How not to buy coins

On Sunday morning I went along with my two girls to the '49er Flea Market with a view to finding some nice coins at a good price. There are about a dozen people there who deal in coins either solely or as a part of their stock. Some are very savvy and know exactly what their coins are worth, about half of them are doing house clearances which often include coins and they are pretty clueless.

There is one guy who only turns out a few times per year who seems to just make up prices on the spot. Large silver looking coins or anything that looks "old" he asks silly prices for but what makes the trip worthwhile is the minor silver coins he sells for 50 cents and the vintage Islamic coins he practically gives away because he can't read the date / value.

He has a large tray filled with "junk" from which I've already picked out a silver Dirham from Morrocco, several Mauritius 1/4, 1/2 & 1 Rupees and a few other nice coins. 50 cents each, I'm on a roll. He brings out another tray with "some English stuff you might like, $5 each", it's a bunch of cheap crowns, Churchill, Royal Wedding etc. but there is the Falkland Island Liberation Crown and a 1968 Gibraltar Crown and... a 1947 South Africa Crown. It's a beauty. I'm pretty sure it's not cupro nickel but .500 silver so I offer him $20 for the 3 coins. Turns out to be .800 silver. Winning!

Then he brings out a third tray with coins sorted into lots of 10 or 12 in plastic bags for which he wants $1 each. They are completely random and look to be mostly junk but at less than 10 cents a coin I can't really go wrong. In short order I've found bags with Suriname coins, a 1942 Newfoundand cent, Swiss 5-20 Rappen, an East Africa Sixpence..... this is what I LOVE about Flea Markets.

By this time Abby, our 16 month old is getting bored and wants to move on and my wife is giving me the Death Stare. So while I'm trying to pick through the tray at lightning speed the guy digs out 8 Japanese 100 yen. These are all 1940's he tells me, how much? I'm pretty sure that 1940's 100 Yen are silver so I offer him $12 which he accepts, we settle up, I grab the coins and catch up to my girls who are buying stuffed toys.

When we finally get home, eat lunch and Abby decides it's nap time, I go to get the coins from the back of the Jeep. The 100 yen are not from the 1940's, they are regnal year 47 etc. I just paid $12 for 8 worthless coins and wiped out the earlier good buys.

Despite snatching defeat from the jaws of victory I'm overall very happy.

I would be with that crown ! I am yet to get a springbok crown ha ! Also if you have any spare Mauritius silver I would be interested as all of mine are cu-ni

I dread to think of all the times I overpaid for coins!

800 yen is worth about $9USD.  That's not so bad.

Citeer: Mark240590i would be with that crown ! i am yet to get a springbok crown ha ! also if you have any spare mauritius silver i would be interested as all of mine are cu-ni

All base metal mate, sorry. Here's the SA 5/-

Still good to have took me ages just to get the QEII ones Ans I still need 5c !

Only have GVI rupee lol

Stop making me jealous ! That's an absolubte bargain coin !

Pity they don't have anything like that here, the only way I can get coins is through auctions or dealers.

I should really go to the Shields flea market on a Friday and see what there is !

Citeer: Mark240590I should really go to the Shields flea market on a Friday and see what there is !

There's nowt m8, been going for months but there's always a chance.

Just bashed up Matchbox cars lol - maybe I should take a trip down Yorkshire and see then lol

Citeer: Cerulean800 yen is worth about $9USD.  That's not so bad.

Yeah I have to agree with Cerulean.

100 Yen coins from the 60's and 50's have 60% silver and are worth 4 bucks a pop, so I see where you were going. If the 100 Yen are UNC or EF+ they are worth probably 1.5 times face value. Otherwise they're "worthless" (if you aren't able to exchange them).

Citeer: Mark240590Just bashed up Matchbox cars lol - maybe I should take a trip down Yorkshire and see then lol

I'm away down York on Fri m8, to pick a collection up.

Citeer: SmartOneKg

Citeer: Cerulean800 yen is worth about $9USD.  That's not so bad.

Yeah I have to agree with Cerulean.

100 Yen coins from the 60's and 50's have 60% silver and are worth 4 bucks a pop, so I see where you were going. If the 100 Yen are UNC or EF+ they are worth probably 1.5 times face value. Otherwise they're "worthless" (if you aren't able to exchange them).

Then again, would you turn down this coin?:

https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces9585.html

Citeer: dptashnyThen again, would you turn down this coin?:

https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces9585.html

If it's more than 3 bucks I would.

The commemorative Japanese 100 yen coins, except some of the newer ones, are much larger than the ordinary 100 yen coins. I think there's an Olympic 100 yen (not the 1964 one) that is as big as a half crown (and it's worth 5 bucks). So if you were going to buy some you'd know the difference.

They do say 47 and such on them.

 I just went to my flea market, first time ever. and when I finally found a guy with coins an Indian guy (no offense, Indians are just good at getting deals) had just asked him if he had any old coins, I had to sit there and watch as the guy bought several 1783 and older Mexico city Spanish 2R and other. Not leaving a single coin and getting them for practically NOTHING!
 It's ironic because those are the coins I most need and I was only seconds late.
I really don't feel like going back.

Huh.

Try again. Whenever I go I always buy Pound coins and 5 Francs for a dollar each, and I mean every time. Sometimes I'm lucky and I come across silver coins.

Citeer: redsmithstudiosThey do say 47 and such on them.

 I just went to my flea market, first time ever. and when I finally found a guy with coins an Indian guy (no offense, Indians are just good at getting deals) had just asked him if he had any old coins, I had to sit there and watch as the guy bought several 1783 and older Mexico city Spanish 2R and other. Not leaving a single coin and getting them for practically NOTHING!
 It's ironic because those are the coins I most need and I was only seconds late.
I really don't feel like going back.

This is why I carry brass knuckles and a Guy Fawkes mask.

Lol, Never mind young Phillip - at least you have that nice shiny silver coin to keep you happy.. Speaking of silver.. That bust on the back of the 50c is amazing lol ! The lower part where it begins is like a cliff edge - very easy on the eye I love high relief !