Could you be content buying coins exclusively on the BST?

RYK

I cannot help but notice the range of coins that come available on the BST. From 90% junk silver to fresh bullion to circulated bust halves to Morgans, Morgans, and more Morgans to early and later copper to generic and better date gold to even an occasional pattern, proof gold coin, Norweb piece, or 18th century type.

Could you be numismatically content stocking your collection exclusively with coins purchased from the BST?

Also, what is the best or most interesting coin(s) you have purchased from the BST?

I will post some of my personal BST favorites later on.

adamlaneus

Heck no. The BST is nice. But a "single source" for anything is very limiting. BST included.

I could be content with BST only purchases for certain aspects of my collection. I think that a "7070" album could be put together quite nicely.

But try to find 5 ounce Libertads or Wiener cathedral medals. Haven't seen one of those on the BST for some time.

JRocco

I have never purchased a coin off the BST board so I guess
I would say no.

ksteelheader

The BST is cluster bomb.

Elcontador

Robert, I'm very old school. The only ways I buy a coin are as follows:

Two trusted sets of eyes see it and like it (if I can't see it myself).
I see it and another trusted set of eyes see it and like it.

Anything else is purchased on approval, with a no-questions asked seven to ten day return privilege. I don't consider something bought on approval to be a purchase until I actually pay for the coin. In the two examples above, it's a done deal.

percyb

I buy pretty much exclusively from BST and my local B@M shops.

GoldenEyeNumismatics

no.

RyGuy

I've yet to make a purchase from the BST, however, I'm always scanning for a possible transaction.

TennesseeDave

I have yet to buy a coin from the BST.I have sold a few,but so far nothing that I needed for a price I was willing to pay has been available.

lcoopie

not exclusively, but the few items I bought, I really like a lot.

IrishMike

Not at the premiums I see on a lot of the product for sale there.

DennisH

<< <i>Not at the premiums I see on a lot of the product for sale there. >>


Ditto here. Plus the selection is far too limited.

BBN

nope. If you want to build a registry set there are just some coins at certain grades that will appear on the BST

DwaineO

I was able to put together most of my 7070 album by using the BST boards. But I didn't limit myself to just the BST.

chaze215

I have bought on the BST, but I could not exclusively buy on there. In fact, I have won coins on Ebay for less money than they were being offered on the BST. Has anyone else come across this?

cullenbryant

yes. definetly could. although my taste isn't too sophisticated. i like the format of being able to converse in real time with a seller and make deals. patience is golden and if you wait long enough it seems anything will come up.

bidask

RYK, you need to go to more coin shows and view more auctions in person.

mirabela

No, but I agree it can be an excellent source for a wide range of things.

The thing with the BST is you can't exactly go there looking for something. You have to be like a trout -- that is, wait beside the current, and whenever something new enters the pool, dart out and examine it, and decide whether you need to grab it before someone else does. That said, it can be a worthwhile haunt. I don't actually buy all that much there, but some of the things I have bought there are, for my purposes, pretty terrific.

Edit -- the other part of your question -- the best thing I've bought there was a really terrific set of matched holder-toned war nickels a couple of years ago. They are the anchor of my Jefferson set.

TexasNationals

I could easily live off of the BST- anything from die varieties, books, world coins, jefferson nickels, bust halves, you name it. If you want it, 99% of the time someone has it and will work out great deals with you. I haven't bought a coin from ebay in 3 or so months, but purchased at least 10 coins in the last month from the BST. The only time I was buying from ebay lately is when MSN was at 30% and then it was just 90% and gold except for a few varieties(jeffersons) that ended up coming from board members anyways. I got a discount and they made a little more than they were asking.

GrumpyEd

<< <i>Heck no. The BST is nice. But a "single source" for anything is very limiting. BST included. >>

MidLifeCrisis

No.

Walkerguy21D

As others stated, the BST is nice, but limited. But then again, I've walked the FUN show at times and come home with very little.

To answer Chaz -

<< <i>I have bought on the BST, but I could not exclusively buy on there. In fact, I have won coins on Ebay for less money than they were being offered on the BST. Has anyone else come across this? >>



Well, yes. But I've seen the contrary as well. I've bought things on the BST that I thought were real bargains that would be tough to duplicate anywhere. Those I jump on. Others that are 'close' I'll negotiate on, and others that I feel are way overpriced I simply pass on. And just because I 'feel' something is overpriced, doesn't make it so. There are a number of specialists here that know the 'true' market value of something may be quite a bit higher that posted guide prices. Many of the the Barber collectors on the boards are in this camp.
Also make sure you are comparing apples to apples. Silver eagles and modern proof sets are easy to compare. But if a nice original AU type coin is offered by many of the 'good' guys on the forum, be careful if you are comparing this vs- the typical Ebay 'stuff'.

MarkInDavis

I like the BST and have bought a few nice coins there. I would love to see some kind of organization within it. It can be tough to find things there. Harder to weed through than EBay. Also prices generally seem a tad bit high. Everyone thinks the stuff they are selling is PQ. There are a handful of sellers that list at very competitive prices and their stuff goes fast. Often before I get a chance at it. I hate to mention my favorites as it will just make their coins disappear quicker.

dwssws

no

ElKevvo

Yeah possibly...I am starting to expand out a little bit though...some things I just don't find too often on the BST

K

RYK

Here are some photos of coins that I have purchased on the BST:









I also purchased a terrific 1864 $3, both a Norweb and Bass gold dollar, the 1839-O quarter eagle in my 7070 type set, and an 1860-O eagle (the latter purchases from CharlotteDude, who sold quite a few nice early pieces over the last couple years including a 1796 dime in the collection of another forum member). I week or two ago, Beckoa sold a terrific 3 coin miniset of 20th century Indian gold. You can't swing a dead cat over there without hitting a MPL for sale. Oreville recently had a wide range of type coins including an ex-Pittman barber dime. Mirabela and others seeded my 7070 set. And so on and so forth.

If I were collecting Morgan dollars, 7070 coins, or early type in circ, I think that I could have put together a respectable set from the BST forum. As one's interests get more advanced, diverse, and higher end, it gets a little tougher. I would not advocate trying to do so, but I thought it would be interesting to consider.

FilthyBroke

There is a great range of coins and exonumia on BST, as there is a great range of collectors here. I buy occasionally there(BST), and on Ebay, and I also browse online store inventory. Once in a while I even get to a show. No one source can supply me with the range of interests I have.

Bcsican

NO

notwilight

Not even close.

RedTiger

I could, even though quite a few of the asking prices are "optimistic." This is because it costs nothing to list and relist. And relist. And relist. It is bad form to criticize the high prices directly. I still wish some sellers would buy a vowel and get a clue that their common stuff is priced to the moon and that no one on the forum will likely pay their asking prices.

Once in a great while there is good stuff priced low (wholesale) and those lots are typically sold in five minutes.

If a person doesn't see what they are looking for, a wanted to buy (WTB) post saying what they want, and that they are willing to pay competitive prices, or retail, or retail and then some (actual retail that dealers are asking at vs. price guide retail which may or may not mean a thing), will likely bring out some sellers.

Millertime

All but three of the keepers in my Dansco 7070 type set (24 out of 27) have been purchases (or trades) from the BST and so far I'm extremely content. I haven't had too many screaming deals but there's less chance of being ripped off.

Millertime

Lakesammman

Sold a few things there but no luck buying.

A better search filter would make return visits more pleasant.

mkman123

I could be content because there is so much variety of stuff for sale on BST and I find prices on BST are the best.

adamlaneus

I'm happy with this trio of coins that have been through a few hands of folks in this forum:

My images...I know I can do better, but I need to address some lighting concerns before I can do so...








When they showed up on the BST, slightly before I could afford them, I was somewhat distraught. But it is all good.


On the other hand, i'm also happy with coins like this...

But you just don't see them on the BST very often...






And it's not just because these are darkside.




As much as we love the BST, it is not a warm, safe, fuzzy place. One should take care with any deal that involves lots of cash. Not everyone on the BST is on the level. Fortunately, with some time, it becomes more readily apparent which folks are for real and which ones are not. I'm not saying this because I have been personally burned. But I have refused to enter into some transactions that seemed wrong. And i've witnessed a 'debacle at a distance' this year relating to Musca the silver salesman.

dizzyfoxx

Doubt it.

zeus135

Yes, I believe so. The problem is I don't have the patience to wait on a certain coin I'm looking for. If you do have the patience, I believe you could purchase anything you want from the BST.

Barndog

I would not be satisfied with BST alone, but have had some good experiences as a buyer. Such as:

mkman123

just wanted to also same not only am I happy to buy many of the stuff I own today from the BST, many of the collectors or dealers who are selling on the BST are top notch. Everyone in my list of successful transaction below are great. Hope to add more members here onto the list!

coinlieutenant

No...but I am still am bummed you beat me to that 1798. I drool over that coin. Nice 1907

BAJJERFAN

I think it mite take a lonnngggg time to complete a set of Morgans just buying from the BS & T offerings.

CharlotteDude

I always find myself checking out the BST, by doing keyword searches and the like. Sometimes I score something I'm looking for, many times I don't. It's always fun to look, though. Although I wouldn't limit myself to only the forum, one of my fav purchases this year was acquired from the BST...



I think the BST certainly serves a worthy purpose, allowing both buyers and sellers to pursue their hobby interests, while building relationships of trust by virtue of those buying & selling exchanges. I wouldn't recommend limiting all purchases to this venue though.

'dude

AnkurJ

No, not nearly enough large cents.

halfnut

I used to be a E-bay buying fool but it's getting suce a pain in the backside there unless you do a BIN that I now use the BST board here allot more. I may have to do a WTB to find what I want but it's amazing what our fellow forum members have sitting around and how many responses you get when you do a WTB. I have also gotten to know a few members here though the BST board and now have a strong network for finding the coins I need. I don't think I could use the board exclusively but it sure is a big part of my buying these days.




Dan

RBinTex

No.