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Pacific Northwest Coin Road Trip [27 coin shops] + Visiting Dansco's Offices [March 17 - 22th 2025]
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<p>[QUOTE="Dansco_Dude, post: 26114045, member: 147679"]<b>Day 5 Update: Three Cities, 151 Miles, 4 Coin Shops, and a visit to Dansco</b></p><p><b><img src="https://i.imgur.com/3yQHzez_d.jpeg?maxwidth=520&shape=thumb&fidelity=high" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></b></p><p>This was one of the best days in my numismatic career. Today, I had the privilege of visiting the Dansco Headquarters in Sumas, Washington, and it was everything I was hoping for. I'll write a more detailed write-up when I finish my coin road trip, but I wanted to share some quick highlights from my visit.</p><p><br /></p><p>Leticia and Steve Bruce were kind enough to welcome me into their office. Even though it was their son's birthday and they were pressed for time, they gave me a full tour of their operations. I saw the entire production process up close. I saw how pages were made, employees putting albums together, gold foils applied to binders, and so much more.</p><p><br /></p><p>I'd be lying if I said I didn't nerd out. Their office is located in an old grocery store. Former grocery lanes were converted into working tables for employees. The aisles and shelves held THOUSANDS of pages and albums ready for print and production.</p><p><br /></p><p>Dansco truly is a family-run operation. It has been under the same family control since its founding in 1937. I discovered that the Bruce family founded the company from the very beginning.</p><p><br /></p><p>There were custom albums hidden everywhere that I could purchase for my collection. One of their sons brought out an old ledger book from the 1960s, and I found a few entries from Ervin J. Felix, the creator of the Continental Line series and precursor of the Supreme Albums!</p><p><br /></p><p>The family highly values their privacy, so out of respect, I will run the photos I took by them first to see what they are comfortable with sharing. But they said I could share this vintage photo of Paul Bruce [Founder of Dansco] and his early employees from the 1940s.</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://i.imgur.com/jppOCDL_d.jpeg?maxwidth=520&shape=thumb&fidelity=high" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>It was an incredible experience talking with Leticia & Steve and getting to ask many of my questions and questions from the community. I think they were caught off guard at how much I've researched into their company and my extensive collection, lol</p><p><br /></p><p>They offered to welcome me back in the future to ask more questions. After I get situated in Portland, I'll write a more detailed write-up. </p><p><br /></p><p>After Dansco, I headed to the Seattle area and dropped by a few coin shops. Below are today's haul and impressions of the four coin shops I visited.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Today's Haul</b></p><p>Spend: A lot</p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><img src="https://i.imgur.com/i9L4NPh.jpeg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></b></p><p><b><img src="https://i.imgur.com/UXZNko7.jpeg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></b></p><p><b><img src="https://i.imgur.com/ybIcJsQ.jpeg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></b></p><p><b><img src="https://i.imgur.com/zGyFD8N.jpeg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p>- 90 x Dansco Pages + 1 #7070 Gold Page</p><p>- A bunch of prefinished Dansco materials like an unfolded binder, sheet, etc</p><p>- 2700 x Dansco Slides</p><p>- 11 x Dansco Folders</p><p>- 5 x Rare/Custom Dansco Albums</p><p>- 1 x Dansco Slipcase</p><p>- Vintage Capital Plastics Poster</p><p>- An odd Philippine coin album with no manufacturers name</p><p>- 2 x Scott Publications Stamp Albums</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Washington State</b></p><p><b>Everett</b></p><p><a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/Odyssey-2,+LLC/@47.9489628,-122.215246,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x54900092def1a857:0xe932d77cc37e406a!8m2!3d47.9489592!4d-122.2126711!16s%2Fg%2F1262_8gz3?entry=tts&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDMxMS4wIPu8ASoASAFQAw%3D%3D" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/Odyssey-2,+LLC/@47.9489628,-122.215246,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x54900092def1a857:0xe932d77cc37e406a!8m2!3d47.9489592!4d-122.2126711!16s%2Fg%2F1262_8gz3?entry=tts&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDMxMS4wIPu8ASoASAFQAw%3D%3D" rel="nofollow">Odyssey-2</a></p><p><img src="https://i.imgur.com/3ClPQ6P_d.jpeg?maxwidth=520&shape=thumb&fidelity=high" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p>Friendly coin shop with knowledgeable staff, including the owner, who provided a valuable book recommendation. Large selection of coin albums, folders, and other collectibles, including a massive display of Whitman bookshelves and vintage blue folders. The store is an interesting hodgepodge of military surplus, guns, ammo, and vintage clothing. It definitely has a collectibles-for-collectors vibe. The owner suggested visiting another coin shop, Coin Market, located down the road.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b>Lynwood</b></p><p><a href="https://maps.app.goo.gl/hPxjGxbSryJatkTX6" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://maps.app.goo.gl/hPxjGxbSryJatkTX6" rel="nofollow">Coin Market</a></p><p><img src="https://i.imgur.com/C8MEv24_d.jpeg?maxwidth=520&shape=thumb&fidelity=high" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p>A quaint shop tucked away in a plaza. I was greeted by a colossal pug staring me down at the door. It felt like he was daring me, lol. Thankfully, he was very friendly and kept following me around the shop. Typical coin shop with a variety of US coins on display. The staff was friendly, and when I said I was an album collector, they took the time to go through their inventory. They didn’t have a large album selection, but I did manage to snag a Dansco #7070 US Type Gold Page for $8!</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b>Seattle</b></p><p><a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/Coin+%26+Stamp+Shop/@48.2998961,-123.6450118,8z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x54906ab51d1e0c63:0xd88e76c47282874a!8m2!3d47.6113191!4d-122.3322381!16s%2Fg%2F1tdmk5ck?entry=tts&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDMxMC4wIPu8ASoASAFQAw%3D%3D" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/Coin+%26+Stamp+Shop/@48.2998961,-123.6450118,8z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x54906ab51d1e0c63:0xd88e76c47282874a!8m2!3d47.6113191!4d-122.3322381!16s%2Fg%2F1tdmk5ck?entry=tts&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDMxMC4wIPu8ASoASAFQAw%3D%3D" rel="nofollow">Coin & Stamp Shop</a></p><p>Did not have time to go into Seattle proper, so had to skip</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b>Kirkland</b></p><p><a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/Bel-Kirk+Stamp+Coin+%26+Comics/@48.3451767,-123.6450108,8z/data=!3m1!5s0x54901281a234700d:0xc595dacef14331fb!4m6!3m5!1s0x54901281bcd7e865:0x15b6e93c0a7e9e00!8m2!3d47.7015267!4d-122.1808824!16s%2Fg%2F1tfsbjvd?entry=tts&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDMxMC4wIPu8ASoASAFQAw%3D%3D" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/Bel-Kirk+Stamp+Coin+%26+Comics/@48.3451767,-123.6450108,8z/data=!3m1!5s0x54901281a234700d:0xc595dacef14331fb!4m6!3m5!1s0x54901281bcd7e865:0x15b6e93c0a7e9e00!8m2!3d47.7015267!4d-122.1808824!16s%2Fg%2F1tfsbjvd?entry=tts&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDMxMC4wIPu8ASoASAFQAw%3D%3D" rel="nofollow">Bel-Kirk Stamps, Coins, & Comics</a></p><p><img src="https://i.imgur.com/Jg2bOW3_d.jpeg?maxwidth=520&shape=thumb&fidelity=high" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p>A family-owned business with a focus on stamps and comics rather than coins. They have a great vintage stamp collection, and I was able to buy two vintage Scott Publications stamp albums. For some reason, a kid was climbing on top of some shelves lol.</p><p><br /></p><p>I've noticed that some stamp albums feature both the Scott Publications and Dansco names, which makes me wonder if there's a relationship between these two companies. I have a hunch that Scott Publications played a role in creating the Dansco Corporation.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/Redmond+Rare+Coins/@47.7087969,-122.2412743,12.8z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x54900d8224dab0c3:0x9ab09023def47c42!8m2!3d47.7085571!4d-122.1750868!16s%2Fg%2F1vnrkqjz?entry=tts&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDMxMC4wIPu8ASoASAFQAw%3D%3D" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/Redmond+Rare+Coins/@47.7087969,-122.2412743,12.8z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x54900d8224dab0c3:0x9ab09023def47c42!8m2!3d47.7085571!4d-122.1750868!16s%2Fg%2F1vnrkqjz?entry=tts&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDMxMC4wIPu8ASoASAFQAw%3D%3D" rel="nofollow">Redmond Rare Coins</a></p><p><img src="https://i.imgur.com/EGcXhn8_d.jpeg?maxwidth=520&shape=thumb&fidelity=high" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p>This coin shop focuses on bullion and doesn't have an ample supply of coin accessories. They mostly have Morgan and other silver dollars on display. I got to chat with the shop owner, Santo, for a bit. He shared some insights on the inner workings of the bullion market. I wasn’t aware that bullion dealers were working with margins as low as 1%. Given how much bullion can move in a day, it seems highly risky. He also mentioned that they receive many coin albums from collectors, but most are discarded due to mold caused by humidity. When I gave him my business card, he mentioned seeing me in a YouTube interview. That was a pleasant but also shocking surprise.</p><p><br /></p><p>Tomorrow is my last day on this whirlwind coin road trip. Once things settle down after my move, I'll do an extensive write up and share some reflections with the community.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="Dansco_Dude, post: 26114045, member: 147679"][B]Day 5 Update: Three Cities, 151 Miles, 4 Coin Shops, and a visit to Dansco [IMG]https://i.imgur.com/3yQHzez_d.jpeg?maxwidth=520&shape=thumb&fidelity=high[/IMG][/B] This was one of the best days in my numismatic career. Today, I had the privilege of visiting the Dansco Headquarters in Sumas, Washington, and it was everything I was hoping for. I'll write a more detailed write-up when I finish my coin road trip, but I wanted to share some quick highlights from my visit. Leticia and Steve Bruce were kind enough to welcome me into their office. Even though it was their son's birthday and they were pressed for time, they gave me a full tour of their operations. I saw the entire production process up close. I saw how pages were made, employees putting albums together, gold foils applied to binders, and so much more. I'd be lying if I said I didn't nerd out. Their office is located in an old grocery store. Former grocery lanes were converted into working tables for employees. The aisles and shelves held THOUSANDS of pages and albums ready for print and production. Dansco truly is a family-run operation. It has been under the same family control since its founding in 1937. I discovered that the Bruce family founded the company from the very beginning. There were custom albums hidden everywhere that I could purchase for my collection. One of their sons brought out an old ledger book from the 1960s, and I found a few entries from Ervin J. Felix, the creator of the Continental Line series and precursor of the Supreme Albums! The family highly values their privacy, so out of respect, I will run the photos I took by them first to see what they are comfortable with sharing. But they said I could share this vintage photo of Paul Bruce [Founder of Dansco] and his early employees from the 1940s. [IMG]https://i.imgur.com/jppOCDL_d.jpeg?maxwidth=520&shape=thumb&fidelity=high[/IMG] It was an incredible experience talking with Leticia & Steve and getting to ask many of my questions and questions from the community. I think they were caught off guard at how much I've researched into their company and my extensive collection, lol They offered to welcome me back in the future to ask more questions. After I get situated in Portland, I'll write a more detailed write-up. After Dansco, I headed to the Seattle area and dropped by a few coin shops. Below are today's haul and impressions of the four coin shops I visited. [B]Today's Haul[/B] Spend: A lot [B] [IMG]https://i.imgur.com/i9L4NPh.jpeg[/IMG] [IMG]https://i.imgur.com/UXZNko7.jpeg[/IMG] [IMG]https://i.imgur.com/ybIcJsQ.jpeg[/IMG] [IMG]https://i.imgur.com/zGyFD8N.jpeg[/IMG] [/B] - 90 x Dansco Pages + 1 #7070 Gold Page - A bunch of prefinished Dansco materials like an unfolded binder, sheet, etc - 2700 x Dansco Slides - 11 x Dansco Folders - 5 x Rare/Custom Dansco Albums - 1 x Dansco Slipcase - Vintage Capital Plastics Poster - An odd Philippine coin album with no manufacturers name - 2 x Scott Publications Stamp Albums [B]Washington State Everett[/B] [URL='https://www.google.com/maps/place/Odyssey-2,+LLC/@47.9489628,-122.215246,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x54900092def1a857:0xe932d77cc37e406a!8m2!3d47.9489592!4d-122.2126711!16s%2Fg%2F1262_8gz3?entry=tts&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDMxMS4wIPu8ASoASAFQAw%3D%3D']Odyssey-2[/URL] [IMG]https://i.imgur.com/3ClPQ6P_d.jpeg?maxwidth=520&shape=thumb&fidelity=high[/IMG] Friendly coin shop with knowledgeable staff, including the owner, who provided a valuable book recommendation. Large selection of coin albums, folders, and other collectibles, including a massive display of Whitman bookshelves and vintage blue folders. The store is an interesting hodgepodge of military surplus, guns, ammo, and vintage clothing. It definitely has a collectibles-for-collectors vibe. The owner suggested visiting another coin shop, Coin Market, located down the road. [B]Lynwood[/B] [URL='https://maps.app.goo.gl/hPxjGxbSryJatkTX6']Coin Market[/URL] [IMG]https://i.imgur.com/C8MEv24_d.jpeg?maxwidth=520&shape=thumb&fidelity=high[/IMG] A quaint shop tucked away in a plaza. I was greeted by a colossal pug staring me down at the door. It felt like he was daring me, lol. Thankfully, he was very friendly and kept following me around the shop. Typical coin shop with a variety of US coins on display. The staff was friendly, and when I said I was an album collector, they took the time to go through their inventory. They didn’t have a large album selection, but I did manage to snag a Dansco #7070 US Type Gold Page for $8! [B]Seattle[/B] [URL='https://www.google.com/maps/place/Coin+%26+Stamp+Shop/@48.2998961,-123.6450118,8z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x54906ab51d1e0c63:0xd88e76c47282874a!8m2!3d47.6113191!4d-122.3322381!16s%2Fg%2F1tdmk5ck?entry=tts&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDMxMC4wIPu8ASoASAFQAw%3D%3D']Coin & Stamp Shop[/URL] Did not have time to go into Seattle proper, so had to skip [B]Kirkland[/B] [URL='https://www.google.com/maps/place/Bel-Kirk+Stamp+Coin+%26+Comics/@48.3451767,-123.6450108,8z/data=!3m1!5s0x54901281a234700d:0xc595dacef14331fb!4m6!3m5!1s0x54901281bcd7e865:0x15b6e93c0a7e9e00!8m2!3d47.7015267!4d-122.1808824!16s%2Fg%2F1tfsbjvd?entry=tts&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDMxMC4wIPu8ASoASAFQAw%3D%3D']Bel-Kirk Stamps, Coins, & Comics[/URL] [IMG]https://i.imgur.com/Jg2bOW3_d.jpeg?maxwidth=520&shape=thumb&fidelity=high[/IMG] A family-owned business with a focus on stamps and comics rather than coins. They have a great vintage stamp collection, and I was able to buy two vintage Scott Publications stamp albums. For some reason, a kid was climbing on top of some shelves lol. I've noticed that some stamp albums feature both the Scott Publications and Dansco names, which makes me wonder if there's a relationship between these two companies. I have a hunch that Scott Publications played a role in creating the Dansco Corporation. [URL='https://www.google.com/maps/place/Redmond+Rare+Coins/@47.7087969,-122.2412743,12.8z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x54900d8224dab0c3:0x9ab09023def47c42!8m2!3d47.7085571!4d-122.1750868!16s%2Fg%2F1vnrkqjz?entry=tts&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDMxMC4wIPu8ASoASAFQAw%3D%3D']Redmond Rare Coins[/URL] [IMG]https://i.imgur.com/EGcXhn8_d.jpeg?maxwidth=520&shape=thumb&fidelity=high[/IMG] This coin shop focuses on bullion and doesn't have an ample supply of coin accessories. They mostly have Morgan and other silver dollars on display. I got to chat with the shop owner, Santo, for a bit. He shared some insights on the inner workings of the bullion market. I wasn’t aware that bullion dealers were working with margins as low as 1%. Given how much bullion can move in a day, it seems highly risky. He also mentioned that they receive many coin albums from collectors, but most are discarded due to mold caused by humidity. When I gave him my business card, he mentioned seeing me in a YouTube interview. That was a pleasant but also shocking surprise. Tomorrow is my last day on this whirlwind coin road trip. Once things settle down after my move, I'll do an extensive write up and share some reflections with the community.[/QUOTE]
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Pacific Northwest Coin Road Trip [27 coin shops] + Visiting Dansco's Offices [March 17 - 22th 2025]
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