Often times dealers have junk boxes or bargain bins you can look through but keep them behind them and you have to ask. So..how would one ask? I made the mistake of using both terms above, and I don't think it is very polite to do so now that I thought about it. One is calling his coins junk, and the other..cheap or your just looking for bargains..IMO So, how would one ask to see these junk boxes/bargain bins? stainless
You could say, "Got any specials today?" Or you could say, " any bargain coins?" I admit I did not do that at my first show. I just looked around for marked bins and boxes. Maybe the next show I will actually feel more at ease to converse with some of the dealers.
Just tell then you're on a tight budget and ask if they have a bargain bin. Most dealers would rather sell you a few coins at a few dollars each than nothing at all. Guy~
One show I was at a dealer called it his "recession bin",so thats what I ask for now. It usually gets a laugh.
Most that I've seen don't mind if you call it a junk box, considering alot of their days a large part of their intake comes from junk boxes...
If an ancient dealer has a pick bin (a much more polite way of saying it) it will be out. My favorite question to ask them is "What do you have that YOU find fascinating?" This can usually bring out some very cool coins.
Calling them junk coins is just a term used by jewelers, and by rights should offend a true coin collector. I'd ask for the bargain bin.
It depends on the dealer. Some of them are as sarcastic as me. In that case, I'll ask if I can see the crap coin bin behind them. I can sometimes find a jewel (i.e. VG8 coin) amonst the AG3's.
Use the word "bargain." If it offends the dealer, then at least you know that nothing you buy from him will be a bargain.
Being a person that frequents many, many coin shows as a general rule they are called bargain boxes or bins. If you go to coin shows frequently and in the basic same areas, you usually see the same dealers. As you get to know them you could tell if it's OK to call the bargain box, JUNK STUFF. There are several dealers at shows I do say that to but usually not if there are other customers in the area. You have to realize that some people take things for real and if you call a bargain box JUNK, others may think you've been though it and know it's just JUNK. I've seen one dealer with one of those boxes and a sign on it saying DISCOUNTED COINS. So if in doubt, just use terms such as Bagain or Discounted coin bins or boxes. Odd thing is at most of the shows I go to there is one dealer that is stuck on really, really high priced coins and has very little concerns for normal, every day collector coins so he places some really nice coins in his JUNK BOX. I've found some really nice Walker Halves in there for $2 and $3 in EF grades. I've asked him if he got that right and he usually says those are coins most people don't want. I DO.
