Good B&M coin shop experience

[rmpsrpms]

I was in San Diego on business last Thursday, and I finished my meetings before noon. After a nice lunch (and beer) at Callahan's Pub I went coin shopping. I've been around to a lot of shops in the area over the years, but I was usually in town on weekends and many shops were closed. My passion is BU rolls of Lincoln Wheat Cents, so I called around to save me some time. After striking out on several calls, I tried Cellar Coin on Garnet Ave. For those who are not aware of San Diego shopping districts, Garnet Ave is one of the "eclectic" areas of town. It seems every other building houses a "smoke shop" or other vice. It's my kind of street! Anyway, the owner said he had a bunch of rolls, of many dates, so off I drove in a hurry.

 

Cellar Coin is fairly far down the street, almost to the Pacific Ocean, in a "downtown" looking section of Garnet. First thing I saw was a buy board (I though it was a bid board at first) so the shop is fairly classic looking. Second thing I saw was the Glock in holster on owner's hip, which I figured was par for the area of town. It made me feel quite comfortable.

 

The owner brought out two unsorted boxes of rolls, with many BU Cents, Nickels, Dimes even Dollars. Many of the Cents were in paper bank wrappers. I started pulling out rolls, and by the time I was through I had selected 20+ rolls, including 4 40's/50's BU Dime rolls. The conversation while I was looking was very pleasant, and I left there vowing to return next time I was in town.

 

All in all about the best B&M coin experience I've had in years. I highly recommend Cellar Coin if you are in San Diego.

[jpcienkus]

Nice write up. I travel as well and will venture out to local B&M when I have the time. What other inventory did the shop carry?

[bsshog40]

I've only found one here in the shreveport, La area. He has some nice coins. Just about all are priced at the same pricing as you would find on Ebay. A lot better than the flea market they have near me that sell common EF morgans for $45-50.

[johnny9434]

cool, im glad to hear about a positive experience. wtg

[Walkerfan]

cool, im glad to hear about a positive experience. wtg

 

I agree----sounds like a wonderful afternoon.

[Crohnos01]

Nice write up... I love to hear about good dealers. I don't make it to San Diego very often, but I will definitely check out Cellar Coin if I do.

 

In the for what it's worth department, I stumbled on a nice shop in Albuquerque called Jim Coad coins. The owner is kind of quiet, but knowledgeable and friendly enough once you engage him in conversation. He has a really nice selection of just about everything it seems, but I have found a couple of nice early commemoratives from him.

[Nutmeg Coin]

Glad to hear of your positive experience. Most of the coin shops in the northeast US are well run; folks have to remember if they don't get nice material they won't have nice material to offer. New England seems to be starved for fresh and nice material, so the collectors stop looking locally and go online instead. Most of the shop owners I speak with do not submit much to grading due to the expense and they have collectors for raw coins under a certain dollar threshold. I spoke with a dealer in the state who has had his shop for over 50 years, a rarity these days as the numbers of shops that have folded are far more than those that have survived.