We had WAY too much fun! Unlike the harried atmosphere of the "I'm too busy" coin shop, the dealers at the flea market are Very, Very kind and helpful! In fact, they educated me so much,and made me feel so welcome, that my pockets got full of metal, and my wallet got pancake flat! But boy was it fun. You have only to ask "what's a full horn?, and by gosh they can show you an example, in fact maybe 50 examples! Yes sir, if you want to collect a set of something, they got it already slapped together in an airtight case! Everytime I went to ask a question, they happily answered it, and as we became closer "friends" I felt the prices got lower, and the "special deals" kept flowing the more I bought. Each time I came back for a visit, my new friend had unearthed another example of something I had mentioned wanting. I would leave to traverse the Bazzar, only to return and buy yet another treasure. He even had a miniature walker 1oz coin set in a sterling necklace! Sometimes, I would be sidetracked by yet another coin dealer, as helpful and friendly as the first. I got an uncirculted proof set on Bicentennial coins I had been wanting, infact two sets! I got some indian head cents,Ike clads,Kennedy halfs, Morgan 0 mints,in fact I can't really remember all I bought, or in most cases what I paid. My wife loaded up on Statehood Quarters. Every single dealer was careful (knowing I was a green horn) to pick through his coins and give me the finest quality he had at my price range. The coins I wanted were the inexpensive ones, yet they would plow through pounds of indian cents ("now don't take those shiny ones,take one like this..the one collectors are looking for")to help me have a good time and feel I had real treasure in my hand. One guy sold me Morgan 1189VF Omint, and gave me a proof Centennial Kennedy free! Then we swapped the "life story" chat for awhile. He said he'd be looking for me next week.
Nice story, I hope to go to a coin show one day... The only shop around my house is my crappy dealer....good thing for the internet..It is my coin shop right now:smile stainless
Sounds like you had a great time. Theres a local flea market here where I live that I frequent and the guy gives me good deals and he's very friendly. I could drive up just to buy a few coin tubes and have an hour conversation with him. Its like pulling teeth with a fork to get five words out of the coin shop dealer down the street.
Funny thing. I never took notice of any coins until 5 weeks ago. Now I notice it's the new biggest American industry! Crimminy, there are more places to buy coins here in San Antonio, than there are to buy tacos! Every fea market, every antique mall has at least 4 different dealer's offerings, I get home at night and it's on the TV...hours of coin auctions, not to mention Ebay and Heritage Auction, and your local coin shops. And everyone of these people tells me they have TOO MANY COINS! Man, where does all this metal come from?? It cetainly is a hobby/market that has "come of age".
San Antonion :computer: i was there 2 months ago i wonder if there are any flea markets in chicago anyone know?
Hey Stainless, I know how you feel.Try living in the UP the blackhole of coin collecting. At least you could find a coin shop in the phonebook. There is not even one listed in my phonebook. I use the internet also but only buy once in a while. Would like to get to a like Tight Wad is talking about. Actually I might even plan a vacation around one.
tight wad, sounds like you had a great time at the flea market. My experience at the flea market here in my area is about the same. There's a gentleman that has a coin shop at the flea market and I usually go there to pick up supplies. There's always one or two collectors sitting around talking coins and shotting the breeze or if no one else is there he'll say I'm going out for a smoke be back in 5 minutes and I'll be there by myself until he gets back. He always gives me a discount on anything I buy and best of all I have seen him give away coins to the young collectors. Lou
I'm very glad to read of all these positive experiences at flea markets. My experience has not been nearly as good... overpriced, overgraded, marginal value. Perhaps what I've found is the exception, not the rule. That would be great news!
I had been trying to piece together a BiCentennial set. The dealer at the flea maket sold me 4 indian head pennies, and Ike, and two centennial quarters. When I stopped by later he had dug out a 3 piece centennial set, and sold it to me for $5! I'm no expert yet, but I think the Ike is a Type II. He sold my wife 6 uncirculated State Quaters (they came two to a pack,D&P mint each, for $1.50 per pair. Later I picked up a 5 piece US mint Proof set for $16 at an antique mall. That is what some coin talk members had told me was about normal price for same. All in all, a great day!
Follow up note on the sets. The $5 was probably put together by the dealer, as they are all D mint marks, and Ike and Kennedy have bag marks on their faces, Washington does not have any marks. The US proof set is what I would call gem. There are no marks are flaws of any kind, and they are all S mint marks.
What you said in the first paragraph, that is the rule. Finding something nice, problem free - that is the exception.
