One of the coin shops in my area is an antique store. They set aside a portion in the back a couple years ago and hung out an extra shingle. I've never found anything worth buying.
My wife loves to antique and we go to a lot of shops. I just never paid that much attention to the coins in those places. I just wondered if anybody found anything besides pocket change....LOL!
In several antique shops around southern Ohio, there are one or more consignments where coins are featured. If you can find one that has something that you would consider buying and the price is not skyhigh, you can do ok. This does not happen very often. In Charlottesville, VA., there is a display by Liberty Coins in one of the flea-markets. They have some decent coins...Morgans and moderns like proof and mint sets.
Like everyone else, I keep my eyes open when the wife and I are flea-marketing.
About a year and a half ago there was a story in the EAC journal Penny-Wise about one members find in an antique mall junk box. He picked up an 1804 half cent in Fair 2 with a counterstamp for 25 cents. Turned out to be a Cohen-2, a VERY tough R-6 coin. It sold in last years EAC sale for I believe in excess of $2400. (Lists at 10K in AG-3.. Finest known is only a 12 coin and by the time you get down to the sixth finest known you are at G-5.)
I found an AU53 VAM Morgan(I forget which VAM it was, coin has since been sold) that I picked up for about $23. The rest of what this guy had was mostly circ Kennedys and Franklins and smaller coins, nothing older than about 1955.
Yes lighting CAN strike at an antique shop, but most of the time it's low grade junk and sky-high prices.
Retired dealer and avid collector of U.S. type coins, 19th century presidential campaign medalets and selected medals. In recent years I have been working on a set of British coins - at least one coin from each king or queen who issued pieces that are collectible. I am also collecting at least one coin for each Roman emperor from Julius Caesar to ... ?
Hey Bill not to change the subject but I saw on your email addy Tampa bay. You know I was rasied in Pinellas county. I lived there most of my life in a small beach town. That area was my home up until about 3 years ago. After government service the wife and moved to a small town in Northern NH. We run a small business from our home.We just couldn't take the congestion there any longer. When I was a kid there wasn't a Condo for miles along the Pinellas beaches. Just nice sea oats and dunes the place is ruined now. You have to go up into the pan handle to find the nice white beaches like the ones we had there in Pinellas county years ago.
There is a small antigue shop in Rocky Mount, VA that had three coin cosigners in there. Two were totally junk and high to boot, but one of the others had some decent stuff and priced with an older Redbook.
One day last year I stopped by a picked up the better stuff in the case that was priced fair.
1795 Large cent vg 125.00 (little corrosion, but still decent) 1869 Indian VG 20.00 1872 Two center Vf 85.00 1818 Bust quarter Full good 30.00 1825 Bust Half AU 75.00 (was marked XF, but I thought it was Au easily) came back as Au-53 from PCGS
sold them all and did fairly decent on the group
There was an 1875-s 20 center in VG-10 but was priced high at the time, well with recent price increases, I went back to get it last month, but this cosignor has closed up an gone. Now only the two remaining are left with Junk and high prices!
This summer my wife and I took a ride and did some "antiquing". Each shop we entered, I asked about coins, and was usually shown a small case of circulated Morgans with asking prices of $20 or so. I would check for dates, but that was only out of boredom. One shop we entered received the same question, but the owners exclaimed an exciteful "YES"! They proceeded to pull out an old pocketbook full of a relatives old coin collection. Nothing outstanding, but not your typical "junk". Some better date Morgan's, seated material, and a roll of circulated Liberty nickels just to name some of the stuff. There was even a bit of circulated gold too! Better than your typical "junk", and if nothing else, it was fun to go through at home after the purchase.
I wouldn't expect to make a "find" like this one again at an antique shop though.
I have come to find a few antique shops that to me were pawn shops in disguise. Never really looked for coins there but to me most of the other stuff was over priced junk. Then you have a person working there trying to convince you that it's all great stuff as he lefts your wallet out of your pocket.
Comments
Russ, NCNE
It was die-struck copy - they screw$d me out of $200
Like everyone else, I keep my eyes open when the wife and I are flea-marketing.
I live in Palm Harbor, pm me if you're ever back home in Pinnellas Co.
One day last year I stopped by a picked up the better stuff in the case that was priced fair.
1795 Large cent vg 125.00 (little corrosion, but still decent)
1869 Indian VG 20.00
1872 Two center Vf 85.00
1818 Bust quarter Full good 30.00
1825 Bust Half AU 75.00 (was marked XF, but I thought it was Au easily) came back as Au-53 from PCGS
sold them all and did fairly decent on the group
There was an 1875-s 20 center in VG-10 but was priced high at the time, well with recent price increases, I went back to get it last month, but this cosignor has closed up an gone. Now only the two remaining are left with Junk and high prices!
jim
Better than your typical "junk", and if nothing else, it was fun to go through at home after the purchase.
I wouldn't expect to make a "find" like this one again at an antique shop though.
LSCC#1864
Ebay Stuff
I hate it when you see my post before I can edit the spelling.
Always looking for nice type coins
my local dealer