Gem Indian Head Cents? Or was I taken...?

Discussion in 'US Coins Forum' started by rsand, Dec 2, 2012.

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  1. GDJMSP

    GDJMSP Numismatist Moderator

    rsand -

    If you are going to buy coins, about the best thing you could do for yourself at this point is to establish a relationship with a few trusted and respected dealers, and only buy coins from them. There are quite a few of those right here on this forum. Of course there are plenty of others out there to choose from as well.

    The main points are - by using a trusted and respected dealer you will always have a return privilege; you will be able to benefit from the experience and knowledge of those dealers and they will be able to pick out problem free and fairly graded coins for you, with both slabbed and raw coins; and you will get fair prices. This will also help you add to your own knowledge and experience as time goes on.

    And by all means, buy some books. Get yourself the ANA and the PCGS grading books. Get books on the specific series of coins that you want to collect. Sit down and read them to your boy. Soon enough he will be able to read them himself, but in the meantime you two can sit and read and look at coins while you are reading. You can point things out to him on the coins that you read in the books. This will allow you both to learn at the same time. And, it will be a lot of fun, for both of you ;)
     
    GDJMSP, Dec 4, 2012
    #21 + Quote Reply
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  3. rsand

    rsand Member

    GDJMSP- totally with you. I'm starting to make a list people to do business with. Its going to be a learning process for me I'm sure.

    When I was collecting as a kid, there was a coin store at the local mall which I remember visiting a few times. The few coins I have which aren't from the cellophane SMS sets from 65-67 (which as a 10-yr-old I cut open and then put all the coins into flips, amazing how my fingerprints are now emblazoned on some of those coins) were bought from that store, which is long gone. Now I live in Wilmington DE and I cannot find a single retail store. There is a very nice group in North Wilmington but they don't display any of their wares. I guess that's just the way this business is conducted nowadays, but I find it ashame that I can't take Brian to a store and just browse what they have, let him save up for a special coin or such he sees in a display case.

    I've bought 10 books so far, including a kids book which is probably more for the middle-school level of reader than a 6 year old yet Brian has been through it cover to cover 3 times now (bedtime stories! Dr. Seuss? No... Can we read coin book?). I've got the 2013 redbook, a book about flying eagle/indian heads, a book about morgans, PCGS Photograde (and the iPad app, I find the color images a lot easier to discern), the PCGS grading book which I haven't finished and 3 more books I haven't even started yet.

    I think there is definitely room in the market for another childrens book on coins. I wish I had the wherewithal to write one myself!

    -Richard
     
    rsand, Dec 4, 2012
    #22 + Quote Reply
  4. GDJMSP

    GDJMSP Numismatist Moderator

    Richard - don't worry about not having a coin shop nearby. While always preferable, you don't need a coin shop nearby. All you need are trusted and respected dealers - anywhere in the world. It's far, far better to do business with a trusted and respected dealer clear across the country than it is to do business with one that is not trusted and respected that lives next door to you.

    What I am saying is don't let the location of the dealer be a determining factor. It's the person you're dealing with that matters - not where he is.
     
    GDJMSP, Dec 4, 2012
    #23 + Quote Reply
  5. mark_h

    mark_h Somewhere over the rainbow

    PS - Rick Snow used to have a free PDF on grading on his site that I found very helpful. Check out www.indiancent.com(Eagle Eye Rare Coins). A great dealer and nice person to work with - same with the penny lady. He also has some videos that he has made talking about grading.
     
    mark_h, Dec 4, 2012
    #24 + Quote Reply
  6. eddiespin

    eddiespin Fast Eddie

    The skin on a coin is an important component in its overall appeal, i.e., its market grade, and to the degree it's compromised, that's irreversible, and that's why we don't clean coins.
     
    eddiespin, Dec 4, 2012
    #25 + Quote Reply
  7. FinneusFalcor

    FinneusFalcor New Member

    I have found that using Craig's List to find coin shows and auctions has been VERY helpful. I don't live anywhere particularly special (NE OH) but there are a fair amount of monthly coin shows around here that I have found because of Craig's. And to top that off, I've found lots of monthly coin auctions using www.auctionzip.com.
    I have made a lot of connections this way and have found hundreds of great coins at decent prices.
     
    FinneusFalcor, Dec 10, 2012
    #26 + Quote Reply
  8. rickmp

    rickmp Frequently flatulent.

    I do not want to start a discussion on the merits of slabbed vs. raw, but
    for anyone new to the hobby, IMO, it is always possible to go wrong buying
    slabbed coins, but they are much more likely to go wrong buying raw coins.
     
    rickmp, Dec 10, 2012
    #27 + Quote Reply
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