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 Replies: 30 / Views: 4,739 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
516 Posts |
I'm sure this has been discussed before, but I couldnt find it with a search..
So, what do you bring with you to a coin show? Do you bring a loupe? A lighted loupe? Do you bring a price guide(grey sheet)? Do you bring a want list or just wing it and pick the best available coins there that fit in?
Just curious.. I have one coming up in two weeks, and I want to cut down on mistakes. At the last one I came home with one cleaned coin - which wasnt so obvious under fluorescent lighting -- and one coin I overpaid for.
Any tips?
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10045 Posts |
 A loupe is a must, and as I find most shows are dimly lit, I bring a compact LED flashlight too. Good idea with price guides, if you're buying coins with wide appeal. I bring a pocket notebook detailing the die varieties I'm looking for. I've seen collectors go as far as bringing laptops with complete data on their collections. |
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
516 Posts |
Is it considered uncouth to pull out the greysheet when negotiating with a dealer? Or is that common?
Any thoughts on a loupe with a built-in LED light?
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10045 Posts |
I don't deal much in US coins, so perhaps others will chime in on negotiating with grey sheets.  I do know some dealers get testy when people bring price guides to their shops as bargaining tools. But in shows, price guides are commonplace--and collectors can move on if dealers won't negotiate. Loupes with LEDs would work, but it will limit your selection of loupes, and the lighting angle on the coin. |
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Moderator
 United States
187702 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
524 Posts |
I have a zip up folder that I use and in it I bring a loupe w/light, current silver price, a want list with grade and est. cost so I know if the coin I'm looking at is in the ball park. I also bring a have list so if I run into a good deal I can jump on it without doubleing up on something I already have. I bring a Red Book for info and a pouch to put the coins in. Lets see, It also has a page for business cards to contact a dealer I may have liked. I think thats about it.  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1080 Posts |
absolutely take your want list. I've often had multiple lists with me, then find a deal on another denomination that I is a list I left at home! ACK!
I've never wished I had a loupe, but I have wished I had my blue book. The loupe can fit in your pocket, so why not.
If you're self conscious about the price guide, browse the dealer's table, then wander off and check out your price guide, then put it away and go back to negotiate price.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10045 Posts |
A few more items come to mind: flips and larger envelopes to hold coins. Sometimes dealers run out.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
651 Posts |
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Moderator
United States
56855 Posts |
All of the above recommendations are good but no one mentioned the most important thing to bring with you to a coin show....money 
John1 
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Moderator
United States
16677 Posts |
I bring my CDN, checklist, loupe, and a fanny pack.
swcoin.ecrater.com
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Pillar of the Community
United States
516 Posts |
I have two loupes, but I dont feel like either one of them are great.. Does anyone have a recommendation for a loupe that you love?
Thanks for all of the suggestions so far.
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Pillar of the Community
2222 Posts |
Last Whitman Baltimore show I took the standard, $500 cash, couple of credit cards, 10x loupe (Hastings Triplet), my lists for Morgans, Franklins and some current market value info on several. No, its not impolite to pull out your Grey sheet, the Dealers do and try to use it against you. Pay what you want, not necessarily what they want.
Came home with the same objects. I felt lonely, dejected and rejected.
Good luck in 2 weeks, let us know how you did.
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Pillar of the Community
Netherlands
560 Posts |
My "smartphone" & loupe are after cash/plastic the most import things to bring withe me.. I've got all my pdf catologues and excel sheets on my phone..
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
1554 Posts |
Anytime I attend a coin show I bring a 10x loop, my want list, and a couple of the latest trend price catalogue's. In the past two years I have not been attending too many coin shows or coin shops as a result of making great buys on E-bay/internet Auctions. Standing face to face with a dealer at a brick and mortar coin store or show, seldom will you walk away paying less than 70-80% for Key date rare coins. However, over the past 2 years I've acquiring some of the scarcest coins I've ever come across for 40-50% trends on E-bay and internet auctions. The slow economy is starting to pay off for Numismatists World Wide! Let's hope the good times last a few more years! Glenn  |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
A few other things to remember is:
1. If you bring a credit or debit card, many people have camera phones so if and when you use those, check to see if anyone is standing behind you.
2. If you bring a check book, same as 1. above but even more so since most have home addresses on them.
3. Taking a Grey Sheet or any price list is OK but sometimese they can work against you. If a dealer was about to give you a really great deal and less than those lists, he may stick with your price list instead.
4. Talk to as many dealers as possible. If you go to enough shows and see the same dealers, they may remember you and think your a regular customer.
5. There are magnifying glasses with built in lighting which could save you taking one of each.
6. If you purchase an expensive coin, not slabbed, it would pay to walk around and ask other dealers if they think it's real. Nothing to loose and lots to gain.
7. Don't take a back pack. They bump people and that makes them a little irritated. Also, to easy to drop something in there that could allow someone to follow you home.
8. Keep cash in front pockets and never pull out one large bundle of cash.
9. You really should have a list of what you want, need, could use and approximate prices.
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Replies: 30 / Views: 4,739 |
Posted 07/05/2011 2:43 pm
