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Emperor Oli

Where do you buy your coins from?

Where do you buy your coins from?  

13 members have voted

  1. 1. Where do you buy your coins from?

    • Internet Auctions (Ebay for example)
      7
    • Internet Shops/Stores (Like this excellent one)
      2
    • Pawnbrokers
      0
    • Jewellers
      0
    • Antique Shops
      2
    • Proper auctions (Spinks etc)
      2


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I was pondering where everyone get's their coins from; I buy most of mine over the internet but when I've bought gold coins (rarely!) I go to jewellers to see what they've got, as you can actually see the coin in real life before parting with your money. :P

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Good question, well i used to until very recently buy mine via the post direct from dealers as they used to send catalogues in the post.

Then i make regular visits to antique shops and specialised coin shops.

Recently i have been buying them off of the internet, from both Ebay and Online coins.

I have also bought from jewelry shops, but i've been ripped off a few times, so i will no longer be getting them from one of those anymore!

Sylvester.

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Well you have been busy Oli, and what a delicious idea.

Pity you can't vote for more than one, as I tried to do.

I am touched by the good vibes and remarks about the site I'm getting lately. Some days it counteracts all the bloody 'New Pence' 2p emails nicely!

Chris

www.predecimal.com

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Guest Eliza

I lucked onto two decent URLs that sell the non-super investment grade coins that interest me. I'm still not sure how I found them -- I do a lot of Googling and it's hit-or-miss, mostly. But they're reputable and they have *phone numbers.* I know there are PEOPLE there.

My local coin shop has nearly nothing in my interest area. Most people there on the weekends are using it as a pawnbroker's. I tend to stay away.

So, mail order or nothing for me. Even the convention I just attended was, in many ways, a disappointment. (The weather, snow/sleet/driving rain, was daunting.)

Eliza

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My local coin shop has nearly nothing in my interest area. Most people there on the weekends are using it as a pawnbroker's. I tend to stay away.

So, mail order or nothing for me. Even the convention I just attended was, in many ways, a disappointment. (The weather, snow/sleet/driving rain, was daunting.)

Eliza

Lemme guess you coin shop offers a whole range of Morgan Dollars, but when it comes to anything else...it's just not happening?

Have you seen the coins for sale on the homepage of this website? There must be something there surely?

Sylvester.

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Yes, she has but picked a coin that wasn't mine!

I also got the impression she didn't want to spend to much until Christmas was out of the way ;)

That right Eliza?

Chris

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Yes, she has but picked a coin that wasn't mine!

I also got the impression she didn't want to spend to much until Christmas was out of the way ;)

That right Eliza?

Chris

I know the feeling Chris! Christmas is expensive...

Sylvester.

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Well it's fine by me because while personal purchases are down. I'm having a right blindin' run of accessory sales for mainly husbands and sons!

Chris

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Well it's fine by me because while personal purchases are down. I'm having a right blindin' run of accessory sales for mainly husbands and sons!

Chris

Sadly it is a male dominated hobby on the whole...

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Yes it certainly is, and I won't go into why I think that is. Although I imagine it's probably for the same reason that most world leaders and top business executives are not female......Females are busy with much more important things!

In saying that though it's good to see Eliza here and I do have a few regulars that are of the female gender.

And they are so nice to their husbands and sons!

Chris

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Guest Eliza

Indeed it *is* a male-dominated hobby, but I take no offense at that. If I weren't divorced and NOT looking, I suppose I'd meet all sorts of available gentlemen at coin shows!

Yes, Eliza needs to look to her budget at this point in the Household Fiscal Year. The items not on Chris's most excellent site were, in fact, LONG gone by the time I picked up the trail. Pout. But I'm interested in the Geo III book being offered ...

E.

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i have bought most of my coins from this great site. :) There is a coin dealer near me, but it's in Birkenhead(a while in the car!)and is very expensive. Coin fairs are also out, as there are not any near me. So i stick with internet dealers like this one, and a few others.

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I started buying from a dealer in the next town but recently when I visited he's off at some show and there's no stock at all!

Also from catalogues from dealers - I try to visit if possible to actually see the thing. Bought stuff off eBay recently with mixed results. One coin was slightly overgraded another frankly disappointing (eventually got my money back on that one) but most were fair coins for the price. I have seen an example of suspicious trading there though so I am a little cautious.

I've bought from Spink directly a couple of times but never an auction. Hell- I'm addicted so I'd probably try most places but I'm getting picky about grades these days.

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I've bought from Spink directly a couple of times but never an auction. Hell- I'm addicted so I'd probably try most places but I'm getting picky about grades these days.

Have you seen some of the rubbish grading on ebay! :lol: I have listed several on this site somewhere, and so have many other people!!

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Yeah. I now only buy on eBay from people who reply to questions and who offer a returns policy. I often ask for a photo to be emailed to me which can give you a better idea of grading. I guess there's a natural tendency when selling to see your coin through rose-tinted specs, after all we'd all like to get a good price, but there is a risk with eBay so I approach with a deal of suspicion.

I also am suspicious of people who sell a lot of cookery books (or kilts, teapots or whatever) and then offer a high grade coin. I recently found two identical hammered Charles I shillings (now, how likely is that?) offered within weeks of eachother. The second seller said it was left by a relative and they had no knowledge of coins. I imagine that leaves you with little comeback since they haven't specified a grade, identified the coin or even suggested it isn't a counterfeit.

The advantage of eBay? You get to see a pretty wide selection of coins and you get to see lots of photos which make a handy reference file!

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i buy in ebay and westminster...i was also thinking about an album from www.predecimal.com, but sorry chris, i managed to buy a coin album that came with 10 sheets each capable of holding between 42 and 72 coins for just £6.99 at WHSmiths... :)

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Great, but i bet your coins will be green in 5 years!

I had a WHSmith album, when I was a nipper, thought it was great until the coins started sweating, going funny colours, and in the worse case scenario getting bronze disease.

If you want you're pipes fixed, ask a plumber. If you want to buy a book, an inkjet cartridge, and an ice lolly, ask WHSmith. If you want a coin album from a quality manufacturer contaning inert pages, ask me ;)

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Great, but i bet your coins will be green in 5 years!

yep that's happend to me, now i'm stuck with a 1937 crown and halfcrown that i just can't rid myself of.

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For a contrary view, I'm very happy with WH Smiths album pages and Stanley Gibbons before that. No greenness or other problems at all. I do repunch the holes so they fit in standard four ring binders...

If Lighthouse or someone made a decent coin display and storage system with the same flexibility of arrangement that WH Smith offer then I'd consider it, but the interchangable horizontal strips are the best I've found so far. I know they have interchangeable vertical strips... maybe for my Chinese coins.

To be honest, I think problems are more likely to be caused by environmental conditions... humidity, temperature and sunlight.

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To be honest, I think problems are more likely to be caused by environmental conditions... humidity, temperature and sunlight.

I live in a very humid house, so if i didn't have a coin cabinate all my coins would be green by now.

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I also use WHSmith coin albums, but my coins are fine, not green or anything!! :o

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Well I hope they stay fine in the long term.

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Great, but i bet your coins will be green in 5 years!

I had a WHSmith album, when I was a nipper, thought it was great until the coins started sweating, going funny colours, and in the worse case scenario getting bronze disease.

If you want you're pipes fixed, ask a plumber. If you want to buy a book, an inkjet cartridge, and an ice lolly, ask WHSmith. If you want a coin album from a quality manufacturer contaning inert pages, ask me  ;)

you are just trying to sell your stock...and also, you were a nipper 13 years ago... :P

Edited by Master J.M.D

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I would have thought the Stanley Gibbons folders would be ok because they do actually deal in coins so they must know a little about them! I used to have a folder but the pages started to sag out of it so I switched to a charming cabinet.

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i will hopefully be getting one of those coronet thingys for my b'day in august :)

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