Do you bring your reference materials with you?

nwcs

When you go to a show or a shop, do you take small reference books with you to refer as you go through the inventory? For example, the Top 100 VAMs book is small. No way you're going to remember everything to look for. So do you plop out the book and go through it while looking at the morgans? (I have ) What is your strategy for remembering all the zillions of details our variety driven industry has created?

coppercoins

I don't take anything with me because instead of learning specific die varieties for given dates nd mints, I look through all the coins in the series for things that aren't normal. For instance, once you know what a doubled die looks like, it doesn't matter whether or not it's listed in X book, it's still a doubled die. Since (for my series) less than 10% of all the known die varieties are actually listed in a book, they are of little use anyway.

Moral to the story...know what a "normal" one looks like, learn the rules and characteristics of the "different" ones, then search though the series of choice looking for anything that matches "different". If i happens to be a duplicate of something you already have in your collection at home, you could always use it for trade bait. I have thousands of them.

edited to add: as a footnote, if there were references that covered the entire Lincoln cent series in depth, I would need a dolly to carry them all at once. It would be over 3,000 pages, enough to fill four or five 3" three-ring binders. Oh...coincidentally, I'm writing that book.

ANACONDA

In my limited experience (18 years messing with coins and currency), most people don't bring reference materials with them when they look at coins. That's why buying from people off the internet who have a solid reputation and who give a return privilege can be a good way to go - you can study the piece while you finalize your decision.

Now that I think about it, it seems to me that most collectors actually have very few reference materials relative to the amount I would find appropriate. Think I'm "off" -- go see how many items are in the Publications section of the coin section of eBay. Only about 400-600 items are ever available. If it was a hot section, more would be offered.

adrian

nucklehead

I take my spiral bound Red Book I use as a check off so I don't duplicate, a coin ledger and both 'The Top 100 Morgan dollar Vam Keys'and finally 'The Cherrypickers Pocket Guide Top 150'.All come in pretty handy.

dbldie55

Adrian,

I agree that you should spend a considerable amount on a "library" before you go overboard on coins. But, there are fewer books in relation to coins, so the fact that there are fewer items in the publications section may not be a big deal ( I actually was in the publication section when I read this). To clarify this point, there are many date/MM of morgans (and many more when you consider varieties) but few books which may cover all of these. This would skew the relationship between number of coins for sale vs. number of books on said coins. Many series have few books available for them.

Not to dispute your statements, just to comment on them. I did love some of the images from your recent publication purchases. Certainly collectors items in their own right.

michael

yes all the time but they are attatched to me so to speak

for the things i am interested in

all my reference materials are above my shoulder in my head

sincerely michael

nwcs

So, how do you think dealers feel when we bring our stuff with us? Just part of the business? I kinda wonder if the dealer is thinking to himself that anything I pick after looking at a reference is worth more than retail and won't give me a break. Sometimes true, but most of the time not. Just that something caught my eye and I like it.

UncleJoe

Before I go to a show I prepare a spreadsheet of items I am looking for with the various grades and prices I am willing to pay.

I very rarely purchase something that I had not noted on my worksheet. This prevents me from second-guessing myself and possibly making an uninformed purchase.

Joe.

Keyrock

I'll do the spreadsheet with all the information I need. I always worried about opening up a book, finding a coin, then have the dealer manipulate the price based on some die marriage or minor error.

Usually its a wantlist I carry, or I will check with the dealer about the return policy if my memory fails me and I pick up a coin not on the wantlist.

Rich

Gilbert

No, I don't. Why? I wouldn't deny the dealer if he asked to look and by jove, he might "up" his price accordingly. 2ndly, I would have to strap a bookcase on my back and that's no fun. I tend to look for things out of the ordinary too; I'm looking for varieties that AREN'T in the reference books.

I guess that's why I took such offense in the "ethical question" thread. A collector's knowledge can provide some balance in what is generally the dealer/seller's domain.

paigowjohnny

Besides my want list, I'll generally bring my ANA grading guide and a print out of trends prices for my areas of interest. I won't generally spread them out at the table when I sit down to look at stuff, but can refer to them quickly if I feel the need...

hookooekoo

I always have my ANA Grading book and spiral bound Red Book (plus any wants list).

Tade

I never take a reference, that way I never lose the "Biggest Schmuk" title at any show. It's only after I get home
do I find out how much over price I really paid.

09sVDB

I usually bring a current Greysheet and a want list.

cointagious

two books that no tabled dealer wants to see you referencing:
1. cherry pickers guide.
2. vam book.

especially if you act excited after looking at a coin that he has marked the 2x2 with a 'generic' price.

Conder101

<< <i>In my limited experience (18 years messing with coins and currency), most people don't bring reference materials with them when they look at coins. >>



That's because most of the people you see at coin shows are coin COLLECTORS. All they are doing is buying coins to fill holes. Their idea of a library is a Redbook, a graysheet , and a checklist. Maybe a grading guide.

When I go to a show I have a small samsonite suitcase on a dolly cart with me. In it I have references on all of the half cents, Early and middle date large cents, capped bust half dimes, bust dimes, bust quarters, capped bust halves, conder tokens, French and German notgeld tokens, and my world coin wantlist. Some are the standard references and others are attribution guides either commercially produced or of my own derivation from study of the standard references. All together it contains about ten books.



<< <i>Now that I think about it, it seems to me that most collectors actually have very few reference materials relative to the amount I would find appropriate. >>



I definitely agree. I have about 30 linear feet of bookshelf with numismatic related material but I'm always looking to add more. Unfortunately I can't seem to keep it organized so I can lay my hands on the book I want when I want it.

IrishMike

Like several others have mentioned, just a spreadsheet.

crispy

I like to carry the Greysheet or at the very least the monthly insert to Numismatic News. I also have an idea of what I'm looking for before I step out the door.

MacCoin

shops are so cool. the shop I like the most has a graysheet I can use anytime. Show are all together diffent I arm myself with a loup, wantlist, with prices and grades, and redbook in case I find something I like thats not on the wantlist. all pack into a breafcase.

jdimmick

At all times even while I am at work, I carry a current copy of the CDN, a 5x magnifier, and also a 14x jewlers loupe in my bag.(If I stop at a coin shop or show, I bring in the cdn and magnifier)

Also, In the car is a copy of the ANA grading standards, and redbook for reference, just in case??

I have 10 manufacturing plants in my region, and started several new collectors at several of my plants. These new collectors dont spend very much money, but I dont care, because its a real enjoyment to talk coins during the day, and get new collectors started. Most of them usually buy items between $2.00 and $25.00, so aside from my personal collection pursuits, I usually try to have a hand-ful of goodies in that price range with me at all times.

Like yesterday, I sold a super nice 1878-s Morgan in AU-58 to a guy for 25.00 He was extremely pleased, even though it took his lunch money for a couple of days.

jdimmick

Trime

I agree completely with Conder. Logically you should always have as much support as necessary to make the best decision on a coin (or anything else for that matter).
Certainly you need as much reference material as necessary to avoid errors of judgement on price,rarity, etc. If it is all in your head then that's great but most collectors do not have the experience and memory to cover all bases.
So why the concern about whipping out your reference sheet (s). Simple: Intimidation. You want to be smart, sophisticated , knowledgeable, and make sure that the dealer doesn't look down his/her nose at you. Human nature: yes. Rational concern: no!
Of course, it is not convenient to carry an entire library and not polite to cover all coins in a case with your stacks of material but not wise to make decisions that you have not carefully analyzed. I suggest that you swallow your pride and use what is convenient and if necessary tell the dealer that you want to think about and study the situation. Find a place to review reference material and revisit the coin in question when better prepared.
Sounds like good advice, maybe I will try it next time I get a chance!