A general discussion about coin trading.

[WaterSport]

I thought I would start a discussion about trading coins. I think it is both a good way to add or upgrade to your collection while at the same time, managing the extra stuff we all seem to accumulate. In my opinion a trade can be done regardless of the value of coins you are dealing with. I have done it several times with both fellow collectors and with professional dealers. There are no written rules or standards other than coins generally of the same market value or higher should be offered. I also like trading as other than mailing cost, it will cost no upfront cash and can be liquidated faster than posting coins for sale when trying to procure another specimen. I have had successful trades with folks on this forum. Have you ever done a trade? Are there questions or concerns you have about trading? What was your most successful trade? Lets Discuss!

WS

[mustbebob]

Good discussion point. I have traded thousands of coins and still have thousands more to trade. It is a great way to add to your collection and we pretty much will know what we are getting. We do have the trading post here, so we can take advantage of that, and we should. I think this particular post is a great way of getting an idea of who is open for trading coins. I also am not against giving coins away to help collectors but many of you enjoy the hunt. Thanks WS for bringing this op.

[AstroRaider]

I think trading is a great way to further the hobby. I believe that many of us have "excess" types of dates, RPMs, DDs, errors, etc., but we have the need for "missing" coins. Trading is a practical way to improve the diversity of your collection and help spread out those things you've hunted out. In my case, I have lots of RPMs (duplicates) that someone wouldn't mind having. I also have BIEs, chips, clashes and dates that I don't really collect (someone would like to have them, no doubt).

[duece2seven]

I think this is a great topic! I also think it's a discussion everyone involved would gain from. Speaking for myself, I have shied away from trading out of true ignorance of what I am trading. I simply do not know what 99% of the coins I have are worth which makes me feel uneasy particularly if I was dealing with an expert. I would try it here but I've been hesitant to try it anywhere else. Thanks for posting this, WS!

Tracy

[WaterSport]

Tracy brings up a big issue that I have struggled with which is value. There are 2 issues actually. One is finding out what your coin is worth as a starting point. The other is simply getting too hung up on value either known or perceived. There is a bit of a learning curve in trying to find and sort through value list. They are all not the same, and they are not accurate and up to date, as you would think.

Lets start with determining value. There are a lot of places that list coins but you need to understand what the rational of the list is all about. Since most of us here deal with varieties – that’s a whole other mess. We have some sources like Coppercoins and the CPG to aid us. But if I had a coin and I just wanted to get an opinion, I would ask on this forum because you got several folks who sell regularly and search regularly and should give you a good estimate.

The other problem with values for trading is getting so hung up on what its worth verses what you actually have in a coin. No one wants to come up short – but I have many times - to get the coin I REALLY wanted. And to me, that’s the neat part. I can get rid of a coin I do not want and if it helps another collector so be it. Of course no one is going to trade you a 1909 S VBD for a 1920 cent even if its uncirculated – you do have to trade within common sense and reason.

WS

[willbrooks]

Great post, Bob. This has been on my mind for some time now, and I have been planning on making a trading post thread with my duplicates for trade. I will eventually find the time to catalog my dupes for trade. I would love nothing more than to add to my collection via trading rather than buying. It is simply an issue of time to do it. A single tube of rpms (of which I have many) takes a great deal of time. Attributing 5 cons an hour which you can't sell for a dollar on ebay is not very fruitful. Still, I have enough 1960D rpms done that it makes you thirst to "collect them all."

[Magers]

I have traded coins with a few members here. I traded a 1960 small over large date proof in PCGS PF67CAM to Brad for a 1910 Matte proof in PCGS PF63BN. While the PCGS price guide had the 1960 proof several hundred dollars higher, I had come up empty finding a buyer for it anywhere near the $1100 it was listed at. I honestly had no interest in the coin. I cherried it at long beach in 2012 for $18 including the rest of the proof set. It filled a hole in Brad's Registry and I had always wanted to start a Matte Proof collection. So it was a win win for me, and I'm sure Brad feels the same way.

[onecent1909]

OK my turn.
I built a few coin collections
a complete Merk dime ( 1916 D is AG )
a complete Washington quarter set
a Roosevelt dime set
ETC....
Standard coins bought one at a time. not to expensive at any one time
I then traded some of the coins and $100.00 for...
a 1992 D CLAM.
I would never be able to have afforded the coin.
But buying coins one at a time for a lower price and then adding it all up.
and trading them as a group....
even in the possibility of "losing a small value" I get a better coin

[duece2seven]

I would think a great way to start this would be by everyone posting their "Want or Trade list" somwhere.
Maybe in our profile sections or something similar. Then
we could post individual wants or trades in the Trading Post. Just a thought. ...

[Magers]

That's a good idea. I have tons of duplicates and certified stuff that I've upgraded. I tried to do a red paper clip thing a couple years ago, but I didn't have any takers. Maybe I'll re up my membership and start it again in the trading post

[stoneman227]

I have to admit that the hunt and discovery is more fun for me than any purchasing of a variety could be. So the few trades I have done here were with someone I was willing to trust and I just sent him something he said he wanted and I told him to suprise me with something of like value.
This may not work for everyone but if you state a range of things you like it could end up being like "picking" a variety or error straight from the mailbox .

John

[grnwavdav]

I have traded many coins through this forum. I am always open to trading and I do think the practice is under utilized here. Great discussion! For someone who may be interested in trading but feels a little intimidated, I would encourage you to just have open communication with the person you are trading with.

[VAB2013]

Thank you guys for discussing this topic! In order to trade on the forum, the parties have to be a paid member right? I would have already become a paid member if there was another way to pay besides paypal. I had a paypal account a few years ago and even though I never lost any money, someone was trying to hack my account. I was receiving emails to verify my paypal account from someone who was not paypal. I forwarded the emails to paypal and they told me it was not from them. I got nervous and closed my paypal account. If I ever start another paypal account it will be linked to another checking account, not my personal one where my payroll is auto deposited. Any suggestions on the best way to do this?

[WxMan]

Thank you guys for discussing this topic! In order to trade on the forum, the parties have to be a paid member right? I would have already become a paid member if there was another way to pay besides paypal. I had a paypal account a few years ago and even though I never lost any money, someone was trying to hack my account. I was receiving emails to verify my paypal account from someone who was not paypal. I forwarded the emails to paypal and they told me it was not from them. I got nervous and closed my paypal account. If I ever start another paypal account it will be linked to another checking account, not my personal one where my payroll is auto deposited. Any suggestions on the best way to do this?

I don't know if it will work for this site but when I buy stuff off EBay and order my tickets for dirt track races PayPal gives me the option to pay with my credit card as a guest since I don't have a PayPal account.

[duece2seven]

Thank you guys for discussing this topic! In order to trade on the forum, the parties have to be a paid member right? I would have already become a paid member if there was another way to pay besides paypal. I had a paypal account a few years ago and even though I never lost any money, someone was trying to hack my account. I was receiving emails to verify my paypal account from someone who was not paypal. I forwarded the emails to paypal and they told me it was not from them. I got nervous and closed my paypal account. If I ever start another paypal account it will be linked to another checking account, not my personal one where my payroll is auto deposited. Any suggestions on the best way to do this?

I think you can deposit to paypal thru Paypal Cash vendors which you could pay out. You just won't be able to withdraw. I think????