How many coin shops are in your immediate area?

gsaguy

I travel around the country frequently to attend coin shows and almost always check out the local yellow pages to see how many coin shops are in any given city. I'm amazed at times how many, and in some cases how few, coin shops certain cities have, especially considering their populations.

Here in Lafayette, Louisiana, with a population of about 100,000, we've got a single coin shop. Add another 250,000 population for the immediate surrounding parishes (counties), and you see why I call Louisiana a numismatic wasteland.

What's your situation?

GSAGUY

Jamericon

Central Jersey.

Around 10 or so, probably within a hour drive from where I am.

Shamika

THe closest shop is 8 miles from my house and he's only open 9-3 Monday through Friday.

After that you have to go 40 miles.

CoinHusker

2, well, actually 3 but the third is never open it's by "appointment only" whatever that means. So much for brousing

bigbadchad777

There is one shop within 65 miles of my house! And he is TOO expensive!

goose3

There is actually quite a nice and large shop within minutes of our house. I have dealt with him for years and he has grown into quite a business. He even travels to nearly each Baltimore show and sets up!

other than that I don't think there are any within a couple of hours other than little junk shops with a few overpriced coins here and there.

coinlieutenant

four within ten minutes...

Tassa

Two. I think.

kieferscoins

100,000 people in my town and one shop.

Town just north has 500,000 people and one shop also.

Cameron Kiefer

FC57Coins

Actually in B'ham there's 3 which I think is probably 1 too many - but we'll see if this last one makes it. When I was in L'ville they had 4 or 5 up there and they all seemed to be established entities - That kinda surprised me but they all seemed to be holding their own.

MadMonk

One, and I've only bought bullion there.

cacheman

What's "immediate"? There is one crappy one about 40 miles away and another crappy one about 125 miles away. Anyway you look at it, it's a long crappy drive to visit a crappy shop and not bring home crap.

Tassa

<< <i>Actually in B'ham there's 3 which I think is probably 1 too many - but we'll see if this last one makes it. When I was in L'ville they had 4 or 5 up there and they all seemed to be established entities - That kinda surprised me but they all seemed to be holding their own. >>



Ahhh. I wasn't aware of a third. Where is it?

eisq222

ONE

MacCoin

the closest is about 25 miles away.

Tsimmerdown

Goose3: LMAO at the dancing George W!!!

aRabidChipmunk

Population: 150,000

Coin shops: 1 (and it is only half a coin shop, the other half is jewelry)

kranky

Five at least, and I know of another opening soon. That's in Allegheny County (Pittsburgh), about 1 million people.

I've been in one of them, about 20 years ago.

anablep

Here on Long Island there are at least 5 or 6 close to me. Two in my town alone and many more scattered about. I'm not sure how many there are in NYC and I haven't looked. Most here are within a 20 minute drive from home. Real nice and convenient.

MadMarty

In the Chicago Metro area (within a 50 radius of downtown Chicago) we have maybe 50 shops!

tonyhar

None on the Island. The nearest is in Dublin an airline flight away!

dlimb2

FC57Coins, I remember years ago when my Uncle use to trade coins and guns and what nots...they use to trade at the Fleamarkets like on 280. I know many of them have rotted down now, so I dont know.

AmericanSilverEagleCoins

I got one less than 2 miles from me but I suspect he mostly sells consignments. None of the coins are his and he claims he cannot negotiate below the marked prices. Needless to say I donot buy anything but supplies from him.

jbsteven

Houston

4 million people

2 coin shops

Cladiator

1

mgoodm3

One barely.

Stork

Closest one I know of is in Tokyo...about 1 1/2 hours away by train. Probably something closer in Yokohama, or even around the corner, but I can't read the phone book! (Maybe when I get to work I will see if someone can check the yellow pages for me).

relayer

Two - one is 8 miles to the east, the other is 8 miles to the west. I bought my house here just so I could be in the center.

Placid

One crappy one.

flaminio

There're a bunch around here (Silicon Vally, California) but I almost never go to them. Too expensive, and too limited selection. Honestly, if it wasn't for the Internet and online services like eBay I probably would have never gotten back into coin collecting.

jbsteven

even 50 miles around Houston there are only 2 shops

Marty

my pm's don't work at the office.

mrfred

Champaign-Urbana, east central Illinois.

Two shops. One recently changed hands. It's weird to go in there -- new people, new stock, new communcation patterns.

Oh - the other one does stamps too.

jdimmick

We have two.

One is about 5 miles, very nice guy, have known him since I was 5, but extremely high in price, although he does cut me some slack, but I still mainly buy just BU date set fillers for people from him. Like jefferson, Lincolns etc.

The other about the same, 5 miles, very nice guy and very fair on prices, but deals in a lot of junk including NTC graded stuff.

Nothing of any importance or scarce stuff comes thru here locally. I have to buy from outside this area for the good stuff.

Bunker

In the Cincinnati Bell Yellow pages there are 22 shops listed. I have been collecting for a long time and haven't heard of most of them. Out of the 22 shops listed there are 3 that I frequent on a regular basis.

There is also a monthly coin show held at a VFW hall that is about 6 miles from my house.

Reading some of the posts here I guess that explains why so many people buy coins on ebay....not much choice.

Rick

originalisbest

mrfred, I enjoyed very much going into both of those shops when I was a student at U of I - still have my purchases (such as they were) from that time there. Is Eliot's the one that changed hands? How is it now to go into? I attended from 90-94.

ealandg

In the Santa Barbara/Ventura, CA area there are 4 that I know of - one of them (Gillio) has great stuff, but is only open when I'm at work. He doesn't seem interested in filling my want list, so I usually buy on Ebay or on the net.

Nysoto

In the Seattle area there are about a 8-12. The one at the WA state convention center has the best selection. Most of these are combined with other stuff - magazines, prospecting equipment, old junk.

If you are in Ocean Shores, WA visit Gary's Seafood, Jerky, and Coin Shop.

razorface1027

When I look in the yellow pages for coin shops in my area, I end up hoping in the car and going to the locale, only to find that their 2nd and 3rd rate pawn shops. I have only 1 real coins and currency shop that I frequent, and that's precisely what it is...

rkfish

one within an hour drive.....and not a lot of coins. Jewelry, watches, etc.....

Wondo

Zero real ones. The internet has destroyed the old brick and mortar coin shops. The only ones that are fiscally viable are those with a huge inventory or ones with a significant internet presence.

kranky

I wonder if anyone has studied any correlation between the number of coin shops and the success of coin shows - does a lack of nearby coin shops indicate a better venue for shows because there aren't other opportunities to buy?

WWW

Two in Boise (pop 190,000) and another two 20 miles west.

agentjim007

4 within 5 minutes. None are really worth the trouble to go to except one is in the same strip mall I rent movies.

beartracks42

We have one in our town...but he only does Ebay...nothing on his shelves or in his cases. I often wonder why he keeps the building...must own it. The closest real coin shop is 80 miles away in either Charleston, WV. or Clarksburg, WV. Several in Columbus, OH. which is 100 miles away.


MadMarty.... My son just moved to Chicago....I will expect the "Straight Skinny" from you when I visit him in the next 2-3 months.


Gary

grip

One in El Paso,and never know when hes open.
Al

islemangu

Zero, zilch, nada........closest using English maybe 7 hour flight to Hawaii

ksteelheader

There are three within 5 miles of me, and they are all great guys to deal with.....Ken

JrGMan2004

3 for me... 1 guy sold me, what I later learned, was a cleaned coin... another is under investigation for Mail and Wire fraud by the FTC inconjuction with the US Mint.. and the other place, is also a jewelry place, but I've never been in there... but I'm fairly content b/c of EBay and b/c there are 2 fairly large semi-annual regional shows within an hour away, 1 has their Spring show this weekend, plus FUN when it's in Orlando... and another 2 or 3 smaller local shows

SDSportsFan

One where I live in Great Falls MT. There's one in Helena (Wayne Miller) 90 miles away, one in Missoula (180 miles away) and one more in Billings (225 miles away). Each city has around 40,000 to 55,000 people.

Steve

cladking

North West Indiana is an embarrassment of riches for coin shops. Not only do we
have the five big shops here but there are numerous shops in South Bend, Indiana-
polis, Chicago, and Milwaukee Wisconsin which can be reached easily. There are also
some major Indiana dealers in the southern part of the state who deal in wholesale,
market-making or melting, but these are much farther off.

The Mid West is generally pretty good for collecting.

boiler78

The closest coin shop is 40 miles away in Ft. Wayne! One of the problems with living in BFE!