Updated Report: Shopping for Coins in Albuquerque
claychaser
Posts: 4,406 ✭✭✭✭
My YN and I had some time during the family visit to the "outlaws" in Albuquerque, and went coin shopping.
On Tuesday, we went to a pawn shop owned by one of the "outlaw's" sister-in-law. The shop is in downtown, on Old Route 66. They had a very cool selection of tools and junk - I bought a couple of old Craftsman hand tools that I needed for the toolbox "for sometime in the future". Then we looked at coins. Bought some silver at 8x face, an 1854 arrows quarter that had a readable date and may go into a PO1 holder for $8.00, and several nice full horn circ buffalos for 75 cents each. He marked the price on several with sharpie pen right on the coin, but an alcohol bath (the rubbing kind!) took it right off with no damage to the coins. Also got some V nickel culls for the counter top project.
Then took my kids on rides on the "Rail Runner" new commuter train on Tuesday and Wednesday.
On the the day before Thanksgiving:
The first stop was a shop we went to last year and bought out his accumulation of tokens. So we look at some coins in the display case, and then had him show us some seated dimes. The reverse on the first one was worn too much, but I did select a 1854 arrows dime with full rims both sides for $9.00. The I had him show us four xf-unc commemoratives. I very quietely showed my son the Lexington that had been harshly cleaned on the obverse - very obvious in the left field. Two others were dipped out and lifeless. The last was a xf-au Grant with very nice toning, but had PVC visible without a loupe even to my middle-aged eyes. I asked the price, and pointed out very nicely that the coin had pvc on it, and it needed an acetone bath to seeif there was damage below. His reply: "I don't clean coins, that's for you to do.". I said, no, acetone is acceptable. The price was $100, and I passed on it and left. Very standoffish.
The stop, Castle Gold and Silver was far better. Mostly a jewelry and bullion coin buyer and seller, but he had a small section of coins and a giveaway bucket for kids. He took a Continental Dollar replica from under the counter and gave it to my son. I did buy a circulated 34-s dollar and a very nice circulated 2 cent piece. Nice people, but they were closing at noon for Thanksgiving.
On Tuesday, we went to a pawn shop owned by one of the "outlaw's" sister-in-law. The shop is in downtown, on Old Route 66. They had a very cool selection of tools and junk - I bought a couple of old Craftsman hand tools that I needed for the toolbox "for sometime in the future". Then we looked at coins. Bought some silver at 8x face, an 1854 arrows quarter that had a readable date and may go into a PO1 holder for $8.00, and several nice full horn circ buffalos for 75 cents each. He marked the price on several with sharpie pen right on the coin, but an alcohol bath (the rubbing kind!) took it right off with no damage to the coins. Also got some V nickel culls for the counter top project.
Then took my kids on rides on the "Rail Runner" new commuter train on Tuesday and Wednesday.
On the the day before Thanksgiving:
The first stop was a shop we went to last year and bought out his accumulation of tokens. So we look at some coins in the display case, and then had him show us some seated dimes. The reverse on the first one was worn too much, but I did select a 1854 arrows dime with full rims both sides for $9.00. The I had him show us four xf-unc commemoratives. I very quietely showed my son the Lexington that had been harshly cleaned on the obverse - very obvious in the left field. Two others were dipped out and lifeless. The last was a xf-au Grant with very nice toning, but had PVC visible without a loupe even to my middle-aged eyes. I asked the price, and pointed out very nicely that the coin had pvc on it, and it needed an acetone bath to seeif there was damage below. His reply: "I don't clean coins, that's for you to do.". I said, no, acetone is acceptable. The price was $100, and I passed on it and left. Very standoffish.
The stop, Castle Gold and Silver was far better. Mostly a jewelry and bullion coin buyer and seller, but he had a small section of coins and a giveaway bucket for kids. He took a Continental Dollar replica from under the counter and gave it to my son. I did buy a circulated 34-s dollar and a very nice circulated 2 cent piece. Nice people, but they were closing at noon for Thanksgiving.
==Looking for pre WW2 Commems in PCGS Rattler holders, 1851-O Three Cent Silvers in all grades
Successful, problem free and pleasant transactions with: illini420, coinguy1, weather11am,wayneherndon,wondercoin,Topdollarpaid,Julian, bishdigg,seateddime, peicesofme,ajia,CoinRaritiesOnline,savoyspecial,Boom, TorinoCobra71, ModernCoinMart, WTCG, slinc, Patches, Gerard, pocketpiececommems, BigJohnD, RickMilauskas, mirabella, Smittys, LeeG, TomB, DeusExMachina, tydye
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==Looking for pre WW2 Commems in PCGS Rattler holders, 1851-O Three Cent Silvers in all grades
Successful, problem free and pleasant transactions with: illini420, coinguy1, weather11am,wayneherndon,wondercoin,Topdollarpaid,Julian, bishdigg,seateddime, peicesofme,ajia,CoinRaritiesOnline,savoyspecial,Boom, TorinoCobra71, ModernCoinMart, WTCG, slinc, Patches, Gerard, pocketpiececommems, BigJohnD, RickMilauskas, mirabella, Smittys, LeeG, TomB, DeusExMachina, tydye
Go see him next time you're in town
My OmniCoin Collection
My BankNoteBank Collection
Tom, formerly in Albuquerque, NM.