Coin Show Prices......

I have never been to a coin show.....I have been collecting for a couple of years, 100% on ebay. I was wondering just recently , what are the prices dealers have at these coin shows? compared to Ebay....Certified coins !!
Are they cheaper? more expensive? I think like most of us here, that a dealer, needs to pay for their table, they need to fly in, pay hotel, rental car, meals, escorts...etc...LOL....and they know buyers are coming, so they must charge BIG prices for their coins..
I don't know, do they? If prices are cheaper, I know I would attend, maybe even FLY..!! but prices would need to be like way below ebay sales..please let me know your experiences...
I know these shows probably have events or classes to teach you things, which are nice, but please let us people who do not attend , what are the prices of coins there. Certified coins is what I mean.!! but feel free to address raw coins as well......thank you. !!!

 

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I have only been to a few coin shows, never bought off ebay, the prices seem to be around greysheet bid ask values.

 

I have not been to many coin shows, but my experience has been that more dealers, means more competition, means better deals....I talked to a few that flew in and basically they only brought the more expensive coins, but were still willing to barter on the prices...

 

Dealers make there money at the shows by BUYing, not selling. A dealer makes a profit when they buy coins, not sell them. Most of the buying is done between dealers.

 

To answer your question, you should save 20-40 percent at the shows compared with eBay. ebay is easy, but its retail.

 

since there will be several dealers at each show, and all price differently, it's hard to be general. But at just about any show there will be dealers asking super high prices for their coins while others will be more reasonable. Same goes for eBay too, there are some eBay sellers asking crazy money, while other coins sell too cheap on eBay.

Going to a show has the clear advantage of allowing you to see the coins in hand before making a purchase, that alone may be worth some premium if you find one you really like.

 

Could you elaborate a bit more ?

 

I agree with that as well.All in all, the shows are a lot of fun...Hard to take in all those coins today.

 

We make our money at the time we purchase a coin. If I know that I can make a market for a coin that you have at a set price, then anything less than that is how much I make. How far you let me grind you down is how much I will make at the end of the day. Doesnt sound nice....I know.

 

We just realize the profit when we sell it.

 

Before eBay coin shows were the place to buy coins if you didn't have or didn't care for your local coin shop. Your only other option was mail order. I went to every coin and paper money show in NYC and after a few years learned who could be trusted, who had fair prices, etc.

Ebay has given every collector a chance to be a dealer, which is good and bad. Good if the person is honest, bad if they are not. And I don't agree that eBay is all retail. Just as I have bought $400 Dutch banknotes for $40 at shows I have had similiar luck with eBay. Great deals don't just jump out and announce themselves, but if you have done your homework and are prepared you can still find good deals.

Dealers like coin shows because naive people come to them with nice coins and are willing to sell them. People who have no idea how to use a computer let alone eBay.

I still go to coin shows but I don't buy as much as I used to. These days it's really just to see what everone has and maybe learn about something new.

 

Yep, this comment really gnaws away at me. .....and all this time I thought that in the hobby of numismatics, that professional coin dealers always try maintain the interest of both parties and will offer fair prices and not chip away from a fair price while throwing out some baloney out there to boot to justify their position. With such a limited market no-one really wants to loose any business.
Oh hang on,....thats only the honest ones. Sorry about that.
I can imagine how a blue-haired grandma would be treated with with her deceased husbands collection with a predominate attitude like that.

To get to the focus of this discussion, coin shows can save you money in the long run, plain and simple. No shipping and handling charges, no sales taxes as some ebay listings indicate, potential to save more money if you buy a few things at the same time, ability to choose the best coin and price from all the dealers of a simular coin.
If you really want to do the math right, make sure you factor in your parking and gas to determine how the day went.

 

I have been to a number of different coin shows, and prices are usually better than online or on ebay. Dealers at shows are often willing to negotiate as well especially if you are buying multiple items. TC

 

Being a person that goes to about 2 to 4 coin shows a Month, this is what I've found over many, many years of doing that.
Coin show prices on coins are pending on some different situations.
A really large coin show, like the FUN one, has prices almost as high as possible. Also, not a real lot of negotiating on prices. Although the compitition is large, the cost for dealers also is large. At a large coin show, the dealers usually have to pay more for a spot. They have to pay for hotels, restaurants, gas for thier vehicals or plane fairs. Lots of those costs increase the prices on thier coins. Regardless, still much better than ebay or on line dealers since you can see what your buying. Also, no lost in mail, insurances, postage, restocking fees like with via the internet.
Smaller coin shows of about 100 or less dealers are usually much better in prices. Also, as a rule but not always, the dealers are also local, therefore they too have less expenses. Many are from a coin store in the area so very little expenses. At a smaller coin show, if they are held frequently, you get to know the dealers and they get to know you. If you do go to smaller coin shows, make sure you talk to all the dealers if possible so they do get to know you. That really helps getting the lowest prices for a purchase.
Regardless of the coin show, never pay the first stated price or a price shown on the coin. A coin show is really just a specialize flea market only for coins. Most dealers have raised their prices accordingly. They know your going to haggle about the prices so they raise the prices to cover that.
One dealer I know told me he sometimes raises his prices by 25%. As soon as you look at a coin he will tell you those are mostly old prices and from someone else and you can have this or that for 15% less. If you still haggle, he will drop down another 5% and if you really look like your not interested he will now go down 25%. He now gets his original price, you walk away thinking your the biggest haggler on prices on Earth.
With so many coin shows in my area I could never see even considering purchasing a coin via the internet.

 

As others have said, 'some' dealers will over exaggerate their prices. IMO, they are probably more interested in buying but if they do end up selling something, it's a very large profit.

Others are more interested in selling and for most, I would say the prices I"ve seen are very reasonable. Some are too cheap. I've gotten the best deals at shows. I've paid prices I never could have got on ebay.
On more than one occasion, I've come across a deal that was so unbelievably good, I almost fumbled my wallet trying to get it out so fast! But, most of the time, the prices just seem reasonable. Fair if you want to call it that. And I'd say 8 out of 10 are willing to negotiate down a little beyond that. I've had some dealers knock 5,10, 20 bucks off without even asking when the price was already cheaper than ebay.

If you're looking for specific things, check several price guides and make notes on a piece of paper to bring with for a quick reference that you can walk away and glance at. Often times I'll have looked at several examples of something on ebay and then see one at a show and remember what they went for on ebay compared to the dealers price.

Keep in mind, you're not paying for shipping and insurance and the dealer isn't losing 3% to paypal. And no tax. That should be an instant savings on most everything.

The selection can be overwhelming. You're looking at one coin at a time on ebay. Then you go to a show and there's hundreds of thousands of coins spread out all over the place to check out. Some dealers will have stacks and stacks of slabbed coins bundled up in cases. You'll have to ask them for what you're looking for and they'll give you a stack to sort through.
It pays to have a targeted group of stuff you're looking for. Then window shop as time permits. Otherwise, you'll be overwhelmed.

The best part is seeing things in hand. That alone makes it worth the trip. You get a real feel for sizes of different coins and also get to see the real colors and toning patterns. The nickel in my avatar I got at a show last year. That picture I took of it in no way represents the awesome rose toning it actually has. But, the moment I picked it up at the show and saw it, I knew I was buying it. If I hadn't seen it in hand, I might not have bought it.

 

Been to alot of coin shows!! Though good deals can be had it does require
A little work and some luck depending on the crowds and overall spending!!

 

About Good,

Go to all the shows you can. Also, go to estate auctions. I have had better experiences at shows than ebay overall, mainly becuase you get to see the coins in hand, and talk to your seller. The better versed you are on the series you are interested in is invaluable, as you are the one who is making the purchase. The shows are always learning experiences.

take care and have fun!!!

 

Everyone has already stated the many reasons I attend shows.
You bring the coin home the same day. And you can use your eyes for other things besides looking out the window at your mailbox.
I like the small local shows better than the big hyped up extravaganzas.
Once you have been to the same shows several times you know whose table to stay away from and whose table to belly up to. At times I buy some small item instead of walking away just to keep a relationship with certain dealers.
I also sell a few meaningless coins to certain dealers at times without haggling at their offer. I will also at times pay the dealer his first quoted price without negotiating. I don't always feel like hassling price. But then on the day I AM in the mood to bargain I mostly get the price down to where I want to be with it. It is kind of a laissez-faire way of doing it. But the dealers who know me can't stereotype my buying patterns.
Those things plus some added etiquette go a long way. When a table is busy or when a new onlooker comes over I step away. But if there is something I am interested in I come back later.
Sometimes I'll wait until the next month to do the deal if the coin is still there.
Meanwhile I will research the coin other places and compare.
Then next month at the show again if the coin is there and the price is the same I am ready.
There are a few dealers who I always make a point of stopping at even if I buy or sell nothing. Just check in, see if anything is new and say Hi.
Sometimes a guy has just made a purchase and already picked out what he wanted. Then he wants to rid himself of the leftovers instead of bringing it home. So I have come away with good deals just because the guy wants to be rid of the bulk.

 

This is a great perspective. It isn't always about getting the best deal when looking for a quality piece. You have to pay for quality. Don't let a printed price guide hold you back from owning a beautiful piece that will make your day. Or maybe your year. Even if you have to skip buying something else.

Sometimes it seems the forums and people focus on the 'deal' more than the coins themselves and that shouldn't be what drives people. Looking at good, high quality, rarer coins should not be viewed in the same context as comparing prices of a case of pop between super markets. Although some people try to do it. Other, more common stuff? Haggle away. And that of course covers a broad spectrum.
But IMO, some coins just warrant a premium, especially if you get to see them in person where you can get a better idea of exactly what they are.
You are the buyer. You set prices up or down. The guides are just guides. They can't possibly cover every situation.