Greater Atlanta Coin Show Frequently Asked Questions

Who can attend the Greater Atlanta Coin Show?: All persons are welcome. Some of our frequent visitors are experienced numismatists or investors in gold and silver bullion. Other guests are relatively new to numismatics and are building their collections. Some visitors bring coins or gold and silver to sell. Still others arrive looking to learn more about collecting and investing. Some just visit out of curiosity. All are welcome.
What is the admission fee?: Admission is always free to the Greater Atlanta Coin Show.
What does it cost to join?: The Greater Atlanta Coin Show is not a club or an organization. There are no dues or admission costs to attend the coin show. If you are interested in a numismatic club, we recommend you look at some of the local, regional and national coin clubs. For example, locally you can find the Metropolitan Coin Club of Atlanta and the Marietta Smyrna Coin Club. Regionally, there are several clubs such as the Georgia Numismatic Association, the Blue Ridge Numismatic Association and the Tennessee State Numismatic Society to name a few. Nationally, people can join the American Numismatic Association otherwise known as the ANA.
Where is the Greater Atlanta Coin Show?: The monthly coin show is held at the IAM Union Hall at 1032 South Marietta Parkway. This is short distance from I-75 in one direction and the Marietta Square in another.
Where can I park?: The IAM Union Hall has many parking spaces with easy access to the show area.
Is there a parking fee?: No.
What are the coin show hours?: The Greater Atlanta Coin Show opens for visitors at 9:00 am and continues to 4:00 pm. Due to a variety of reasons, several of our dealers begin leaving at mid-afternoon. Arrive at the show early - before noon if you can - to find the most dealers and opportunities.
Does the Greater Atlanta Coin Show have security?: Yes. The friendly gentlemen moving around the bourse provide security to the coin show each month. They arrive a couple of hours before the show opens to the public. At the end of the day, they stay until the last dealer leaves the coin show.
What is a bourse?: From the dictionary, a bourse is an "exchange for merchants." The floor area of coin shows is called a bourse. The coin show offers many different coin dealers in one place (an exchange) who buy, sell and trade (merchant) in coins, currency and bullion.
Who is the bourse chairman?: The bourse chairman for the Greater Atlanta Coin Show is Bob O'Brien. He began the monthly coin show in 1988. But, his interest in coins and coin collecting began many years earlier. As a young boy, he received a numismatic starter kit as a gift. The gift intrigued him and began his lifelong journey into coin collecting.
Where can I find the bourse chairman at the coin show?: For the Greater Atlanta Coin Show, the bourse chairman, Bob O'Brien, can be found at the first table on the right directly in front of you as you enter the bourse.
What is numismatics?: Numismatics is the study (and collection) of money in the form of coins, currency and medals. A numismatist is a person who studies numismatics. Though called a coin show, you will frequently find other types of numismatics such as paper money and medals at a coin show.
Can you tell me what my coins are worth?: You need to bring your coins to the coin show. The many dealers at the coin show can look at your coins and provide you with a free verbal appraisal. Their value is based on the current market and what they would pay to purchase your coins at that point in time. But, you are never obligated to sell your coins.
I need a written appraisal for my coins, can you help?: Several of our coin dealers do provide written appraisals for estate and insurance purposes. It's best to talk to several of the coin dealers to learn what they require and what they charge for written appraisals. After deciding which dealer will be best for your needs, you can schedule a time to meet. Dealers at the coin show do not have the resources (for example, a printer) to provide a detailed written estimate. Plus, depending on the size of the collection, the coin show does not provide sufficient time to catalog the items.
I have a list of my coins, can you tell me their value from the list?: Coin dealers can look at a list and discuss if any of the coins have potential value. But, without seeing the coins and their condition, the coin dealers cannot estimate the value with any accuracy.
Why did that dealer tell me his offer for my collection was only good now and not good if I walk away?: The dealer is not pressuring you to sell, instead he is setting your expectations about his quote. First, the dealer's quote is based on current market values. The market fluctuates based on the gold and silver prices and based on people's interests. If you choose to wait to sell, the quote will no longer be valid due to market changes. Secondly, the dealer spent time going through your collection to make you an offer. If you walk away, the dealer does not know how trustworthy you are. Even if you return to sell your collection in the same day, he will have to spend the same amount of time going through the collection again to make sure the pieces are the same. The extra time spent has value to the dealer. You are never obligated to sell - just understand why the dealer makes the comment.
Why did the dealer ask me if I wanted to sell or if I wanted a quote - aren't they the same?: Well, yes and no. If you are just interested in knowing what your coins are worth, the dealer will review your coins and provide you a free verbal appraisal of their current value. If you want to sell your coins, the dealer will take more time and effort to make sure both of you get the best deal. He will also advise if he is not interested in some or all of the collection. Some dealers buy any and all types of collections. Others specialize.
Can I find a rare fill-in-the-blank at the coin show?: You may, but the dealers bring different coins and collectibles each month. If they brought the rare fill-in-the-blank last month, they may bring it back this month. On the other hand, they could've sold it or choose not to bring it this month. That's part of the excitement of the treasure hunt! But, if you really need the rare fill-in-the-blank, we have a list of frequent dealers. You can call or email them to see if they will have your treasure at the next coin show.
I collect numismatic oddities, will anyone at the show have my interests?: They may. We have many dealers at the Greater Atlanta Coin Show. Each dealer has varied interests. One or more of them may be interested in your numismatic oddity. Visit the coin show to find out. Also, you can contact the dealers on the Coin Dealers page to ask if they offer what you want.
My favorite coin dealer was at last month's coin show but not this one, why not?: The Greater Atlanta Coin Show strives to miss the dates of other coin shows in the area, but we can't miss every coin show. Sometimes, the dealers need to attend another coin show. Frequently, though, a missing coin dealer just has a personal conflict during our coin show. They will be back soon.
My old coins look horrible, should I clean them?: NO! Many rare coins have lost significant value because someone cleaned them. Any type of cleaner can damage the coins. Abrasive cleansers are especially harmful and will scratch the coins. Similarly, dipping coins into tarnish remover will take away layers of the metal and diminish the coins' designs. When valuing coins, coin dealers do not look at the tarnish. Instead, they look at the depth of the designs and the overall condition of the coins.
What makes one old coin valuable and another of the same era not so much?: Coin values depend on a number of variables. One is the rarity. A rare coin with a population in the thousands will be more valuable than a coin with a population in the several millions. The coin's condition also impacts the value. A rare coin with clearly defined designs on the obverse and reverse will be more valuable than a coin worn almost smooth. Sometimes, the type of metal plays a role as well. Silver coins can be worth more than cupro-nickel coins with gold coins being even more valuable. Of course, these are just a few of the reasons. There are many resources describing why this coin is worth more than that one.
Is there an ATM on the property?: No, the IAM Union Hall does not have an automated teller machine. But, there are several banks and ATMs nearby.
Why won't the coin dealers accept credit cards?: Each coin dealer is independent and makes their own choice about accepting or not accepting electronic payment - credit or debit cards. Aside from the obvious answer - card fraud, other practical reasons exist. First, electronic payments add costs for the coin dealers in both a percentage of each sale and the extra time and effort to submit the information. Second, keeping up with the latest electronic gizmos for card validation and getting network access from the coin show bourse adds complexity that detracts from what they want to do, which is work with coins. More simply, at a coin and currency show, real money is still king.
Does the Greater Atlanta Coin Show auction coin collections?: The monthly coin show does not provide auction services for collections. Reputable coin auction companies exist and provide auctions at large, multi-day coin shows. If you have a collection to sell and are considering an auction, review the auction process. Make sure you understand and compare the pros and cons of a coin auction versus those of selling the collection to a coin dealer.
Are there speakers at the Greater Atlanta Coin Show?: Currently, our bourse does not offer speakers and presentations about numismatics or collectibles. Contact a club chapter - local, state or national - for information about speakers and presentations.
What do I do if I want to set up at the Greater Atlanta Coin Show?: The best way to be added to the list of people wanting to display at the show is to introduce yourself to the bourse chairman, Bob O'Brien, at the show. Let him know what you want to display and provide your contact information. You will be added to the contact list.