Coin Shows And Shops Vs The Internet?

If you know what you're about, you'll get better deals at a show than online even if you don't know the dealer. Cash talks because the 3% materially cuts into the dealer's margin, not because he's dishonest. Dealers want cash flow. Turnover. Numismatics is a low-margin business in most cases and inventory turn is more important than margin.

This...

And this...


I have never bought a coin online*. However, I do like to look, especially when there are no Active Topics at CCF (which lists our members' ebay sales), but I have never pulled the trigger.

Coin shows feel so much better to me.


* US Mint products excluded

scottk reminded me that yes; you can buy coins in your pajamas!

It's not a major reason to buy online, but helps sometime. Often I go days without wearing pants! Of course, coin show dealers don't care either if you wear pajamas to an event; as long as your pj's have pockets for your money.

This is just a great thread , with lots of good opinions and thoughts. Another thing that popped into my mind is the hobby is going to need new blood as us old codgers retire or go to the Smithsonian in the sky. Young people today interact much differently than us of the Baby Boom generation. They have grown up on line and communicate on what us older folk would call an odd level! Look at this CCF forum , there is an incredible mix of youth and veteran people interested in coins. The young people today want and demand instant gratification and the online experience gives that to them. Click a few keystrokes from viewing to check out and it is done! Another thing that all of us like , old and young, the excitement of a package arriving in the mail or by courier. Sort of the same excitement as unwrapping a present.
A local coin shop with a good owner is a wonderful place to visit. Great way to learn about the hobby and catch up on all the local gossip, numismatic and otherwise.But sadly these bricks and mortar shops are disappearing at a fast pace in our ever changing hobby.

Having been born during the Eisenhower administration, this newfangled Internet stuff was a bit of a task to adapt to initially. But from the moment it started, you could tell that it was going to change everything. That process is still happening - we're still sorting through and evolving what a place like Coin Community should and can be. Every day is still a surprise at just how much is possible with this amazing medium, and the only accurate estimate of what it's going to do to numismatics is that we haven't seen anything yet.

But it's a tide, and if you don't paddle with it you're not getting anywhere. A lot of dealers will be learning that lesson in the next few years. Small-scale brick and mortar coin stores aren't going to survive on their own without a city-size customer base.

I'll tell you a story scottk that I've told on this forum before. When I first started collecting I was 14 years old(1968). MY first real purchase was for 75 Morgan and Peace dollars for $500. I bought them from the local coin dealer who also became my mentor. These 75 Silver Dollars contained all the key and semi key dates including the 1893-S in Fine. I worked the whole Summer caddying carrying doubles for $10 a round (18 holes). You do the math, that was a lot of work. But I knew what I wanted and had been offered this deal by him....Since then I have always saved up money before I make purchases and I try to buy what I think is the best coin or usually multiple coins that seem like a good value and possible future realization of profit. I've always bought in person at a show or privately from coin collecting friends. I'm never in a hurry to buy coins as when I have been I've usually been somewhat disappointed. I tend to try to by higher graded coins when possible, I would rather have one real nice coin than 10 lower grade coins, this takes a lot of discipline, and hard knocks that I've learned along the way. This is my long term hobby and have been real satisfied with the results of my collection. I've also made many friends along the way.....With that said coin collecting is all about fun and each collector has to decide for themselves how they are going to approach this hobby.

I posted this coin in a different forum under a different subject line, but it seems appropriate here.

Here is a Gem Brilliant Unc beauty of a Morgan on your favorite auction site.



Let the bidding begin .......

Here is the exact same coin, in your hand at a coin shop or at a coin show.