Hello, I’m new at this forum. I’m from Barcelona, Spain, and I’m travelling to New York in a month. I collect common coins worldwide (3,000 thousand pieces nowadays) and I’d like to buy some in NY, but all the coin dealers I’ve found by internet always sell very rare and very expensive coins, and I’m just looking for common coins that maybe it’s easier for me to find in US than in my country (for example, the new dollar series, the state quarters, coins from Canada, etc.) Could somebody tell me some addressses of shops/dealers where not expensive coins (ranging 1 to 10 dollars, for example) are sold in Manhattan area? Also, in Barcelona, my city, there’s a coin market every sunday in a beautiful square. Can I find something similar in NY? Thank you very much in advance.
I remember on one of my trips to NY I went to Norma's on Manhattan. Just outside of the Hotel that Norma's in, There was a coin shop on the other side of the street, gazing in the window I could only spot crown sized hammered gold pieces.... Drooling over the coins I had to go inside. I was greeted like most places in NY by a officer with an assault riffle in a shop that looked like a 1800 book store. Gazing in the glass cases I only saw coins with four digit price tags... I came out empty handed. I think that most coin shops in Manhattan are intended for ballers "ppl that roll in money" I myself not being a baller content myself by drooling on the glass and looking at the guy in the Armani suit, Versace watch and LV socks walking out with his new 15,000$ acquisition... The closest I came to a coin shop in my price range was when I went to a cigar shop near time square and got a mercury dime in my change.. But I'm sure you could find one on Google map fairly easy... I remember Reuben talking about one or two a few months ago, maybe you could PM him. Good luck and enjoy NY I always have a ton of fun when I go, once bought a gold chain from a bum that told me he stoll it at macys.. he wanted 13$ I gave him 10 in change and ran away. When I came back home I sold it for 350$ and bought coins I have to mention that the waiter at norma's had the most ridiculous wig that I have ever seen ....
Thank you for your answer, Weyron. Your story is very funny, and a bit discorageous. I really think that I’m going to feel ridiculous if I go into such a high level dealer, looking for coins with 1 or 2 digit price when cheaper coin there is a 4 digit one. You have adviced me to contact with “Reuben”. I don’t find him in the member list. May be you mean “Ruben” (there is one in the list)? Thanks again.
hey maldo_rc interesting thread.. where is this town square where there is a coin market on sundays in barcelona? say myself or a friend visits i can ask him to get coins for me if u let me know the place. do they sell for a per lb or per kg? do write about how your coin hunting goes in NY... even i fall your category of pple looking for "affordable coins" and ebay is not an option...
weryon You were lucky, most of the time those 'deals' are for bogus chains. Sometimes ya win, sometimes ...
Yeah , I gave it the quick plating test on the street. tried to burn it with a lighter for a good 20 seconds.... after that I was like "sold" here you go Mr homeless fellow enjoy your booze money... Now everytime i'm in NY i look out for bums with news papers
Hi Mumbapuri. The square, in Barcelona, is called “Plaza Real” in spanish (can be translated into “Royal Square”). It’s close to the popular “Ramblas” boulevard, and also close to the turistic harbour. Every sunday about twenty or thirty small dealers sell their coins, b/notes, stamps and some other collectibles, all range of prices. I use to buy spanish coins (1870 to 2000) from 5 to 20 euros, for example, or new 2 euros commemorative coins from European Union (paying 3 or 4 euros for each piece), or maybe a mongolian coin for 2 euros (I like this exotic coins, even when they're common), or common uncirculated and small coins at 0.60 euros each, well, they are some examples. You can find also more expensive coins: ancient roman, some gold (not many), a lot of silver coins, etc. They don’t usually sell by kg, just for single pieces. I’ve been in my travels in many important european cities, but I’ve never found something similar (just single shops). I’m not optimistic in my hunting in NY, as you say, haha. I was already in NY some years ago and I was very lucky because I found a small dealer where I bought some old US coins to fill gaps in my world collection at very reasonable prices (a barber dime, a mercury dime, a buffalo nickel, a two cents coin from 1861, some common silver dollars, etc.), but I don’t remember the location. But that was my only success in that travel, I really thougth that I would find more coin stores as the one I say.
Maldo if you ever come to London we have a coin/stamp market every satrday morning below Charing cross train station :hail:
The quick answer to your question is no, you will not find coin shops in Manhattan selling inexpensive common State Quarters and Presidential Dollars. However, if you're willing to travel out to Long Island, there is a coin show every second and fourth Sunday of the month located in Melville, NY. You can take the Long Island Rail Road from Penn Station in Manhattan to the Farmingdale station and then take a cab to the show. Here's the information: The Melville Stamp & Coin Catapano Engineering 585 Route 110 Melville, NY 11747 Hrs: 9AM-3PM George Schultheis PH: 516-557-7096 Email: gsstamps1@hotmail.com
De Orc, thank you for that good information. I hope to visit London soon again, maybe next year (I’ve been twice before). I write down the address for future. Steve27, thank you, you confirm it’s not easy to get inexpensive coin in the powerful Manhattan. I’ll see if I can get there in my short holidays in USA (just a week). Thanks a lot, very useful information.
A quick Google search and presto..... http://www.google.com/search?source...8&rlz=1T4GGLJ_enUS306US310&q=coin+dealers+nyc And Maldo, the 110 show is worth the trip. a train ticket from Penn Station to Farmingdale isn't going to set you back too much.
maldo_rc, never been to NY, but i have heard a lot good about NY and i am sure u will something there though manhattan being expensive that may be a lil tough.. as some of the others even i would recommend requesting rubuen for info, good luck to u
A round-trip ticket between Penn Station and Farmingdale (on a Sunday) should cost less than $20. Exact fares are available if you search around on the MTA site green18 linked above. The cab fare from the Farmingdale railroad station to the show might cost more. Be aware that the taxicab companies running out of the LIRR train stations are usually rinky dink affairs with older cars and no meters. They go by some sort of zone system (so does the railroad but they're not related in any way, shape or form). They will tell you right up-front how much the fare will be, and are a safe way to travel. Nevertheless, I would not engage the driver in any conversation about coins along the way! Just give them the address and don't mention the coin show at all, although if it takes place on a regular basis they are probably already familiar with it. Just don't say more than you have to, especially if you are carrying any coins with you. As for Manhattan, you couldn't pay me to go into any coin (or stamp or gold jewelry or any other collectibles) establishment there (or in Brooklyn, for that matter). They will be trying to take advantage of you one way or another 100% of the time you are there, and simply will not transact any business with you whatsoever unless they come out ahead on the deal by a wide margin.
Last time I went to NYC (about an hour away) and bought something from a coin shop, it was a 5$ confederate bill. I recently discovered the "made in japan" lettering in a corner.....
A couple of quick additions... If you want to go into an NYC coin shop just to have a look around, by all means do so. They won't physically grab the cash out of your pocket. Just don't expect to find any good deals. And if you take a taxi from the RR station don't forget to tip the driver! 10% is usually good, but don't be afraid to round up a little. If the fare is $8.50, for example, it won't kill you to hand the driver a 10 and tell him to keep the change.
