Midland Coin Fair - couple of quick questions

[Stuntman 264]

I'm hoping to attend this coin fair for the first time this coming Sunday (13 Dec) and am looking forward to seeing a great variety of coins at first hand.

Just a couple of questions for the regular attendees:

Do they allow re-admission? I was considering getting there in the morning, possibly visiting some other places nearby over lunchtime etc, and then going back to the coin fair in the afternoon.

Would any dealers be interested in buying pretty ordinary coins from people attending the fair? I have some honest everyday shillings in Fair to Fine grade; similar coins are for sale from dealers for £5-£15, so the coins are worth more than bullion value but not by very much.

Equally I have some run-of-the-mill silver coins that are are probably just worth bullion but otherwise nice enough for a young/novice collector. Any money that I received for these coins would get recycled into a new purchase. However, I don't want to ask if the answer would clearly be no!

Thanks in advance!

[Nordle11 564]

Hi stuntman, the quick answers are yes, yes and yes!

They'll give you a ticket stub when you go in so just keep hold of it to get back in. Lots of friendly dealers too and there's no stupid question so just show a few your wares or as I like to do, find someone with something you want then ask if they'll knock anything off if you trade something in, many are very obliging.

Have fun!

I've missed it and plan coming back to the UK next year especially for one of the bigger ones!

[TomGoodheart 444]

Mmm .. they sometimes sell coins in the market near the Mirador de Colom Matt. At the end of las Ramblas..


.

Edited December 10, 2015 by TomGoodheart

[Stuntman 264]

Good stuff, thanks. I'll bring my old schoolboy 'washers' with me then, it would be nice if these could find a new home now I've started collecting slightly better ones.

Only slightly, mind!

[Peter 615]

A lot of the dealers have junk boxes.

I'm sure they will be interested in Ag coins.

I've done straight swaps but bear in mind they need a profit but you avoid the perils and of ebay.

[Nordle11 564]

Mmm .. they sometimes sell coins in the market near the Mirador de Colom Matt. At the end of las Ramblas..

.

Yeah it's in placa reial, I can lean out of my balcony and see it It's on every Sunday which is great, but it's completely dominated by euros and Spanish coins. There are some UK pre decimals dotted about but they're difficult to find and nearly always fine of worse.

I did spend a day looking through most of the pennies, perhaps there's a hidden variety somewhere, but as usual no haha.

Edited December 10, 2015 by Nordle11

[Nonmortuus 927]

I plan to be there all being well.

[Rob 3,228]

Good stuff, thanks. I'll bring my old schoolboy 'washers' with me then, it would be nice if these could find a new home now I've started collecting slightly better ones.

Only slightly, mind!

If they are washers then you should only expect prices around melt unless obviously worth something as a rarity and only a handful of dealers would want it. Trust me when I say the world is full of coins in this condition, which by extension means they are difficult to shift as a collectable. I am offered kilos of this type of material every month. Much goes in the pot.

[Stuntman 264]

Rob, I agree. I would be happy with a price around melt for my common silver coins in average well-circulated grade. I don't need to keep them, and any value they have will be recycled into a coin purchase.

The ones that are a bit better include shillings from 1816, 1826, 1834, 1879 and 1880. These are only Fair to NF but I'd expect these to be a bit better than melt, or is that wishful thinking? It'd be more of a shame to put those in the pot, IMO. Just hoping to find them a new home and release a bit of cash.

Anyway - looking forward to attending the fair and seeing some proper coins, regardless!

[Stuntman 264]

Well I did make it to the coin fair today and enjoyed spending a couple of hours or so looking round, and talking to many of the dealers.

I didn't try to sell my silver predecimal coins in the end, but would probably try to do so when/if I attend the fair again, now that I feel a bit more confident about it.

As an experience, I was impressed by the breadth and variety of coins there - something for everyone, with prices ranging from a few pence to the tens of thousands of pounds! Every dealer that I spoke to was friendly, keen to show me the coins I wanted to see, and to offer advice.

In the end I did make one predecimal purchase - a nice shilling from Rob (1739 Roses in aVF). I'm thinking about a couple of coins from the Colin Cooke dealers after chatting to Neil there today as well.

I also couldn't resist buying two of the four Olympic 50ps I was missing (paid a pound for each) and a Rio Handover 2 pound coin (paid 3 pounds). They're all in decent enough grade (given they were in a tub) and I'm happy with these as additions to my decimals from circulation.

So if any other beginners/lapsed collectors were thinking of going to a fair like this, I would thoroughly recommend it.

Rob mentioned that he also saw jelida and Nonmortuus today, was anyone else there - and if so, how did you get on?

[Nutsaboutcoins 105]

Never been to the Midlands fair, it's a bit of a trek for me, but would like to try it one day.

[PWA 1967 2,267]

Well I did make it to the coin fair today and enjoyed spending a couple of hours or so looking round, and talking to many of the dealers.

I didn't try to sell my silver predecimal coins in the end, but would probably try to do so when/if I attend the fair again, now that I feel a bit more confident about it.

As an experience, I was impressed by the breadth and variety of coins there - something for everyone, with prices ranging from a few pence to the tens of thousands of pounds! Every dealer that I spoke to was friendly, keen to show me the coins I wanted to see, and to offer advice.

In the end I did make one predecimal purchase - a nice shilling from Rob (1739 Roses in aVF). I'm thinking about a couple of coins from the Colin Cooke dealers after chatting to Neil there today as well.

I also couldn't resist buying two of the four Olympic 50ps I was missing (paid a pound for each) and a Rio Handover 2 pound coin (paid 3 pounds). They're all in decent enough grade (given they were in a tub) and I'm happy with these as additions to my decimals from circulation.

So if any other beginners/lapsed collectors were thinking of going to a fair like this, I would thoroughly recommend it.

Rob mentioned that he also saw jelida and Nonmortuus today, was anyone else there - and if so, how did you get on?

Sounds like a good day .

Jelida goes but wears a disguise ,long coat , glasses , hat and sometimes a beard

Doubt you would of seen him as he will of already bought the bargain pennies and gone

[jelida 1,375]

Cheers Pete! But you are half right in your description!

No bronze pennies for me yesterday, I really didnt find anything I wanted, but got the new Spink at a good price, and a little Lizzie silver penny, I figure I might have to branch out. Rob did show me a Charles II halfpenny, and a Geo III silver penny, but I wasnt quite tempted.

Ian Pratt showed Non and I a small group of Victorian silver forgeries he had acquired, they were frighteningly convincing, especially a pair of 1850's shillings which even had a fake nice old tone , the milling was the only slight givaway I could spot, a little more open and too sharp , but I would have thought them good if I hadnt been told.

Jerry

[PWA 1967 2,267]

Sounds like you both had a good day.

I need to make a trip myself soon

[Peter 615]

Ian is my usual 1st port of call.

Really nice bloke...if you can get past dealers who are still surrounding his tables at 10.02am..

[PWA 1967 2,267]

Think i have looked before for him peter.

Has he not got a website as just had a quick look ?.

[Nordle11 564]

David Craddock's table is the first for me, being a penny man he's always got something good on display.

[jelida 1,375]

The fairs from the new year start at 09.30 instead of 10, notices were up in the hall yesterday.

I usually get to Ian P by 10.01 at the latest, nice bloke, nice coins and good prices. No website afaik. The problem with Dave C is that he knows what he has! But good quality, and pricing is fair, unlike some.

But of course our own Rob P is the most knowledgeable of the lot!

Jerry

[Peter 615]

Think i have looked before for him peter.

Has he not got a website as just had a quick look ?.

Pete

I think he only sells at fairs.

You have to delve into his unpriced stocks that are not displayed.

I have got some nice large US cents,Unc pre 47 AG & cracking 1/4D's.

Once you are known to him the trust on both sides exists....as it should be.

[Peter 615]

The fairs from the new year start at 09.30 instead of 10, notices were up in the hall yesterday.

I usually get to Ian P by 10.01 at the latest, nice bloke, nice coins and good prices. No website afaik. The problem with Dave C is that he knows what he has! But good quality, and pricing is fair, unlike some.

But of course our own Rob P is the most knowledgeable of the lot!

Jerry

Boll*cks so my journey will have to start at 7ish.

I have never met Rob although been in contact over the years.

Is it true Rob is so tall he is snow capped.?

[Coinery 1,252]

I think Rob got an undercut in the cyber department, he's gone a bit quiet...even for Rob...though I concur, on two grounds (one of receiving him aboard our narrowboat, and one of spending a couple of hours in the pub with both him an Declan), that he is both tall AND a walking tome on all thinks coins! It's verging on embarrassment calling yourself a coiny in his presence...whatever your field!

My recommendation is to discuss the burning characteristics of trees if you want to retain any kind of academic significance! He's a bit of a force, true it is to say young Luke!

[Nordle11 564]

Haha I'm glad it wasn't just me, Rob truly is a machine when it comes to anything coin related and you can have a great chat and will always learn something new. And yes, I'm tall enough at 6'1" but I'm still looking up when we talk

[Coinery 1,252]

'At the bottom of a mound (of 1967 pennies) lay a big, BIG, man, big Rob!' ??