For Dealers: How did you become one?
Prometheus183
Posts: 385
Did you start out in numismatics as a youngster and build your way up through the years?
Had you been collecting for some time while working a day job and realize you were sitting on a fortune?
Were you born with a silver spoon in your trap and found a nitch that didn't require a PHD in order to flourish in?
Regardless of your current numismatic net worth, which by the way, I really don't want to know, and it's none of my damned business; tell me (or "us; as in the other members") your story.
This kinda stuff is interesting.
Craig
Had you been collecting for some time while working a day job and realize you were sitting on a fortune?
Were you born with a silver spoon in your trap and found a nitch that didn't require a PHD in order to flourish in?
Regardless of your current numismatic net worth, which by the way, I really don't want to know, and it's none of my damned business; tell me (or "us; as in the other members") your story.
This kinda stuff is interesting.
Craig
The Rede we live by: If it harms none, do what you will.
0
Comments
Yep. Started collecting at 5 or 6. Took my first table at a local show at 15. Started with the big shows at 20. Now I'm 43. I've handled tons of great coins and I get to do all kinds of wild deals. (Some good, some not so good, but all fun.) My idea of retirement is owning a local coin shop in a small town in Hawaii and selling circ Lincolns to local kids. Guess you can say I'm hooked.
Doggedly collecting coins of the Central American Republic.
Visit the Society of US Pattern Collectors at USPatterns.com.
Russ, NCNE
I lost a poker bet.........and here I am.
Our eBay auctions - TRUE auctions: start at $0.01, no reserve, 30 day unconditional return privilege & free shipping!
I enterred the coin business, full time, when I was 18 & started going to coin shows.
I have been doing so ever since, and now operate a coin shop that I had begun frequenting in my teens.
My plans are to continue operating the shop & attending coin shows, until I am no longer able, in the spirit of Norman Shultz, who attended shows, as a dealer into his 90's; Art Kagin, who is still attending, well into his 80's; and Frank Katen, who catalogued and conducted his own auction at 95!
I firmly believe in numismatics as the world's greatest hobby, but recognize that this is a luxury and without collectors, we can all spend/melt our collections/inventories.
eBaystore
One day, in 1979, about 3 months before I was scheduled to graduate, a truly great guy by the name of Christopher Tracy (sp?), who worked for New England Rare Coin Galleries and was selling coins to me, said something to the effect of: "You know, Mark - you should think about going into the rare coin business - you'd like it and you'd be good at it".
A bell went off in my head when I heard those words and I promptly decided to check it out. I interviewed with New England and their major competitor Steve Ivy Rare coins, both of whom made me offers. That was a real surprise to me because I was just a collector back then, not an expert by any means. But, I think they liked the fact that I had a marketing degree and was about to get a law degree. It was a tough decision, but, I chose Steve Ivy Rare Coins, which later merged with New England, anyway.
Talk about tough - try studying for a bar exam when you know you wont be practicing law! It was the summer of 1979 and I remember making phone calls, literally right after various sessions of my bar exam, to find out if I had been successful on any of my bids for coins being sold in "Auction79". Fortunately, even though I don't remember winning any coins, I studied enough to pass, got my degree and started in the coin business, a few days after my exam. I have been in the coin business full-time since then, and still love rare coins and the hobby.
You are really a lawyer....
That explains alot....
John
siliconvalleycoins.com
Mark Feld, esq.
Lawyer/Coingeek
BTW, what ever happened to Bob Vitt?