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 Replies: 9 / Views: 1,380 |
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Valued Member
United States
136 Posts |
Hi all, first post. I just returned from a show sponsored by our local club. There were several dealers there and although I came prepared to spend some bucks I left without spending anything. I am getting back into Lincoln Cent collecting and still have some holes to fill for more common dates- many in the 1950's. Almost no one had anything like this, it was all the high power stuff. One guy had a book of Lincolns that looked promising then I saw the prices- he had the holders marked for anywhere from $15-20 for various ones from this period that go on ebay for $2-$5. The show seemed dead, lots of people walking around looking at tables then leaving. The club putting this show on is a good one. I just wondern what happened to the concept of having a dealer or two that caters to collectors, not to investors? Just my Two Cents worth. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3540 Posts |
Don't give up. Once in a while, you will attend a show like this. Of interest, make a mental note of some of the items that are priced to the moon....and the next time you see this dealer, check if they still have item. About the twelth or twentieth time, ask how often they expect to turn their inventory over. Then make an offer, in correlation with what the item will actually sell for.....and wait. Don't be sarcastic. Just wait. If they counter back, still at moon money, then thank them for their time, and walk away.
My favorite are the dealers that have Lincolns with ANY red tint to them at all...and call them UNC. You know, the ones that have slightly flattened cheekbones (the cent...not the dealer)....
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Valued Member
United States
397 Posts |
 Try making an offer. It sounds like you have a pretty good idea as to what you COULD pay for a coin from another source. Try making a counter offer in that ball park, and be prepared to either get to buy the coin, a counter offer for higher than your offer but still well below what their original asking price was, or to get a counter offer of something unfair/get told to take a hike. Again, worst case, you are told no and you walk away with your money in your pocket. Sometimes a show will be like that. Other times you will find so many awesome items you can't get everything you want. I tend to find this true for all kinds of shows. Comic book shows, for example, I will find a smaller table with someone selling off their personal collection for way more than it is worth, and I can find similar comics at the bigger tables for a few bucks total. Keep going back. Look at it this way: The worst thing that happened is you spent some time and gas money to go, and you learned something. Avoid acquiring stories of where you went, and over paid for a common coin. Edited by MadMortician
08/04/2012 6:17 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1436 Posts |
That's kind of surprising. How many dealers were there at the show? At most shows I've attended, several dealers had boxes or binders full of reasonably priced, higher condition Lincolns. As MadMortician said, you learned something. Don't settle for a coin... always get what you want. Hope your next show is better.
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Valued Member
 United States
136 Posts |
When I left I decided to drive by a dealer's shop and found him open- I wound up spending my allotment there. I had made a mental note or two of the prices at the show. His were 50% or more lower. I got home and found a few websites- when collecting before I used to like dealing with Alaska Coin Exchange. They had the exact same coins and grade in many cases for a buck or two.
There is a monthly show at a motel nearby and those are usually pretty good and seem more oriented to guys like me who are filling albums.
One thing I hate and maybe shouldn't- dealers who don't price anything. It's a great deal for them but not so much for the customer. Thanks for the input.
Edited by Coins1989
08/04/2012 6:50 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1436 Posts |
How far is that dealer from you? You should give him a list of coins you need and the price you're willing to spend and see if he's willing to go out & get them for you... if he doesn't already have them. The dealers I know personally really appreciate return customers and are more willing to go out of their way to look for specific coins for customers they know will buy from them again.
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
3692 Posts |
It's good form to have prices printed out right onto the items, but with volatile metal prices nothing is set in stone anymore.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1436 Posts |
Very true, but hopefully could get in the "ballpark" of his budget
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
There are as many different types of coin shows as there are used car lots. Maybe more in some areas. Some are put on by small coin clubs and some are put on by large coin clubs. Most are put on by organizations that deal in coin shows all the time. In some areas, coin shows are almost every weekend and in other areas, there are none at all. AND since people are different everywhere, so are coin shows. You just have to keep on trying. Quote:
One thing I hate and maybe shouldn't- dealers who don't price anything. It's a great deal for them but not so much for the customer. Thanks for the input. As a general rule at coin shows I usually pass by dealers with no prices on their coins. I suspect they do that so they attempt to figure out how much you can afford to pay so I just pass up those. And remember that a coin show is basically a flea market for coins. You should always haggle prices. If the dealer will not budge on his price, just move on. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1436 Posts |
I agree w/ the fact that one should haggle w/ the dealer... however, they may not always go down from their initial price. That doesn't mean that the coin may not be worth what they're asking though
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Replies: 9 / Views: 1,380 |
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Posted 08/04/2012 6:15 pm
