Sears Coin Shop

PacificWR · July 8, 2020 7:58PM

First time attemping to start a new discussion. I have been a Morgan Dollar collector for over 30 years. VAMS are my speciality. I recently purchased a 1881-S Morgan dollar in a old paper hold. The hold has three red stamps on it. One of the red stamps on the front of the holder is "Sears Coin Shop". Just wondering if anyone has ever seen this before.

oih82w8 · July 8, 2020 8:07PM

Other department stores used to sell coins, Woolco, Spartan Atlantic, etc... I don't remember seeing a coin area at our Sears & Robuck. But there appears to be some current inventory;

https://www.sears.com/collectibles-coins-precious-metals-paper-money-coins/b-5008688

PacificWR · July 8, 2020 8:26PM

Thanks for the reply. I was trying to pin down a timeline when this 1881-S Morgan Dollar was placed in the holder. My thought was sometime in the 60's, but that is just a guess based on the three red stamps used and no grade indicated.

sparky64 · July 8, 2020 9:28PM

No way that could be some early Colonel Jessup material, right?

JBK · July 8, 2020 9:47PM

@PacificWR said:
Thanks for the reply. I was trying to pin down a timeline when this 1881-S Morgan Dollar was placed in the holder. My thought was sometime in the 60's, but that is just a guess based on the three red stamps used and no grade indicated.

I would agree with your assessment and here's why.

The red stampings were not done with a rubber stamp. It looks like a metal stamp due to the embossed effect of the letters - they are impressed into the cardboard.

I believe they were done with "slugs" made with a linotype machine, which was used to create type for printing newspapers and other paper items.

Also, the ink is a bit spotty as might be expected when using metal type with an inkpad.

I looked it up and linotype machines were supposedly used into the 1980s but I doubt they were seen much by then.

In the 1970s my grandfather took me into the newspaper office that his father used to own and the owners at that time let him sit down at the machine and type me out a metal slug with my name on it. That was a small town paper and I think the machine was a dinosaur even then.

ironmanl63 · July 8, 2020 10:03PM

In the mid 70's the Sears in Chicago at six corners had a coin shop. I do not remember the type of holders but it would not surprise me.

1northcoin · July 8, 2020 11:00PM

@JBK said:

@PacificWR said:
Thanks for the reply. I was trying to pin down a timeline when this 1881-S Morgan Dollar was placed in the holder. My thought was sometime in the 60's, but that is just a guess based on the three red stamps used and no grade indicated.

I would agree with your assessment and here's why.

The red stampings were not done with a rubber stamp. Itl looks like a metal stamp due to the embossed effect of the letters - they are impressed into the cardboard.

I believe they were done with "slugs" made with a linotype machine, which was used to create type for printing newspapers and other
paper items.

Also, the ink is a bit spotty as might be expected when using metal type with an inkpad.

I looked it up and linotype machines were supposedly used into the 1980s but I doubt they were seen much by then.

In the 1970s my grandfather took me into the newspaper office that his father used to own and the owners at that time let him sit down at the machine and type me out a metal slug with my name on it. That was a small town paper and I think the machine was a dinosaur even then.

Thanks for sharing. I recall as either a Cub Scout or Boy Scout visiting our local paper. Late 50s or early 60s. The Linotype operator typed out something on a metal slug for each of us (probably our names) which we got to take home as a souvenir. Someday I may even locate it in some old storage box.

SurfinxHI · July 8, 2020 11:27PM

looks like you can still return it, since the seal isn't broken....!

You might be able to date the holder manufacturing company as well. They are embossed? into the paper as far as I can see. First pic has it, Reagant"s E-Z seal?

surf

Jimnight · July 9, 2020 3:36AM

cmerlo1 · July 9, 2020 4:20AM

I still have a 1932 quarter I bought from K-Mart as a kid.

ricko · July 9, 2020 4:30AM

@PacificWR.... Welcome aboard.... We had a 'five and dime' store in town when I was a kid (J.J. Newberry's) and they had a coin section. Do not recall much about it since I was too short to really see the product (around six years old).... The coin section disappeared before I ever considered 'buying' coins....Cheers, RickO

SaorAlba · July 9, 2020 4:40AM

@oih82w8 said:
Other department stores used to sell coins, Woolco, Spartan Atlantic, etc... I don't remember seeing a coin area at our Sears & Robuck. But there appears to be some current inventory;

https://www.sears.com/collectibles-coins-precious-metals-paper-money-coins/b-5008688

Uh, that new logo seems to have a hidden agenda.

blitzdude · July 9, 2020 4:52AM

I seem to remember a coin / card shop inside a Sears somewhere out in Orange County, CA (Santa Ana maybe?) up into the late 80's. Stupid me was busy buying baseball cards instead of double eagles.

jdimmick · July 9, 2020 5:14AM

Here in fay, nc where i live, my first coin shop i visited was in Sears Dept store in the late 70's, it was tucked quietly in between the escalators up and down area. It closed in 1981, guy who ran it split up with the guy that help run it, one opened up a brick and mortar on one side of town, the other on the other side. The main owner was later determined to be a scam artist and took several people for tens of thousands of dollars. I was still fairly young, so i was not aware of what was going on until briefed later by a mentor of mine. Other guy ran a successfull (albiet high seller, low buyer) for several decades had comics, cards as well until his sons got him into a bind from stealing/theft , etc. closed up a few years ago.

topstuf · July 9, 2020 6:01AM

When the Sears in Stockton, CA began to fail, they let a local shop rent a kiosk. Weird set up.
Also late 70s as mentioned above.

Longarm · July 9, 2020 8:59AM

I remember Sears Shop at Home Catalog, I didn't buy much from them because I thought their prices were a little higher, but I did buy some. Here's pics of the catalog, they sold coins for Kennedy Mint.

Moxie15 · July 9, 2020 9:33AM

The Clearwater FL mall had a large Sears store with a coin shop in it until somewhere into the early part of this century. They carried a lot of pretty common coins priced a grade or two above what I could get in other shops.

topstuf · July 9, 2020 9:46AM

The insert of a coin place in Sears is a goldmine of ignorant people.
"Oh Paw, lookee.... they'll buy our silver coins."

messydesk · July 9, 2020 10:07AM

Did @CaptHenway once mention doing time at a coin kiosk at Marshall Field's in Chicago or am I thinking of something or someone else?

Smudge · July 9, 2020 10:17AM

I have a 1988 proof set with a Kmart sticker on it.

291fifth · July 9, 2020 10:48AM

@messydesk said:
Did @CaptHenway once mention doing time at a coin kiosk at Marshall Field's in Chicago or am I thinking of something or someone else?

The Marshall Field's coin and stamp department was originally on the 3rd floor of the Loop store (it was next to the book department). It had a prominent location and was a good size. Later it was moved to the below ground level floor, a much less prominent location. I'm not sure if it was still there when the great flood hit the store's lower level in the 1990's after a construction accident opened up a hole in the bank of the Chicago river that caused major flooding when water migrated through the miniature railroad tunnels that were built under the Loop.

isaiah58 · July 9, 2020 12:15PM

@Moxie15 said:
The Clearwater FL mall had a large Sears store with a coin shop in it until somewhere into the early part of this century. They carried a lot of pretty common coins priced a grade or two above what I could get in other shops.

I knew the owner, His story is here: http://rarestampstore.com/about.html

SaorAlba · July 9, 2020 12:56PM

I have never seen a coin shop or counter in any store save a Woolworths in San Francisco. That would have been early 1980s and I remember it was a lot of common stuff and cheap foreign for sale.

CaptHenway · July 9, 2020 1:04PM

@messydesk said:
Did @CaptHenway once mention doing time at a coin kiosk at Marshall Field's in Chicago or am I thinking of something or someone else?

Wasn't me. That was run by some guy named Glenn, can't remember is last name.

Dave99B · July 9, 2020 2:24PM

Never saw a coin store within Sears. Frederick and Nelsons used to be a large department store chain, with its headquarters located in Seattle. The Seattle store had a small coin and stamp counter. Great place to kill some time when the woman was out shopping. I think they went bankrupt about 25 years ago.

Dave

AUandAG · July 9, 2020 3:17PM

I started working at the Sears in Reno in my college days and continued to work there and then at the 4 Sears stores in Las Vegas part time, throughout my life. I accumulated enough hours to get a 25 year pin and a pension. Just worked there for the fun of retail, loved it. Never saw a coin shop in one. Just the register drawer was my shop!

bob

PacificWR · July 9, 2020 4:05PM

Thanks for the great feedback guys. Just a couple more questions. Does anyone know the year when Sears started selling coins and did they come out with a yearly catalog?

Klif50 · July 9, 2020 6:05PM

In 1984 I used to go to the Sears Store in San Antonio, Texas. There was a coin/stamp area in the Sears, that covered about 3 cases plus display behind. They had a lot of stamps and I had subscriptions to several countries for new stamps. They didn't have a lot of coins and what they did have was a bit pricey, mostly Lincolns, Roosevelt's and Washington and a few modern commems. I stopped going in 1985 after my daughter was born and my funds dried up.

winesteven · July 9, 2020 6:13PM

I haven’t read all of the above posts, but as a kid growing up in NYC, I seem to remember many coins were sold at Gimbels department store.

mannie gray · July 10, 2020 10:34AM

I can't remember one in Sears but fondly recall a coin department in W.T. Grant's.
Famous&Barr (now Macy's) ?.....if they are still around ?.... in St. Louis used to have an extensive coin inventory and some nice coins too.

JimTyler · July 10, 2020 4:35PM

@messydesk said:
Did @CaptHenway once mention doing time at a coin kiosk at Marshall Field's in Chicago or am I thinking of something or someone else?

Marshall Fields did have coin shops. I use to go to the one in Oak Brook shopping center (Illinois)

NumisOxide · July 11, 2020 5:45AM

@1northcoin said:

@JBK said:

@PacificWR said:
Thanks for the reply. I was trying to pin down a timeline when this 1881-S Morgan Dollar was placed in the holder. My thought was sometime in the 60's, but that is just a guess based on the three red stamps used and no grade indicated.

I would agree with your assessment and here's why.

The red stampings were not done with a rubber stamp. Itl looks like a metal stamp due to the embossed effect of the letters - they are impressed into the cardboard.

I believe they were done with "slugs" made with a linotype machine, which was used to create type for printing newspapers and other
paper items.

Also, the ink is a bit spotty as might be expected when using metal type with an inkpad.

I looked it up and linotype machines were supposedly used into the 1980s but I doubt they were seen much by then.

In the 1970s my grandfather took me into the newspaper office that his father used to own and the owners at that time let him sit down at the machine and type me out a metal slug with my name on it. That was a small town paper and I think the machine was a dinosaur even then.

Thanks for sharing. I recall as either a Cub Scout or Boy Scout visiting our local paper. Late 50s or early 60s. The Linotype operator typed out something on a metal slug for each of us (probably our names) which we got to take home as a souvenir. Someday I may even locate it in some old storage box.

Interesting. My father worked for the New York Daily News from the mid 1970's to the mid 1990's as a Proof Reader until being laid off. I have a few different lead slugs he made, mostly family member names. He also gave me his Daily News font reference book, which is neat.

metalmeister · July 11, 2020 9:11AM

I was always in the tool section back in the 80's when I built my tool collection. Still use them all!
Neat stories about coin shops in big box stores back in the day.

golden · July 11, 2020 1:03PM

My early Whitman folders ( 35 cents ) came from Woolworths. Don't remember seeing any coins for sale.

PacificWR · July 11, 2020 1:48PM

Thanks for the feedback guys. Great info.

BustDMs · July 12, 2020 10:53AM

There was an Elmer Sears who did business in that time frame.

Sears Coin Shop

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