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gary1218
Valued Member
United States
62 Posts
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When you head off to a coin show do you have a convenient pricing guide you take along with you? Or do you just have all the prices for all coins in all the different grades memorized 
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Pillar Of The Community
Canada
3007 Posts |
I have the the numismedia "app" (It's actually just a mobile version of their website) on my phone. As well as eBay (to look up completed listings) and PCGS Photograde. |
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Moderator
United States
17295 Posts |
I keep most of the current prices in my want list. I can access my want list (PDF), NumisMedia, and eBay from my Android phone.  Jbuck! ... Coin Collector since 1978 ... Learn about my Avatar here!
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Moderator
United States
11755 Posts |
CDN on my phone and Numismedia.
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Pillar Of The Community
Australia
6475 Posts |
Price lists on apps should help to get rid of some of the rip offs at shows.
If both the dealer and buyer consult their app for the current price, a deal where both are satisfied with can be more easily negotiated. May take a little more time per deal.
It is really a bit like TPP. (Third Party Pricing)
Wouldn't go down well in a bazaar in the Middle East.
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Pillar Of The Community
United States
1603 Posts |
I don't have a 'smart' cell phone, just a old-fashioned one. So, I research the prices for whatever coins I'm after and I take my notes with me. But I don't make huge project out of it because I usually shop for just two or three things.
It wasn't that long ago when I thought that 'mint error' meant that something was wrong with my candy.
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Pillar Of The Community
United States
860 Posts |
I do the same as Buddy......Shop for less then 5 coins so I can lock in my searching.
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Pillar Of The Community
Canada
1722 Posts |
What I do is if Im going to the coin store to get a specific coin I grab my phone and take a pic of the price guide pic with all the grades and value.
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Pillar Of The Community
United States
11093 Posts |
I go to coin shows all the time and over the years I've found that regardless of having any price list with you, it really doesn't matter. If a dealer says he wants $10 for a coin, yes you can haggle him down. But to say in my price list it is only $5, usually the dealer will say just find someone with that coin for that price. If you want to waste time arguing about what his prices are compared to any price guide, you'll usually loose.
Showing any price list to almost any dealer is basically useless. Yes it does allow you to know what a coin may, should, could, might be worth but if you can't get it for that price, just a useless price list. All such guides are just that, GUIDES. I've found over the years that the best thing is to know what I think a coin is worth to me. I also walk around comparing prices on any coins I'm interested in. I've made many lists for what I think I'll look for and usually always leave that list at home.
I'm not knocking price guides to take to a coin show, I just have never found one to be of any use.
just carl
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Moderator
United States
17295 Posts |
Quote:
So, I research the prices for whatever coins I'm after and I take my notes with me. But I don't make huge project out of it because I usually shop for just two or three things. This was my method before I got a smart phone. My travel list was more focused and small enough to keep in my wallet. But even with the smart phone, I still make an effort to focus on a small set of items when I go to the coin show. This helps because my time is more limited these days.
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Valued Member
United States
257 Posts |
@just carl, Great advice. From my 20+ years of experience, dealers at coin shows seem to resist haggling by making a price guide reference. However, a twist on this logic is finding a dealer that has multiple items you want and buying in bulk. Show a dealer $50 and they will scoff at haggling.  Show a dealer $1,000 and you have their full attention.  |
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Posted 03/12/2012 3:09 pm
