Recommdations for purchasing coins 1 1

[HAL9000Jupiter]

I have some interest in gathering a barber series collection.  I have a few, but am interested in adding to the collection.  Nothing expensive, rare or high grade.

I know of ebay, of course, but I am looking for other potential options.

Thank you for any advice.

[powermad5000]

Hello and welcome to the forum!

You did not specify whether you are seeking these coins raw or already certified. I am feeling you are inclined to be seeking these as raw as you put the words "nothing expensive" in your opening statement.

As you are not seeking any high end coins, you can try out any of your local coin shops or local coin dealers, and wait for any coin shows to come to your area where they sell raw coins. You could also join a local coin club. You could also consider reaching out to some of the Barber series collector clubs. You did not mention whether it is dimes, quarters, or halves you are looking for, but I think there is a Barber club that covers all of them.

I would not purchase online from anywhere except recognized auction houses and eBay at most. Avoid completely sites like Etsy and especially Temu as those two are loaded with counterfeits of all different coin types and denominations.

I would be prepared to having to do a little travelling to obtain some of these as each local shop will only have so many (or none) of the pieces you are seeking. You should look up the shops phone numbers and call them first to see if they have anything you are looking for to avoid any wasted trips.

Edited December 29, 2023 by powermad5000

[EagleRJO]

On 12/28/2023 at 4:14 PM, HAL9000Jupiter said:

I have some interest in gathering a barber series collection

The old adage is "know the coin before you buy the coin".  I would start with some basic coin references such as the Red Book and ANA Grading Standards, and then read up on the coins you are interested in such as with the attached book on Barber coins by Bowers.

And stick with coins already certified and slabbed until you gain a significant amount of experience.  I have found Great Collections auctions to be a good source at reasonable prices in general.

[GoldFinger1969]

If you don't mind "paying up" -- and for quality, I might add (which is often worth it) -- try Heritage Auctions and Great Collections.

You pay more, but you get quality....what you want.....and save lots of time and effort.  

[CIII]

I have purchased from and would recommend greatcollections.com and stacksbowers.com

Both have been very efficient in handling and shipping my purchases.  Good luck!

[HAL9000Jupiter]

There are quite a few very good recommendations.  I have not quoted responses due to the length.  The advice to learn more about the coins themselves is something that I will certainly entertain.

@powermad5000, I assume that "raw" are loose coins and not in jewel cases.  Yes, I am referring to "raw".  Also, thank you for the warnings.  Most probably are not aware of easy counterfeiters.

I am somewhat hesitant to purchase at shops, as some people are not up front or honest.  Most certainly, there are those that will be honest

@EagleRJO However, learning more about the coins, especially true market value, would be extremely helpful.  I would assume that there would be opportunies to purchase coins a bit less then those values.

@GoldFinger1969 This is what I am looking for.  A reference to an alternative source.

On a side note, there is already a username of HAL9000.  While 2001ASO is most certainly a classic movie, the knowledge would generally show someones age.  I saw it in the theatres when it was released.

Again, thank you very much for your time and effort to respond.

[JKK]

On 12/29/2023 at 5:17 AM, HAL9000Jupiter said:

I am somewhat hesitant to purchase at shops, as some people are not up front or honest.  Most certainly, there are those that will be honest

There's a pretty good way to check that. Go to the shop and buy a few inexpensive coins that you'd like to have. Take them home. Go over them with the grading guide in hand and check their grading in detail. Once you have arrived at conservative grades (on the logic that shops should err in the direction of undergrading if they are going to err), look them up in price guides and get some sold listing comparisons on EB. This will give you a pretty good idea of what kind of value, competence, and honesty you can expect from that dealer, and obviously you can't do most of that in the store.

If you find that you got a bad deal, you then get to test whether you can return coins to that dealer. Don't tell them the truth about why; just say you decided to go in a different direction. Most people would say differently, but most Americans have this quaint notion that if consumers expose themselves to potential hassle and chastisement by giving businesses feedback, the world will become a better place because businesses will improve. Nah, especially not in the small-shop coin business, which is generally run by autists who are never going to improve. You're not planning to shop there anymore, but you might someday for whatever reason, so it's best to avoid having a debate. Just be vague. If you think about it, an overgrading, overpricing ripoff house doesn't really deserve a reward such as constructive criticism.

[JKK]

Also, among the coins you buy to test them, pick at least one with amazing eye appeal. Doesn't have to be expensive, just really eye-catching. When you get it home, see just how much of a premium you were charged for that prettiness. While eye appeal does have a role in grading, smart dealers will put like a gorgeous toner out there and raise the price quite a bit, on the logic that one of two things happens: a) it draws the eye to the case, and the longer people look, the more likely they are to buy; b) while it's not really priced to sell, just to display, if it does sell it will be getting massive margin. This will help you see just how sneaky that dealer is.

Lastly, don't be innumerate. Innumerate people think that a $9 coin for which they were charged $10 is 'just a buck, not that bad,' and no different than a $29 coin for which the dealer asked $30. No, no, no, no, no. The first one doesn't just have a 10% premium, but slightly more; either way, 10% or 11.1% is a huge jump. The second is just above 3%. The two differences are a world of difference in value received, and too many shoppers these days do not process these realities.

In the case of some of the younger ones, they can't. The education system we put them through placed more value on building their self-esteem and pretending that society cared what happened to them than teaching them f-bombing math. A couple months back I brought in four six-packs of cans and bottles for recycling (10c each in Oregon; I want my f-bombing $2.40 back). The young woman could not see "four, six, multiplied, twenty-four." She had to count them starting at one. It's that bad--and she's a cashier, for gods' sake. So if you find yourself tempted to think that the first $1 difference and the second are the same, remember the scales involved. Apologies if you're an accountant or some other person well versed in math, or if you at least went to school back in the timeframe when people actually learned it. In that case I'm preaching to the choir and no offense meant.

[HAL9000Jupiter]

Quite the methodology of sellers, but I suppose that is the nature of the business, like any other.  For example, the other day, in a used car lot, there was an '80s mustang that had enormous, extremely shiny, chrome mag wheels out in front and center.

Yes, I have seen cashiers unable to go beyond the display of their machine and I have had to explain how much change that I needed to be given when paying in cash.  More than once has this occurred.

I have heard that there are considerations to not have any sort of exams to gauge education levels for graduation.  A sad state of affairs.

I have a strong mathematics background.  In VA, every HS student participated in a math\trig\calc(ulus) exam.  I scored in the top 20 and as such, the 20 spent the summer at Langley Reaserch Center Nasa, studyng with various departments, by pair, such as astrophysics, aerodynamics, etc.  I worked with 2 meteorologists, studying computer aided aviation design.  We saw and toured the initial design works of the shuttle (1975).

Edited December 29, 2023 by HAL9000Jupiter

[USAuPzlBxBob]

Still remember seeing the movie in the theater — widescreen — and being somewhat disappointed with the ape opening… until the jawbone was tossed skyward and suddenly:  outer space, the beautiful Ferris wheel — filled up the screen — and the music was some classical piece for ballet dancers of yore.

Quite the movie.

[HAL9000Jupiter]

On 12/29/2023 at 11:36 AM, USAuPzlBxBob said:

Still remember seeing the movie in the theater — widescreen — and being somewhat disappointed with the ape opening… until the jawbone was tossed skyward and suddenly:  outer space, the beautiful Ferris wheel — filled up the screen — and the music was some classical piece for ballet dancers of yore.

Quite the movie.

Kubric upset several people, as he is want to do.  He rejected the entire commissioned score, for the most part, and used existing classical music, such as the Blue Danube.  Arthur C Clark was terribly upset and walked out at intermission at the premiere, when he saw large gaps in the fleshed out --script as collaborated between he and Kubrik..

Edited December 29, 2023 by HAL9000Jupiter

[GoldFinger1969]

On 12/29/2023 at 8:17 AM, HAL9000Jupiter said:

There are quite a few very good recommendations.  I have not quoted responses due to the length.  The advice to learn more about the coins themselves is something that I will certainly entertain.  @powermad5000, I assume that "raw" are loose coins and not in jewel cases.  Yes, I am referring to "raw".  Also, thank you for the warnings.  Most probably are not aware of easy counterfeiters.  I am somewhat hesitant to purchase at shops, as some people are not up front or honest.  Most certainly, there are those that will be honest   However, learning more about the coins, especially true market value, would be extremely helpful.  I would assume that there would be opportunies to purchase coins a bit less then those values.  

@GoldFinger1969 This is what I am looking for.  A reference to an alternative source. On a side note, there is already a username of HAL9000.  While 2001ASO is most certainly a classic movie, the knowledge would generally show someones age.  I saw it in the theatres when it was released.  Again, thank you very much for your time and effort to respond.

Hal, if you are a beginner as seems to be the case then (1) make sure you know the basics of grading in general and for the coin type you are going to focus on (Barbers) before purchasing......OR.....(2) only buy certified coins that are graded by a TPG.

We all have different financial means here....you could blow thousands and it not matter to you at all, or you could be out a few hundred dollars and feel burned and say you are never going to buy another coin again.  Make sure you know what you are doing ...don't rush into anything ...and use a forum like NGC here as a sounding board when not sure. 

We also have many useful threads already out there, but feel free to add to this one or create a new one in the NEWBIE or US WORLD COINS sections as you see fit. 

Edited December 29, 2023 by GoldFinger1969