but that's more than i would pay.

-Steve

 

I know you are right about this Clembo.
Just don't know if I will ever get another chance at a coin show.
My main problem is my not being able to travel like most people are use to doing.
It is a very long story so I won't go into it here.

Even though I felt stressed at being in a crowded area, and being overwhelmed at the sheer number of coins being hawked (I didn't bother with non-coin booths) I thought I should stay until I got what I went after.

My list was the three pages of Lincoln Wheat cents from my Dansco album, 1909 through 1946, being mostly the first two pages of those. I took the album so I could compare what I have with what was offered at prices I could tolerate and I did not waiver (well, except for thinking about buying that hologrammed ASE I mentioned)...
Once I got the Lincolns I high-tailed it to a table I had glimpsed at that had Roosevelts. I found two of the last five I need for my Dansco album and then got myself right out of that building. Besides, I had gotten down to $6.00 in my wallet and decided I had spent enough.

Too many coins... to little dollars... darn.

jeankay

 

Wow Tony... which nice guy were you? I only met a couple nice fellas.
I went the first day before lunch time and was there at most two hours.
It sure was a feeding frenzy for the big male fish.
I remember seeing gals there that had looks of 'why did I come here with him, again?', but none I saw that were actually looking to buy. Funny that.

jeankay

 

Oh Phoenix, I forgot to take my camera to the coin show. Bummer.
Guess you will just have to guess at what it was really like.

teehee...
jeankay

 

I am sure you are correct Steve... and yes, I did walk.

And today, my local coin guy here in Auburn had the 79 S Type II for me! $20 as priced in Coin Prices. Now I only need one more to complete the kennedys... and you can probably guess which one. (ya, it is way pricey for a .50 cent piece.)

 

I understand Jeankay,

Too bad there aren't more shows around you. I go to a small one occasionally. Think it might be up to 10 tables now and it's so laid back.

I'm just gonna keep shooting out suggestions so bear with me. Perhaps a local coin club?
Something closer to home where you could really get to know some people. People are pretty understanding overall I believe.

In the meantime at least you've found some good online folks. I have a few I deal with myself. Once these people know you it's a lot easier to describe what you're looking for so they can help.

Wish you nothing but the best of luck.

clembo

P.S. I think you'll make another show eventually. Why? because you were brave enought the first time without really knowing what to expect.

 

Hey Tony,
Which Kennedy do you need for your set?
jeankay

 

Thanks Clembo.
If the opportunity arises I will certainly go to another coin show.
Next time I will take a cattle prod so I can get through the crowd.
And, maybe a zap gun of some sort to get the ones who push me around.
No... just kidding.

Onward and upward to infinity and beyond!


jeankay

 

well that would be the 1998 S Proof, Matte Finish... and I'm just too embarrassed to even note what the red book has for its value, which is currently $25 less than Coin Price.

I believe I'll get to preview it next week... and I'll most likely buy it using my stamp sale proceeds. (yep, selling stamps and buying coins.)

thanks for asking Jeankay...



You also noted the redwood club meeting 1st wednesday of each month (or something like that, info available from show)?

 

Best ask first about taking photos at a coin show. Around the ones I go to that is not allowed. No photos. Same at the gun shows, knife shows here.
And as to avoiding rude or ignorant dealers, again that is something to be considered. I USED to think that way but found out as time went on that in spite of some dealers poor or even bad salesmanship manners, some have fantastic deals. Possible reason is they don't get a lot of customers so when they do they make the prices worth it to the customer. At some of the coin shows I go to there is dealer that most of the other dealers and many customers say stay away from. He is a nut, rude, ignorant, etc. So for the fun of it I went there one day and asked about a coin. As expected he blurted out why, do you want to buy it or just look at it. I said who knows, I think I just wanted to see if you were as rude as everyone says. He grunted, handed me the coin and quoted a price I couldn't resist. Now he is one of the few dealers I can always find good deals with. You never know. Ignorance, stupidity, poor salesmanship, rudeness are some peoples personalities but still you never know about thier prices until you ask.
Well it's April and not sure where your at but around me in Illinois, there is so many coin shows this month I think I'll just run and hide. We have the usual 3 on the 1st, 2nd, 3rd Sunday of every Month within 15 miles of me. Also, if I wanted to drive a little there are two more on the 6th, 1 more on the 13th and another on the 27th. Of course there is the really big one at the Rosemont Convention Center from the 17th through the 20th. That is the Central States Numismatic Society 69th Annivarsary Convention. And not to be outdone we have the one with all the foreign, not sure how to spell foreing, stuff at the Crowne Plaza Chicago O'Hare Hotel on the 24th to the 27th.
Hey stop by.

 

Hi Tony,
I checked all the sets and proofs and clads and did not find a single Matte finish 98s Kennedy. If I had one I would certainly see that you get it.
Maybe one will show up when you least expect it.

take care,
jeankay

 

and in follow up to my comments about the seller at the coin show noting $100 for the 1979 proof set... after researching I see Coin Price lists the set for $125. Had I known that, I probably would have bought the set offered at $100.

My cyber apology.

The lesson (as is consistently broadcasted here on coin talk)... read your red book, learn about the coins you are interested, be knowledgable to know when to buy and when to walk... and most importantly, be patient!!


Thanks all! 'The only thing free in life is advice, and sometimes you have to pay for that too.'

 

yah no coin shows here.. ever
the closest one is Near that coin shop I talk about and It only comes about once a year