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 Replies: 32 / Views: 7,532 |
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Valued Member
United States
135 Posts |
Does anybody out there ever find any deals on coins at antique stores. I stopped by one the other day and asked if they had any coins. They has a small container with mostly foreign coins, which I have no knowledge of. They did have a 1952 Feanklin priced at $20 and a 1967 Kennedy priced at $10. I did find and buy a 1941D Merc for $2 and a 1947D and 1964D Rossevelt for $1 each. I will gladly buy silver at or below melt.  Share your stories. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3345 Posts |
Went to an antique store in Maine, found some british and aussie big pennies for $1 each, than a 1898 crown for $1 that turned out to be fake. Neither I nor the owner had any idea. That was this spring
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Moderator
 United States
16677 Posts |
Ha, a lot of times, great deals can be had at antique stores. The people working there most of the time, don't know anything about coins. I once saw two 1964 Kennedys and three 40%ers priced at $1 each! Found a VG 09-S LWC in the same shop for $15. IF they use a price guide, it's usually the Red Book. swcoin.ecrater.com
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Pillar of the Community
United States
850 Posts |
I have found many coins at antique malls. From 40% kennedys for $1.50 to a $5 Flying Eagle cent to two 3 cent nickel pieces for $5 each. Mine in Cincinnati has three or four booths for coins. Two of world and two of US coins. I have grown to collect world coins from this mall. I am a regular customer at this mall that they even asked me to price an estate of world coins for them next week AND the owner wants them priced to sell. I saw a small part of it and it included some US halves(Two Bust halves, two Seated liberty, and a few other silver halves). Since I like world coins and world coins have an extremely small market in the States, I will see how much he wants for it and maybe buy the entire estate of coins. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
850 Posts |
I love them. I also forgot that I got a 1854-O half dollar for $15.
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Valued Member
United States
71 Posts |
I have an antique shop I regular, but the owner has been a collector and really knos his stuff. He had probably 5000 LWC all organized by year and mint, and he helped me fill some holes at reasonable prices(3 to 5 cents ea.). @Vermontensium-I thought the Red Book was kind of the coin collecting bible. Is there something wrong with using it to check coin values, etc? |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3278 Posts |
My wife and I love going to antique stores and I always ask if they have coins.
I haven't got any killer deals like Vermontensium but I've obtained some nice stuff at reasonable prices.
I've found a lot of prices very high also, but we know what we're doing, so I make my offer and see what happens.
Speaking of that I almost never pay asking price, although that often kills the deal because of consignment inflexabilty,
unless it's price right of course.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1213 Posts |
Firstcoin, the problem with the Red Book is that it's published so far in advance, the prices it lists are not realistic of current prices. It's a good reference book for relative values and mintages, but for up to date prices, you need something that gets revised frequently. |
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Rest in Peace
United States
9104 Posts |
Antique dealers tend to price coins way over retail, but bargains can be found, especially in errors and cherry picking. Another prime area for bargains is stuff not easily looked up in a book, like the 1925 Norse medal one ccf poster bought for $20 and sold for $5500.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
619 Posts |
All the antique malls around here seem to charge double what coins are worth. Every once in a while, I might find a good deal.
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21786 Posts |
I never bother with antique stores. Numismatics is not their the area of their prime interest or knowledge. If they have coins of any sort, the most common practice is to refer to Krause, then add a percentage to those prices, to cover for their lack of knowledge.
Quite often, the person who greets you has no knowledge of numismatics at all, and is not in a knowledgeable position to bargain with you. Because of this, such a person is oblidged by the owner to just sell the numismatic items you may be interested in at the prices marked.
In terms of offering coins to them for subsequent sale they are simply not interested. " Sorry don't know anything about these...."
Because of this, it is rare to find really interesting numismatic items.
But I guess it does happen sometimes, and that is why I am found occasionally in antique stores anyway, and when I do, I am browsing for non numismatic items.
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Moderator
United States
16677 Posts |
firstcoin, the Red Book is a great reference guide for weights, diameters, etc. Not a realistic price guide. I use the Grey Sheet and Numismedia. swcoin.ecrater.com
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Pillar of the Community
United States
609 Posts |
Last summer about the time when silver shot up almost to $50, I got a few Washington quarters and rosies for way under melt. I was on vacation in North Carolina. |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
17884 Posts |
The only deals I have found on coins at antique stores have been bad ones.
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Rest in Peace
United States
9104 Posts |
Quote:
Quite often, the person who greets you has no knowledge of numismatics at all, and is not in a knowledgeable position to bargain with you. Because of this, such a person is oblidged by the owner to just sell the numismatic items you may be interested in at the prices marked. It's even worse at antique malls, because almost all booths are unmanned, and the supervisor isn't allowed to bargain for anyone. You can leave an offer, but that's much good if you're 500 miles from home and leaving tomorrow. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2651 Posts |
I bought a 1932S Quarter for $11.00 at a local antique shop. They also have a 1934S Peace dollar in MS for $50 that I am going to buy when I return home from the holidays. Also at the same place they are selling War Nickles for $6.00 and a alot of Morgans for above what they are worth. You kinda have to search but you can definitely get deals if you have the knowledge and pick and choose what you buy. |
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Replies: 32 / Views: 7,532 |
Posted 12/23/2011 11:18 pm
