I found this website that has information on coins and price guides. Are these prices close to those listed on the Grey Sheet or the Red Book? http://www.us-coin-values-advisor.com/Numismatic-Coin-Values.html
I wouldn't recommend using that price guide. It is very vague in the sense that it gives "ranges" instead of a one price. The values from what I glanced at are close to what those coins may go for, but they not a good representation. I wouldn't really recommend Red Book either for what it's worth. Numismedia, PCGS Price Guide, eBay Completed listings, and Heritage completed listings are what I use as my price guides.
They say that they have teamed with Numismedia for their pricing. One issue I have with the Grey Sheet is I saw a dealer seem to live buy it while pricing even when I asked for junk Barber halves. He kept looking at the sheet and grading these halves some of which where in pretty bad shape. None were over G. I told him I thought those coins were worth melt and he said they are wort what he said. I said sell them to whoever writes that sheet. I bought a Barber dime from this shop that was obviously cleaned with gunk still stuck to it. It was in VF condition and a common date and the price was $6. As I can tell by that guide though that dime knocked down a grade or two should have sold for $4 max. Good thing I took it back and just got some junk silver when silver was low. Same guy was at a small coin show and I just walked by and didn't even look at what he had. Why bother? I did look at Numismedia and that dime at the link below is $6 at fine. Do you think those prices seem a little high? http://www.cointalk.com/t206865/
Well all dealers are different and some just want to squeeze as much money out of you as possible. Most dealers I've met are like that, unfortunately. Just seeing what coins have sold for recently gives you an idea of a real market value of what any coins are worth.
Numismaster and NGC are the same price guide. Though Numismedia is more close sometimes they are off too. At times I don't even trust Heritage since their sales may be from years ago.
I know what you mean. Some have deals but others do seem like they want to squeeze as much out of you. He acted like those Barber halves in the junk bins were something and even picked a couple out saying, "what is this doing in here". The owner is different on the other hand since he is more concerned about buying and selling precious metals but he has let me pick from the junk silver which he normally doesn't do. I noticed at a coin show that some prices with some deals note their prices were negotiable, I didn't know that price were ever negotiable.
Prices are always negotiable, especially at a show. 'Tis why it is always good to make friends with the dealer. "What is this doing in here" - I have heard that phrase from a dealer before. Shocked and what not. I understand they gotta make a living but some dealers come off as sleazeballs.
Oh, okay, I didn't know why the guy marked his prices as non-negotiable. I bought stuff that looked like they were marked down. Maybe I should haggle but they were inexpensive enough. Like this beat up large cent below. I don't know how low you can get someone to sell you a Coronet Head cent, beat up or not. Yes, he did come off as a sleazeball. He sold me the wrong sized air-tights as well. I was curious about why he said "what is this doing in here", it was a well worn down AG coin. He said some of the halves were cheaper and I picked up one that was as ugly as sin. I said to him, "you are going to sell this for $4 over melt?". He said they were worth what he said they were worth when I told him that a lot of them were only worth melt". He said "they worth what I say they were worth". I said "take them away then". That is okay though since he was at the coin show and wouldn't even look at what he had. I do have to remember that next time I go. I did see some Barber coins I was interested in but the prices seemed a little high. I should look at some price guides. This one I couldn't haggle below, since it was in a dollar bin:
If a dealer says his prices are non-negotiable that may just be set in stone and you might need to find another dealer. Not all dealers are stingy/greedy/sleazy, whatever you want to call 'em. I'd say you did just fine on the two coins you posted above.
I think I did fine with these Those and this one below were all inexpensive so no haggling was needed but I did think some coins looked a little high but I am not that familiar with higher grade prices so that is something to look at before going. I use cointracker.com and coinstudy.com because they seem to be on the low end although some prices look like they are prices that are the retail price of the coin not what a dealer would pay. For instance I have a VF Mercury dime I was told by dealers they would by it for melt when Cointrackers say it is worth at least $3 in a lower grade. It does give you a low price but like the guide I posted, it offers a broad range and not a specific value per grade. This one someone said was only worth a dollar but all the lower ranged guides I checked say $2.50 when I paid $2. But as you see I got out with only spending $8 for 3 coin examples I was looking for. Can't exactly haggle that.
I would find another dealer to buy from. Even if there are no other dealers around, you can buy coins online. There are plenty of dealers out there that will treat you right and they are the ones that deserves the collector's money.
That is what is good at about this local coin show though. Some are smug and rude with their pristine coins but others are ok and have decent deals. One had a big tub of stuff marked a dollar. He said that he had war nickels in there somewhere but didn't see any, mostly buffalo nickels. I saw a seated dime in the one guys bin that I bought the IHP and the large cent for $8 that I thought was decent. I would still shop at this shop for junk silver because the owner is ok but he appears to be mostly a PM guy who buys and sells gold and silver.
