Coin Show This Weekend -- Woo-Hoo!

I enjoy going to coin shows. And this weekend there is going to be a show in Grapevine, TX. That's just 9.6 miles from my house! That's great news for me!
How do I prepare for a show? Before the show I will have decided what types of coins I will concentrate on. (This time it will be Lincoln Cents, Indian Head Cents and Mercury Dimes.) I read up on them so that I know what to look for, and I know if a dealer is being honest. They almost always are. The addage, "Read the book before you buy the coin," is great advice.

I like going to the shows early. If I get to the venue within the first half hour of the show's opening there are usually not many people there. The aisles are clear. The dealers are ready to sell, but don't have anyone to do business with yet. That's great because most of them are willing to chat.
I usually try to talk with dealers who are knowledgable and friendly. I talk about coins that I don't know very well. I tell them that I don't really know what I'm looking at, and they are almost always willing to spend some time with me. I'm amazed at the depth of knowledge that some of these dealers have! They usually don't make big sales with me, but you can be sure that I remember who it is that treats me well. And you can be sure that if they treat me well, they have a much better chance of getting future business from me.

What do I take with me?
1. A list of coins I am looking for.
2. A magnifying glass.
3. A pad on which I can take notes.
4. An attitude which says, "I don't have to buy anything here today." Too many people rush in and buy something from the first dealer they see, whether they want the coin or not. And too many people just can't walk out the door without a new coin in their pocket. The world will not end if you don't spend your money. Make wise decisions!

I promise, I'll try!

Thats-My-2-Cents
Art Haule
http://www.squidoo.com/icollectcoins
http://www.violinstudent.com/

Buried Treasure in the Back Yard!

About 6:30 last evening my doorbell rang. When I opened the door I found three neighborhood kids ranging in age from 4 to 8. My daughter was doing her homework, so I told them that Adriana couldn't play.

They didn't come for Adriana, they came for me.

"We were digging in our yard, and we knew you like coins, and . . . "

Out popped the older girl's hand. In it was an 1897 Indian Head Cent.

"What's this worth?"

It only took a momentary examination to see that the coin was nothing special numismatically. I questioned them about where they found it, figuring that it had come out of somebody's collection, but the story was consistent...even with the 4-year old. The coin was too clean to have popped right out of the ground, but they said they had washed it in water. Maybe it was true!

I pulled out a magnifying glass. We sat down and I began to talk with them. The boy was more interested in terrorizing our dog, but the girls sat quietly as I started to tell them about the coin. I talked about the designer. I told them about the obverse of the coin actually being based on the designer's daughter. I showed them the reverse, and told them about the design change on the back of the coin the second year it was minted. We talked for three or four minutes when . . .

Another knock at the door. More kids. They're a couple years older than the ones I already had in the house.

"We've been looking at the Internet and we found it!"

They announced that the coin was only worth a dollar. Pretty fair assessment, but it seemed to bother the little ones I already had in the house that they hadn't become wealthy finding hidden treasure! The older kids left.

I told them to take care of the coin. I told them that they were really lucky . . . I've never found an Indian Head Cent in my back yard! I told them to show their parents (they already had) and that if they found more I'd be glad to help them with their new treasures.

Then I considered breaking out my shovel at about three o'clock in the morning . . . they don't have a dog . . . so maybe if I'm really quiet . . . and I'm really lucky . . .

Art Haule
http://www.squidoo.com/indianheadpenny