Hi Everyone, I'm new to this forum, so please forgive my ignorance if it shows in what I'm about to ask... I was wondering if anyone knew of any good places to buy and sell coins on the web other than eBay? Someone recently told me to try out a site called Pricetag because it's free to use (I think this is their site: http://www.pricetag.com/ ). There doesn't appear to be much activity, so I'm a little skeptical. Plus, there aren't too many coin-related listings up, despite massive book and movie listings. That being said, anyone have some suggestions? Thanks in advance for your help.
Welcome to the forum I am a recent member also and so far I have learned a lot from the other members. Can't help ya there other than to say beware espically if you want to buy coins from TV. I should know about TV coins as I sell them frequently. If you will browsw around you can find some more links for coin shows and other members are coin dealers/buyers/sellers so I feel that you can get your question(s) answered quickly and efficently.
And there's the rub! There are a number of those sites that offer free auctions, but I haven't found one yet that has a decent level of buyers or sellers. If there aren't enough sellers, buyers don't congregate and bid. If bidding wars don't break out, at least occasionally, sellers won't risk getting inadequate prices, so they don't list. Because there are few listings, buyers don't . . . Ooops, I already said that. I've picked up a few coins on Yahoo and Amazon but no spectacular bargains and very rarely find items worth bidding on. Just judging by the stuff in my own area of special interest, the legitimacy of Yahoo and Amazon items is even more questionable than eBay. On the other hand, there are many dealers who sell coins for fixed prices through their websites - way too many to list here, but after you find a few whose stock interests you by using a search engine, you could always check back here for opinions on those specific dealers. Also, check out the thread "Finding a Dealer" in our FAQ forum.
When looking for a dealer or seller of coins, there should be as much effort as the collection that you are attempting to assemble. Many sites offer the ability for people to come together to buy and sell coins. When considering which venue to use, also take into consideration that most of these sites do not assume any responsibility for the actions of their guests. Their perception of their responsibility begins and ends with the words "buyer beware". With the buying and selling of coins, there are still too many factors that can be argued. Since there are no hard and fast rules governing this hobby, a few simple steps can be used to minimize your risk. If you only deal with dealers whom are associated with the ANA or PNG, you limit your risks a little. Most people flock to the auction services because they are instilled with the belief that "deals" are out there. Sellers also flock to the auction services because "High prices" are out there. You will notice that these are contradictory terms. Anyone with a coin can be a "dealer" on these sights. Many are only there to take advantage of the uninformed and uneducated. Far too many sell sub-par coins certified by sub-par grading services. As far as dealing with dealers who operate a "coin business" you certainly limit your ability to get a good coin for less than market price. Other than cherry picking, you won't find the so called auction deals. All dealers are not honest, and all will not exactly treat you fairly. Dealers are in the business of buying and selling money. It is very easy to check referrences and/or feedback of the dealer. Take into consideration what your goals are, along with what you want your collection to be. Once you find one, take the time to build a relationship with them. Having a dealer as a friend is like having an inside connection.
The American Numismatic Association maintains a list of member coin dealers that maintain some type of presence on the Web. You can check out the list at http://anamarket.money.org/linklist.html. Many of these dealers sell their inventory via the Internet and personally I believe you will do better seeking out a few professional, honest and ethical dealers and purchasing directly from them rather then via eBay or another site that purports to bring "buyers and sellers together."
I want to add to something that ND said. "Most people flock to the auction services because they are instilled with the belief that "deals" are out there. Sellers also flock to the auction services because "High prices" are out there." It should also be said that many collectors live in rural areas where there are very few (or zero) coin shops and shows. Ebay and the 'net in general help to provide items that may not be available in your town. Even if you're town has 10 coin dealers, if none of them have that 16-d mercury dime in pcgs g4 that you're looking for, you may be able to find it on ebay. Of course you should ALWAYS invest some time in learning about the seller. Sellers who own stores look at ebay as a way of getting their material in front of xx million of buyers, rather than gathering dust in the shop if the regular local customers dont' want it. Just another persons perspective Nick
Hi coinsir28, Welcome to the forum. The gentlemen who wrote posts # 4, 5, and 6 are reputable coin dealers. They won't try to solicit business here, but since I don't sell coins, nor do I have any stake in those that do, I am free to recommend anyone I choose. Why not contact these gentlemen, and see if they have anything you're interested in? I'm pretty sure they also buy coins. As far as that goes, you might also want to check out the "Open Forum". Just read the rules before posting there. Good luck.
