Where do you source your raw/cheap lower grade coins?
TurtleCat
Posts: 4,628 ✭✭✭✭✭
I’m going to start a few inexpensive type albums and got to thinking about where people get such coins at a reasonable price. Do you get yours at shows and coin shops (where available)? If they weren’t available where else would you get them?
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As much as I hate to say it maybe eBay. Or maybe a WTB list on the BST forum. I would try the local coin shop first.
Walmart parking lot. Amazing errors to be found there.
My Collection of Old Holders
Never a slave to one plastic brand will I ever be.
You're forgetting laundromats. A couple months in a dryer creates amazing Mint errors.
All comments reflect the opinion of the author, evn when irrefutably accurate.
Depends on the type. Any of those sources are legitimate. You really need to know is what reasonable value is and how comfortable you are with coins you haven't seen in hand.
If you have a reasonable B&M establishment, that's your best bet as you can see them in hand and build a relationship with the dealer.
Coin shows are also good but availability really depends on where you are and how often and how close the coin shows are.
eBay works, as do auctions - yes there are plenty of raw coin auctions - but you really need to be comfortable with buying in those venues. Not everyone is.
All comments reflect the opinion of the author, evn when irrefutably accurate.
I was able to pick up nine various type coins (from seated to 20c) rapidly and easily (pain free!) using the BST forum a few weeks back. Smooth transactions with nary a flaw. That would be my suggestion.
peacockcoins
Dryer coins are cool.
All kidding aside @braddick has a very good suggestion, back a few years I was building my 7070 and was able to source a few of those coins from the BST.
My Collection of Old Holders
Never a slave to one plastic brand will I ever be.
Ah, BST. I used to do a lot of business way back there although I don’t know if anyone remembers dealing with me. I don’t have paypal anymore, though, so that complicates things. Some nice suggestions. I was thinking a bit for me but I’m thinking some other people are in the same boat and would like a few ideas.
One I would love to try but wouldn’t have the same success... I was reading in CoinWorld a few weeks ago about someone who went through lots of boxes of quarters and halves and assembled an entire set of barber quarters and halves including keys at face value. And enough to almost do it twice. They believe it came from collectors who saved them but their heirs just wrapped up the coins and turned them into the bank.
When your Local Coin Shop reopens (if you have one), and it's safe to go, that is a good place to find lower grade coins.
I love junk silver, but am also a collector. So, I am lucky to have a dealer that allows me to sift through all of his junk silver.
I have found some great collectible coins at junk silver prices. All circulating coins (except for silver dollars) dating all the way back to Barbers are readily available. I have found some very nice, problem free coins during these searches.
This is a good place to start filling your coin albums.
Good luck with your searches!
My first recommendation is the BST here....Then a local coin shop that you can build a relationship with...I would avoid ebay or distance buying - my personal feeling - since there seem to be continuing issues in those areas. Cheers, RickO
Go get yourself some bank rolled cents,nickels,dimes,quarters,halves,dollars and start looking ... make sure you have some 2x2 flips to put your finds in.
I’ve got many of the coins already from over the years for the album I’m going to start. I was thinking more generically for filling in a few holes I haven’t already gotten. I also thought this thread would help others who might be thinking the same thing.
B&M or eBay with a preference for B&M.
We all have hundreds of duplicate lower grade raw coins in our collection. If you post a want list in BST I'm sure you'll get a fair amount of responses. Just make sure you get clear photos of anything that's offered to you.
Successful BST transactions with lordmarcovan, Moldnut, erwindoc
I'd try the B&M first. It's a start
The most efficient would likely be eBay. The most enjoyable would be everywhere else.
Whenever I'm looking for raw/cheap lower grade coins, I go straight to my own collection where that material abounds.
But seriously, for my side album projects, I get that material at any size coin show.
Tons and tons available there.
"If I say something in the woods and my wife isn't there to hear it.....am I still wrong?"
My Washington Quarter Registry set...in progress
swapmeets! lol
Well, I have a dollar type set in the Registry and noticed it fell a bunch of spots....... Apparently I now needed an American Innovation coin to sit alongside the Flowing Hair dollar and Seated No-motto coins.
eBay to the rescue, LOL. I paid more than a dollar for it, so I'm not sure it meets your definition of "reasonably priced", but c'est la vie.
Lol, I did that with a 1982 Washington Half commem for my PCGS 7070 registry set. I’ve got a few other sets. I’m mostly thinking of Littleton/Dansco for-fun albums with cheap raw coins. I’ve got most of them but figured I’d see where most people get their similar type coins from. And I bet that several others are curious about good avenues for inexpensive stuff.
What albums are you trying to fill?
@TurtleCat
Perhaps you could start a monthly
*** The Official June 2020 Wanted To Buy Thread ***
on the BST Forum
The same way that we have the monthly
*** The Official June 2020 Precious Metals Buy Sell Trade Thread ***
on the Precious Metals Forum
Just a thought, I would check that thread to see what people were looking for
Boston
Successful transactions with : MICHAELDIXON, Manorcourtman, Bochiman, bolivarshagnasty, AUandAG, onlyroosies, chumley, Weiss, jdimmick, BAJJERFAN, gene1978, TJM965, Smittys, GRANDAM, JTHawaii, mainejoe, softparade, derryb, Ricko
Bad transactions with : nobody to date
Lol, I really didn’t start this to be about me buying coins.
I’ll likely get mine from my local coin show as I can go. It was more a generic question about where people go to get their inexpensive coins. Still, some great ideas everyone.