Coin show etiquette.

I'm going to the Central States Numismatic Show in Schaumburg this April.

I've never been to a big coin show before, so I have a few questions.

I'm mainly going there to look more than to buy.

1. Do coin dealers generally allow you to take a photo of their booth/ case?

2. Will a dealer let you look at a coin just to look at it, if you don't plan on purchasing it?

3. Do most dealers take checks? Due to the recent robberies I don't feel like taking cash.

4. Are most dealers priced firm, or is there room to make offers?

5. Do dealers of world coins have large bins to sort through?

6. Do dealers ever have cleaned, bent, holed, or otherwise damaged coins for sale? I collect damaged world coins if they are pre 1830s.

7. I know you can usually buy generic us silver for melt, but can you buy generic world silver for melt? I rarely see it going for melt on eBay, at least GB pre-decimal coinage, anyway.

8. Are there any world paper money dealers?

9. I know there are dealers who specialize in US error coins, what about world error coins?

10. Are there any world dealers that ever have early British coins, as in pre 1800's?

11. Can one ever "cherry pick" from World Coin Dealers, or do most of them know their stuff?


I know a lot of my question may sound "dumb" to some people here, but I never really been to a large coin show before.

 

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i buy world silver from my lcs for melt

 

1. Doesn't hurt to ask
2. Maybe
3. No
4. 50/50
5. Yes
6. Yes
7. Maybe
8. Yes
9. Maybe
10. Yes
11. Yes. Probably wouldn't care if you did.

 

Just go there and look around. Lot of dealers, lots of coins. Btw, pre-1800 is not really "early British coins". When I hear that term I think celtic Iceni or maybe 9th century.

Among some other answers:

1. Some do, some don't
2. ditto
3. ditto, I would bring cash personally. Usually get a better price.
4. Usually negotiating room except for pick boxes
5. I have seen them
6. Not on purpose, but frequently in the junk bins
7. World junk used to go below melt, because of various purities. IDK about today.
8. Yes, its a major specialty
9. I have never seen them personally, but again never looked. Most world dealers will have a few.
11. No one knows everything. Are you going to cherrypick a rare date in a well researched series like GB? Unlikely. Can you cherrypick a rare variety, especially form a lesser known series? Absolutely. Knowledge is power and money.

Its just like local shows, just more dealer and greater variety.

 

I just went to the ANA Money Show this weekend and every dealer I had an interest in buying from took checks. Having said that though, there is usually an ATM on the premise, so you don't have to haul unnecessary cash around, just withdraw the amount you need if you see a coin you want.

 

1. ask first
2. yes, but let them know that is what you are doing so they can help another customer.
3. ask first... most want cash. higher end coins might accept debt cards or credit cards.
4. some give deals if you buy 2-10+ coins. if you become a regular buyer at their table you should get a discount. It does not hurt to ask for a lower price, but beware some dealers get insulted if you ask for to low of a price/deal. most dealers expect some haggling.
5. most world coin dealers have all price ranges and some dealers are just high end prices $$$
6. yes
7. ask, yes.
8. yes
9. yes.
10. yes
11. yes, most know what they have. sometimes you can get a discount if they have multiples of the same coin. I have done it before and showed them they had 5-7 of same coin and they said yes to a discount. as medoramam said knowledge is power and money. most important have fun. be courteous to fellow buyers. wait your turn. try not bothering a dealer if he is selling to another buyer. wait until he or she is done. if you buy some coins do NOT leave them in your car.

 

Don't forget the dress code....

 

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lol. you might NOT want to do that unless you want to get robbed at gun/knife point while walking to your car later. funny that you posted this shirt. I was thinking of doing/making a t-shirt with all "coins with insects" my first interest in world coins, but have many other topical/themed coin collections as well. I still might make it.

 

Good idea but my bank has an ATM Daily Limit. As such, the ATM, for cash that is, would limit the amount I could buy.

I believe that my limit is around $400 a day.

Oh wait. I forgot that we were advising Detecto. My Bad.

The ATM sounds like a good idea.

 

If you want to enjoy yourself on the cheap, make sure to check out the junk boxes. You can find them 6/$1 or $1 or even $5 and they are fun to pick through on a budget.

 

I would go with cash in hand...I would not write checks or use the ATM.

I have a couple reasons for this. First, if you only take the amount you are willing/can spend...you can't over spend. Basically, you have set a budget that cannot be broken. Secondly, if you want to try and "make offers" having cash in hand is the only way to do it. Finally, the ATMs they normally have are the generic type and thus there are fees.

As for the recent robberies...just pay attention and don't do anything stupid. I doubt you are going to have that much on you so I think you'd be a low priority target for a thief. Some folks at these shows carry a ton of cash.

 

as CamaroDMD said have a set budget unless there's a coin there you've been wanting for say 10 years and it finally is in reach. some dealers will have a layaway program.

 

Every show I've been too I usually see signs stating specifically that the dealer doesn't accept personal checks at all. I'd also like 19Lyds get stuck with only $500 if I didn't bring cash and relied solely on an ATM machine. I'd just bring cash I don't know how much you'd be bringing with you but I've never felt uncomfortable with a few thousand dollars in my pocket. Just have to be aware of your surroundings and don't go pulling out the whole amount and showing it off everywhere you go. I'm pretty sure criminals would be more likely to target dealers with a much larger potential monetary gain than a guy with a few hundred dollars. That being said I usually keep my 100/50's in a bank envelope in my pocket and count out what I need for a large purchase in a quiet area out of view first before paying (or my wife keeps these in her purse and will count out and give me what I need similarly in a quiet area). Although I do usually keep a few hundred in smaller bills folded over that I can readily use for average purchases.

 

I usually take $400-500 and only take out what I need for 5-10 single transactions.

 

I agree. I love pick boxes. Mine are 6 for $110, but the idea is the same.

 

I would say early would include anything not milled, ie. any hammered coinage, to include Tudor/stuart etc.

 

I think this is the show I went to last year. If so, they didn't have very many world coins. Most dealers were mainly focused on U.S. It's also hard to find dealers who bring their lower-value junk bins along. They have limited space and it seems like they try to just load up on the expensive stuff. I bought mostly from one guy who had a bin of world coins for 50 cents apiece, but I had to wait for some kids to finish going through it.

 

Tim, how much money are you planning on spending at the show...maximum? The reason I ask is in your original post...you mentioned that this more of a reconnaissance coin show visit and in previous threads you have stated that for the most part you are done buying coins for the year. I would imagine that you aren't planning on spending a lot of money. If that's the case, I think you are over-thinking #3 a little bit. Don't worry about getting robbed, just watch yourself and have a good time.

 

Hiddendragon.... if you ever make it out to Las Vegas. they have a show at the circus-circus casino. and this father and son have tons of world coins. all price ranges too. they have another guy with cheap world coins and another guy with very high end world coins. I usually take $400. I look at coins for about 6-8 hours. eat dinner when I am done. It's a good idea to take bottle water with you too.

 

I don't plan on bring over $200. This includes meals, etc. The coin club is taking a bus, so it's only a day trip.

I'm going to focus half of my spending money on stuff to collect, and stuff to hopefully make a little money on.