Hey Y'all Today I went to the coin shop and had a lot of fun looking...I got to see some great coins like... a 1982 no P dime...(does anybody have any info about the 1982 no P dime? Was it a grease filled die or was it die polishing?) I saw one today in a NGC slab for a little over $100...I passed since I don't collect errors or "newer" coins that much any more. I also saw (from a few feet away...the owner didn't let me hold it ) a cent struck on a nickel planchet...he sent it to NGC and they sent it back in a body bag with a reason that was far from the truth...I could tell that from what little I saw...looked great-- Also saw the run of the mill...1916-D dimes and a 1921 Peace dollar that I'm looking at again!! But I've also had days when I've seen MS62RED 1909-S VDB cent and BU CC dollars and once a $20 Gold piece with the CC mint mark... or a 1893-S Morgan--and even if I don't get to hold every rare coin...and look at them under 10x its fun to see them when you know that 9 out of 10 you will never have one to call your own. All in all...It was a nice trip (nah...I didn't hurt myself) to the coin shop. So what was the best time you have had in a coin shop...or what was the best coin you have seen in the coin shop? Speedy
Thirty some years ago, I held in my hands at one time 1889 CC, 1895 P and 1893 S Morgans from the Redfield hoard. These were all very high grade uncirculated/unimpaired specimens that were at the time the finest known in existence. I will always remember the feeling of knowing I had over a million dollars worth of coins in my hand. Today they add up to much more.
Few years back I had the opportunity to purchase Morgan dollars from a full set of Morgans my dealer had just purchased. He held them back for my wife and I to have first pick! Really a good day in the shop but quite honestly almost all my days with my dealer are fantastic days! See him just about every Saturday!!!
I was talking with a coin shop owner and in barges this 300 pound plus woman with a Buffalo Nickel in her hand stating, "I's got me an old coin...worth lot of money...how's much you give me for it?" Never mind she interrupted our conversation, but out comes this Buffalo Nickel that was so worn, it had no date or mint mark on the coin, so the owner told her it was worth pretty much a "nickel". He also showed her what other MS Buffalo nickels look like and why they were worth more than hers. She had none of it and ends up making a fuss yelling, "You's trying to rip me off...a ______ nickel, shoot!" The owner had to ask her to leave as I started to laugh out loud (sorry, I couldn't help it). Then all 300 lbs of her got mad at me. "Wuz you laughing at?"...I replied, "Sorry (still laughing)...your nickel." I felt for the owner. I also could not help but laugh at this person's expectations. She had a whole car load of people in her car waiting and she probably told them she was goinig to sell that Buffalo nickel for a "whole lot of money". The owner told me it happens all of the time...a person finds a wheat cent or Buffalo nickel and they think they are rich.
Great stories... Terry--my dealer got a complete set of BU GEM Silver Washinton quarters (the funny thing was..after 1964 the guy had put in run of the mill cirulated coins)---he took out the best ones (they also had toned) and sent them to NGC...they came back MS65 and higher...the 32 D and S came back GREAT.... Dollarcrazy I have looked at Morgan's from some of the "great hoards" but never from the Redfield hoard--I see they sell for a nice little bit.. Midas Yes I think that happens a lot...I've seen people think that the F on the Buff nickel is the mintmark...and that it is the only coin with the F mm. this is something eles that gets me Dealers who will tell you how much you should get for a coin with out looking at the coin...this gets on my nerves...long story but this happened to me...I was buying some coins from a non collector and he takes a list of the coins to a "so called" dealer who tells him I'm getting too good of deal...without looking at one coin....I still got to buy them but for more than my first offer...I don't know if I will ever get to buy more of this hoard because of that dealer. Well...back to the good topic....I also got to see a complete set of Dimes 1916-1945...with all keys! Speedy
I'd love to have one of those 'great' coin shop experiences, but my local dealer does not have a counter or any type of display to 'shop' the coins from. You have to tell him what you want to see, he digs around to see if he has one somewhere, and then hands it to you and watches you to see what you are going to do with it. Presure... You can't shop at all, and have to know what you want... which goes against the whole idea. I just want to sit and stare at cool coins! I also like to know what something costs, and his prices are always based on some obscure formula that involves phase of the moon, the CPI index, and some 'do I like this guy' factor. It sucks all the fun out of the whole thing... then if you mention what you collect, he proceeds to ask where you bought it, and why not from him... and if you ask what account he sells on ebay under, he won't tell you. Don't like going there.
I've had so many great experiences running a coin shop that I had to think about this for awhile. One customer I won't ever forget was on vacation from Italy...he spoke no english and I don't speak Italian. We got along just fine using hand gestures and a Krause book. He was one of the nicest people I've ever met, period. Before he left he "said" that even though we didn't speak the same language, we both understood the language of money and both loved coins. I hope I never forget that gentleman. On the wild side, once there was a large family of middle easterners (India or Pakistan, I think...but I'm not sure.) that came in wanting silver coins. Lots of them. I had just purchased two bags of 90% silver and once they saw that they became very excited and began to barter with me (all at once) about the price. I think at the time it was about 3.5 times face value. Once we had established the price they began a yelling contest, thinking I'd sell to the loudest one first. They all were a family and had come in together, remember. After I sold a few hundred dollars worth to one of them some of the others would shout ME NEXT or something like that. I've never seen anything like it...an entire family competing against one another to buy coins. There must have been 10 of them, all yelling for me to sell to them next. What fun...zany, but fun. Between them all I think they bought both full bags of silver ($1k face value per bag) and I never saw them again lol. What a day that was! Nick Whoops gotta add one more. A fellow walked in once and came straight up to me and stuck his hand out. Shaking my hand, he said that I probably wouldn't remember him but that several years before I had loaned him $10 when he was down on his luck and that $10 had really helped him out and he wanted me to know how much he appreciated that. He handed me $10, said "God bless you" a few times, and left....all this despite my protests that he had me confused with someone else. I didn't remember him at all and I usually don't do handouts. I still don't remember giving him any money but he swore it was me...said he remembered it clearly. Some encounters in life are just meant to bring tears to your eyes, you know?
Richard--I've been in places like that too...its drive be nuts. TraderNick you tell some great stories...I think it would be fun to work at a coin shop as long as I didn't own it... Speedy
On a trip with my company I arrived a day early for my mtg and took a look in the phone book for dealers. I contacted one who turn out didn't have a true shop (he dealt out of his house) but asked me what I was interested in and I told him silver comm. He said he was more than happy to meet me during his lunch the next day and gave me directions. I was/am new to coins but took him up and drove to his workplace. He had just bought a full set of ms-63 comm and had them all there. He allowed me to take my time, answered all my questions and I bought a couple at very good prices. He actually seemed to enjoy our discussion and showing me the coins as much as I did. It was a great experience and I ashamed to say, I never sent him a thankyou. So if George from Wake Forest Coins is on this forum, its been 6-7 years but your kindness has not been forgotten. Thankyou
