Harrogate Coin Fair - Worth attending as a novice collector?

[Hodgie]

I noticed the Harrogate Coin Fair is coming up next weekend. As somewhat of a novice, I was wandering your opinions as to the value in attending it? Will there be anything to satisfy a student on a budget or will it be all highly collectible/pricey coins?

[Rob]

A bit of everything, but all the dealers will be established ones, so not like a car boot sale. You will be able to spend anything from tens of pounds to thousands. Everybody has a budget, so what sort of price range were you thinking of? Also pertinent is what do you collect?

 

[Hodgie]

I collect a bit of everything at the moment, but I particularly like 20th century pennies and 19/20th century farthings. 

[Rob]

There will be some there, but considerably more hammered material.

[Peter]

I've been a couple of times as my sister lived in Harrogate.It was OK but not a scratch on the Midland. Worth doing if you are local.

[copper123]

12 minutes ago, Peter said:

I've been a couple of times as my sister lived in Harrogate.It was OK but not a scratch on the Midland. Worth doing if you are local.

I agree , I found a few bits five or four years ago but last two times I have been have been pretty poor

[Rob]

It's not that bad. I didn't find anything last year, but was quite pleased with the three years prior to that. There is usually something small worth buying even if the larger ticket items aren't available.

No fair has a significant advantage over the next. The idea that all the best stuff is kept for certain fairs is a myth. Most people will only buy one or two items, so the thousands on offer are mostly irrelevant. If you find something you want, you will declare it a good fair. And that can happen anytime, anywhere.

[Hodgie]

Thanks for the advice, i'm not that local, a good hour+ drive away but I might pop down just for a look about. If anything it will be nice to see a good collection of coins all in one place.

[Rob]

You can only learn by looking. Nobody is forced to buy anything.

Broadly speaking collectors fall in to two groups when it comes to learning - those who gain all their knowledge from looking at eBay and other virtual sources and the second group who opt for practical experience, who do their legwork and physically examine coins. Only by comparing what is available in the flesh can you come to appreciate what consitutes a good example. Whilst a picture is said to speak a thousand words, it is also a very good way of presenting an object in the most favourable light possible, with contract and colours frequently adjusted to hide defects. You need to get a glass on coins and mentally absorb all that you see including prices and grades.

[Nonmortuus]

41 minutes ago, Rob said:

You can only learn by looking. Nobody is forced to buy anything.

Broadly speaking collectors fall in to two groups when it comes to learning - those who gain all their knowledge from looking at eBay and other virtual sources and the second group who opt for practical experience, who do their legwork and physically examine coins. Only by comparing what is available in the flesh can you come to appreciate what consitutes a good example. Whilst a picture is said to speak a thousand words, it is also a very good way of presenting an object in the most favourable light possible, with contract and colours frequently adjusted to hide defects. You need to get a glass on coins and mentally absorb all that you see including prices and grades.

I would agree with Rob. I found myself in a position of actually wanting to to own examples of various grades to look at at my leisure hence now owning numerous George V Halfcrowns in various grades. The books help, going to the fair definitely helped but having some in hand to look at and compare was extremely useful.