Where Do You Actually Buy Coins?

john_nyc1

Is everything done online now?
I'm reluctant to dish out cash for a coin I can't hold in my hand. And, obviously the matter of trust.
Are local coin stores still a thing? Anyone know an honest one in New York City?

goodmoney4badmoney

Coin shops are still a thing but I would also recommend you get out to a coin show in your area, the larger the show the better.

DennisH

Most of what I buy these days if from Great Collections.

epc

At most decent-sized coin shows you can find some of the better-known auction companies, often with either bourse floor displays of coins in upcoming auctions or separate rooms for lot viewing. In either case, you can hold the coins in your hands. Of course, there will be other dealers who also will let you look at their coins in-hand.

humanssuck

There are 3 great Local Coin Stores where i normally live in Houston that i buy from. I also hit up local, regional and national coin shows. Overall value wise, i would have to say i primarily buy from many internet based dealers or auction houses, because they are the people that have the coins i want.

Everyone has a different comfort level in what they will be willing to buy without seeing it in hand. Some of the auction houses have people you can reach out to in order to get more information on lots (like mfeld at Heritage). Over the years as i bought many lower valued coins online or through auctions from pictures i have gotten much more comfortable in my ability to interpret what the coin will look like in hand from pictures.

There are quite a few previous threads on the forum about trusted websites and dealers and auction houses to get feedback from the people here about who many of us deal with regularly and are reliable and trusted sources.

john_nyc1

Tx all. Are there any shows coming up in the Northeast?

BillJones

I prefer coin shows, especially Summer and Winter FUN. I bid in actions, but it’s been brutal of late. Finishing second gets you nowhere. All it takes is one guy who doesn’t care how high the bid is. There is one store in my area that is by a decent person. I go there now and then.

jesbroken

People I trust, whether they be a business or an individual. Takes years to develop and a short time to destroy. No feeling like receiving an item knowing it will be as photographed or described.
Jim

lermish

@jesbroken said:
People I trust, whether they be a business or an individual. Takes years to develop and a short time to destroy. No feeling like receiving an item knowing it will be as photographed or described.
Jim

This!

Most of my coins are won at auction and I have no problem buying from any number of online dealers. But, for my series, they are scarce/niche enough and my set is complete enough that I mostly directly from other collectors.

Either way, everyone I work with I trust and have built relationships. In some cases, I would literally trust with anything. If a coin doesn't work out for whatever (very rare) reason, no one has a problem with a return.

In NY, I don't know if they have a storefront or not but Atlas has been fantastic, both with inventory and customer service. https://atlasnumismatics.com/

bestmr

Usually eBay but just started collecting MS Kennedy’s and those are far and few on eBay. So even though I hate the fee, great collections has been my go to for the past couple.

alaura22

@bestmr said:
Usually eBay but just started collecting MS Kennedy’s and those are far and few on eBay. So even though I hate the fee, great collections has been my go to for the past couple.

BUT
It's the lowest auction fee out there

jmlanzaf

@alaura22 said:

@bestmr said:
Usually eBay but just started collecting MS Kennedy’s and those are far and few on eBay. So even though I hate the fee, great collections has been my go to for the past couple.

BUT
It's the lowest auction fee out there

Ebay is zero... just saying.

[At the risk of repeating myself, I also think the BP is irrelevant. Make it 200%. I don't care. ]

alaura22

@jmlanzaf said:

@alaura22 said:

@bestmr said:
Usually eBay but just started collecting MS Kennedy’s and those are far and few on eBay. So even though I hate the fee, great collections has been my go to for the past couple.

BUT
It's the lowest auction fee out there

Ebay is zero... just saying.

[At the risk of repeating myself, I also think the BP is irrelevant. Make it 200%. I don't care. ]

Not to debate this but I consider ebay to be a selling platform with some auctions.........

BillJones

@jmlanzaf said:

@alaura22 said:

@bestmr said:
Usually eBay but just started collecting MS Kennedy’s and those are far and few on eBay. So even though I hate the fee, great collections has been my go to for the past couple.

BUT
It's the lowest auction fee out there

Ebay is zero... just saying.

[At the risk of repeating myself, I also think the BP is irrelevant. Make it 200%. I don't care. ]

If you are a dealer bidding against dealers, the buyers’ premium is irrelevant.

If you are bidding against some collectors,, speculators and yahoos, it is also irrelevant for a different reason. They ignore it. For them, the hammer price is all that counts. You have never run up against that because you dropped out of the bidding long before you have run up against those “buy bidders.”

As for eBay, you and I are in agreement. It is a zero because of snipping. Life is too short to get worked up over garbage.

Barbercoin

After setting my hobby aside for many years (like 14+), I got the urge back. Shoot, I bought from Teletrade. Way behind the eight ball, if you will, considering my age. I have no dealer close who has what I need (XF semi key Barber quarters) and large coin shows (my budget doesn’t cover travel, lodging, and major purchases) are not close enough, so online is the major avenue.

I look at eBay nightly as well GC and Heritage about three times a week.

This week I began analyzing coin websites and their inventories. I am asking if they accept want lists. Some said yes others no. I found a master list which has tons of sites: geekpryde's Master Online US Coin Dealer List updated 07.16.2020 ** full list at bottom of this post ** ​ Dealers with GREAT Websites (Cited from: https://www.cointalk.com/threads/master-list-of-online-coin-dealers-dealers-with-great-websites.248281/)

I’m just doing what I can within my means. The three big Barber key dates will come only when I hit the lottery or cash in somebody’s life insurance policy! Lol! 😂 Maybe I chose the wrong series when I began way back when I was a lowly Sgt at Ft Bragg in 1982 and working part time at a coin store.

Tomorrow is a new opportunity!

hfjacinto

Hi I’m local to you. Nearby you have several monthly coin shows for example the Melville show on Long Island and in NJ you have the Parsippany coin show. There are several great coin shops in NJ, my 2 favorites are Stone House coins in Scotch Plains and Greenbrook coin shop. Greenbrook is my go to shop.

I get a few things online/auctions/ online coin shops but I buy the majority of my coins/currency locally. Prices are better and no shipping.

Barbercoin

I’m in southern Indiana! In coinworld, I’m considered landlocked!

jmlanzaf

@BillJones said:

@jmlanzaf said:

@alaura22 said:

@bestmr said:
Usually eBay but just started collecting MS Kennedy’s and those are far and few on eBay. So even though I hate the fee, great collections has been my go to for the past couple.

BUT
It's the lowest auction fee out there

Ebay is zero... just saying.

[At the risk of repeating myself, I also think the BP is irrelevant. Make it 200%. I don't care. ]

If you are a dealer bidding against dealers, the buyers’ premium is irrelevant.

If you are bidding against some collectors,, speculators and yahoos, it is also irrelevant for a different reason. They ignore it. For them, the hammer price is all that counts. You have never run up against that because you dropped out of the bidding long before you have run up against those “buy bidders.”

As for eBay, you and I are in agreement. It is a zero because of snipping. Life is too short to get worked up over garbage.

I agree. Some idiots ignore the BP when bidding. But I can't do anything about ignorance.

TwoSides2aCoin

I buy at a coin shop, in a coin shop. I have A Coin Shop. Spam alert.

oldabeintx

A few trusted dealers, well known auctions, eBay, dealer websites.

PerryHall

Has anyone mentioned the BST? I've bought many nice coins from fellow forum members on the BST over the years.

Shurke

All my buying to date has been online. Mostly eBay, followed by Great Collections, and then a smattering of dealer websites.

Walkerfan

Dealer websites, Auction houses, eBay and Coin shows.

calgolddiver

BST, local shows, auction portals, dealer websites

silverpop

online

TwoSides2aCoin

@silverpop said:
online

There, too.

nencoin

@john_nyc1 said:
Tx all. Are there any shows coming up in the Northeast?

This is at the end of July: https://baystatecoinshow.com/

lkenefic

Decent material comes up every now and again on ebay... a bit more often on Great Collections. This is where I do the bulk of my shopping. Don't ignore the Buy Sell Trade board on this Forum. I've gotten some decent coins there too from Board Members... or is it bored members? either way... nice coins!

airplanenut

@john_nyc1 said:
Tx all. Are there any shows coming up in the Northeast?

The Parsippany (NJ) show is monthly, and both very large and with a nice selection of nice material for a frequent (as opposed to once, twice yearly) show. I haven't lived in NJ for 19 years so I haven't been in forever, but I still see it get mentioned and assume it's going strong. The Baltimore show takes place a few times a year and it's one of the major national shows.

lkenefic

I'm typically at the Baltimore show and have to say some of my best pieces came from this show.

RiveraFamilyCollect

I think it depends what you are trying to buy.
Shops are good for hard to find coins.
internet is good for moderns.
Collectors are best for value/low price/stacking
eBay is best for things you don't need at semi-random prices.

JerseyB

I prefer to buy at shows because I like viewing coins in hand. Great collections is my go to auction house for the schedule and ease of bidding. I also visit a local shop about monthly because the owner has great prices and I like to support him.

WAYNEAS

@bestmr said:
Usually eBay but just started collecting MS Kennedy’s and those are far and few on eBay. So even though I hate the fee, great collections has been my go to for the past couple.

I just did a search on eBay for "PCGS Kennedy MS" and my search returned that there are currently 2,000 items available.
I do not know what grades that you are looking for, but they all come up at some time for auction on the 'Bay.
If you are looking for top pop grades, it might take years of searching to locate them, but they do come up.
I just bought 2 top pops two weeks ago on the bay. One was a 15/0 and the other was a 9/0. Both of these were "buy it now" auctions.
I do not limit myself in auction sites. The more the better. I do recommend GC.
Keep the faith and happy hunting.

Wayne

markelman1125

I usto go online but for the past 4 years I have only gotten my coins from shows and my local shop. Rather see my coin in person before I buy.

skier07

Mostly online or from the big auction houses. Rarely do I see anything in my niche area at small local shows or Long Beach that attracts my interest.

Mr_Spud

A fair amount of my coins in my Everyman Type Sets are from eBay where I narrow the search by using the filter. But also many were from Great Collections, David Lawrence, Eye Appealing Coins and other Auction Houses and dealers websites. In addition, lots of my coins were purchased at Coin Shows like Long Beach. I used to use the “Shop” feature in the Registry sets to look for specific types of coins I needed for my sets on Collectors Corner, but it stopped working several months ago. It was really useful when it worked though.

alaura22

@Mr_Spud said:

I used to use the “Shop” feature in the Registry sets to look for specific types of coins I needed for my sets on Collectors Corner, but it stopped working several months ago. It was really useful when it worked though.

I believe they disabled it and yes it was good and something I used quite a bit
MAYBE SOMEONE WILL SEE THIS AND RE-ACTIVATE IT!!!!
One can hope

spyglassdesign

All the above. I've found some reputable auctions on Facebook, and have dropped others that I got burned on... I don't usually buy from ebay anymore except for specific good deals I happen to run across. Coin shows are great if you have access to them. Even my local pawn shop every now and again.

ajaan

My last purchases:
Coin show: common Morgans @$24
Forum friend: ancient coins
National Dealer

sedulous

Best coins over the years have come from my local coin shop.

ndeagles

My LCS always has a great and constantly changing selection and wonderful owners (Hallenbeck Coin Gallery, CO Springs). I also buy from shows, Great collections, eBay, apmex, US Mint, and UK Royal Mint.

keyman64

I can't recall the last time I scrolled through eBay for a coin. It's been years! There's just too much garbage to scroll through and there's too much drama. For me, it has been Great Collections or Heritage (seldom with the high fees though) and via people I know with a bit through Instagram. I'm willing to buy from a dealer at shows but that also happens way too seldom with prices either out of control (in my experiences) or they just don't have the quality material I have been looking for.

The_Dinosaur_Man

Shows or coin stores I happen across. I love the hunt and the patience I've built up around it. Kind of ironic since I also like building websites for selling stuff.

rmpsrpms

All I seem to buy anymore are BU Rolls, and they are getting more difficult to find. It used to (talking 30 years ago) that there were always sellers at coin shows with lots of rolls, but none of the local shows have them any more. They are too heavy and inexpensive for dealers to carry and display. Apparently there are still quite a few rolls in collections, and when someone decides to sell their gold and silver to a shop, the shop ends up with the rolls along with the coins they actually want to buy, and then ends up selling the rolls at bid or lower.

Cougar1978

Mostly at shows I attend (setup) - walkup sellers, vest pocket traders, whosaler (usually a shop dealer flipping walked in the shop stuff, estates he bought, etc). This way I can get some fresh material. It’s like a food chain…..one guy brought some nice slabbed Commems to my table (shop owner) at CDN Bid plus 5 pct (gave me decent room). Bought a few. A couple I retailed later in the show. I just go with the flow pickup what can do well with.

Sapyx

Quantity-wise: most of my recent acquisitions were purchased from bulk estate lots donated to a missionary charity I volunteer for. They might get a donated collection maybe 3 times a year on average. But most of these are typical 5 cent bargain bucket coins, not your valuable rarities.

Quality-wise: most of my expensive purchases are from the two coin shows held in my city each year. That's mainly because I buy ancients from a specialist ancients dealer who's from out of town.

Frequency-wise: I most commonly purchase coins from the last remaining brick-and-mortar coin shop in my city that's outside of the city centre itself (so I can actually drive there without paying $20 to park). I try to visit once a month.