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It seems like lots of people buy foreign coins at US shows!
Hallco
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I mentioned in another thread that I have been watching lots of Youtube videos of people showing what they are getting at shows and shops. In almost all of them, I am seeing lots of foreign coins. I guess I never realized that there is such a high interest, especially with younger collectors!
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I actually do quite a bit of foreign coin business at each show. I'm a 1-table dealer, running one case of raw US, 1 case of certified (about 80% US, 20% World) a few junk bins, a folder of tokens/medals, and about a double-row box of each US denomination. But I also have about 10 double row boxes of world coins sorted by country by date. about 1/3 of my customers ask to see the box with country XYZ in it. It doesn't hurt that my monthly show of about 50 tables has only 1 dealer that's mostly world coins, and maybe 1 other dealer with a decent amount of world coins similar to me. (There are a couple with a ton of Canadian seeing as I'm right on the border too) but other than Canada, world coin folks really only have 3 of us to go to, and at times, makes the show.
"You Suck Award" - February, 2015
Discoverer of 1919 Mercury Dime DDO - FS-101
Check out what a US 1836 Large Cent goes for in this grade.
This can be had for a tiny fraction of the cost:
I used to paw through the foreign coins junk box looking for anything from the 1800's to give away to the Boy Scouts who were working on the Coin Collecting Merit badge. I was amazed at how many dad who had been Boy Scouts still had there 50 foreign coins from long ago.
Sometimes there are some real sleepers in the junk boxes. One time, found a bunch of Barber 25c and 50c coins in the 5 / $1 box. Another time, when silver was $40 +/- at a table in the corner, where it wrapped around the corner, were a few binders of foreign coins. The dealer told me he was getting out completely of foreign coins and everything was X% off the written price. I started going through the the binders and making a pile, and he saw the pile and up the % off if I bought $100 or more, IIRC. Finally. he came over to look, and I told him his prices were off, too low. He looked and told me that was his asking price, and,, yes, he was honoring the deal, but when I was done, basically no one else was getting the deal. The books had a moderate number of Dollar sized Foreign Silver, like Canadian $1, French 50 Franc, etc. and they were marked $10 or so or less.
Lots of people buy foreign gold as bullion. French, British and gold from other European countries sell for bullion prices or slightly more unless they are truly rare. Like some of our own common gold coins.
I've purchased a few foreign coins at US coin shows !!!
I bought these at the ANA show.
INYNWHWeTrust-TexasNationals,ajaan,blu62vette
coinJP, Outhaul ,illini420,MICHAELDIXON, Fade to Black,epcjimi1,19Lyds,SNMAN,JerseyJoe, bigjpst, DMWJR , lordmarcovan, Weiss,Mfriday4962,UtahCoin,Downtown1974,pitboss,RichieURich,Bullsitter,JDsCoins,toyz4geo,jshaulis, mustanggt, SNMAN, MWallace, ms71, lordmarcovan,JWP,dantheman984,olah_in_MA,USMC_6115
I am continually amazed that many great foreign coins don't get the respect they ought to.
Perhaps it is simply supply/demand, but I've picked up a number of extremely low mintage pieces at very reasonable prices.
I used to collect Canadian Ultra Heavy Cameo PL pieces in ICCS holders, but people wised up to the low prices.
“In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock." - Thomas Jefferson
My digital cameo album 1950-64 Cameos - take a look!
World coins are a booming market right now.
There are some beautiful world coins, and for those who like coin art, they are real treasures. I have a few from countries I lived in or visited. And a growing pile of foreign coins from the coinstar machine. Cheers, RickO
Do you mean 'US shows' as in 'shows held in the US' or as in 'shows for US coins'? Just because a show is held in the US doesn't mean there can't be a wide variety of coins for sale. I'm not sure I've ever been to a show that was designated 'only US coins'. There are shows that are actually geared toward the non-US coins, though most are US coin centric by their very nature.
Non-US coins are fascinating, and a lot of people fall into it after travels. Family history or an interest in history are often the lead in too. Or, just a way to start diversifying bullion. Many, many reasons.
Not to mention the bang for the buck, so to speak, can be quite a bit higher. In fact, that leads me to another question that is such a hijack, I will post a different thread. Interesting question though!
I’m 75% buying foreign now, often timed coins with a connection to the economy of colonial America
Latin American Collection
Yes, I meant shows held in the US. And yes...I do realize that there is a HUGE variety of stuff to be found at shows. I think I really just didn't realize the popularity. And as @Cougar1978 said, the world coin market must be hot right now.
I bought this coin platinum night 2018 ANA paid a new record but was very happy to get it.
This is from the Cromwell era and I like the simple legends!
I give away money. I collect money.
I don’t love money . I do love the Lord God.
I spent about half my time in the tiny foreign section at the recent Summer FUN show. Foreign coins, tokens, medals and political items are where my new purchase interests are largely centered these days. The great things about those areas are that there less emphasis on certified coins, there is more interest in "pure collecting" and not "investment" and there is no CAC.
I think some of the artwork in foreign coins is gorgeous! Just look at some of the examples that get posted here on the forum!
The best time to buy World coins is at coin shows as an in hand review makes the experience what it should be...
Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.
My buying is about 80% foreign, 20% US now.
Yes. What he said. 80-20 sounds about right.
I've spent the last couple of months trying to learn about currency...I guess my next area is to learn about foreign! Wish me luck!
Lol
I buy lots of Canadian and Mexican along with US.
Currency is also another product line - had stacks of it in my cases at last show and did real well.
Many collect by bd or anniv date and this one of factors world market doing well.