Coin Show ideas needed

I discussed this with Magman and Acanthite last time we all hooked up. I need some pointers please.

As a customer, what are you fav way to see coins displayed?

I usually have 2 cases full of slabs, in order by date/mm and not seperated by PCGS or NGC. I keep the oddball slabs in the back ( I see them at a table and immeadiatly get turned off ). My key date expensive coins are usually given a prominent spot and kept seperate from the rest.

1 " deep case " is usually filled with oddball stuff like rolls, bullion, paper money, scrap gold and sterling, etc etc, and I have at least one case with the inserts that take the 2x2 flips, all laid out in order, usually my higher grade semi key raws, 09-33

My real question is this. Double row boxes OR binders with pages.......

I have tried only the double/triple row boxes, and they seem to work well as I get many collectors who sit with their wantlist and sort thru them.

Do you like to sort boxes? I usually hand out the whole box, which are seperated by date/mm and can hand you say, 1909-1919 " better grades", 1920-1933 " better grades", or 1940-1958 in BU, etc etc.

What does the coin collector attending a show want to make their experience quicker or easier?

Thanks folks

 

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I can only speak from my particular method of searching, which is to look at a very specific range of dates, and look at many examples of the same coin. In the end I like double-row boxes more. In fact, the best would be boxes in which the flips had the date and dealer's grade written across the upper portion (thus easy to see without pulling the flip out). Flips in the boxes are quick to inspect with a loupe.

The problem with pages in binders is that the plastic gets scratched up and to really see a coin well you have to work it out of the sleeve, which takes time. And flipping pages in a binder takes up more space at the table.

The down side to boxes, I would guess, is that coins can disappear much more easily. So it only works for lower-end stuff.

One display method for more pricy raw coins that works for me are single binder pages loose in a display case. That way the customer can ask for a whole page rather than making the dealer pull out multipule flips. Pages displayed this way don't get scratched up. And the dealer can see right away if a coin is missing from the page.

 

I agree with the single pages in the the dispaly case, the other good idea is the stackable trays :kewl: another thing is try to have a couple of spare folding stools so that if needs be you can allways offer a chair to a customer LOL I normaly find there is a lack of them at coin shows and standing to long can be painful :bigeyes:

 

I like looking through boxes better than pages. It is hard to inspect a coin in a page with a bunch of other coins.

 

For my type of buying, I prefer the pages.

Don't get me wrong -- I have absolutely no problem sitting down and going through 3-4 boxes of 2x2 coins, but with the pages I can see 20 coins at a glance. When I'm searching for Jefferson nickels, I can quickly determine whether any of the coins has any desirable toning, I can quickly tell whether the key dates I'm looking for are present, and I can check steps like a madman.

 

I agree with using the Double Row boxes for 2x2'd coins! I see these at most of the Dealer's tables at the Coin Shows I am able to attend. I don't like the binders with the plastic sleeve pages for 2x2's and many of the buyers that I come across don't either. Yes, it is convenient to see 20 coins at a glance but you usually can't tell much about the coin, then you have to spend the extra time to push, pull and pry the 2x2's out of the slot in the sleeve. After 6 to 8 coins, you have had enough of it and move on to another table! I think nice neat rows of 2x2'd high-end, Raw Lincoln Cents by Date for display in the Display Case are better than using again the plastic sleeve pages for 2x2's. The pages take up way too much room and when I set-up, I can get at least 1 extra coin horizontally per row and at least 1 extra coin vertically per column in the same space. This means that you can get at least 9 extra coins in the space that is taken up by the plastic sleeve pages but in actuality, the amount of extra coins that you can get in the same space is probably much higher. Since I am at work and can't measure my plastic sleeves, I am just going off my memory as best as I can recall.


Frank

 

I think it really depends on what you are looking for. Like when you are looking for full steps it is much easier when the coins are in a binder.

ND

 

Thats just what I was thinking Doug! Jack, make a big sign to attach to the front of your table that says "FREE" in silver glitter. Then in small print below that put "Business cards!"...lol
Seriously though, I like looking through the binders myself for common stuff. I feel I can get a better view of the coin right away instead of flipping through 2x2s in a box. Of course, high end stuff I like to see in plain view in a glass case, just like all dealers do but, one thing that'll make me walk right past a dealers table is coins without prices marked on them. I like to look right on the 2x2 or slab and see the asking price. Some dealers act like its an inconvenience when you ask them how much a coin is so, I remember these people the next time and dont bother with them.

 

I would go along with what GD said for the higher end stuff. Now for the lower end stuff, (the $50 and under), I would put them in a binder, (organized by date and mint), and have people flip through them. For some reason coins in a binder like that catches my eye and "attracts" me to them. Best of luck Jack with what all you do. :thumb:

Phoenix

 

LOL....sometimes all you can do is laugh. Its just amazing to me. Just shake your head and smile Kevin. Thanks for your expert advice Doug....really.:bow:

 

Tyler,

I understand what you are saying but you need to view it from the Seller's (Coin Dealer's) point of view! Tables at many Coin Shows run from $100 to $200 or more each but at the big Coin Shows such as the Florida Fun Show and Long Beach Show can cost $500 to $1,000 each depending where they are located. If you are going to make any profit whatsoever, then you have to limit the space that you use (i.e. less tables equals less cost). Since most Coin Dealers that I know have much more inventory on hand than they have room to display, they must try to display as much as possible until some sales opens up enough room to add more inventory for display. Since a binder with the plastic sleeves for 2x2'd coins when open takes up as much room as five or more of the double row boxes for 2x2'd coins, then the Coin Dealer is wasting display space by using the binders. Also, you can only display (make available) about 150 coins in most binders while in five double row boxes, a Dealer can make near 1,500 loosely packed 2x2'd coins available for customers to look at. I think the big problem that most Coin Dealers have when using the double row boxes for 2x2'd coins, is that they don't spend enough time in labeling the boxes (i.e. what is inside) and making and installing labelled tabs within the boxes to separate specific Date runs or to separate BU coins from Circulated coins.


Frank

 

I gotta say i love boxes. Mostly because there is the thrill of the search there and three ring binders just take up so much space and I always feel like I'm in the way when I'm flipping through one.

 

I have my boxes, triple row...I love the 1 1/2 inch cardboards for most cents , with the tabs mentioned every 5 years, like 1909-....1915......1920 etc etc with about a row of each.
My double row boxes are usually better date and high grades, and I use them to restock the tray inserts when a coin sells from there.

I can fit 4 triple rows across in a case and 2 deep,end to end, for 8 triple row boxes in total. That still leaves room for my circ and BU rolls and all the other clutter.

My one thing tho...with pages you can keep them full, and when a coin sells, replace it quickly......you can always spot a missing coin quickly, with the boxes you have to keep your eyes open without appearing paranoid or suspicious. When the table gets busy, it really does take 2 people to man it properly.

 

I like the Red Boxes, if a dealer has coins in his showcase with no prices on them I walk right past. I have NEVER purchased a coin that didn't have a price on it. Also a big deterrent for me is lack of lighting. It's aggravating trying to see a coin at a show with low or no lighting available. Also I have found that attitude is everything, Never assume that because a guy is wearing a Harley Tshirt and blue jeans that he can't afford the coins your offering. I was looking recently at a 1901S Barber Quarter, dealer had it listed for 9 grand. I asked to look at it and was told it was beyond my budget and ignored. I moved along after purchasing a few things from the dealer standing next to him.

 

Two words - black velvet. The best displays I have seen are on black velvet platforms in cases. Of course, that was mostly early American copper, arranged by color. It was beautiful.

 

Binders are OK as long as they are of reasonable size and condition.

I've seen some binders that must have six inch rings-- probably 100 pages in there, all full. Very hard to page through. I suspect that one reason they are that large is to keep them from "walking away" but if I can't reasonably look through them I can't buy anything, either.

I've also seen some binders that appear as if they will disintegrate if I should sneeze. It's hard to look through those without being afraid that I'll break something.

The good news is that these examples are relatively few and far between.

I think on balance I prefer boxes. Well organized boxes are great-- but they are also a lot of work for the dealer. It's nice when just a little room is left in each box to allow the browser to lift coins out for inspection.

At the coin show yesterday, some dealers had everything priced, some dealers had nothing priced, and some were in between.

 

Going to about 2 to 4 coin shows a month for many years this is my personal opinion.
1. Those two row boxes of 2x2's are OK except that as the box starts to get empty, the 2x2's fall down. Then they get out of order. The worst part for the dealers part is how many coins vanish that way. No empty places where you can say something is missing. Then too once a person starts going through a box, it is pretty well unavailable for a while. Coins can get scratched by dragging a stapled 2x2 our constantly.
2. Those 3 ringed binders with those plastic pages for 20- 2x2's. Work great for allowing different people to look through them if you have enough of them. Easy to see an empty spot and also, not easy to pull out and pocket one as happens. Coins are saparate and do not have the problem of a stapled 2x2 scratching a coin. Difficult to keep coins in order. Once a date is removed, usually only a similar date one can be put there.
3. Those glass covered cases are the best for seeing coins, noticing a missing one, ease of taking them out and/or replacing coins. Many have slotted pieces for the smaller 1-1/2"x1-1/2" size flips now used by more and more dealers. If used in those 2 row boxes those get lost. If put into those plastic sheets, wasted spaces.
Summation for me is I usually will not dig through the 2 row boxes. Occationally I will look through the 3 ringed binders. My preference is always a well layed out, glass covered case.
I really hate when the coins are all out of order by type, date, etc. Those I pass on all the time.

 

Just to be a little repeditive. Many dealers I know have told me they feel they have lost many coins in those 2 row boxes. And they never realize it until someone says would you know if you have a xxxx and then looks for one since he knows he USED to have one.