matthewhealey

Recent experiences in coin stores: When we were on vacation in Europe in July I took my 10-year-old son to a coin store in Prague for a quick look-round. The dealer had a box of coins he was selling by weight. We spent 20 minutes pulling out a nearly complete type set of pre-war Czechoslovak coins, plus about 20 other miscellaneous older European coins. Price $3 for the lot. My son was thrilled (now I wish I could find a Whitman-style album for Czechoslovak type sets!) The dealer was so talkative we could hardly get out of the store. We got back to NY in August and I take my son for a drive around Long Island to visit a couple of coin stores. The first one had a sign on the door, "Closed for half an hour" even though two guys were standing right inside counting out coins or whatever. While we stood there wondering if it was worth hanging out on the sidewalk like idiots for 30 minutes, another guys comes up, taps on the glass, waves and shouts something about wanting in. They obviously know him as an old customer but they still won't open the door. "Come on, Dad" says my son, "Let's go to the aquarium instead." So much for that numismatic experience. I wonder why they bother having a store if they won't admit customers... should stick to dealing online and save the rent, no? We try another store, 45 minutes drive from the first. Guy says hello, he's also busy counting out silver dollars with a customer but doesn't mind having other customers browse in the meantime. The store is dingy and decrepit, the only items on display are rubbish like painted half-dollars, sun-faded folders for state quarters, junk Morgans for $19.95 each. He has a few mint sets and proof sets under the counter but half the coins are discolored. The guy is pleasant enough and my son talks me into buying him the 1994 Soccer World Cup commemorative half dollar and dollar. It's $40 for the pair, no bargain there, but I want to encourage my son's collecting so I spring for it. He's thrilled. We also seem to have bought the only thing in the store worth buying. Last week I visit a fancy coin store in midtown Manhattan. Used to be full of coins, now it's half sports memorabilia. It's 4:30, the sign says they're open til 5 but they are already pulling down the shutters. What the ??? Try again two days later. They have some nice coins on display, ranging from better Wheaties to St-Gaudens. The prices seem a little on the high side, but not outrageous. The guys are civil but not too talkative. I don't get the feeling they'd enjoy spending an afternoon chatting about coins with anyone - they'd rather I just hand over the credit card. It's enough to make me go back to Europe!