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I took 3+ hours off yesterday and snooped in 4 shops...............
SanctionII
Posts: 13,088 ✭✭✭✭✭
..................here is summary of my coin shop excursion.
I had a busy January. Yesterday morning I had court hearings and other things to do in the morning and early afternoon. I finished about 1:00 p.m. and thought "more work at the office" or "have a little fun stopping by local shops".
I chose the latter for a "mental health break".
First shop - had not been there for quite a long time. Small, tucked away, grungy and very informal. The proprietor recognized me and we chatted. He said he had no early proof sets. He showed me a box of type set coins which I rifled through [I am filling holes in a 7070 album] but saw nothing of interest. I next looked in a box with a hodge podge of coins in cardboard holders. Only one interested me. A 1930 P cent, MS condition with a very attractive, multi colored obverse and a more muted multi colored reverse [with some carbon spots that lower its grade]. A great upgrade coin to replace the 1930 P circulated coin in my Lincoln Dansco. $3.00 and the coin is mine.
Second shop - had not been there for about 6 weeks. A large shop dealing in coins and other stuff. They always let me look through proof and SMS sets. I have found some nice stuff at this shop. The had new singles in their cases and new proof and SMS sets in stock. I saw a nice 1926 S toned and circulated Lincoln cent, probably VF. It looks much nicer than the low end 1926S in my Dansco. Bought it. The coin looks nice in the Dansco, showing off nice color and a VF look [though I hope to upgrade to an AU or low MS RB cent someday]. Next I looked through new proof and SMS sets. Found a 65 SMS set with a CAM/DCAM nickel. Bought it and later cut out the nickel. Very nice coin out of the cello and IMHO a great cherrypick. I also found a 1964 proof set with an Accented Hair half. The reverse is CAM. The obverse at best has light frost on the devices. I bought the set and will probably not cut out the half and sell it intact [anyone interested?, if so, PM me]. I also found a 1961 proof set with a CAM/DCAM quarter. Bought the set, cut out the quarter and have a very, very nice quarter. Another very nice cherrypick. Also the set contains a half with a CAM/DCAM obverse and a brilliant reverse [bummer, but I bought the set for the quarter and the half is a bonus]. I also saw two 1953 proof sets. One set has a lock CAM half that does not show any hairlines through the cello envelope. It is lightly hazed so hairlines could lay hidden under the haze. The other set has a CAM nickel and a CAM cent which has vibrant, light multicolored toning on both sides of the cent. A very nice half, nickel and cent in the two sets. I am pondering whether to buy them,...................hmmm,............. what to do. I will decide next week when I am back in the area of the shop on business. Total spent, about $60.00.
Third shop - I helped out the owner recently and he said he will keep a look out for nice stuff for me. A large shop dealing with coins and other stuff. I stopped by just to say hi and snoop. He did not have any early, raw MS Lincolns for my Dansco. He let me look through proof and SMS sets. Did not find anything of great interest, however I found a 1970 set with a CAM/DCAM half and two 1972 sets with very nice CAM/DCAM halfs and 4 coins being CAM. The owner gave these three sets to me as a gift. Very thoughtful of him.
Fourth shop - I have known this owner for a while and also helped him recently. A smaller shop dealing with coins and other stuff. Had not been to the shop in 3-4 months. Stopped by to say hi. Saw a very attractive raw 1877 Indian Head Cent. Would like to have one, but do not have the spare cash laying around and would not buy one of these coins raw. Saw a 1929 S AU/low MS Lincoln and looked through a number of proof sets. Found a 1971 set with a CAM/DCAM half and a CAM/DCAM dime. The owner gave me the 1929 S cent and the 1971 proof set as a gift. Very thoughtful of him.
I then left left shop #4 with the goodies and ended up having some excitement.
First, I started heading home and drove by shop #5, planning to stop by. It was closed.
A mile or so down the road from shop #5 a compact car about 8-10 years old passed me by going probably 70mph, followed by 5-6 police cars with lights and sirens blazing. I pulled over and up ahead the car started having problems. It tried to turn right at an intersection and did not make it. It stopped [mechanical malfunction, blown tire or simply hit a curb] and the driver jumped out. 5-6 other police cars with lights and sirens blazing also passed me by. The guy tried to run. He did not get far. The cops piling out of the 10-12 police cars must have been at least 20 some with guns drawn. At least 7-8 cops were out of their cars and on the suspect like a fly on honey. He struggled but at least he was not stupid enough to pull a knife or gun. I pulled out into the roadway and drove forward. I passed the scene where the guy was on the ground, covered with cops who knew exactly how to immobilize him. They were cuffing the guy as I went by. I do not know hat he did, but he must have done something bad to cause 10-12 police cars to pursue him.
Got home about 4:30 p.m. after stopping by the store to pick up stuff for a family meal. Did not go into the office and am glad of that.
Nothing of major excitement and no super rarities were found by me. However I did pick up some nice coins for little money and am mulling over the 2 1953 proof sets (buy both, take the CAM half, cent [the cent really intrigues me as does the half if it has no harilines] and nickel, plus the best quarter and dime and sell the remaining 5 coins as a set?).
All in all a nice way to spend a few hours in the afternoon on 1-31-2007.
I had a busy January. Yesterday morning I had court hearings and other things to do in the morning and early afternoon. I finished about 1:00 p.m. and thought "more work at the office" or "have a little fun stopping by local shops".
I chose the latter for a "mental health break".
First shop - had not been there for quite a long time. Small, tucked away, grungy and very informal. The proprietor recognized me and we chatted. He said he had no early proof sets. He showed me a box of type set coins which I rifled through [I am filling holes in a 7070 album] but saw nothing of interest. I next looked in a box with a hodge podge of coins in cardboard holders. Only one interested me. A 1930 P cent, MS condition with a very attractive, multi colored obverse and a more muted multi colored reverse [with some carbon spots that lower its grade]. A great upgrade coin to replace the 1930 P circulated coin in my Lincoln Dansco. $3.00 and the coin is mine.
Second shop - had not been there for about 6 weeks. A large shop dealing in coins and other stuff. They always let me look through proof and SMS sets. I have found some nice stuff at this shop. The had new singles in their cases and new proof and SMS sets in stock. I saw a nice 1926 S toned and circulated Lincoln cent, probably VF. It looks much nicer than the low end 1926S in my Dansco. Bought it. The coin looks nice in the Dansco, showing off nice color and a VF look [though I hope to upgrade to an AU or low MS RB cent someday]. Next I looked through new proof and SMS sets. Found a 65 SMS set with a CAM/DCAM nickel. Bought it and later cut out the nickel. Very nice coin out of the cello and IMHO a great cherrypick. I also found a 1964 proof set with an Accented Hair half. The reverse is CAM. The obverse at best has light frost on the devices. I bought the set and will probably not cut out the half and sell it intact [anyone interested?, if so, PM me]. I also found a 1961 proof set with a CAM/DCAM quarter. Bought the set, cut out the quarter and have a very, very nice quarter. Another very nice cherrypick. Also the set contains a half with a CAM/DCAM obverse and a brilliant reverse [bummer, but I bought the set for the quarter and the half is a bonus]. I also saw two 1953 proof sets. One set has a lock CAM half that does not show any hairlines through the cello envelope. It is lightly hazed so hairlines could lay hidden under the haze. The other set has a CAM nickel and a CAM cent which has vibrant, light multicolored toning on both sides of the cent. A very nice half, nickel and cent in the two sets. I am pondering whether to buy them,...................hmmm,............. what to do. I will decide next week when I am back in the area of the shop on business. Total spent, about $60.00.
Third shop - I helped out the owner recently and he said he will keep a look out for nice stuff for me. A large shop dealing with coins and other stuff. I stopped by just to say hi and snoop. He did not have any early, raw MS Lincolns for my Dansco. He let me look through proof and SMS sets. Did not find anything of great interest, however I found a 1970 set with a CAM/DCAM half and two 1972 sets with very nice CAM/DCAM halfs and 4 coins being CAM. The owner gave these three sets to me as a gift. Very thoughtful of him.
Fourth shop - I have known this owner for a while and also helped him recently. A smaller shop dealing with coins and other stuff. Had not been to the shop in 3-4 months. Stopped by to say hi. Saw a very attractive raw 1877 Indian Head Cent. Would like to have one, but do not have the spare cash laying around and would not buy one of these coins raw. Saw a 1929 S AU/low MS Lincoln and looked through a number of proof sets. Found a 1971 set with a CAM/DCAM half and a CAM/DCAM dime. The owner gave me the 1929 S cent and the 1971 proof set as a gift. Very thoughtful of him.
I then left left shop #4 with the goodies and ended up having some excitement.
First, I started heading home and drove by shop #5, planning to stop by. It was closed.
A mile or so down the road from shop #5 a compact car about 8-10 years old passed me by going probably 70mph, followed by 5-6 police cars with lights and sirens blazing. I pulled over and up ahead the car started having problems. It tried to turn right at an intersection and did not make it. It stopped [mechanical malfunction, blown tire or simply hit a curb] and the driver jumped out. 5-6 other police cars with lights and sirens blazing also passed me by. The guy tried to run. He did not get far. The cops piling out of the 10-12 police cars must have been at least 20 some with guns drawn. At least 7-8 cops were out of their cars and on the suspect like a fly on honey. He struggled but at least he was not stupid enough to pull a knife or gun. I pulled out into the roadway and drove forward. I passed the scene where the guy was on the ground, covered with cops who knew exactly how to immobilize him. They were cuffing the guy as I went by. I do not know hat he did, but he must have done something bad to cause 10-12 police cars to pursue him.
Got home about 4:30 p.m. after stopping by the store to pick up stuff for a family meal. Did not go into the office and am glad of that.
Nothing of major excitement and no super rarities were found by me. However I did pick up some nice coins for little money and am mulling over the 2 1953 proof sets (buy both, take the CAM half, cent [the cent really intrigues me as does the half if it has no harilines] and nickel, plus the best quarter and dime and sell the remaining 5 coins as a set?).
All in all a nice way to spend a few hours in the afternoon on 1-31-2007.
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Comments
I honestly don't know what's more exciting: Seeing a perp run and get collared or having FIVE coin shops close to where I live. All I have is a rip-off shop in the local mall that buys coins and bullion for a song and sells it for a fortune. Not much difference between these guys and the fellow the cops got a hold of I'd imagine - except he probably uses a gun to hold up his victims.
If you like coins, living in an area with lots of shops to visit is a definite plus.
WTB: Barber Quarters XF
For me to hit 5 B&M shops I would have to take a couple of days off.
“In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock." - Thomas Jefferson
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