Antique Flee Market search for coins

[Beans]

Went to the local "Antique" flee market this weekend, last weekend it was just a flee market. Wanted to see what the local coin vendors were asking for thier coins. As it turns out they were asking more than the Pawn Shops. Avg $45 for worn morgans, wheat cents 4 for $1 if they were in the junk coin box, foreign coins (euros, peso) nothing special starting at $1. Everything seemed to be way over priced, and there were about 4 coin dealers there, not to include the individual seller who had coins for sale. I never check with them because the coin dealers go thru them before the open. Is this want the trend is out there or am I in an area that just seems to over charge?

 

[jeff of pa]

that's pretty much how it is these days.
Everyone seems to think these coins are worth alot.

Except for the Buyers that is.

 

[Keppy]

Yes you at one time went to flea mkt's to get a bargain.......... Not any more any were...... Like you said you can get a better buy at a pawn shop............. I have seen things at flea mkt's that cost more than at at a store...At a store it would be new at the flea it would be used ...............And they wanted more at the flea............ I think that some of those flea mkt. vendors....... Over price every thing....... The reason you can not get a good deal at a flea now a days ..... Is they watch to much of those reality TV shows that over price every thing . ...... So now all the flea vendors think there junk is Gold.......

 

[fistfulladirt]

Yep, they are either waiting for suckers, or waiting to never make a sale.

 

[NOLA_Ken]

I have better luck going to little "antique" shops here, they are mostly just junk shops, but a couple that I know buy estates, and they occasionally have what I call "junk drawer boxes" where they've just dumped the contents of dresser or kitchen drawers into a box. I dig through these every time I can, because you never know what will be there, and you can usually get the whole box for cheap if you don't get too excited. I bought a box a while back that had over 25$ face value of coins, some of them were silver, plus an assortment of old bullets, pocket knives and a broken silver pocket watch, I asked the guy how much for the box of junk, and he said 10 bucks, so after I pretended to think it over, I walked out with it feeling pretty good about the deal.

I'm not giving up the location of my store, but you can find places like it pretty much everywhere......

 

[mts]

The flea markets and antique stores are terrible. The prices are way too high, some sell fake stuff, and they think that their junk is golden. The local antique stores around here charge at least twice what a normal coin shop would charge.

If you want better deals on coins, go to small coin shows and shop around. I can usually find junk silver coins for less than spot when I go. Hit the end of the sale when they are about to pack up and pay in cash. We have a local monthly show that is usually pretty good for prices. And the dealers are all honest people who know what their coins are really worth. No fly-by-night booths at this show. It's a small show with about 30 tables and the same people come every month. And most of them don't charge sales tax which is another bonus.

 

[relichunters]

I saw thousands of coins at a flea market a few weeks ago, quite over priced also.

 

[Marinehunter]

It is the same way down here in Florida, pawn shops, 2nd hand stores, flea markets crazy prices. Everyone sees things on TV with American Pickers and Antique Road Show and then goes on ebay,craigslist etc. It is nuts. Best steals and deals garage sales.

 

[Joe Vu]

eBay is fairly expensive too. Perhaps everyone is under the delusion that their stuff is worth more than it actually is.

 

[Buff4]

Most all replies here are identicial. I have been going to Flea markets for over 35 years here in New England, but not anymore. It is 100% true that that last 5 years of TV shows has sellers in fantasy land, trust me as I have been a buyer and seller for over 30 years and have spent countless hours researching the value of certain items. Even the local Salvation Army stores are researching online to price thier "Donated" items.

 

[nsdq]

they offered me 1 dollar for my ( old beat up dime ) it a 1857 fe, no sir it is not it is a dime thats is what was said to me, but yes they over charge a lot

 

[Henry2]

Its the same here as well and the people wonder why their merchandise grows dust. I'll give one example, while looking around a local flea market I noticed a couple walker halves behind the glass display, so I called the owner over and asked if he would take $15 a piece for them, mind you these walkers were nothing special and my offer was more than fare, the one looked like it was smashed with a hammer, reminded me off a pringles potato chip. Well he gave me one of the dirtiest looks you would ever see like I insulted him with my offer, he then replies with an attitude "the price is $30 each and I get it to", usually I would remain polite and say thanks any ways but I couldn't help but laugh and say "suuuure you do". Now about a year passes and I figured I would go take a look around considering I had nothing better to do, take a guess what was still behind the display case, yup the pringles walker and its $30 sidekick

 

[Smudge]

Most of the the flea markets in my area are mostly stocked with commercial vendors. The regular folks hardly sell their stuff there anymore. Garage sales are probably the best bet now.

 

[bazinga]

What most people don't understand about why people price so high is because they can get it over time. Is it the right way to sell things? Well that's up to the seller.

I used to work for an auction house when silver was around $12/oz. Common date / worn Morgans were bringing $30-35 each. This was when you could walk into a coin shop or the local coin club auction and pick them for $12-17.

I still see it today at local auctions. Junk 1900s indian heads, v nickels, etc. bringing $3 each that you can pick up at the coin shop for $1 each.

People price high because people are willing to pay.

It may not work on every item all the time, but if you have a booth with hundreds of items, some will sell. It just happens.

 

[NewsMan]

eBay is fairly expensive too. Perhaps everyone is under the delusion that their stuff is worth more than it actually is.

Everything is worth what someone is willing to pay for it.

 

[Lakemonster]

Slim pickins at those things....

I live near Canton TX, home of the largest flea market in Texas.... I never find good coin buys.

I have scored a few pieces at antique malls in stacks of flips that were kind of hidden, mostly foreign silver at under melt value.