I've got a few NGC slabbed MS-63,64 Morgans that I wouldn't mind parting with/upgrading to something else. Are dealers typically open to trades at most shows? Or is this frowned on? I think it would be encouraged.
It all depends on their needs and if they think they could move your coins fast , and of course if they could make a few bucks on the trade itself , you have nothing to lose by trying , wait until they're not busy before asking and be polite . Good luck . rzage
I go to about 2 to 4 coin shows a month. As a general rule I would say at least half of the dealers I've seen will buy, trade, sell just about anything. Coins of course. However, there are always a few that deal with other items too. I still remember at one COIN show not long ago a dealer had a table of Indian Artifacts. Most dealers will gladly trade pending on how much you expect to get for your coins. They will, as a rule, low ball you since they are there to make a profit you know. An even trade is just not a profitable deal.
I know. I don't expect to get full retail value. I would be reasonable. It's up to me to take some loss if I want to put older pieces towards something new. If it's too unreasonable, I'll pass of course.
The thing about trading with a dealer is that the dealer works both sides of the trade. With an outright sale he can only work 1 side. What I mean by that is this - dealers typically sell between 10% - 20% more than book. And they buy 10% - 20% less than book. So with a trade you stand to lose 20% - 40% instead of 10% - 20%.
Of course collectors are an option. Problem with selling to collectors is that it often takes as long to sell your collection as it did to acquire it. Overall, best & easiest way to sell a collection is to a dealer or auction house.
I don't know how many coin shows are in your area but if some are repeats each month, you may try this. Go to one, talk to dealers, try to find one that will sell your coins on consignment, if you think you can trust him or her. Since I go to so many I do get to know many of the dealers that are frequent repeats. If I wanted to sell something, I think I'd ask one of them to do it for me. Of course there would be a fee, but probably not as much if I sold it out right to them.
