Another Question About Where To Buy Coins

ebay is perfectly safe to buy from and the overwhelming majority of listings are honest. There's actually more risk selling than buying on ebay.

That said if you avoid things that are to good to be true such as what looks like a windfall profit, don't just always necessarily get the cheapest thinking it's the best deal, avoid raw coins of value, and avoid sellers from China (or international sellers entirely while being new) you will eliminate the overwhelming majority of bad listings.

I don't use ebay. Its just not a place I think the average deal is good. Unless you know the prices a lot I see on ebay (especially Buy It Now) are at inflated prices. For me the best prices I found are local coin shops. I found another website (but you can't post it on here) that I've gotten some good coins at good prices. I also found a dealer in Indiana that has all the key date coins that I can't find locally and they always are willing to negotiate prices. So for me its locally first. I have a friend that also collects and I also get from him, but he sells me his rejects (not that they are bad, but they aren't MS60+ and I don't generally buy MS60+ ;) )

We have a festival in Mt.Sterling Ky in October ,Called October Court Days.
Draws a big crowd and there some
Vendors and just regular people that
sell coins,I have got some good deals
On some coins there.

I have bought complete sets of proof coins 1955-2017, silver proof sets from 1992-2017, mint sets 1959-2017 as well as many uncirculated coins from 1943-1958 through ebay sellers and a local coin shop. I have had no issues with the local shop, and only three lost orders ordering from ebay sellers. The most recent years 2018 and 2019 have come from the Mint. When I was last in the hobby in the 1970s and early 1980s, the local shop was the best alternative. The world has changed, for the better in this case.

Check your local newspaper (or internet site) for auctions or estate sales.
You can see the coins your bidding on, but most of the time you have to pay with cash.

Again PayPal and ebay fees are for SELLERS not buyers. Buyers pay 0 fees.

You are far more likely to encounter a problem on ebay as a seller than you are as a buyer. The overwhelming majority of fake coins or scams are very easy to sniff out and people either just didn't take a couple seconds to check or got greedy and thought they were going to get a windfall profit/too good to be true coin.

As much as I dislike many of the policies ebay has implemented against sellers, it is a perfectly safe and legitimate place to buy




The tax situation is no different at a show than it is online, you are either supposed to pay them or you aren't. If a dealer wants to play with fire and break the law not doing taxes at shows that's just foolish on their part.

As far as why people don't go to shows more it's quite simple, the majority of shows and small local dealers at those shows aren't worth even looking at their inventory. Between the overgraded coins, doctored coins, coins cracked out of details slabs being sold as problem free etc there is generally a much higher percentage of trap coins at a local or regional show than there is online.

There is also a smaller inventory, if you're young or younger many dealers will treat you poorly and try and rip you off if they even give you the time of day. Most better coins are cheaper online that at shows as well. I can't even count how many AG 3 1806 quarters I've seen being sold for 400-500 at shows when they go for about $300 online. Granted show pricing will be different in different parts of the country

That said there are good dealers at most shows though the percentage is generally pretty low. You just have to be careful and remember that just because someone has a table or is a dealer doesn't mean they're honest

There are some dealers who play with fire by not paying taxes. But over the long-haul, these people will pay a price for living in the underground economy (no social security for retirement, heavy penalties for cheating on taxes, inability to buy a home because they can't show any taxable income). Also, these dealers are probably the same dealers over-grading their coins and taking advantage of unknowledgeable beginning collectors or collectors who have never learned how to grade coins and spot counterfeits and/or damaged (details) coins cracked out of a holder. Find a dealer who pays taxes and has been in business a long time and has a reputation for treating collectors fairly on grade and price. As others have said, do your due diligence.