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 Replies: 13 / Views: 6,473 |
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Valued Member
Italy
244 Posts |
Hi,
are there Spain coin collectors knowing about Barcelona coins market ?
I've been few days in Barcelona some years ago, and Iheard about a coin market showed each sunday morning in a place in the center, but I don;t know exactly were and hours.
Of course I can search there for it, anyway any helps is useful to avoid to loose time ...
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Pillar of the Community
Spain
1361 Posts |
Plaza Real de Barcelona during Sundays and Holiday. Sellers starts at around 9AM to about 2 or 3PM.
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Pillar of the Community
Spain
1361 Posts |
In Plaza Mayor de Madrid also has the same Coin and Stamps Market.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3499 Posts |
Bon dia, rosso_rubino.
I agree with manilagalleontrade. The Plaza Real is a great place to go. I stop there every Sunday that I am in Barcelona. Some dealers have some great, quality stuff, while others...well not so much. Be very careful with regard to fake 8 Reales (I always see tons of them). Some look rather well-made while others are laughable due to raised rather than incuse chop marks and other such features. I recommend these vendors over a lot of shops in the area (many are way overpriced). If you are going to be in some nearby cities, such as Figueres or Girona you will also find that there are outdoor vendors. (Though it should be noted that for some reason in Girona there are tons of shops that claim to be "numismatique" shops but haven't a single coin for sale, which has always struck me as incredibly odd.)
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Pillar of the Community
Spain
1361 Posts |
Quote:
in Girona there are tons of shops that claim to be "numismatique" shops but haven't a single coin for sale, which has always struck me as incredibly odd What do they sell? Numismatic material? |
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Valued Member
 Italy
244 Posts |
Thanks guys, so Plaza Real, I'll visit it for sure.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3499 Posts |
manilagalleontrade- Yeah, it is odd. A few of them have books and supplies, but the owners claim that they only sell coins at shows and not in their own store. One in particular is just plain weird in that on the outside in big letters the sign reads "Numismatique" and on either side of this word are large images of 5 Peseta coins from the 1880s. When I went inside I saw tons of plaster and metal miniature soldiers and other small models. I asked the guy behind the counter if they had any 8 Reales for sale (since I figured that they might keep the binders of coins behind the counter or in the back room). His response consisted of a puzzled look on his face and stating "um, Coins? No. Why would you think that we sell coins?" And he said this seriously.
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Pillar of the Community
Spain
1361 Posts |
Yes, here in Madrid also most numismatic shops only sell supplies, so if you want coins you have to wake up early on a Sunday morning and go to Plaza Mayor. Of course there are some shops with coins but with tourist prices.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3499 Posts |
manilagalleontrade- Out of curiosity, why do many dealers in Spain do that? Is there some sort of law concerning the sale of antiquities in shops?
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Pillar of the Community
Spain
1361 Posts |
There are laws concerning sale of antiquity, but I think that is not the reason.
The stores would not want to waste time and energy in showing coins for sale to one customer after another, because they sell it on Sundays coin and stamp market. Local people don't buy coins in the shops, only tourist and visitors only want coins for souvenirs. They make more money in supplies.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3499 Posts |
manilagalleontrade- hmm interesting. But why do local people not buy coins in shops? Is it just sort of understood that one buys coins at a show on Sunday rather than in a shop?
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Pillar of the Community
Spain
1361 Posts |
The Sunday coin market is a very old tradition most citites of Spain has this sort of sunday market for coins and stamps in their big Plazas, it is more of a flea market than a coin show, so people tend to think it is much cheaper to buy it on a Sunday flea market than on a shop. But don't get me wrong there are shops also that sells coins but not all sells coins.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3499 Posts |
manilagalleontrade- Very interesting stuff. I never would have guessed that there would be traditions relating to coin sales within a country. I wonder if there are similar traditions in other countries throughout the world. hmm
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Valued Member
Italy
244 Posts |
Hi,
this is the reason Why I asked for the coin market in Barcelona and few mounths ago in London.
Because in Milan we have the same tradition, there is a coin market in the center (close to Duomo Place) each sunday morning, and so many collectors (included me) are used to buy coins in this market.
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Replies: 13 / Views: 6,473 |
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Posted 08/14/2009 09:56 am
