This weekend I'll be going to my first big coin show. Although I do have a 'wish list' of coins I plan on buying over the next year, I have no real plans to buy anything at the show unless I see something that changes my mind. Any advice for me going into it? I'm not a good grader yet, so I may not buy anything just for fear of getting ripped off on the grading.
I love going to the bargain bins to get cheap stuff, if you get a bunch of stuff a lot of dealers will give a discount. Also the coins that are just laying around not in holders. For example there were a bunch of indian head pennies laying around and i asked how much they were. He said 1 dollar each. I picked the best looking one i could find and got it, ill put it in a 2x2 once i go home. Also I think the Lincoln 09 VDB would be a good buy for you at your first show. I got mine in AU for $8. Coin shows are great because you can compare prices of all the dealers and there is a huge selection, on top of that, you can negotiate with the people. If there is a bucket of coins listed at "$1 each" ask the guy "How many coins can i get for $5" or "i'll give you $5 for these six coins" I'm neither rich nor a good grader so I always go for the cheap stuff.
Coin shows are a lot of fun and as mentioned bargain bins can be a ball. Don't need to spend a ton and maybe walk away with a few coins that were on your list. It's also a great way to get to know dealers. Most are more than happy to chat and share information. At our smaller local shows I generally hit a few favorite dealers. I'll pick out some coins and just ask "what can you do for me?" They always give me a decent price because they know I've bought before and would like for me to buy again. Being polite can go a long way. The majority of dealers at shows are there to sell coins NOT rip people off. They want your repeat business. If you're polite they tend to take to you better. Believe me, I've seen "newbies" walk up with a Greysheet like they know everything in the world. Turns dealers off in a heartbeat. Most of all HAVE FUN! clembo
Also, many dealers will be honest with you. They will give you advice and tell you what to expect in the future. Many are very knowledgeable. Sometimes though there are the ones that will try to get you to buy something, however, they aren't trying to rip you off, just trying to sell something. I would advise walking around for a while, seeing what everyone has, ask for prices/deals, get some experience, and buy some cheap stuff, don't go crazy. And take clembo's advice and have fun.
Depending on how disciplined you are (I know I'm not!) you might see something relatively inexpensive that's not on your wish list. It's hard to get really hurt with a coin that's only a few dollars. The potential downside (if it is one) is you may find another topic of interest within the hobby! But if your wish list is coins for which you need to understand the grading, I think you've got the right approach to go, have fun and get to know some folks. I must hasten to add that my experience with dealers at coin shows has generally been very good, and many dealers have been very nice to Thalia Elizabeth. In general, I find most to be quite honest, and the ones that aren't completely above board tend to stick out in the crowd. There's usually some room to bargain although I'd expect some hesitance to bargain on gold coins given where prices are going-- they will need to replace the inventory of what they sell and the rest of the market isn't likely to give them a break there. I think you'll also notice right away at larger shows that there are generalists and there are specialists, and there are also dealers that tend to stick to the high end of the market. Here's a "great story" example: At the show I attended, I brought my 20th Century Type Set hoping to upgrade my Standing Liberty Quarters. A dealer who had a few that looked nice took the time to review mine carefully, and then told me very honestly that the ones I already owned were better than anything he had for sale! I did buy something from him anyway, but he insisted that I didn't have to. Oh, yes I did, it was a nice 1900 Morgan for Thalia, who collects coins from that year, but that's another story...
Don't do that. And don't buy coins for the grade. If you see something you like, get it. It's easy and fun. If it looks nice in your opinion, what does it matter what a third party might grade it as? As for most dealers at coin shows, in my experience anyways, you don't have to worry too much about getting ripped-off. Most dealers that attend shows like to keep a certain reputation. Not to mention, there are a lot of people there watching. If you see a vendor who has few customers all day, stay away. Shows are great learning experiences, and a lot of fun. Guy~
If this is your first show, then I'd be very surprised if you're able to restrain yourself and not buy ANYTHING. You'll see something you like and at the right price for sure, even if it's not on your list. That's how I got into collecting world coinage...you see so many large, amazing silver world coins for the price of melt (basically silver dollar-size or "crown"-size coins for about $12 or $13 bucks) at coin shows...well, it's hard to pass them up! When going to shows, though, I always take these things with me: - My want-list (usu. the U.S. coins I'm looking for as part of my type-set, and maybe a few specific Mexican or Canadian coins I'm hunting for) - My Red Book and my small world coinage book - Any coins or notes I'm wanting to sell (I "purge" very small parts of my collection I don't like that much or am not satisfied with) - My loupe - My bookbag (for storing everything, incl. coins you buy and free numismatic literature you might pick up) Like I said, even though I have my list, I always assume that I will probably end up buying more things that were not on my list than things that are. Also, like some others have said, it's a very good idea to just quickly scan all the tables once before going back around to think about serious purchases, just to see what everyone has. And this is kinda dumb, but since like me you're on the younger side, the nicer you dress, the more dealers tend to notice you and act friendly towards you...basically, they won't think you're some ruffian out to steal coins from unsuspecting dealers. Most dealers are nice no matter what, though, and could care less how you dress, but I've found I command a little more respect dressing nicer. And NEVER buy anything from a dealer who won't pay attention to you at all or is a complete jerk; they don't deserve your business. Oh, and HAVE FUN. Duh.
Have a great time! If you're interested in any certain series of coins, look at a bunch of slabbed examples from that series and take note of the grades on the holders. This will help you in your endeavor to learn to grade.
