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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;GDJMSP, post: 1733283, member: 112&quot;]Actually Mike it&#039;s quite simple, and it is the same advice that has always been given to any collector, new, old or in between. That is to only buy from trusted and respected dealers - and forget about buying from anybody and everybody else !</p><p><br /></p><p>And that does not mean that the dealer has to be local to you, or anywhere near you for that matter. There are trusted and respected dealers all over the country. And if you live in California there is nothing wrong with buying from one in Florida, or Ohio, or Minnesota. You buy from them because they are trusted and respected, not because of where they are. That is the way this business has been done for as long as the business has existed. And that is how smart people do it.</p><p><br /></p><p>So what is a trusted and respected dealer ? First he is one who knows coins. He can readily identify fakes, altered coins, and problem coins, and not all dealers can. He has fair prices. He has a no questions asked return policy. And he will work hard to find you exactly what you want.</p><p><br /></p><p>So how do find them ? You ask other collectors and you go to coin shows. But you can&#039;t just ask any collector, because a lot of collectors simply don&#039;t have the knowledge to know if their dealer knows anything or not. </p><p><br /></p><p>And what are fair prices ? Fair prices are just that, fair prices, they are market prices. And that means not cheap. Bargains are not fair prices or they wouldn&#039;t be bargains. If you want cheap, then get out of the hobby. Or else expect to get what you pay for - cheap.</p><p><br /></p><p>So how does a beginner find out what market/fair prices are ? Well you have to do some work, you have to read and study and expend some effort. It&#039;s not easy, if it was easy then everybody would have magnificent collections. But they don&#039;t, they are not willing to do the work.</p><p><br /></p><p>There are plenty of people here on the this forum who will bend over backwards to help you, or anybody else. But you have to be willing to listen and take their advice, do what they tell you. Or you will fail. It&#039;s really just that simple. So how do you know who to listen to ? Same way - do a little work. You spend some hours reading this forum and you&#039;ll soon find out who knows that they are talking about and who doesn&#039;t. And when you do, you listen.</p><p><br /></p><p>And be ready to spend some money, not on coins, on education. You have to buy books, study the books. Just like with the rest, do some work. You will only get out of this hobby what you are willing to put into it.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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