I've been to those type of farm sales in the past. I am amazed at how well common coins do at these auctions and estate sales.
Me too. They we’re running low grade Morgan’s and other low end silver and doing really well in a lot of them here for quite awhile
I remember Kurt bragging about the estate sales out in rural PA. I believed him when he said he could spot the real ones, but I wonder how many folks think they can pick treasure from rural sales and are really just buying dreck at an even-higher-than-coin-show markup.
A lot can’t. Most think paying $30 each for commmon Morgan dollars is a good investment. But when a real hoard or collection shows up you can make out especially if you can grade coins. I remember one bunch. All kinds of early silver. Mostly better circulated. All original skin. With a ton of bust halves and seated coins. I did well there. Competition was between me and about 3 others. A beautiful xf 45 1837 dime same grade 1875 20 cent. Several bust halves in the xf 40-au 50 range and a nice au 50 1874 $3 gold. These were the grades after I sent to Pcgs. I regret not buying the 1868 $3 too
I have not been to a "farm sale" in many years. The one I did attend went like this. Coins that had very little value went for way more than they were worth. For example a British coin, that one might have found in a junk box for 50 cents $1 at that time sold for $16. Other low value coins realized a similar result. On the other hand there was an Indian quarter eagle that graded AU. It may have been worth about $35 at the time. It sold for $32. I might add that when the hammer fell, the auctioneer tossed it out into the crowd at the guy who had won it. Fortunately it landed on the grass and was not damaged. Obviously these guys must have been friends.
Second day: Organizer gave me a table count but I don't believe it. The show was full and my guess is somewhere over 100 tables. Today was the same as yesterday. Busy morning, then fell off. Some of the dealers will not be back for the last day. Organizer announced the phone rang off the hook with folks asking if the show will be open Saturady so I expect the biggest public attendance tomorrow. I have had no dealer tell me the show was bad and have not heard of any that feel that way. I was told over twenty dealers already signed up for a table next show. Several that were just walking the floor requested a tabe for next time. I got to see a 1944 copper cent slabbed by PCGS and a Gobrecht dollar in a slab that both ICG and PCGS sent back as No deision. What I like best about this show is the diversity of things for sale - it is not all coins! Besides stamps and postcards, I bought a coin book, 2 specimen travelers checks, coin supplies, a golf club, some beautiful "faux" jewelry rings that look outstanding, and a deceptive counterfeit $2 1/2 Liberty. One dealer left eary when his doctor called to say his Chinese virus test was positive. As he walked out of the show past our table to say he wouldn't get a chance to sumbit because he was positive, my customer joked that we didn't need to hear that from the patient's mouth!
I used to live out on Long Island in the 1990's and still have friends and family there. Always wanted to attend. 15 tables sounds very small, unless there are other LI shows periodically that siphon off dealers and the public. Parsippany (NJ) is about 40-45 dealers....Westchester is 30 (and dropping) but the new Mt. Kisco Show was 30 (and rising)....couple of Colts Neck and Old Bridge and Wayne (NJ all) shows are all under 12 tables last I went. More stamps and other junk.
Fifteen tables is half of pre Corona capacity and max under current mandatory social distancing rules.
The last day at Lakeland was the same as Friday. Busy and then not. It rained a little which generally brings folks in. Two couples drove almost two hours to attend. THe said they needed a coin show "fix!" We had a good show. Not very good or excellent, just good yet better than expected. Most dealers either did either very good or they were lying to the dealers who had a great show. I missed an exit trying to go home a different way and saw parts of Tampa I've never been to!
Well, if you wound up in Ybor City, it would be inexcusable to not dine at the original Colombia Restaurant! I've had many a fine lunch, dinner, and Sunday brunch there. Thanks for reporting on the show in such detail.
Yes. I bought stamps, postcards, a coin book, 2 specimen travelers checks, coin supplies, a golf club, some beautiful "faux" jewelry rings that look outstanding, and a deceptive counterfeit $2 1/2 Liberty."
The Melville coin show on Sunday was well attended with a steady stream of people. I was lucky enough to get a table (my first). Junk silver was king. Low end Morgan’s were next, but a $3 Stella, and a $5 Indian really made the day.
15-20 tables ? How many attendees on average when you were there ? The shows I attended had about 1/2 the number of attendees as they did dealers. Maybe 1-to-1 for the Mt. Kisco Show; Westchester and Parsippany a bit less.