Visited Five Coin Shops In Milan Today (4/03/2023).

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Roma2021 Pillar of the Community Italy 1130 Posts	Posted 04/03/2023 3:15 pm Hello everyone, Arrived in Milan this afternoon and visited five shops... Four of the five were typically terrible: 1) high end antique buyer ... Loads of display cases filled with heinously overpriced antiques; armed guard at the door... I was buzzed in and the man at the desk showed me two 1988 ASEs and a 64 Kennedy half. He weighed them and told the the three were €150! In Italian, I told him we weren't close; he asked how much I pay, I said €25 each on the eagles (I get these for €28-30 in Rome weekly) and €8 on the half. I then told him if he sells KHDs at €50, I could bring him 200 next week for half and he could make a fortune. He said no... He'd pay me €2 and told me that the building, guard, etc costs money. I left. 2) second shop ... Guy had a few 2023 ASEs at €50. 3) shop straight from the 70s... I imagine... Guy grunted at me and said he only has Italian coins. I asked what about the french coins in the window. He said only Italian. I left. 4) didn't exist despite Google maps saying otherwise. 5) last shop....I asked about american coins. The guy pulls out a box and pulls out a Franklin. I asked how much and told him depending on the price I would take everything he has. He said all halves at €7... So below are what I bought for €235... 1 21 Morgan 2 Franklin halves 3 walking liberty including a slicked 1917 1 merc dime 2 Washington quarters 1 1982 washington proof half dollar 24 Kennedy halves including about 4 Denver mints. He told me, clearly, that his box gets sent to the refiners every two months. These would all have been melted. I assume €7 is more than the melters pay. Curious first afternoon in Milan. I think I have exhausted the coin shops but I'll check him again on Friday. Thanks for listening... Like my Florence story, this forum appreciates these anecdotes more than my wife! Haha Best, R. Edited by Roma2021 04/03/2023 3:27 pm Report this Post to the Staff

jbuck Moderator United States 187446 Posts	Posted 04/03/2023 3:26 pm Nice batch! Coin Collector Since 1978 Avatar Old Avatar 7070 Eisenhower Australia Canada World CCF Members on eBay CCF eBay Search Engine Report this Post to the Staff
HondoB Bedrock of the Community United States 24873 Posts	Posted 04/03/2023 3:42 pm Wow, fantastic deal, Roma! If he sends his "box" to the refiner every 2 months, I would go back in six weeks! Inordinately fascinated by bits of metal with strange markings and figures Report this Post to the Staff
Dearborn Moderator United States 94614 Posts	Posted 04/03/2023 3:51 pm nice save of silver from the infernal furnace. however, I'm curious about that 1982 washington proof half dollar can you post up a close up of this one? both sides? Collecting since 1972. Learning from then on "Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn." - Benjamin Franklin 7070 type set coin count: 51/76 Uncirculated American Silver Eagles My American Silver Eagle Proof Collection Sacagawea Dollars Innovation Dollars Eisenhower-Dollars Kennedy-Half Dollars Washington-Quarters Roosevelt-Dimes Buffalo-Nickels 1938-2005 Jefferson-Nickels Lincoln-Cents Report this Post to the Staff
BadThad Bedrock of the Community United States 19930 Posts	Posted 04/03/2023 4:02 pm Nice save from the melt monster!!!! Lincoln Cent Lover! VERDI-CARE™ INVENTOR https://verdi.care/ Report this Post to the Staff
mcshilling Pillar of the Community Canada 9149 Posts	Posted 04/03/2023 4:18 pm Very nice buy, go back again? Report this Post to the Staff
Spence Moderator United States 34393 Posts	Posted 04/03/2023 4:27 pm @roma, can't remember off the top of my head whether I visited any shops in Milan when I was there last summer, but I did in Bologna. See this evergreen thread for info on coins shops around the world: https://www.coincommunity.com/forum...IC_ID=261670 "If you climb a good tree, you get a push." -----Ghanaian proverb "The danger we all now face is distinguishing between what is authentic and what is performed." -----King Adz Report this Post to the Staff
Roma2021 Pillar of the Community Italy 1130 Posts	Posted 04/03/2023 4:41 pm Thanks everyone. @dearborn - he wasn't sure about the 82 half and neither was I but it worked out like 29 x 7 = €203 Morgan = €20 Quarters x 2 = €8 Merc = €2 Quarter = €2 to get us to a €235 vs €233 I'd go back every week if I could but it's a 3 hour train from Rome. I'm here until Saturday and I will certainly be back in before then. He has some large silver world coins in the box too... I can't get the d*mn capsule open...but here it is... Report this Post to the Staff
Coinfrog Bedrock of the Community United States 94367 Posts	Posted 04/03/2023 9:50 pm Good travelogue, thanks! Report this Post to the Staff
Cdncoins Pillar of the Community Canada 999 Posts	Posted 04/04/2023 09:36 am Persistence pays off. Nice score! Report this Post to the Staff
ijn1944 Bedrock of the Community United States 19108 Posts	Posted 04/04/2023 10:29 am Fun report--great read. Someone should visit a major US metro area and report on coin shops found therein. Report this Post to the Staff
nickelsearcher Moderator United States 15381 Posts	Posted 04/04/2023 12:35 pm I enjoy reading about your US coin adventures in Italy. That 1982-S Washington half is indeed 90% silver. It is the first US commemorative coin in the 'Modern Series' and was at the time the first commemorative coin issued since the final Carver/Washington coin in 1954. Take a look at my other hobby ... http://www.jk-dk.art Report this Post to the Staff
Roma2021 Pillar of the Community Italy 1130 Posts	Posted 04/04/2023 3:29 pm Thanks everyone! I appreciate that you all appreciate these anecdotes. The nuance of these exchanges are lost on most people. What I find particularly strange is that in every Italian city I visit I get a lot of shops treating me like I have never seen or handled an American (or any) coin before. I'm treated like a provincial rube. I get offered €50 KHDs a lot. But I have always managed to find a shop that sells to me in at fair retail (€30 Morgans), some below retail (€8 halves), and at least one, like yesterday, in every Italian city, that will wholesale (below €7 halves) if I take everything. Most of the coins I buy come from the melt bin. I have no idea how much american silver is melted here, but I bought the dealer out yesterday; two months of walk in American silver. That is one shop, on one side street, in one city in Europe... I also cannot imagine american coins are entering the market here. If dealers are selling to me at €7-8 they aren't importing; those halves must have been here as a part of a collection or a collector's world silver or a stacker taking profit. Curious if 90% u.s. silver will run out here. Edited by Roma2021 04/04/2023 4:08 pm Report this Post to the Staff
MrPink2018 Pillar of the Community United States 2456 Posts	Posted 04/04/2023 10:34 pm what a great score & nice save! Report this Post to the Staff
Dearborn Moderator United States 94614 Posts	Posted 04/04/2023 11:21 pm Thanks for posting up that George W commem - that is a great looking coin. Collecting since 1972. Learning from then on "Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn." - Benjamin Franklin 7070 type set coin count: 51/76 Uncirculated American Silver Eagles My American Silver Eagle Proof Collection Sacagawea Dollars Innovation Dollars Eisenhower-Dollars Kennedy-Half Dollars Washington-Quarters Roosevelt-Dimes Buffalo-Nickels 1938-2005 Jefferson-Nickels Lincoln-Cents Report this Post to the Staff
jvcv_0 Valued Member United States 180 Posts	Posted 04/05/2023 07:51 am Thank you so much for saving these historical American coins from being melted and lost forever! Report this Post to the Staff
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