I have a local coin shop that I deal with almost exclusively. But I do have a couple of eBay sellers that I will frequent, and a coin shop about 125 miles away that I will check out any time I travel that way. I haven't bought from any members here yet. I haven't written it off or anything....it just hasn't happened yet. I also get rolled coin from my credit union.
Since there is not a single coin store within 3 hours. I buy solely on the internet. But there is always roll-searching.
A small group of dealers (about four, all by mail/approval) and shows. I occasionally bid on auctions, but that action has decreased over time.
flea markets, antique stores, coinshops, coin show, I have yet to check pawn shops or ask at garage sales.
I have 2 shops in my area I deal with from time to time...neither really make me 100% happy, e-bay rarely, mostly now I save up for the coin shows...
There is a coin shop about 10 miles from my home and a good one, Ebay only if it is a graded coin by NGC or PCGS and coin shows.
There's a (was a) really nice coin store a few blocks from me, but is only open 2 hours a day a few days a week since the "incident" so I've been traveling to two other stores in other cities. I'm lucky that there's also 4 coin shows a year here, and more if I was willing to drive to the Bay Area. I've bought small things on eBay, but I'm getting tired of seeing the "bought at an estate sale" (and selling here for big bucks) so I want to start going to garage/estate sales this spring. About 5 years ago I got a little trinket box at a garage sale for 10 cents cause it had an etching of a dog on it, and it later turned out to be pure silver.
1. Dealer (80%) 2. Shows (15%) 3. Online (eBay, TeleTrade - 5% and dropping) What I want and the way I want it (slabbed, particular grades) doesn't show up online often. And then when it does it gets overbid.
If you're looking for advice . . .it totally depends on what market you're in. Obviously . . . the more expensive the coin is, the more you'll want assurance that the coin is what you think it is: i.e., graded, or trusted dealer, etc. On the lower end, eBay always has some bargains.
In order from most to least Ebay Specialist dealers auctions (mainly in England) collectors Coin shows The stuff I collect is "off the beaten track" and so it typically does not show up in coin shops or shows, and mainly is more available on the other side of the world. But I get a lot from eBay because it is all over the world an it tends to collect stuff from everywhere. It is easily and qickly searched so it tends to concentrate the thinly dispersed material. The specialist dealers often tend to travel to the otherside of the world on buying trips so once again material gets concentrated. Likewise with the auctions that are held over there. The collectors are others with the same specialty as myself. I almost never get anything at a coin show. I think have only bought one coin I needed from a non-specialist dealer at a show in the past three years.
When I did buy, I bought from b&m shops, coin shows, ebay, online coin shops (recomended here) and ocasionally from CT members.
Estate sale, coin shop,yard sale. and a few from eBay but only grade coins on ebay and the Ngc & Pcgs # match the coin being sold.and Heritage & teletrade
A small group of dealers that I have worked with over the last couple of years. Like Leadfoot, I used to buy out of auctions but not as much anymore. If you're looking for a place to find dealers you could work with, I would suggest Collector's Corner as a starting point. Most of the dealers I buy from are on there (although I didn't necessarily find them there).
