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Replies: 22 / Views: 669 |
Pillar of the Community

United States
4377 Posts |
Poll Question
Some recent threads have asked WHAT KIND of collector you are, of what your collecting GOALS are.
This poll asks HOW do you most often acquire your coins?
Since 2020 was an oddball year due to COVID, please consider the years before 2020 to choose which avenue you use most frequently for adding coins to your collection.
Since I am a collector of older world coins, my answer is Auctions - World... that is, most of my coin purchases the last few years come from auctions held outside the U.S., though I also buy some from online retailers.
Edited by tdziemia 01/23/2021 8:47 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3077 Posts |
I'm probably in the minority but I do 50% of my purchases locally. I use eBay about 25% and other online stores about 20%, the other 5% is buying from other people or from classifieds.
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Pillar of the Community
Russian Federation
3389 Posts |
I'm not sure if that's the correct ratio (it probably isn't), but in my mind it groups like this: 85% local coin stores and shows (including "local" stores/shows in areas I happen to travel to), 8% gifts from my father (not sure if that counts as inheritance, donations, or something else), 4% other gifts, 2% roll hunting, 1% online (not eBay).
The last 12 months had a lot more gifts from father and a lot less LCS visits than usual, but I think I still got much more stuff from the stores than from dad. (Seriously, why does he keep giving me random modern coins? Half the time I already have those anyway.)
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1457 Posts |
Almost exclusively coin roll hunting. All about modern errors and varieties.
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Pillar of the Community

United States
8282 Posts |
Can I just answer yes? I buy from LCS, eBay, other online sites, Auction Houses, CRH (when I have time).
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2965 Posts |
The poll only permits one selection--several options apply to me.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
963 Posts |
Remember, the question is HOW do you most often acquire your coins?. I also use various ways to find the coins I'm looking for, but I MOST OFTEN use eBay (maybe 90% or so).
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
8104 Posts |
Numerically in 2019 I acquired more coins from circulation when travelling abroad than by any other method, but my last trip abroad was to Costa Rica in March 2020. In the past year most of my additions have come firstly from trade with other CCF members and secondly from my local coin shop during the periods when it's been open for trade. I've bought a handful of coins on eBay and got some new UK issues by ordering from The Royal Mint.
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Bedrock of the Community

United States
14868 Posts |
I buy from coin shows and e-Bay , I will not buy from online dealers that do not have photos of their coins for sale . 
Proud Member of The Black Sheep Squadron ! In Memory of Fallen Black Sheep Mates .
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Pillar of the Community
United States
597 Posts |
In 2020 I bought most often from eBay, but that was mainly because I didn't know about other sources such as Great Collections and Heritage and I didn't want to visit LCS due to COVID-19. Recently however, I have checked out a few LCS and noticed they mostly have lower grade coins (G to F) which is not what I am looking for. I do find more and more online coin shops though that I tend to check out before heading to the larger auction websites.
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Moderator

United States
18642 Posts |
I bought a token from eBay a few weeks ago and that was my first numismatic purchase from the 'bay in several years I think. Most everything I buy comes from OUS auctions.
"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
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3817 Posts |
Local coin stores and small/regional coin shows and occasionally local auctions.
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Pillar of the Community

United States
4377 Posts |
Thanks for responses thus far.
@grape and @ijn, as @attic points out, even if you buy through several channels, you should just pick out the most frequent. So if you buy 35% from LCS, 25% from eBay, 20% from online retailers and and bits here and there from CRH and auctions, you would answer LCS.
That may not seem like an answer that accurately represents you pattern, but ...
@NumisRob. That's a big OOPS on my part that I did not list as an option "from circulation." I've fixed it by combining with CRH (as it seems these are both coins in circulation?)
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3989 Posts |
In 2020 (when it came to coins) most of my time was spent organizing and labeling my collection for when they get passed down and I'm gone. Used gold,silver,red,yellow and green stickers so my girl would know which have value and how much also which ones can be spent so another collector can find and then there are some which will be given away (contest time here on CCF..  ) However I did buy around 20 coins from eBay and the US mint. Haven't visited my LCS since early 2020...  ..California and the stupid shut-downs. 2021 will be smarter buys with value and more reading for knowledge. I guess you could break down my buys...eBay 40%, LCS 30% (miss talking to Vic) US Mint 20% and then On-line auctions 10% Forgot about CRH...been hoarding (and will be hoarding) my change and boxes from my bank to check during retirement years,still some years away but hay why not store them up before someone else finds them.
If it's not hockey, it's not a sport
Edited by Greasy Fingers 01/24/2021 12:10 am
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Pillar of the Community
New Zealand
2214 Posts |
Most of my purchases are off Trade Me, a New Zealand based online auction site (I don't trust ebay and its not popular here).
I also buy a lot off several friends who have retired friends wanting to sell their collections and 2 old lady friends who own a thrift shop and sell me all the coins for a donation.
Neither of these options is in the poll, then again NZ is one of the few countries which is not that affected by Coronavirus (That may change with a leaked community case).
Loving Halfcrowns. British and Commonwealth coins 1750 - 1950 and anything Kiwi. If it's round, shiny and silvery I will love it.
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New Member
Lithuania
36 Posts |
For me it's missing two key options - trading coins with other collectors worldwide - I did at least 50 trades in 2020 and getting newly released coins right from National Banks (valid for Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Poland, Ukraine) and also from mints. I rather a seller on eBay than buyer so getting coins from auctions would be a preferable option from the list.
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Replies: 22 / Views: 669 |
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