Coin Show "Strategy" Input Request!

Welcome back to collecting.
As to coin shows.
1. Coin shows are different all over the country. Some are decent, some are expensive, some are small, some large, etc.
2. Coin shows are like flea markets for coins. Although at many some dealers sell currency, sporting cards, jewlery and I've even seen Indian Arrows.
3. Coin prices too vary all over the country so almost any price guide is just that, a guide only. Prices can be much higher, much lower, similar.
4. Really get to know the prices of coins in YOUR area prior to buying anything at a coin show. Regardless of what some people may claim, say, mention, unless they are in your area, all just a guess bassed on guess work.
5. There are many price guides out there. Most dealer's try to standardize by using the Grey Sheet but that is really also nogiable in most areas. True some dealers are stead fast for prices in some areas and in other areas, extreamely flexible.
6. At coin shows I try to not deal with dealers that do not post a price on a coin. When they want you to ask for the price, they usually look you over and try to estimate what you can afford.
7. As a rule do not take the Red Book to a coin show. Many dealers assume your new or just not up to normal prices. And in reality, almost any price in the Red Book is excessive.
8. As to what time to go to a coin show. Sort of the same as a flea market. Two different thoughts on that. Early bird gets the worm so to speak. Many dealers roam around early buying up anything cheap and resell later. Some say if you go in the last of the show, you might get a better deal since some dealers still want to make a few dollars. However, near the end, most all have been looked over and over and over.
9. Not always but usaully the larger the coin show, the higher the prices of coins. This is due mostly from dealers that travel to get there, may have to stay at hotels, motels, buy food at restaurants. All that and more must come from the sale of coins. Small shows are usually dealers in the area and just pack up and go home at the end. Many larger shows have you pay to get in, pay to park. Dealers have higher table rentals too.
Yet of course the larger the show, the more to look at too.

If you do a search on this forum for coin shows and similar topics, you would find coin show info has been discussed many times and some really good advice.

There really is no such thing as a country wide norm in prices on something like coins. Yes as I mentioned many dealers attempt to use the Grey Sheet as a country wide norm but their flexibility is what makes prices massively vary. And usually pending on the area you are in. For example here in Illinois I know a few coin dealers from Wisconsin that come here mostly due to they can demand higher prices here than in Wisconsin. One from there buys coins from coin stores and sells them here at a flea market and makes a real good profit. I've compared some prices with people in Tennessee I know and they come up with much cheaper prices for the same coins as here.
It would appear the closer you get to Chicago, the higher the prices of coins. But remember, those are examples and many may come up with other situations just the opposite.
Remember there is no manufacturer's list price on coins. The only real price is what is on the coin itself. A Quarter is only a Quarter of a Dollar but if you can sell it for $1,000.00, so be it.

As a follow-up, I did take lists to the one show I went to last weekend. No one batted an eye. But then I went to a couple of local coin shops this week - all new to me - and took my lists to those as well.

One place was more of a "we buy g&s" shop and the guy asked if I was looking for stolen items off the "lists". LOL He said people come in with lists of stuff they had stolen and look for it in his display cases. He said he is willing to help them and tell them where he got the stuff from. He actually had a fairly large number of coins but seemed suspicious of my lists. I got the impression he didn't like dealing with an "informed" customer at all, probably used to ripping people off so much.

Two other "more coin oriented" shops didn't like my lists much. They kept asking where I got them and where the prices were obtained etc. I did find a good Walker I needed from one, but I didn't care for the 3rd degree stuff. I take it most folks do NOT go into their shops with shopping lists and price info in-hand.

A guy was selling 2011 ASE for $40 at the show I attended as well JackB. I had bought one for my niece about 3 weeks ago for her graduation at $41. With silver at 35-36 they shouldn't be asking too much more than that for a bullion coin.

I do wonder a bit about taxes. At the coin shows I've been to ( a whole 2 of them ) no one mentions tax, but when you buy a coin from a shop it is 7.75% here in OH. Thus I don't buy from shops a lot - mostly supplies so far.

Just my humble opinion, but you probably do not want to be doing business with them.

I can understand if they were asking in an effort to help educate you, but my gut says that is probably not the case. If that is what you guts says, then stay away.

Same here, coinshows I brought along a krause world book, just to be sure on prices, until I met a dealer who told me he wouldn't go below list & he knows I would understand. So now, out w/the book, in with the small Ipad, that way that gives info that allows me to haggle a bit LOL