I just got back from the Chicago International Coin Fair. I live about 20 minutes away so I've gone for the last four years. I have to say for me this was the worst one yet. There seemed to be fewer dealers than before, and almost all the ones who were there only had a relatively few high end coins. It's good if you want to spend $200 on one coin, as I know many members of this board do, but I like to look through bins where everything is a dollar, $2, $3 and so on. The only dealer who had this sort of thing this year was Harlan Berk, which is in Chicago and where I could have visited anytime I want. During the two hours I was there, the same guy had control of the $1 bin, and he was still at it when I left, so I didn't even get to look at that. The other dealers who had similar low price bins in the past either weren't there this year or didn't bring these low value coins. Several dealers had lower price coins in individually priced 2x2s, but these tended to be the same coins I get from the 25 cent bin at my LCS priced at $8 a piece. Seriously, if they want to sell anything maybe they should put a reasonable price on these things. Anyway, it was pretty disappointing. I still bought some coins, but just from one dealer who is local anyway. Anyone else on here go?
I did that smaller show in Tinley Park in March. It was crazy. Most dealers had slabs and super high priced slabs. Credit Card city unless you had a wad of $100 bills. TONS of gold and way overpriced. Not too many low priced coins to look through. And then if you found some, they too were too high. I saw a lot of looking by others and not a lot of buying.
I just don't understand the prices. I mean, by now I think most collectors are aware of eBay. Many don't like to shop on it but I would think it would keep sellers honest as far as prices go. When I see coins sell for $2 on eBay and then someone at the coin show is asking $10, I'm not going to buy that no matter how convenient it is. I know they have fees for the show, but eBay and Paypal charge fees too. What annoys me the most is seeing these high prices for coins from the 1960s onward. $8 for a 1 rupee from Mauritius from the 1970s. Come on.
And this is one reason young collectors get scared off. Take them to their first coin show and all they see are $1000+ coins. They can't afford anything close to that But give them a good cheap bin to go through and their hooked! You would think dealers would realise this a bit.
Tragically, young would-be coin collectors may be forced into Philately, where it's possible to build a large collection of colorful, interesting items for dozens--not thousands--of dollars.
What's funny is I spent probably $300 at that one dealer buying $2, $3 and $5 coins and they probably have a much bigger profit margin on those. People were crowding around waiting to look through those bins.
I noticed this too when I started buying stamps. You can buy them for 5 or 10 cents apiece on many auction sites and pay a few bucks to ship hundreds of them. I like coins better, but stamps are certainly priced right.
I stopped going to a lot of Chicago's smaller shows especially down in the boonies like Tinley Park . Glad I didn't go .
That they are as I was finally able to pick up all the early airmails in Mint and even 2 Zeppelins . Probably for less than what the cheapest Zep would have cost before .
I was happy with the coins I purchased though. I can't take pictures of them all, but here is what I bought and what I paid. There are a few I need to identify still: $2 1871 A France 5 centimes 1880 Sweden 5 ore 1981 Bulgaria 2 leva 1963 British Honduras 10 cents 1874 A France 5 centimes 1937 Portugal 5 escudos (silver) 1919 H British West Africa 1 penny 1828 Brazil 40 reis 1996 Kazakhstan 20 tenge 1995 Kazakhstan 20 tenge 1799 Britain 1 penny 1956 Guernsey 8 doubles 1854 Upper Canada half penny 1840 Russia 1 kopek 1831 Britain farthing 1864 New Brunswick 1 cent 1914 Netherlands half cent 1921 Britain 1 shilling (silver) 2005 Kazakhstan 50 tenge 1861 Nova Scotia 1 cent 1910 Italy 2 centesimi 1891 Norway 2 ore 1906 D Germany half mark (silver) 1762 unknown German state 4 pfenning $3 1875 G Germany 1 mark (silver) 1937 East Africa 10 cents 1761 Hungary unknown denomination 1949 KN British West Africa half penny 1831 Britain farthing 1839 Britain farthing 1981 Bulgaria 2 leva 1300 anniversary of nationhood 1840 Russia 1 kopek 1928 Britain florin (silver) 1874 F Germany 1 mark (silver) 1919 Canada 25 cents (silver) 1932 South Africa 1 shilling (silver) 1916 France 1 franc (silver) 1853 Britain farthing 1911 A French Indochina 1 cent 1890 Newfoundland 1 cent 1956 Guatemala 25 cents (silver) 1843 Britain half penny 1874 A Germany 1 mark (silver) 1938 Hong Kong 5 cents 1914 S Philippines 20 centavos (silver) 1883 Britain 6 pence (silver) 1867 Britain 6 pence (silver) 1942 S Fiji 6 pence (silver) 1892 Sweden 5 ore 1936 New Guinea 1 penny 1886 Canada 5 cents (silver) 1901 Netherlands half cent 1821 unknown German state 1 heller 1818 (Denmark? Sweden?) 1 Skilling 1875 C Germany 20 pfennig (silver) $5 Canada 50 cents (silver): 1959, 1962, 63, 56, 41, 64, 61, 57, 52, 60 1952 British West Africa 1/10 penny 1905, 06, 09 Canada 25 cents (silver) 1900 no H Canada 1 cent 1994 Britain 2 pounds 1911 H British West Africa half penny 1876 Newfoundland 1 cent 1928 Mexico 5 centavos 1883 Argentina 2 centavos 1937 South Africa farthing 1985 France 100 francs (.46 oz. silver) 1880 Newfoundland 1 cent 1769 Hibernia (Ireland) half penny 1880 Ho Mexico 5 centavos 1806 Britain farthing 1892 Britain 1 shilling (silver) 1953 New Zealand 3 pence which I think is a proof
