Posts Tagged ‘coin dealer’

If you’re looking for a coin dealer who is certified, you may be out of luck. There are no legal certifications that coin dealers have to have in order to buy and sell coins, though, you can definitely help yourself out by dealing with a coin dealer who is a member of the American Numismatic Association or the American Numismatic Society. These two organizations offer coin dealer tips and education, and those who are members of these organizations will subscribe to certain rules of conduct that will mean they are less likely to scam and cheat customers by overpricing their items or offering a price that is too low for items that you’re selling.

Not every coin dealer that you encounter will be a part of these associations. Membership doesn’t automatically mean that a coin dealer is knowledgeable and ethical, and lack of membership doesn’t automatically mean that a coin dealer is an unethical amateur. There are other things besides membership in these societies that will indicate whether or not a coin dealer is worth dealing with, so here are a few ways to find out whether or not an ANA or ANS coin dealer lives up to his society’s standards.

First off, you can always tell a good coin dealer by his or her customers. If a dealer scams customers all the time, he’ll either go out of business or have only customers who are very new to the world of coin collecting. Those who know quite a bit about collecting coins of different values and denominations will buy and sell through dealers who know what they’re doing and who act in ways that are ethical.

You can also find reviews on different coin dealers. You may be able to find these reviews online, or you may need to visit a coin collecting club – either a forum on the web or a club that is actually in your area – to find out which coin collectors people most enjoy dealing with. Ask around, and you’re sure to get some strong opinions on different dealers, one way or the other.

Finally, you can get a feel for different coin dealers, even those who work for large companies, by visiting coin collecting events. There are usually events throughout the year in which different dealers will set up booths representing their businesses. Because so many different coin dealerships are represented at these events, they can be a pretty great way to scope out good coin dealers.