I'll be headed to the coin show in Raleigh NC next month. When I go to shows I feel overwhelmed sometimes. I don't know enough to know if a price is good or a grade accurate. I do go looking for a few specific items that I'm educated on but usually can't find them. I see a lot of interesting coins I feel like I'd like to have but I don't want to overpay since I'm on a limited budget. Any thoughts/suggestions?
Stick to whatever you're comfortable with for your budget. You can also always step away and go look up prices and price history and come back and get the item, you risk losing out on it but the odds are less someone will snatch it in that short time at these smaller shows. I would avoid raw coins for areas that you aren't comfortable grading until you learn more for grading them.
Take a list of coins you might want and the prices you think they should be. You may or may not find the ones you want. If a coin really strikes your fancy, note what about it does, etc. and don't be afraid to leave it at the table. Then if you have a smart phone that you can look things up on, find a place to do so. If you have a book or mag with prices and mintages that you refer to and have that in your vehicle, you can take a break and go look up what you 'need'. You can go back and buy if it is to your liking.
Great suggestions above. If you have a smartphone you could take/ post pics here to get some opinions also, before you buy.
I would (in fact, I do) use a show like this as an educational opportunity. Not sure if you can grade accurately? Have a look at a wide selection of slabbed coins, and see if you can understand why they graded as they did. Take a loupe, unless you're as nearsighted as I am. Alan Flowers always had some remarkable material at these shows, but he passed away last year. There are still plenty of dealers with good stuff, though, both raw and slabbed. Josh Bobbitt (NC Numismatic Properties) is my favorite buyer, and I know he sells bullion at a very slender markup from what he pays at the show. (He's consistently made the strongest offers, so it's possible you might buy cheaper from someone who pays less for inventory, but not that likely.) I don't pay much attention to ancients or world coins, but I know there are usually at least a few dealers of each. I hope to attend myself, but may have obligations elsewhere that weekend. We'll see as it gets closer.
Definitely go with a list of coins you want to buy. However, a show is really more of an educational experience: you get to look at things that you wouldn't normally get to see. You get to examine things in hand. And yes, you can practice your grading with a wide variety of slabs (in hand is always better than photos online!) You also have the chance to meet and talk to other collectors, make some friends, and learn from them. Talk to the dealers - some of them might not have what you need right now, but these dealers see thousands of coins. If you make a connection, they can keep an eye out for you and let you know when they find what you want. I usually don't find the coins I'm looking for on the bourse, but the education makes it worth it.
I will try to give you the sideways answer-- 1) You say that you are on a limited budget, which could mean many things, but there are basically two ways to buy coins--as an investor or as a collector. If you are primarily buying as an investor then there is no substitute for research. Read the books, check the catalogs, review auction prices, etc. You have to know the market. On the other hand, if you are a collector, then you should still do as much research as possible, but you should really be out there buying what you like, which you will find to be an evolving state. Look at as many coins as you can, ideally before buying any of them, and then ask yourself if you like such-and-such a coin, if it has the eye appeal, etc. Sure, someday your coin collection will be sold (by you or your heirs), but buy coins you value, not just because some price guide says the coin is worth $$$ (unless that is what makes the coin beautiful to you, of course). 2) Expect to make mistakes. Expect to spend too much. Expect to buy a coin that you regret buying later. Don't go out of your way to do any of these things, but realize that you will make these errors. Chalk them up to tuition in a Coin Collector University. 3) Buy some cheap coins, where the impact of a mistake won't be that bad (and I don't know if "cheap" to you is "5 for $1" in a bin, or silver as-close-as-possible-to-spot, or $100 thalers). You learn a lot about coins when you dig through the cheap stuff, you learn a lot about dealers who are willing to provide friendly service to the cheap-coin-buyer, you learn a lot about what you like, and you will begin to learn about the sort of stuff that does not show up with the cheap stuff and might be a bargain.
I assume you are interested in world coins ? If so you *may* disappoint by the number of world coin dealers. The biggest coin show in Raleigh is the Raleigh coin clubs show usually happens in June. This one is probably a smaller show and i would not expect many world coin dealers. Usually there is only one dealer with world coins (mike) and others may have one or two. I stopped going to smaller shows since early last year. Not to discourage you but look forward for the summer Raleigh coin club show.
I'll be there too (I live nearby). I think the feeling of being overwhelmed comes from not having a plan and sticking to it (been there, done that). As others said, you can always step away and check coin data on your smart phone, but personally I prefer to walk in with a printed list of coins I'm interested in, along with target prices and grades. And it's usually a fairly long list, because I know that the coins at the top of my list may not be there so I want to give myself a reasonable range of options. Here's the important part: I stick to my plan, and don't allow myself to be distracted by coins that aren't on my list. Sometimes I leave with no purchases, sometimes one or two coins, and only rarely more than that. But because I stick to my plan, I know I'm leaving with coins that I really want to add to my collection. As for accurate grades, some show dealers over-grade everything, others grade reasonably accurately. Don't rely on what's written on the holder. Know what the grade is by looking at the coin itself (be sure to take a magnifier).
I'm going to both agree with you and disagree with you. Yes, the annual Raleigh Coin Club show held in the new exposition center is the best and biggest. And yes, the shows staged by Dot Hendricks (which is what the January show is) are smaller. But I've been to more of these than I can count, and she always has at least 3 or 4 dealers with large offerings of world coins. If that's where the OP's interest lies, I think he'll find plenty to browse at the January show.
Seconded. There are six or seven shows at the Raleigh fairgrounds over the course of a year. The June one is the largest; it runs three days, has classes and competitive exhibits, and ANACS is on-site. The smallest has maybe a dozen dealers, and is quite narrow, although I've still found it "the right place at the right time" at least once. This one, at the Holshouser building, is intermediate. Probably two dozen or so dealers, and as @Maxfil says, there may be a good selection of what you're looking for.
Mostly just world with a few US or ancients if I see something I like or can use as a teaching tool for my kids.
I guess it depends on which foreign coins you collect. I have had very little luck finding the pre-1860 Italian States coins I'm looking for at any of the coin shows here in Calif. I do see Ancient Italian (Roman) coins, but I don't collect them (yet). I don't want to go back any further than the 1200's . If it wasn't for American and Italian Ebay, I wouldn't have a collection
World coins are pretty hit or miss at shows. If you're just looking for any of them that you like the look of you should be able to find some. If you have a specific want list it's hit or miss and for certain segments a lot more miss than hit. I don't think their last few have allowed world, but I believe in the past they did some that did. They may let you use the special on them if you just call too
