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Pacific Northwest Coin Road Trip (27 Coin Shops) + Visiting Dansco's Offices (March 17 - 22th 2025)

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Dearborn's Avatar
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 Posted 03/19/2025  08:13 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Dearborn to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
What is the name of your ebay store? I wouldn't taking a look there - as I buy quite a lot from the Bay.
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DanscoAlbumDude's Avatar
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 Posted 03/20/2025  03:26 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add DanscoAlbumDude to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
Day 3 Update: Four Cities, 258 Miles, Six Coin Ships, and A Pleasant Surprise

Today's Haul

Spend: $450
6 x Dansco Albums
3 x Dansco Folders
27 x Misc Dansco Pages
4 x Library of Coins Albums
1 x Vintage Whitman Folder
1 x Vintage Mehrig Album
15 x Wooden Nickels
2 lbs World Coins

Montana
Missoula
For a population of 77k, I was surprised that Missoula had four coin shops within 10 minutes of each other.

Treasure Coins
Was closed even though I visited during open business hours

Missoula Gold & Silver
Don't let the name fool you, this place offers more than bullion. I found a wide selection of US and world coins, medals, and tokens. The world coins are organized by country, and I was able to pick out a bunch to add to my foreign Dansco albums. All the rare coin albums are listed on ebay, but I was able to purchase world coins at a great price.


Grizzly Gold and Silver
The store primarily focused on bullion and Morgan dollars, with only a tiny selection of coin albums and no world coins I could find. They had large bins filled with loose Buffalo nickels and Indian Head Pennies, which could be a good way to keep children entertained while conducting business. Interestingly enough, they were giving away free miniature American flags on sticks. The store was right across the street from Missoula Gold & Silver Exchange.


Jem Shoppe Jewelers & Rare Coins
This place was more of a jewelry store more than a coin shop, although they showcased a limited selection of coins, including Morgan dollars and contemporary proof sets. There were no coin albums for sale.


Ponderay
Population: 1,956

Grunberg Schloss Collectors' Cabinet
Grunberg Schloss Collectors' Cabinet in Ponderay, ID, with a population of less than 2,000, became my favorite stop of day 3. Mark Gruner runs the shop and spent an hour talking with me about all things coin albums. He has a wealth of knowledge on coin albums and knew the owners of manufacturers such as Mehrig and Harco. He even let me go into the back room and see his personal numismatic library with 1000+ books and references.

There was an incredible assortment of coin-collecting supplies, including a massive wall of Whitman folders and Dansco albums/pages. Mark was in the process of bringing out inventory, so there were even more supplies in the back. They're not just a coin shop but a collectibles shop in every sense. I saw guns, ammo, jewelry, gardening supplies, and other knickknacks. They also had a vast collection of US coins along with some world silver coins. I was able to stock up on some Dansco inventory at great prices.

Mark was kind enough to let me record a short video about him and his shop.
qwU2GzuCJpg


If you're in the Ponderay, Spokane, or Coeur d'Alene area, I highly recommend checking this place out. It's the definition of a hidden gem tucked away in a small town.

Idaho
Coeur d'Alene
DJ's Coins & Collectibles
Forgot to take a photo

The owner, David, pulled out various foreign Dansco albums and a massive selection of Library of Coins albums. I wasn't thrilled that he pulled up ebay sold listings to price the albums at retail prices. I understand they weren't priced out yet, but I'm always put off when shops pull up ebay in front of me. It gives off a vibe of "How much money can I extract from you." I'm a dealer, so I get it, but it's not a great feeling. I know the Dansco market well enough to know if the albums are ones I could already buy on ebay right now.

Luckily, the rare albums he showed me aren't often available on ebay. I was thrilled to get a custom Dansco Silver Chinese Pandas album; it's the first custom album I've found on this road trip.


A Nice Surprise
After my initial post about my road trip, I received private messages from a few collectors with insights about their local coin markets. They advised me which coin shops to visit or avoid, including convincing me to take a detour to Grunbergs.

Today, I had the surreal experience of meeting two community members. It's one thing to talk with members online but another to meet them in person. I won't share their names to respect their privacy, but our meeting was memorable. One was a rare coin dealer who shared insights into his multi-million dollar business; the other was a vintage Whitman album collector who shared my passion for tracking rare albums.

Day 4 will be spent mainly in Spokane, with a quick stop in Seattle before heading to Sumas, WA, to visit Dansco's offices. A reminder to post any questions you'd like me to ask the owners of Dansco!

Day 4 stops

Spokane, WA
Eastern Washington
Red Line Coins

Everette, WA
Odyssey-2
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DanscoAlbumDude's Avatar
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 Posted 03/20/2025  03:29 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add DanscoAlbumDude to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
@Dearborn It's called the Dansco Dude Store on ebay :)

https://www.ebay.com/str/danscodude



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DanscoAlbumDude's Avatar
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 Posted 03/21/2025  02:45 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add DanscoAlbumDude to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
Day 4 Update: One City [Spokane, WA], 384 Miles, Four Coin Shops

After a seven-hour drive, I'm now in Sumas, Washington, to rest before visiting the Dansco offices tomorrow. Today was my most successful trip day so far; I found a rare Republic of Austria Continental Line album at a great price and a custom Dansco (Miscellaneous Silver Coins) for my collection.


Today's Haul
2 x Dansco Albums
4 x Vintage Whitman Bookshelf Albums
2 x Library of coins albums
4 x Vintage Whitman Folders
3 x Dansco Pages

Washington State
Spokane
Eastern Washington Coin Co.

This quaint shop, tucked away in a plaza, displayed mainly US coins. I didn't see any world coins. The owner, John, was friendly, and I got the sense that he was an honest dealer from listening to him chat with other customers. I spoke with him briefly while trying to find some oddball albums.


Coins Plus, Inc

When I arrived at noon on a Thursday, this modern-looking store was crowded; 11 customers were waiting on two busy employees. I had to wait 20 minutes to check out, but I was surprised by what I found: an entire wall covered with Dansco and Vintage Whitman Bookshelf albums and folders. There were over 50 vintage Whitman bookshelf albums, hundreds of Whitman folders, and a shelf full of Danscos. I even found a custom Dansco album!

All the customers were older, and I got the impression that the shop acquires many full albums from older collectors who are selling their coins. Since not many customers come in to buy albums, the shop has accumulated a ton of albums and folders. This place is a must stop for coin album collectors.


A-1 Coin Co.

Best shop I visited today. I had excellent service and had a crazy rare Dansco continental line album just sitting there on a shelf. Graham & Ryan run this incredibly friendly shop. Local collectors told me these guys have the best world coins in Spokane, and I could see why. They display a vast selection of world coins and have many more in the back room.

I was excited when I saw they had a red Austria Continental Line album on a bookshelf for $29. Graham heard I was moving to Portland, so he took his time to look up local coin shows and recommended which ones to attend. They don't have a web presence and have only tabled at one show in the last few years. This was indeed a local experience.


Red Line Coins

I was short on time and only had 10 minutes to check out this shop. The owner seemed friendly, and I noticed a lot of vintage Whitman bookshelf albums behind the counter. A local collector recommended this shop, not for its selection of coins but because the owner is approachable and shares his immense knowledge of coins with newer collectors.


Everett
Odyssey-2

I ran out of time to visit this shop, but I will check it out tomorrow.
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NumisEd's Avatar
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 Posted 03/21/2025  09:36 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add NumisEd to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
Is there a comprehensive list of all the "Continental Line" albums?
Edited by NumisEd
03/21/2025 09:37 am
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DanscoAlbumDude's Avatar
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 Posted 03/21/2025  11:18 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add DanscoAlbumDude to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
I made this comprehensive list last year. It'll list all the Continental I am aware of.

United States Albums

Half Cents
U.S. Half Cents (Custom)
Half Cents (#7098)

Cents
Large Cents: 1793-1857 (#7099)
Large Cents (Custom)
Indian Head cents (#7101)
Lincoln Cents: 1909-1958 (#7103)
Lincoln Cents: 1935- (#7106)
Lincoln Cents: 1909-1995 (#7100)
Lincoln Memorial Cents (#7102)
Lincoln Cents w/ Proof (#8100)
Lincoln Memorial Cents w/ Proofs (#8102)
Lincoln Cents Proof: 1965- (Custom)
Lincoln Shield Cents (#7104)
Lincoln Shield Cents w/ Proofs (#8104)

Two Cents
2 Cent, Nickel 3 Cent (#6108)
2 Cent, Nickel 3 Cent (Littleton Version)
2 Cent, 3 Cent, 20 Cent Pieces (Custom)

Three Cents
3 Cent Silver Pieces, 20 Cent Pieces (#6109)
3 Cent Silver Pieces, 20 Cent Pieces (Littleton Version)

Nickels
Nickels: 1883- (#7110)
Nickels: 1913- (#7115)
Shield nickels: 1866-1883 (#6110)
Shield nickels: 1866-1883 (Littleton Version)
U.S. Shield nickels (Custom)
Liberty nickels (#7111)
Buffalo nickels (#7112)
Jefferson nickels: 1939-2006 (#7113)
Jefferson nickels: 2006- (#7114)
Jefferson nickels: 1938-2005 w/ Proofs (#8113)
Jefferson nickels: 2006- w/ Proofs (#8114)

Dimes
Dimes: 1892- (#7120)
Dimes: 1916- (#7124)
Half Dimes (#6120)
Bust Dimes (#6121)
Liberty Seated dimes (#6122)
Liberty Dimes (#7121)
Mercury dimes (#7123)
Roosevelt dimes (#7125)
Roosevelt dimes: 1946- w/ Proofs (#8125)

Quarters
Bust Quarters (#6141)
U.S. Bust Quarters (Custom)
Liberty Seated quarters (#6142)
Liberty Head Quarters (#7130)
Liberty Standing quarters (#7132)
Liberty Quarters: 1892-1930 (#7131)
Washington quarters Clad Series: 1965- w/ Proofs (Custom)
Washington quarters: 1932-1998 (#7140)
Washington quarters: 1992- w/ Proofs (#8141)
Washington quarters: 1932-1998 w/ Proofs (#8140)
Statehood Commemorative: 1999-2008 (#7143)
Statehood Commemorative: 1999-2008 Date Set (#7146)
Statehood Commemorative: 1999-2003 w/ Proofs (#8143)
Statehood Commemorative: 2004-2008 w/ Proofs (#8144)
District of Columbia and U.S. Territorial Quarters: 2009 (#7144)
District of Columbia and U.S. Territorial Quarters: 2009 w/ Proofs (#8145)
American the Beautiful National Parks: 2010-2021 (#7145)
America's Beautiful National Parks: 2010-2015 w/ Proofs (#8146)
America's Beautiful National Parks: 2016-2021 w/ Proofs (#8147)
American Women Quarters: 2022-2025 (#7141)
American Women Quarters: 2022-2025 w/ Proofs (#8141)

Half Dollars
Early Half Dollars: Vol 1 1794-1822 (#6151)
Early Half Dollars: Vol 2 1823-1839 (#6151)
Early Half Dollars: Part II 1823-1839 (Littleton Version)
Bust Halves (Custom)
Liberty Seated half dollars (#6152)
Liberty Seated half dollars (Littleton Version)
Liberty Head Half Dollars (#7150)
Liberty Walking half dollars (#7160)
Liberty Walking half dollars: 1941-1947 (#7161)
Liberty Walking half dollars (Federal Coin Fund Version)
Half Dollars: 1948- (#7167)
Franklin half dollars (#7165)
Kennedy half dollars (#7166)
Kennedy half dollars: 1964-2011 w/ Proofs (#8166)
Kennedy half dollars: 2012- w/ Proofs (#8167)
Kennedy Silver Half Dollar Set (Custom)
America's Classic Silver Half Dollars (International Coins & Currency Version)

Dollars
Early Dollars: 1794-1803 (#6170)
Early Dollars: 1794-1803 (Littleton Version)
Early Dollars: 1794 - 1804 (Chinese Counterfeit)
Liberty Seated dollars (#6171)
Trade dollars (#6172)
Trade dollars (Littleton Version)
U.S. Trade dollars (Custom)
Trade dollars: 1873 - 1885 (Chinese Counterfeit)
Silver Dollar Date Set: 1878-1981 (#7172)
Silver Dollars: 1878-1893 (#7173)
Silver Dollars: 1894- (#7174)
Silver Dollars (#7177)
Morgan dollars: Date Set (#7171)
Morgan dollars: 1878-1890 (#7178)
Morgan dollars: 1891-1921 (#7179)
First Year of Issue - Morgan silver dollars (Federal Coin Fund Version)
America's Morgan silver dollars (International Coins & Currency Version)
Peace dollars (#7175)
Years of the Peace dollars (#7175)
Eisenhower dollars (#7176)
Eisenhower dollars w/ Proofs (#8176)
Susan B. Anthony (#7180)
Susan B. Anthony w/ Proofs (#8180)
Sacagawea dollars (#7183)
Sacagawea dollars w/ Proofs (#8183)
U.S. Presidential dollars (#7184)
U.S. Presidential dollars: 2007 - 2011 w/ Proofs (#8184)
U.S. Presidential dollars: 2012 - 2016 w/ Proofs (#8185)
U.S. Presidential dollars: Date Set (#7186)
U.S. Innovation One Dollar: 2018-2032 (#7188)
U.S. Innovation One Dollar: 2018 - 2024 w/ Proofs (#8188)

US Commemoratives
Commemorative Type (#7094)
Commemorative Coins Vol. 1 (#7095-1)
Commemorative Coins Vol. 2 (#7095-2)
Commemorative Type Half Dollars (#7061)
Commemorative Half Dollars (#7063)
Commemorative Type Dollars Vol. 1: 1983-2004 (#7062-1)
Commemorative Type Dollars Vol. 2: 2004- (#7062-2)
Commemorative Coins of the 1980s: Half Dollars and Dollars (#7097)
Commemorative Dollars Vol. 1: 1983-1994 (#7065)
Commemorative Dollars Vol. 2: 1995- (#7066)
Commemorative Dollars Vol. 2: 1995-2001 (#7065-2)
Commemorative Dollars Vol. 3: 2002- (#7065-3)
Contemporary Commemorative Proof Coinage (Custom)

Silver
The Mission Inn Silver Bar Collection (Custom)
Silver Strikes (#7003)
Silver Strikes (#7004)
Silver Rounds (#7084)
Silver Bars (#7085H)
Silver Bars (#7086V)
Silver: One Ounce - Una Onza (Roses Coins & Stamps Version)
Commemorative Two Ounce Rounds (Custom)
American Eagle Silver Dollars: 1986 - 2021 (#7181)
American Eagle Silver Dollars: 2021- (#7182)
American Eagle Silver Dollars:1986 - 2006 w/ Proofs (#8181)
American Eagle Silver Dollars: 2007 - 2020 w/ Proofs (#8182)

Gold
Gold 25 Cents (Custom)
Gold Dollars: 1849-1889 (Littleton Version)
Indian Head $10 Gold Eagle (Custom)
United States 1 oz Proof Gold Coins 1986 to Date (Custom)
United States Gold Type (Custom)

Sets, Series, & Currency
Coins (#7000)
Currency (#7001)
General U.S. Coins (#7080)
The Congressional Treasury Collection (Custom)
United States Year Sets (#7091)
United States Mint Sets (#7092)
U.S. Bicentennial Coinage (#7096)


Foreign Albums
Australia
Half Penny (#7330)
Penny (#7331)
Three-Six Pence (#7332)
Shilling (#7333)
Florin (#7334)
One-Two-Five-Ten Cents (#7335)
One-Two Cents (#7335)
Five-Ten Cents (#7336)
Twenty-Fifty Cents (#7338)
One-Two Dollars (#7339)
Five Cents (#7336-1)
Ten Cents (#7336-2)
Twenty Cents (#7338-1)
Fifty Cents (#7338-2)
One Dollar (#7339)
Two Dollars (#7340)
Gold Type Coins (Custom)
Type (#7337)
Australian Lunar Twelve Year Series I (Custom)
Australian Lunar Twelve Year Series II (Custom)
Australian Tourist Dollars (Custom)

Brazil
Brazil Patacao - 960 Reis (Custom)

Canada
Year Sets (Custom)
Small Cents (Custom)
Nickel (Custom)
Ten Cents (Custom)
Twenty-Five Cents (Custom)
Dollars: 1935-1972 (#7207)
Dollars: 1973- (#7208)
Trade Dollars (Custom)
Trade Dollars 1982 (Custom)
Silver Dollars (Custom)
Silver Maple Leaf (#7215)
Type (#7210)
Type: 1953- (#7211)

China
China Panda Silver Yuan (Custom)

European Union
Euro Coinage (#7400)

Fiji
Type (#7350)

Great Britain
Silver Britannias (Custom)

Guatemala
Type (#7230)

Hong Kong
Type (#7450)

Ireland
Farthing-Halfpenny-Penny (#7371)
Threepence-Sixpence-Shilling (#7372)
Florin-Halfcrown (#7373)

Israel
Agorot-Pound Series II: 1969-1975 (#I-110) (Nielsen Porter Version)
Type (#7600)
Type: 1948-1955 (#7601)

Japan
Type (#7460)

Mexico
1 Centavo (Custom)
Fifty Centavos (#7225)
Liberty Cap Peso (#7229)
One Peso (#7226)
1 Peso: 1918-1945 (Custom)
Two-Five Peso (#7228)
10-20-25-100 Peso (#7231)
Mexican Silver Dollars (Custom)
The Mexican Libertad (R.O.C.K. Version)
Libertad (#7232)
Type - Centavos Coins (#7220 Vol. I)
Type - Peso Coins (#7220 Vol. II)
Type (#7220)
8 Reales (Custom)
Colonial: 1513-1821 (Custom)
Gold Coinage: 1824-1959 (Custom)

New Guinea
Type (#7260)

New Zealand
Type (#7447)

Nicaragua
Type (#7235)

Palestine
British Mandate (#P-100) (Nielsen Porter Version)
British Mandate (Prototype)
British Mandate (Custom)

Panama
Panama: 1904-1962 (#7451)
Type (#7452)
Silver Balboas (Custom)

Philippines
Silver Peso 1903-1912 (Custom) Type Coinage (Custom)
The Philippines U.S. Territory (Custom)

South Africa
Crowns (Custom)

Switzerland
Swiss Confederation Type (#7500)

Foreign Misc

Crowns of the World (#7010)
Coins of the World (#7011)

United Nations F.A.O. Albums
Red - 1971
Dark Blue - 1972
Green - 1974
Grey - 1975
Light Blue - 1976
Brown - 1977
Red - 1978

Casino Chips & Gaming Tokens
Casino Chips (#7007)
Casino Chips (#7008)
Chips (C.T. Coins Version)
Domestic Gaming Tokens - 1965 (Franklin Mint version)
Domestic Gaming Tokens - 1966 (Franklin Mint version)
Domestic Gaming Tokens - 1967 (Franklin Mint version)
Domestic Gaming Tokens - 1967 - Five Dollar Tokens Vol.2 (Franklin Mint version)
Domestic Gaming Tokens - 1968 (Franklin Mint version)
Gaming Tokens (#7005)
Gaming Tokens (#7006)
Las Vegas (Custom)

Coins Clubs & Associations
Boeing Employees Coin Club Founded 1963 (Custom)
California Coin Club Medals (Custom)
California State Numismatic Association Medals (Custom)
Coin Club Medals (Custom)
Fremont Coin Club (Custom)
Hawaii State Numismatic Association (Custom)
Numismatic Association of Southern California (Custom)
Pacific Northwest Numismatic Association (Roses Coins & Stamps Version)
Red Rose Coin Club (Custom)
San Jose Coin Club (Custom)
Santa Cruz Coin Club (Custom)
Sociedad Numismatica De Mexico (R-155) (Roses Coins & Stamps Version)
Token & Medal Society (Roses Coins & Stamps Version)
Washington State Coin Clubs (Custom)
Wyoming Valley Historical Medals (Custom)

Continental Line Albums
Coin Stock Book
Coin Album
Australia Type
Austria Type
Canada Major Type Coins
Czechoslovakia Type
German Colonies Type
German Commemorative
Hong Kong Type Set
Kennedy half dollar
Luxembourg
Scandinavia Commemorative Coins
Switzerland Commemorative Coins
Thomason Medallic Bible (Franklin Mint Version)
U.S. Major Type Set
U.S. Type Coins
U.S. Morgan dollars

Medals
California Mission Medals (Custom)
Carson City Bicentennial Medals (Custom)
Cartoon Celebrity Series Vol 1 (DC Comics)
Desert Storm Coin Collection (Unauthorized Hutt River Principality Version)
Mother Goose Parade Medals (Custom)
Political Medalets I (Custom)
Political Medalets II (Custom)
Political Medalets III (Custom)
Political Medalets IV (Custom)
Political Medalets V (Custom)
Political Medalets (Custom)
So-Called Dollars I (Custom)
So-Called Dollars II (Custom)
So-Called Dollars III (Custom)
Statue of Liberty (Roses Coins & Stamps Version)
Space Medals (Custom)
Wildlife Medals (Custom)

Stamp Albums
5 Star World Explorer & 5 Star Little American (Custom)
Mint Sheets (Custom)
International Junior Postage Stamp Album - 1943 (Custom)
United States Stamp Album - 1951 (Custom)
General Stamp Album - 1953 (Custom)

Sports
Baseball Cards (#7015)
Basketball Cards (#7016)
Football Cards (#7017)
Football Cards (#7018)
Major League Baseball Silver Coins (MLB Version)
Olympics (Custom)
Wide World of Sports (Custom)

Tokens & Misc Exonumia
Bordello Tokens (Custom)
Civil War Tokens (Custom)
Condor Tokens I (Custom)
Condor Tokens II (Custom)
Conder Tokens III (Custom)
Condor Tokens IV (Custom)
Condor Tokens V (Custom)
Elongated Coins (Custom)
Love Tokens (Custom)
Monnaie De Paris 2000 (Custom)
Sales Tax Tokens (Custom)
Telephone Tokens Vol 1-3 (Custom)
Tokens (C.T. Coins Version)

Misc Albums
Colonial Coins (Custom)
Civil War Store Cards I (Custom)
Civil War Store Cards II (Custom)
Legacy (Custom)
Michaels Coin & Jewelry (Custom)
Triumphs One (Custom)
Triumphs Two (Custom)
Western Heritage (Custom)
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NumisEd's Avatar
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 Posted 03/21/2025  12:41 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add NumisEd to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
Thanks for that link, DanscoAlbumDude. Looking at it, the world coin album selection seems to be a bit random though. For example, there is an Austria album but not an Italy or France album?
Edited by NumisEd
03/21/2025 12:41 pm
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 Posted 03/21/2025  1:25 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add CollegeBarbers to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
Sounds like two more very successful days!

Can't wait to hear about your Dansco visit! I hope we get some answers to our questions.
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ijn1944's Avatar
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 Posted 03/21/2025  2:22 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add ijn1944 to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
Excellent summaries...gotta be fun out there!
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 Posted 03/22/2025  04:08 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add DanscoAlbumDude to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
Day 5 Update: Three Cities, 151 Miles, 4 Coin Shops, and a visit to Dansco



This was one of the best days in my numismatic career. Today, I had the privilege of visiting the Dansco Headquarters in Sumas, Washington, and it was everything I was hoping for. I'll write a more detailed write-up when I finish my coin road trip, but I wanted to share some quick highlights from my visit.

Leticia and Steve Bruce were kind enough to welcome me into their office. Even though it was their son's birthday and they were pressed for time, they gave me a full tour of their operations. I saw the entire production process up close. I saw how pages were made, employees putting albums together, gold foils applied to binders, and so much more.

I'd be lying if I said I didn't nerd out. Their office is located in an old grocery store. Former grocery lanes were converted into working tables for employees. The aisles and shelves held THOUSANDS of pages and albums ready for print and production.

Dansco truly is a family-run operation. It has been under the same family control since its founding in 1937. I discovered that the Bruce family founded the company from the very beginning.

There were custom albums hidden everywhere that I could purchase for my collection. One of their sons brought out an old ledger book from the 1960s, and I found a few entries from Ervin J. Felix, the creator of the Continental Line series and precursor of the Supreme Albums!

The family highly values their privacy, so out of respect, I will run the photos I took by them first to see what they are comfortable with sharing. But they said I could share this vintage photo of Paul Bruce [Founder of Dansco] and his early employees from the 1940s.



It was an incredible experience talking with Leticia & Steve and getting to ask many of my questions and questions from the community. I think they were caught off guard at how much I've researched into their company and my extensive collection, lol

They offered to welcome me back in the future to ask more questions. After I get situated in Portland, I'll write a more detailed write-up.

After Dansco, I headed to the Seattle area and dropped by a few coin shops. Below are today's haul and impressions of the four coin shops I visited.

Today's Haul
Spend: A lot




- 90 x Dansco Pages + 1 #7070 Gold Page
- A bunch of prefinished Dansco materials like an unfolded binder, sheet, etc
- 2700 x Dansco Slides
- 11 x Dansco Folders
- 5 x Rare/Custom Dansco Albums
- 1 x Dansco Slipcase
- Vintage Capital Plastics Poster
- An odd Philippine coin album with no manufacturers name
- 2 x Scott Publications Stamp Albums

Washington State
Everett
Odyssey-2

Friendly coin shop with knowledgeable staff, including the owner, who provided a valuable book recommendation. Large selection of coin albums, folders, and other collectibles, including a massive display of Whitman bookshelves and vintage blue folders. The store is an interesting hodgepodge of military surplus, guns, ammo, and vintage clothing. It definitely has a collectibles-for-collectors vibe. The owner suggested visiting another coin shop, Coin Market, located down the road.


Lynwood
Coin Market

A quaint shop tucked away in a plaza. I was greeted by a colossal pug staring me down at the door. It felt like he was daring me, lol. Thankfully, he was very friendly and kept following me around the shop. Typical coin shop with a variety of US coins on display. The staff was friendly, and when I said I was an album collector, they took the time to go through their inventory. They didn't have a large album selection, but I did manage to snag a Dansco #7070 US Type Gold Page for $8!


Seattle
Coin & Stamp Shop
Did not have time to go into Seattle proper, so had to skip


Kirkland
Bel-Kirk Stamps, Coins, & Comics


A family-owned business with a focus on stamps and comics rather than coins. They have a great vintage stamp collection, and I was able to buy two vintage Scott Publications stamp albums. For some reason, a kid was climbing on top of some shelves lol.

I've noticed that some stamp albums feature both the Scott Publications and Dansco names, which makes me wonder if there's a relationship between these two companies. I have a hunch that Scott Publications played a role in creating the Dansco Corporation.


Redmond Rare Coins
uploaded/Dan
scoAlbumDude/20250322_coin-market.jpg
This coin shop focuses on bullion and doesn't have an ample supply of coin accessories. They mostly have Morgan and other silver dollars on display. I got to chat with the shop owner, Santo, for a bit. He shared some insights on the inner workings of the bullion market. I wasn't aware that bullion dealers were working with margins as low as 1%. Given how much bullion can move in a day, it seems highly risky. He also mentioned that they receive many coin albums from collectors, but most are discarded due to mold caused by humidity. When I gave him my business card, he mentioned seeing me in a YouTube interview. That was a pleasant but also shocking surprise.

Tomorrow is my last day on this whirlwind coin road trip. Once things settle down after my move, I'll do an extensive write up and share some reflections with the community.
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CollegeBarbers's Avatar
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 Posted 03/23/2025  5:04 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add CollegeBarbers to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
Wow, what a haul! Definitely another successful day. Looking forward to your Dansco visit summary!
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 Posted 03/24/2025  03:43 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add DanscoAlbumDude to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
I meant to post this update for the last day of my trip [3/22/2025]. Been sleeping in :)

Day 6 Update: Three Cities, 173 Miles, 3 Coin Shops, and Resting Up
Today, I wrapped up the last leg of my week-long coin road trip. It's been an incredible experience. I took a slower day and visited three coin shops within the same area. I made it to my buddy's place near Portland around 8 p.m.


Today's Haul
No photos because I'm tired

1 x Vintage Whitman Album
1 x Dansco albums
Various Tokens & World Coins
Bunch of AirTites

Tacoma Mall Blvd Coin, Stamp & Jewelry

One of the store employees, Ryan, recognized me when I walked in and gave me a warm reception in his shop. It feels odd to interact with folks online and then suddenly in real life lol. They had an incredible selection of new modern Dansco albums on display. They also had a great selection of raw world coins that I dug through. The things that jumped out the most to me were bins with oddities like modals and Sales Tax Tokens. Ryan and his manager were kind enough to let me take some photos.




I also saw many bins with loose US coins, such as Buffalo nickels, IHP, etc., at great prices. This is an excellent spot for kids to check out and try their hand at cherry picking. The other side of the store had stamp material, but I didn't check that side much. Overall, it's a great modern shop that would appeal more to the coin-collecting crowd.

B & I Coin Shop
No photo
The store was closed even though I visited during open hours

American Rare Coin, Gold & Jewelry

It technically qualifies as a coin shop, but barely. There were only four displays of coins and very little selection. It's more of a bullion shop. The dealer was friendly and shared some insights on the local coin shops in the area.

That's a wrap!
I'm dead tired, so I'll take the next few days to rest and recover. I have hundreds of albums, folders, and pages to sort through and catalog/list for sale.

I have more reflections to share, but I will say this: This trip has been one of the best experiences of my numismatic career.

Over six days:
- Drove 44 Hours across 2,451 Miles
- Visited 23 Coins across three states
- Met a fantastic amount of coin dealers &collectors who shared an immense amount of wisdom and knowledge with me
- Met with collectors in real life after talking with them online
- I visited Dansco's offices and got run around like a kid nerding out on a hyper-specific niche and getting answers to questions the community and I have had for years.

Thank you all for joining me on the journey. Reading your responses, insights, and encouragement this past week brought me great joy and motivated me to provide these updates each night, even when I was dead tired.

Cheers for now,
Justin
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 Posted 03/24/2025  09:47 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Hondo Boguss to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
Wow, what a fantastic trip, DanscoAlbumDude! Thank you for sharing your chronicle with us.
Inordinately fascinated by bits of metal with strange markings and figures
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