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 Replies: 12 / Views: 2,042 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3843 Posts |
It seems that every coin dealer has a bin of common Morgan dollars in their inventory and several of the shops in my area have massive quantities of common coins in storage. Buckets of Wheat Cents, Indian Head cents, Buffalo nickels, Mercury dimes, Washington quarters, and Walking Liberty halves stashed in their storage rooms. With the vast quantity of common coins and series available I personally try to gravitate towards coins and series that are more difficult to locate. With that in mind I ask the following to forum members: What coins and series of coins are difficult to locate at your typical local coin shop or at the typical small show? Personally I've found the following series are difficult to locate at local shops, especially when you are looking for VF and higher coins that are problem free or have relatively minor problems. 1. Classic Head Large Cents 2. Draped Bust Large Cents 3. Draped Bust Halves 4. Capped Bust quarters5. Capped Bust Dimes 6. Any Classic Gold before 1850's. 7. Problem free coins in general before 1820. What has been your experience? Thanks, Joe2007 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1316 Posts |
Tis the reason these are called "rare" coins, because there simply is a lot less of them. I agree that finding LCS that have more than a few of the Classic Head Large Cents, Capped Bust quarters, and any Classic Gold before 1850's is unusual. These series are harder to source for them because mintages where just lower, was 165-200 years ago, and we have to remember that the country was still young and populations were rather small compared to Europe where coinage is much more plentiful and affordable. For me, I've noticed that most shops/dealers have a handful of these and its the thrill of the chase that makes this hobby a lot of fun. If every shop had these handy, collecting wouldn't be as fun because it would be too easy. Personally, I wish that shops in the US carried more Spanish Colonial coinage that often circulated here anyways. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
500 Posts |
"Problem free" Liberty Seated and Trade dollars. I have been shopping for a particular Seated dollar for years and I have only seen one. Unfortunately it was a dealer at a show that I choose not to spend my money with. Especially $1500 of it. I will come across another one...someday. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1628 Posts |
Seems near me anything that predates Morgan dollars are tough to find, and anything available is either low grade/cull condition or cleaned. You might find a decent one here or there, but they typically don't sit too long if they're in decent condition and problem free. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
814 Posts |
Silver British coinage. In my dealer's foerign silver box there's usually a few Sterling sixpences or shillings. Maybe a florin here or there. But never anything of note. Best finds at this particular dealer were a George V half crown (50%) and an almost slick Queen Victoria gothic florin. There's always plenty of cupronickel £sd and decimal stuff including the large coins (I think I counted six Churchill crowns in a single bin once).
Also Canadian silver dollars. I inquired at a different shop last week if they had any, and they told me they don't save them, they just send them off to get melted since no one wants them. I just about ripped out my hair. I want them, dang it. They're one of my favorite coins to stack. My regular dealer usually has a decent supply though.
Edited by hcmusicguy
11/11/2015 08:49 am
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2130 Posts |
I am always on the lookout for problem free Capped Bust quarters and rarely do the shops around me have any...especially problem free. When I do run across one the dealer usually has it priced pretty high. The CBQ's they have usually just sit there and I look at the same ones everytime I go in. |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
11951 Posts |
Interesting question. I have been working at a coin shop for 4 or 5 years. The family has two shops. The bigger shop has pretty much all coins come through, from low to higher grade coins. The smaller shop, has much less VF or better coins come in that are pre 1920. When the better coins come in, they do not stay long. The exception would be Morgan dollars Lincoln and Indian cents, these have much more better grades come in. Both shops get a lot of lower grade classic coins. to include (late 1700 through 1900) Half Centslarge cents Two Cent Three Cent Half Dimesdimes quarter half dollars In my opinion, to get the better coins from your local shops, you have to build a really good relationship. Our better customers stop in once or twice a week, to let us know what they are working on, and see what new coins we have. When we get the better coins and notes, most cases we call these customers to let them know what we have. The best stuff does not stay long. If I had to say what I don't see very often, in any grades. pre 1850 gold Capped Bust quarters (large) Seated dollars |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
12057 Posts |
Pretty much what GR58 said. Take care of your local dealer, build a good relationship, spend some money, tell him what you like to collect, and don't be surprised if he starts calling you before he even offers the items for sale to the general public. This is how you get a crack at freshly-sold inherited coins, estates, trades, etc. before they get listed on ebay or sold to walk-ins. The better your relationship, the most likely you are to get "second dibs" (owner always gets first dibs!  ) Member ANA - EAC - TNA - SSDC - CCT #890 "Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossible before they were done." -- Louis D. Brandeis Edited by paralyse
11/10/2015 10:01 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
2624 Posts |
HCmusic guy - I have seen buckets full of those Churchill crowns outside a dealers here (yes on the street...he wasn't worried anyone would run off with them because they're worthless)
In the UK the American stuff is scarce but we have British silver, I guess the opposite of your situation. I was at the London banknote fair and nobody had any decent US banknotes which surprised me because it was a substantial show with lots of dealers.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3343 Posts |
Every dealer has the same commons in low condition. If I'm in the mood to look through the silver buckets, it's satisfying to pull better Walkers (most of the 1920's, 1933S, even 1919D's show up from time to time). Other than that I'm looking across a wide range of coins for better dates. Over years I've found some good coins in B&M shops -A solid run of Seated half dimes in VG-AU, including several key dates, at the same dealer, within the last year -An 1889 half -An 1883 quarter -A VF 1875CC quarter and AU 1878CC quarter at the same dealer -Numerous better date copper and silver French coins -An 1846 Half Dime-4 reales cobs -An 1856S quarter priced as an 1856 -The 1871CC, 1872CC and 1873CC halves (different dealers) -Early 19th century rubles Almost any dealer would buy coins like this if they came in but they almost never do. You have to take what you find, whenever and wherever. I'll always look over the Seated coins a dealer has, and on rare occasions they have something interesting. They usually price on greysheet which is better than the specialist dealers. "Two minutes ago I would have sold my chances for a tired dime." Fred Astaire
Edited by thq
11/11/2015 08:29 am
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1450 Posts |
I have been looking for 1919-S and 1919-D LSQ's at my local coins shops for months and I cannot find them. I did get a 1923-S LSQ in EF condition that was graded and slabbed for $1300. My LCS dealer sort of reluctantly mentioned it because I think he did not believe I would fork out the cash to get that coin. It had not even been put on display and I was the first person he showed it to that day. I bought it because I was at the right place at the right time and because I have bought a lot of coins from him. There are coins shows around here but I usually have to drive 30 miles and not that many dealers at these shows. The FUN SHOW is in Tampa where I live in January and I will be there with funds to buy some coins.
I don't see gold coins on display at LCS. I think the dealers are fearful of armed robberies. We have had a few recently with fatalities. My LCS keeps the gold coins in a large safe and you have to ask for them in advance. These guys have a right to be fearful IMO. There are usually 2-3 workers in the store but I am not sure any of them are ready to give up their lives to protect the stock. None are armed as far as I can tell, but they should be. Every pawn shop owner and most workers are armed and have a little room where the boss hides with CC TV to watch the front. I almost went to work for a pawn show years ago because he owner was a friend of a friend. Anyone trying to hold him up would be pushing up daisies.
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Moderator
 United States
188440 Posts |
Quote:
Personally I've found the following series are difficult to locate at local shops, especially when you are looking for VF and higher coins that are problem free or have relatively minor problems. Sounds about right to me. This list includes the more difficult to fill holes in my 7070. |
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Valued Member
United States
431 Posts |
There are a few local coin dealers near me. I plan to become a coin dealer myself too. The coin dealer I visit most often has a wide range of high grade problem free older coins. I think the hardest coins to find in high graded problem free are Seated Liberty dollars, Half Dollars from the 1880s (very low mintage), Capped Bust quarters, Trade dollars, early gold, and early large cents. |
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Replies: 12 / Views: 2,042 |
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Posted 11/10/2015 6:59 pm
