I hate you guys...

[SilverEagleCoins]

I have only been posting for a few months here and I've learned a lot. Although I still don't know all the nuances of grading, I know some of the key things to look for such as hairlines, frost on cameos, raws, and slabs with grades to respect and those to question (yeah I know you should look at the coin without regards to slab) and of course getting familiar with pricing.

 

Today I went to my first local coins show. It was a very small display with only about 10 tables but it was really close so I said what the heck. Anyway I browsed for about an hour and everything looked overgraded, too expensive, too scratched, not frosty enough, AT, etc.

 

I don't know if I've set my standards too high or if the stuff was really that junky. Seems the only thing good enough were proofs and even many of those were not frosty enough.

 

I only bought an 1885 Morgan for a few bucks because it was older than my current Morgan and a 1976S $0.25 proof to add to my modern quarters collection.

 

I blame all of you for educating me and keeping my wallet stuffed with so much cash it's uncomfortable driving home.

 

[truthteller]

If you feel your wallet is too stuffed, please feel free to ship some 'stuffing' this way. $100 bills appreciated. Send to:

 

Truthteller Cash Unstuffing service

c/o NGC forums.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TRUTH

 

 

 

[TomB]

 

You can send my share of that to Truth, I'm certain he will forward it to me.

[EVillageProwler]

ditto.

 

On a serious note, I often see lots of impaired material at the smaller shows and in storefronts that are priced as if they are unimpaired.

 

But, the stuff is probably a better buy than what you'd get on QVC, et al.

 

EVP

 

[DaveG]

Look at it this way, the education you're getting for free I (and probably most of the others on this board) had to pay for!

 

It took me a while to stop "bargain" hunting and only buy coins I was really in love with. It's just not worth it to buy a low-end coin, because you'll just grow to dislike it when you have high-end coins in your collection, you'll have trouble selling it when you decide to and its price won't increase the way a high-end coin's will.

 

I think you'll find that if you're looking for nicer (more expensive) coins, you'll have to go to a larger show. Over the past ten years, I've progressed from making most of my purchases at a 25-table show, to making most of my purchases at an 80-table show, to now, when I mostly have to go to 150-table or larger shows to find anything I'm really interested in.

[SilverEagleCoins]

Yes and that's exactly why I hate you guys

[BillJones]

The truth is a lot of the stuff you will see at smaller shows is disappointing, but so a lot of the stuff that you see at larger shows as well. And the disappointing stuff is not limited to the coins that are raw.

 

The truth is really nice coins are often worth what it says on the Gray Sheet and more in dealer to dealer transactions. The disappointing stuff is worth "bid" or less, and if you think you are getting bargain based upon the grade on the holder and the price WITHOUT looking at the coin, you are probably not buying that well.

 

I purchased most of the good stuff in my collection by paying "bid" and usually more for it. If you are a collector who is in this hobby for the long haul, you are doing yourself a disservice if your purchases are based upon price alone. It’s the COIN that counts and some pieces in the same technical grade are worth more because of eye appeal and fact that they are “high end” for their grade.

 

[Oldtrader3]

If it makes you feel any better, I usually do not find much at small shows to buy either. When I do, it is usually only one dealer who I cherrypick. I generally look at a lot of coins at a show before buying anything even moderately expensive.

[Leothelion]

Just go and buy a few overgraded, expensive cruddy coins and you'll start loving us again!

 

Leo

[EZ_E]

Look at it this way, the education you're getting for free I (and probably most of the others on this board) had to pay for!

 

It took me a while to stop "bargain" hunting and only buy coins I was really in love with. It's just not worth it to buy a low-end coin, because you'll just grow to dislike it when you have high-end coins in your collection, you'll have trouble selling it when you decide to and its price won't increase the way a high-end coin's will.

 

 

OUTSTANDING POST!

[SilverEagleCoins]

A lot of coins that I have had for a long time that are really blast white now seem to be very deficient. I see scratches everywhere and little spots that might be dip residue. I guess even a few months of proper advice can really sharpen one's skills and knowledge