Differentiating Between Coin Collectors and Coin Dealers

By Glen Phillips


While a misnomer, it's common for individuals who are interested in buying or selling coins to search for coin collectors as opposed to coin dealers. This is especially common for individuals that may not be too familiar with the coin industry and are in search of someone to whom to sell their old, rare, collectible, gold or silver coins. In reality, what they are really looking for are coin dealers. In this article, we'll help you to differentiate between the two categories and also provide some guidelines on how to sell your coins for the best prices.

In the coin and precious metals industries, the term "coin collectors" is meant to describe those individuals that primarily buy and sell coins as a hobby. These individuals are not coin dealers. Coin dealers are typically defined as those individuals who work in the coin industry as a profession, and that are in the business of buying and selling coins for a profit.

While there's a clear difference between the two categories, this by no means insinuates that a coin dealer can't be a coin collector. On the contrary, most coin dealers began as coin collectors and still to this day have a large collection of coins that they maintain. Most coin dealers just saw an opportunity to make a living by buying and selling the coins that they love; although, there are some individuals that solely entered the field in search of a career.

Understanding the distinction between coin collectors and coin dealers is important, as you want to make sure that you're searching for the correct individual when interested in conducting transactions involving buying or selling coins. A coin dealer is who you should consider contacting, as these individuals are experts in all times of coins, and have a much broader market or network than coin collectors. While it's possible to sell coins to coin collectors, it can be difficult to locate these individuals, and even more so, find one that is specifically interested in the coins that you're interested in buying or selling.

When attempting to locate a coin dealer, it's important that you do your due diligence to make sure that you've identified a reputable business. Online reviews or testimonials from previous customers can be a good place to see how previous customers rate the coin dealer that you're considering. Furthermore, you can check other third party sources, such as the Better Business Bureau to check the company's standing and to see if they have any outstanding claims made against them by third parties.

Not only can you conduct business locally with coin dealers, but some also offer the option to sell your coins online. Transacting via the internet is becoming more and more popular and is a safe and easy way to conduct business. Not only can you sell your coins from the comfort of your home, but many coin dealers will also reimburse you for a portion of your shipping fees, which not only makes it convenient, but also cost effective.

So the next time you find yourself wanting to buy or sell coins, whether gold or silver, domestic or foreign, your best option to a successful transaction is through coin dealers. It's coin dealers that have access to coin collectors. Coin collectors purchase coins from coin dealers as a hobby or for the accumulation of gold and silver bullion. In this regard, the world of buying and selling coins is an attractive avenue for many investors looking to cash in or buy coins for investment. It's a must-see for those who are interested in diversifying their investment portfolios or who would like to sell old, gold, silver, or rare coins for cash that they no longer have use for.




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