Renting A Table To Sell Your Coins At A Show?

$70-$100 a table at small shows by me . Thought about it a few times but I have devoted almost my whole life to my coins ,don't want to see a good portion of them gone in one day .

I have moved this topic to the main forum so it gets broader attention.

I sold at coin shows for many years. Renting a table is only the start of the cost. You'll need display cases (can't leave coins on a table open to the public), good lighting, cost of travel, food, etc. Best to have someone with you that you trust so that you can take bathroom breaks. Then there is security. If you have anything of great value thieves have been known to follow dealers after the show and hit them when they stop somewhere for food or gas.
Your best bet is selling on the Internet, either ebay, eCrater or another such site. It's more cost effective, you'll have a bigger audience, and in the safety of your own home.

I live fairly close to a monthly show that usually has 20 to 30 dealers setup, most of whom are part-timers and collectors trying to disperse their holdings. I don't know the exact table rates but I'm fairly sure it is in the $50-100 range per table. Often I shocked by how little some dealers have out on their tables (both quantity & quality) but it must work out for them to keep doing it. You will have to decide if you want to sell to dealers at discounted rates or hold out for collectors.

GR58 had a topic on this subject not too long ago I think. You may want to read the insights on that thread.

Here you go...

http://goccf.com/t/326995

In Michigan table costs are about $65/show. I don't see it as do ebay/online or shows. Why not do both?

So much depends on where your at and if you have help. By me we have about 3 to 4 coin shows a Month and usually all on Sundays. Tables rent for $50 a day. You have to supply your own lighting if necessary, display cases, have enough change for people with large bills. It is not necessary for a person next to you to watch your property so you should have a helper so you can go to a washroom or get a cup of coffee. You need some type of cabinet or something to bring it all in at one time. Flea markets are not a great place for selling coins. At one large one a dealer had several display cases on a table full of coins. Kids came by and grabbed one of the display cases and ran off with it. He knew if he chased them, others would have probably taken the rest. He and many other coin dealers after that never came back there. For small amounts of coins, possibly ebay or here would be best.

Just a couple thoughts from a small potatoes part time dealer. My wife and I do local and small regional shows a couple times a year. The table costs are reasonable ($50-$70 for the smaller shows). We picked up some used display cases several years ago and they didn't cost a lot ans still work fine.

There are quirks with the smaller shows. Foot traffic is sometimes weak. The shows sometimes are competing with other shows, like gem and mineral shows or art shows. The cross traffic at those shows is interesting. Security at smaller shows can be weak. (Mr. Smith and Mr. Wesson provide ample additional security, though.) The local shows have a lot of regulars, and we've always had good luck with people we know (including longtime customers or sponsoring club members) who are willing to keep an eye on things for bathroom breaks. Most shows have fast food places onsite or nearby and some of the bigger shows even have food carts or caterers.

Frankly the biggest hazard with any show is coming back with more inventory than we brought. My wife helps curb that risk (she can have a fairly strong way of saying "no" without speaking), but I still buy at the shows, too. The horse trading with other part time dealers is fun and productive.

We don't always bring a lot of inventory. Controlling what we bring controls the size of table we need and the setup time. It depends on the show and on the type of foot traffic we expect. We do bring plenty of cards and take lots of email addresses for followup.

Start small. Do a local club show with people you know. It's fun, even if it isn't a big money maker.