Just about exactly 50 years after I first bought an ancient in a coin store in Indianapolis, I returned to the same town but a different store (and considering none of the staff were old, to a different seller) and bought a few more. Since I don't travel with my coin camera, there are no photos tonight but I was reminded how my favorite way of buying ancients is in person at a store. It is even better than coin shows because the crowds are not so big and the rush is less (except for needing to leave before my wife died of boredom or starvation - coin buying does not fill her needs like it does mine). Let me recommend those who travel to check local coin stores you see and discover which ones have ancients. I need to stop discriminating against places with large signs saying they buy gold. It is too much to expect a sign in the window 'We Sell Ancients'. My experience is about one in two hundred but it never hurts to ask. I probably should have bought more but most coins were either half what I would expect (but already had) or twice what I'd pay (usually due to grade). That is the name of the game. I bought a couple of the expensive sort and a few more at bargain price but overall I believe the contents of the bag I took away was worth more that the price asked. The fun of the hunt made them a bargain. I'm starting to think I should travel with my microscope so I could feel better about some of the selections but, overall, it was a good day.
All of the coin store near me are the high end/name dealers like Larry Shapiro, Meridian Coin and some others. Meridian Coin does sell ancients but they are fairly high priced for this cheapskate. One in Long Beach I have gone to has the usual constantine scraps now and then. I dont travel outside of the l.a. area so maybe orange county might have something but the cost of gas isnt worth it to me. I attend long beach coin show about twice a year & thats about my only experience with getting ancients in-person. Rest of the time its online in many ways.
I know of one good ancient coin dealer with a storefront in my hometown (and it is 30 minute drive each way ) Other than that, I know of one local coin store with ancient coins but it is priced 2 to 5 times what I would pay.
I am 700 kms away from a city that would have "a coin store", but probably at least 1000 kms away from a city that would have a coin store that sold ancients!! (in all honesty, I've never been in a coin store that sold ancient coins!!) ... => maybe when I'm in Vancouver next week, I'll accidentally stumble across a coin store that sells ancients (ummm, but I'm pretty sure that my sharp-witted wife will see through my shabby plan) ... oh well, maybe she'll cut me some slack on our vacation? (I'll merely have to make sure that we accidentally book a day at the spa, right?) ... => she rocks (I can hardly wait to spoil her on this vacation!!)
Doug => do you happen to know if there is a coin-store in Vancouver that sells ancients? ... does anybody? Thanks, coin-gang!!
The shop I visited today was 700 miles from home. Vancouver makes that look tiny. Unless my mother-in-law moves, I doubt I will ever find out. Sorry.
Only coin-buying/selling related places around me are those gold/silver places, and the only coins that they do happen to have are US coins (which I don''t collect), so my in-person ancient coin purchases happen at the Ft. Lauderdale coin club monthly show that I occasionally go to. Bought my first two ancients, and my first denarius there.
Steve I think Praefectus coins hails from Vancouver if you want to look them up. I have more to post but am on my phone. I have been in a horse pen for the past 12 hours and needed a coin fix.
They are good folks to deal with. Got several of my coins from their vcoins store. Good service and some of the prices are fair. Some were much less then what I was willing to pay for the types.
Thanks Mat ... yeee-haaa, it'll be my first ancient coin-store!! Ummm => maybe I should leave my VISA at the Hotel an merely bring a couple hundred bucks in cash, eh??!!
Yeah the coin shops in my area (and I believe closest to steve unless Yorkton has a coin shop?) Are generally Canadian focused and moreso RCM product as far as I know. One does have some Ancients but they are all late Romans. There are two other coin shops that I have not been to. One is in a sketch area and the other just out of the way. They also don't have a website so I have no idea. I am happy there isn't an Ancient dealer here because it keeps money in my pocket. It also sucks though because it would be nice to look at a coin in hand rather than picture.
hey DS, i'm in indy every great once in a while....if you have a store recommendation, please pass it along. looking forward to some coin pics!
