Attending Your First Coin Show?

Yes. What I mean is a place that is easy to find that simply says coin shows or something like that. I go to from 2 to 4 coin shows a Month. Very few to none are listed anywhere on this forum. Actually I've complained before to coin show representatives at coin shows that their is not listed. If I went by the coin show per Google, I'd miss about 1/3 of the ones around here. And so many smaller ones are put on by coin clubs and those are seldom mentioned anywhere that I can find. I've had to email dealers to find if the show they are supposed to be at is still going on.
As to one of the biggist questions, can you haggle the prices? If you think about it a coin show, computer show, camera show, gun show, etc. are basically just specialized flea markets. Every dealer at shows tell me they have already raised their prices due to they well know everyone will haggel them down in prices. One dealer I know well told me he has placed prices on his coins about 20% higher than he really expects. He told me it's amazing how many customers think he's the nicest person on Earth when he tells them "Just for you I'll lower that price by 20%"
Just never take if for real when they have prices on the coins.
Worse yet is a dealer with no prices shown. Those are the ones that size you up for a maximum they think yhou'll pay.

Think I'll go list ome of thoes coin shows now.

I don't haggle either.
One method that I use to close a deal:
"What's your bottom line on this?"
Cutting to the chase as it were.
If I do not have enough cash for an item:
(Example - $75.00 item bottom line)
"I'd take it, but I'm short on cash.
I could give you $60 and a check for $15. Would that be OK?"
Once, when I had forgotten to bring a check book a dealer
trusted me to send it to him. When I said that that was very
trusting of him he replied that collectors were more prompt
to pay balances than dealers were. Surprising to hear.
Once a dealer and I have established a good relationship a check
a check alone is accepted.
Leaving a deposit on an item for a certain amount of money
also is easy enough to accomplish.
Negotiation made simple for those who do not like to haggle.

I will hopefully be going to my first coin show I think in march in Jacksonville, NC. There are a few coins I would like to purchase as well as just browse. I want to get a War Nickel and steel penny which shouldn't really be expensive and maybe try to get a barber in all denominations.

Hi all,

Just found/read through this. School slows me down unfortunately! Thanks for all the advice. I'm new and don't have my heart set on anything specific. I'll probably try to figure that out.

Fortunately I have a week on break, with the last day being the day I head back to CT (and the show!) so I'll work on my collection.

I'm sort of filling in my collection of coins from 1900 on. I have 1 buffalo and no silver dollars, so I'm not sure what I'm really looking for at this show. I'm very smart with my money though so I'll probably bring a set limit of money to spend.

Thanks for the advice and keep it coming!

Above all, Duncan, WEAR COMFORTABLE SHOES!
The Coin Expo in New Hampshire is held in a large conference room
with a cement floor. After two days my legs and feet get sore.

A school gymnasium should have a wooden floor which would be more forgiving.
Looking forward to being your assistant.

If you're going to the show up in Wilimantic, get there early. It's in a school gym, and it does fill up to capacity.
There's also the Pawcatuck Valley Coin Club show in May down in Norwich. I'll have a table there. Last year I was the only one with ancient/foreign/Islamic/Indian, etc.
You just missed the NYINC last month down in NY. Best coin show in the world. Period.
There are shows up in Auburn, Mass fairly frequently. Easy to get to from CT.
Bay State is worth going to, also the show in NH is good.
I'm out in New London, I try to make it to most of the shows here in New England.

As to what to bring - bring a reference of some sort for whatever you're looking for, a magnifying glass (on a string! I've lost many a loupe) and a bag. I check off what I have in my catalogs so the reference book is a handy reminder to keep me from buying doubles.

Some tips from the other side of the table:
- I love to dicker, and will pretty much always bargain unless the customer is nasty, then no dice. Sorry.
- Never never never call someone's stuff they have for sale any of the following - garbage, crap, or junk. It's just plain rude.
- Always keep your hands out in the open when looking through coins (some dealers are obsessive about people stealing, really really crazy obsessive).
- Oh, and don't mix up their boxes. It makes me nuts when people go through my boxes and mix up the coins - especially if they are snotty.
- I don't care if you don't buy something, if you just stop and chat and aren't rude you can hang out all day for all I care. Being the only foreign coin dealer in a big room full of US coins can get lonely.

At this point I just need to go back home and make a list of what I have and what I want/need, since I really just got back into it a couple weeks before I left so I never made a list. The next 6 weeks I'll just spend trying to learn as much about coins as I can because I hate possibly buying something that I don't know enough about to know if I overpaid.

What is the best way to train your eye for grading?

50th Post by the way!

Mathew & Duncan, I have received preliminary clearance from the tower!!

I'm looking forward to meeting a few CCF'ers and filling a few holes from my wantlist. I do have a question, besides bringing cash, it is ok to also bring generic 90% silver lieu of cash? How amenable are dealers towards 90% bartering?

Should I bring a box of my better extra's to trade or is this frowned upon?