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 Replies: 13 / Views: 340 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4742 Posts |
So what are your thoughts on foreign coin lots on eBay? I decided I am going to start collecting 1 coin from each country in a size range of between a nickel and a small dollar size...denomination doesn't matter. This offer I saw 100 assorted coins for $20 and free ship. Is that a good value?
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Valued Member
Canada
85 Posts |
I recommend buyer bulk lots in the pound. $20 USD is WAY to much for 100 coins. You can usually find people selling them for $7 to $10 a pound. Just do a quick search online and you will be on your way.
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Valued Member
Russian Federation
190 Posts |
In my opinion, coins that are sold in a bunch (especially in such a large number) have a very low cost and it is difficult to find coins in good condition (AU-UNC). So I would recommend looking for specific coins for your task.
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Valued Member
Canada
85 Posts |
Slerk I agree, but It depends what TheForce wants to collect. If he wants to just collect a coin for every country then that would be simple, but if he's looking for certain year and grades, that's when it gets expensive and difficult. I recommend choosing a year, for example 1960, and then collect a coin from each country of that year. It will look more professional and neat IMO
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20085 Posts |
I say no. Every time I've seen those almost all coins were worn to the point of garbage.
just carl
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Moderator
United States
96038 Posts |
I would wait for the next time you feel safe to go to a coin show where you can rummage through the numerous "bulk boxes" available.
This may cost more than a "by the pound" offering, but you will enjoy a hunt while only buying the coins you want.
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Valued Member
Canada
85 Posts |
Bulk bins are always fun, you can always find things for great deals. If you want to start now maybe try boardwalknumismatics.com, they sell great coins but they are rather pricey.
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Valued Member
United States
426 Posts |
I only buy foreign coins from every country from the date 1962.. So bulk buying for me wouldn't work. But I do get to pick and choose what I want.
"Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn." -Benjamin Franklin
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
11374 Posts |
If you're not necessarily looking for uncirculated coins or specific years, then bulk lots can get you a decent way into your project. $20 is too much for 100 coins, though, in my opinion. I think somewhere around $0.10 per coin is okay.
You will probably end up getting a lot of duplicates of certain types, like demonetized 20th-century francs and lira.
In Memory of Crazyb0
12-26-1951 to 7-27-2020 In Memory of Tootallious
3-31-1964 to 4-15-2020 "If we continue to accumulate only power and not wisdom, we will surely destroy ourselves." -Carl Sagan
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Valued Member
United States
168 Posts |
When my father was alive, and making the coin shows, he would put together bags of 100 coins from 100 countries. Not sure if he sold them or gave them to kids to get them started collecting. Since most foreign coins weren't overly expensive, and I traveled around the world for 30 years picking up this and that, he was able put together respectable bags without much effort. The high grade coins went into 2x2s and have passed to me. They will go to my son after my addiction wains. The collection stands at a little over 3500 coins, so it can be truly a fun and inexpensive history lesson. BTW, I really didn't like history classes in school. Coins make everything better.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4379 Posts |
I agree with all the cautions above, and I like what @justcarl and @jbuck had to say. .
The foreign coin bin at my LCS is 20 cents/coin, same as your offer of $20 for 100 coins, BUT I GET TO SELECT WHAT I WANT! thereby avoiding all those duplicate francs, lire, pfennigs, drachmas, etc.
They were still open until quite recently when some employees needed to quarantine, and they no longer had enough staff to run the store in normal mode.
$20 is not a large investment, so you might give it a shot anyhow and see how it goes. But don't set your expectations high (i.e. given duplicate countries, you might wind up paying $0.50 to 1.00 per country). And you could probably get a lot of your countries from CCF members!
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4742 Posts |
Thanks all. I'm not necessarily going for UNC but decent circulated. What I have so far are different dates and coins from my roll searches and CoinStar reject tray grabs.
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Valued Member
Russian Federation
190 Posts |
tdziemia, I agree with you. We really want to do a coin collection from forum members. This would be a great activity for the participants.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
17230 Posts |
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Replies: 13 / Views: 340 |
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Posted 01/25/2021 1:31 pm
