Coin dealer opinion

[Guest irish79]

Just wondering what the general Thoughts are on these two dealers.

Michael-coins.co.uk

ColinCooke.com

Thanks.

David

[VickySilver 830]

Colin Cooke have always been most helpful to me over the years, but have used them more in conjunction with auctions, etc. Still have bought a fair number of pieces and happy with their service overall. Certainly a small operation and not always perfect. As you likely know the namesake has now been dead 5 or 6 years and it is run by Neil Paisley. Michael I do not know (Freeman?).

[Peter 615]

Michael coins is an old established dealer and NOT Freeman.They are experts in Copper.

Colin Cooke coins are still to me one of the best.When Colin was alive I loved a chat and Mrs Peter also spoke to him (sourcing my Peck).

Get yourself off to a coin fair and meet your dealers,buyers whatever...they don't bite

[Mongo 1]

Mrs Peter also spoke to him (sourcing my Peck).

Could the Mrs not find your Peck herself Peter? They have special pills for that, I get emails about them regularly

[Peter 615]

She found it twice and I have 2 gorgeous teenage daughters who don't stress me out whatsoever

[Paulus 1,975]

Just wondering what the general Thoughts are on these two dealers.

Michael-coins.co.uk

ColinCooke.com

Thanks.

David

Michael Coins is Michael Gouby in West London, I have been really pleased with his prices and grading, highly recommended. Sometimes a little frustrated with the absence of pics on the low-mid priced coins he has listed, but very friendly and helpful.

[Red Riley 2]

I have known Michael for upwards of 15 years, although he has been trading for at least 40. Reliable and specialising in bronze pennies, he nonetheless has an enormous stock of milled British coins (not so much ancient or hammered) and has a shop near Notting Hill Gate tube station. I have bought many coins from him and he was very helpful in allowing me to photograph coins for The Standard Guide to Grading British Coins.

[Peckris 579]

I bought quite often from Colin when he was still alive. I was always happy with the service, and Colin used to add lengthy notes to the invoices in relation to my Wants list

His grading could sometimes be a little on the optimistic side (and still is!) but allthough I returned a few coins, I always got a prompt refund. I'd say buy with confidence, but the CC best is in the top grades.

[brauereibeck 1]

Just wondering what the general Thoughts are on these two dealers.

Michael-coins.co.uk

ColinCooke.com

Thanks.

David

Michael Coins is Michael Gouby in West London, I have been really pleased with his prices and grading, highly recommended. Sometimes a little frustrated with the absence of pics on the low-mid priced coins he has listed, but very friendly and helpful.

I bought my first coin from Michael Coins in Ladbroke Grove when he used to sell stamps too (before the internet). Second time I went in there he said he'd got rid of the stamps as they were out of fashion (or words to that effect). He gave me a good piece of advice which has stayed with me which is not to collect date fillers but go for high grade coins.

[ski 1]

never met either folk, have exchanged emails with michael which were informative. ive dealt with neil at cc and have always been very pleased with grade and hes happy to negotiate on price, ive only bought high grade d/florins florins and halfcrowns from him but always been very pleased and not had to return any coins.

ski.

[Guest irish79]

Thank you everyone for your feedback.

I would of course love to go to a coin show/fair but bing located in north Carolina the choice of british coins is very slim to none. Though I will have to make an effort next time I am in England (but thats a couple years away).

[Generic Lad 25]

Thank you everyone for your feedback.

I would of course love to go to a coin show/fair but bing located in north Carolina the choice of british coins is very slim to none. Though I will have to make an effort next time I am in England (but thats a couple years away).

If you are in North Carolina, check out Forum Ancient Coins http://www.forumancientcoins.com/ , they don't have as much stock with British coins, but they do deal with some British coins and antiquities every now and then. I believe they are based in Moorehead City. I've bought a few things from them, an Athenian Tetradrachm, a Phillip the Arab double-denarius and just recently a little roman strap-end (bought it on one of their auctions for under $7! circa 3rd-7th century AD).

[DaveG38 405]

Just wondering what the general Thoughts are on these two dealers.

Michael-coins.co.uk

ColinCooke.com

Thanks.

David

Michael Coins is Michael Gouby in West London, I have been really pleased with his prices and grading, highly recommended. Sometimes a little frustrated with the absence of pics on the low-mid priced coins he has listed, but very friendly and helpful.

I bought my first coin from Michael Coins in Ladbroke Grove when he used to sell stamps too (before the internet). Second time I went in there he said he'd got rid of the stamps as they were out of fashion (or words to that effect). He gave me a good piece of advice which has stayed with me which is not to collect date fillers but go for high grade coins.

I think that's generally good advice for relatively plentiful and even scarcer coins, because there's always another one round the corner or at the next auction. Even if you are a strict date collector then it may be worth waiting for a better one. Where I beg to differ is where I need a specific coin for either a date or even type run and the likelihood of another turning up is remote. For example, I've got a poor (at best) 1689 halfpenny, which cost a huge amount for what is basically a flat, but attributable piece of tin. I've only ever seen one other come up for sale and that was way beyond my price league. Similarly, I recently bought a 1724 WCC shilling in fair condition - I've never seen this WCC date before in any grade and in top condition it would again be out of my price range.

This leaves a dilemma. Do I fill the gap with a poorer coin and hope for a better one somewhere in my lifetime, or do I just accept the gap? I hate the gaps, so I usually opt for the former, especially as I can always shift the rare but lower grade coins without too much, if any, financial loss. I'm sure some of the purists on here would take a different view, but that's my thinking. Finally, to again illustrate the point, I need a 1686 tin halfpenny to complete the date run (excluding varieties) and the gap has been nagging away in there for years now. So, if one comes along I'm liable to go for it regardless of condition even if that is lower than I would normally accept.

Edited July 28, 2012 by DaveG38

[Coinery 1,152]

Just wondering what the general Thoughts are on these two dealers.

Michael-coins.co.uk

ColinCooke.com

Thanks.

David

Michael Coins is Michael Gouby in West London, I have been really pleased with his prices and grading, highly recommended. Sometimes a little frustrated with the absence of pics on the low-mid priced coins he has listed, but very friendly and helpful.

I bought my first coin from Michael Coins in Ladbroke Grove when he used to sell stamps too (before the internet). Second time I went in there he said he'd got rid of the stamps as they were out of fashion (or words to that effect). He gave me a good piece of advice which has stayed with me which is not to collect date fillers but go for high grade coins.

I think that's generally good advice for relatively plentiful and even scarcer coins, because there's always another one round the corner or at the next auction. Even if you are a strict date collector then it may be worth waiting for a better one. Where I beg to differ is where I need a specific coin for either a date or even type run and the likelihood of another turning up is remote. For example, I've got a poor (at best) 1689 halfpenny, which cost a huge amount for what is basically a flat, but attributable piece of tin. I've only ever seen one other come up for sale and that was way beyond my price league. Similarly, I recently bought a 1724 WCC shilling in fair condition - I've never seen this WCC date before in any grade and in top condition it would again be out of my price range.

This leaves a dilemma. Do I fill the gap with a poorer coin and hope for a better one somewhere in my lifetime, or do I just accept the gap? I hate the gaps, so I usually opt for the former, especially as I can always shift the rare but lower grade coins without too much, if any, financial loss. I'm sure some of the purists on here would take a different view, but that's my thinking. Finally, to again illustrate the point, I need a 1686 tin halfpenny to complete the date run (excluding varieties) and the gap has been nagging away in there for years now. So, if one comes along I'm liable to go for it regardless of condition even if that is lower than I would normally accept.

My mentality would definitely go for gap-fill but, as you mention, don't gap fill with ANYthing that couldn't be moved on, without loss, should THE ONE suddenly materialise!

[brauereibeck 1]

Just wondering what the general Thoughts are on these two dealers.

Michael-coins.co.uk

ColinCooke.com

Thanks.

David

Michael Coins is Michael Gouby in West London, I have been really pleased with his prices and grading, highly recommended. Sometimes a little frustrated with the absence of pics on the low-mid priced coins he has listed, but very friendly and helpful.

I bought my first coin from Michael Coins in Ladbroke Grove when he used to sell stamps too (before the internet). Second time I went in there he said he'd got rid of the stamps as they were out of fashion (or words to that effect). He gave me a good piece of advice which has stayed with me which is not to collect date fillers but go for high grade coins.

I think that's generally good advice for relatively plentiful and even scarcer coins, because there's always another one round the corner or at the next auction. Even if you are a strict date collector then it may be worth waiting for a better one. Where I beg to differ is where I need a specific coin for either a date or even type run and the likelihood of another turning up is remote. For example, I've got a poor (at best) 1689 halfpenny, which cost a huge amount for what is basically a flat, but attributable piece of tin. I've only ever seen one other come up for sale and that was way beyond my price league. Similarly, I recently bought a 1724 WCC shilling in fair condition - I've never seen this WCC date before in any grade and in top condition it would again be out of my price range.

This leaves a dilemma. Do I fill the gap with a poorer coin and hope for a better one somewhere in my lifetime, or do I just accept the gap? I hate the gaps, so I usually opt for the former, especially as I can always shift the rare but lower grade coins without too much, if any, financial loss. I'm sure some of the purists on here would take a different view, but that's my thinking. Finally, to again illustrate the point, I need a 1686 tin halfpenny to complete the date run (excluding varieties) and the gap has been nagging away in there for years now. So, if one comes along I'm liable to go for it regardless of condition even if that is lower than I would normally accept.

My mentality would definitely go for gap-fill but, as you mention, don't gap fill with ANYthing that couldn't be moved on, without loss, should THE ONE suddenly materialise!

I basically agree. What I think Michael meant was that back in the day (I guess he meant the '60s) people used to fill Whitman folders with low grade coins just to the sake of filling the hole in the card. I think he was steering me away from this sort of collecting, maybe to build a more discerning and therefore bigger spending customer. By the way his shop is of course in Notting Hill and not Ladbroke Grove as I mis-remembered.

[pokal02 44]

I would always gap-fill if only one or two items remained. If it's a very rare date, it'll re-sell anyway (probably at a profit if it's a few years before a better one turns up - I'm confident my 1665 crown in VG would sell & would expect 1686 & 1689 1/2ds in any grade to do OK too). If it's common - say 1886 1/2d instead of 1686 - and in poor condition - it shouldn't cost much anyway so not much harm would be done.

As for the original question, I've also bought from both dealers mentioned and was happy with coins / service provided.

[Peckris 579]

If you see a coin you really like, and it's 'only' VF (for example) and you could actually afford something approaching EF, don't be put off. A filler of this type, with lots of eye appeal, will be easy to move on, or even keep!

[RLC35 288]

Thank you everyone for your feedback.

I would of course love to go to a coin show/fair but bing located in north Carolina the choice of british coins is very slim to none. Though I will have to make an effort next time I am in England (but thats a couple years away).

Hi, Being in the USA, the best shows to obtain British Milled Coins are either the Chicago International Coin Fair (held in the Spring), or the New York International Coin Fair, held at the Waldorf Astoria, in January. The NY show has many of the important coin dealers from Great Britain. (Baldwins, Spink, Rassmussen, etc.)

I am also in the USA (Indianapolis)