Good place to buy coins in the raw online.

CoinBuyer12 · January 17, 2013 12:45PM

Sadly I do not live close to a dealer, so going to a local dealer is a bit out of the question.

I love purchasing slabbed coins, but my goal is to find some coins in the raw I can buy, slab, and come out even.

eBay and other related sites, I don't have much luck, as many sellers take poor pics, or sell a cleaned coin as problem free.

Are there any online dealers for raw coins, where seller (dealer) accurately describes coins, and has decent prices?

Thanks.

RYK · January 17, 2013 12:46PM

What kind of raw coins are you looking to buy?

CoinBuyer12 · January 17, 2013 12:50PM

I collect US coins minted year 1865 and before.

LogPotato · January 17, 2013 12:57PM

I vote Brian Greer. He has some graded coins, but he usually has some great seated material.

derryb · January 17, 2013 12:58PM

most online dealers are going to have coins that should be in a slab already in a slab. You need to be buying what you are looking for from sellers who don't realize what they are selling. That pretty much limits you to pawn shops, estate sales, garage sales, craigslist (be careful) and yes, ebay. You might even print and distribute business cards that pretty much say "buying coin collections."

ebaybuyer · January 17, 2013 3:21PM

what type of coins exactly are you looking for ?

NewEnglandRarities · January 17, 2013 3:28PM

<< I vote Brian Greer. He has some graded coins, but he usually has some great seated material. >>

I would agree. Brian is a fantastic guy and very easy to work with.

stealer · January 17, 2013 3:39PM

eBay if you like being gutsy.

darktone · January 17, 2013 9:28PM

Where do you live? You might be surprised to find other collectors in your area. There might be dealers you don't even know about. Post a zip code and we can help you find local resources.

DoubleEagle59 · January 17, 2013 9:54PM

"Good place to buy coins in the raw online."

I always do my purchasing fully clothed.

rhedden · January 17, 2013 10:36PM

Greer is a good one from whom I have bought many coins. Rich Uhrich is another who has a great selection, and usually has a more extensive selection of rare varieties, if you are into variety collecting, or if you happen to want to buy a mega-rarity in a Bust or Seated series. With any dealer, some of their prices will seem "too low," and others will seem "too high," so use your own judgment.

There is no guarantee that you will "come out even" after slabbing, even with the best dealer as a source. Profit margin (or lack thereof) is entirely a function of your own skill level in grading and appraising coins and playing the submission game. The best way to ensure breaking even is just to buy coins that are already in PCGS holders.

CoinZip · January 17, 2013 11:03PM

<< 
Are there any online dealers for raw coins, where seller (dealer) accurately describes coins, and has decent prices?

Thanks. >>

Yes, there are lots of online dealers that would fit your description.

<< my goal is to find some coins in the raw I can buy, slab, and come out even. >>

This is the tricky part, there is no guarantee that a coin will measure up the the TPG's standards. What is your you definition of even?

CoinBuyer12 · January 18, 2013 1:45AM

When I mean even....

It will cost me about $35 to have one coin slabbed.

If the coin lists in the PCGS price guide for $135 in the supposed grade, I would like to be able to get the coin raw for $100.

PerryHall · January 18, 2013 1:56AM

Many of the raw coins that I've seen are liberally graded and fully priced. When you buy raw coins and later try to get them slabbed, you'll discover that a high percentage have issues that preclude them from getting graded.

LindeDad · January 18, 2013 2:14AM

Probably one of the worst ways to build a collection. Very simply put online raw coins is were the crooks in this profession sell the most often.
And yes the good guys are way out numbered by the bad.

ebaybuyer · January 18, 2013 2:51AM

it depends so much on what type of coins you want to buy, if you want them slabbed, you may do better to buy them slabbed, when you consider the incidental costs of getting coins slabbed, (mailing, return postage, insurance, etc) it cant be worth the trouble if your objective is saving yourself the $35 a coin. consider your goals before you commit to a plan.

19Lyds · January 18, 2013 2:54AM

<< Good place to buy coins in the raw online. >>

Personally, I prefer the privacy of my home office before buying anything "in the raw".

Sorry, I could not resist!

CoinRaritiesOnline · January 18, 2013 2:55AM

<< When I mean even....

It will cost me about $35 to have one coin slabbed.

If the coin lists in the PCGS price guide for $135 in the supposed grade, I would like to be able to get the coin raw for $100. >>

I'm just curious why you want to do this. Wouldn't it be easier and less risky to buy a holdered coin for $135?

Broadstruck · January 18, 2013 3:03AM

<< 

<< When I mean even....

It will cost me about $35 to have one coin slabbed.

If the coin lists in the PCGS price guide for $135 in the supposed grade, I would like to be able to get the coin raw for $100. >>

I'm just curious why you want to do this. Wouldn't it be easier and less risky to buy a holdered coin for $135? >>

I actually like his statement since I buy just as much raw as I do slabbed... I never thought about subtracting slabbing fees when making an offer on a raw example!

Sonorandesertrat · January 18, 2013 3:09AM

"If the coin lists in the PCGS price guide for $135 in the supposed grade, I would like to be able to get the coin raw for $100. "

Before engaging in this kind of numismatic arbitrage, it would be much smarter to reconsider this strategy----this sort of thing, practiced by beginners (or even people in the hobby for many years), usually does not end well.

ANY price guide is just that---a guide. The value of many collector coins can vary all over the place, depending upon the quality for their grades. Put another way, if I have ten Capped Bust quarters that all have the same PCGS grade and are all the same date/variety, there could easily be a spread of 150%-300% in market value.

I have met essentially no Santa Clauses in the coin business. Most dealers are VERY reluctant to leave any money on the table. If a coin is extended to you for what seems a low price, there will be a reason. Sometimes, the seller has a cash-flow problem, but more often the reason is that the quality of the coin is low for its grade (or there is a problem that renders the coin non-gradable in the seller's opinion). On occasion, one can obtain a low price, but at the expense of forfeiting the usual buyer-return privilege.

rhedden · January 18, 2013 3:18AM

Harlan Berk is another good outfit I like to deal with online. They offer many PCGS certified coins at prices you can live with. No need to submit yourself and take on the risk.

ebaybuyer · January 18, 2013 3:24AM

even buying slabbed coins is no guarantee that what you buy is worth what you paid. the best approach is to decide what you want to collect, then educate yourself on the series, buy a few books, and study the market. there are smokin deals just about everywhere, but youll never see them if you dont know what your looking for. ive bought many coins from dealers that have no idea what they are selling, unless you learn about the coins, you have to rely on a dealer to know the good from the bad (not always a good idea) learn to grade what you collect, so you can recognize a properly graded coin raw or graded. it sounds like alot of work but you can teach yourself to do what a grading service will charge you $35 a pop to do, and $35 a pop adds up fast.

darktone · January 18, 2013 3:54AM

I still say give us your zip code and we'll find you some local resources.

darktone · January 26, 2013 1:34AM

If you live in New Jersey you have so many ways to buy raw coins sight seen that I would not even mess with raw stuff on-line.

Good place to buy coins in the raw online.

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