Finding Local Coin Dealers

ive always looked in the phone book for dealers.
the best way to tell if a dealer is quality is to get to know him/her.
look for signs that a dealer is good, such as...
- he/she asks what things you are looking for
- problem coins, whether minor or major, have the flaws marked down on the holder or packaging
- to your knowledge, the coins are accurately graded
- he/she can answer any questions you have about a coin of interest in the shop
- the coins are not overpriced, obviously

signs that a dealer is of poor quality...
- he/she pushes you to buy more than you are planning to buy
- he/she tries to point you toward things for which you are not knowledgeable
- coins are labeled brilliant, gem, choice, etc that really are not
- at least a handful of coins are obviously overgraded
- the dealer cannot answer your questions about individual coins effectively
- he/she watches you very closely

Littleboy makes a lot of good points. I'll add a couple on the fly.

- Don't get too worried about his/her personality. Don't judge the person until you've visited a couple of times. The first couple of times, they won't recognize you and while they may be professional, they may also be a little stand-offish. After all, you could be casing the joint.

- Based on your interests/budget, try out the dealer. If you can only afford to go through the "junk silver" looking for fillers, find out what he has and what his policies/prices are. Don't just window shop.

- If you're in an area where there aren't that many shops, patronize the shop even if you're not impressed. Buy 2x2's and other supplies. Littleboy's point about getting to know each other is important. After awhile, he/she may throw some great deals your way that the general public doesn't see.

- If you're new to collecting, buy something that doesn't cost a lot and then scan the item and put it up here. People will gladly tell you the condition and its approximate value. This is a relatively cheap way to see if the shop is on the level - at least for that item!