Helping other forum members with new coins issued at face value

[chrisild]

In general I buy from a few dealers around here (walk-in or web stores). One problem when you buy from "far away" is the shipping charges. Even worse, from time to time you may need to return an item ... Another issue that needs to be taken into account here is the sales tax - VAT, USt, BTW, TVA, you name it. When I buy collector coins or sets here, I pay 7% tax. When I buy the same piece(s) from a dealer in France for example, I would have to pay 20%. Not sure what the VAT rate for coins is in Cyprus and Malta, but I doubt it pays off to order directly from there.

Christian

[Figleaf]

I'll stock a roll of the Dutch version when they come out and send copies at cost (face plus postage) to any member of this site. I'd appreciate others doing the same ...

Peter

[BC Numismatics]

Peter,
  Let's hope that Kevin will be able to supply us with the Irish version once it comes out.

I've found out why coins are so expensive to import from Cyprus.You've actually got to fill in an application form & actually post it off to the Central Bank of Cyprus in Nicosia.If your application is successful,you get to buy them,plus there is a commission,plus taxes on top.

There's a discussion up on http://www.numisforum.eu regarding this.

Aidan.

[chrisild]

I'll stock a roll of the Dutch version when they come out and send copies at cost (face plus postage) to any member of this site. I'd appreciate others doing the same ...

Hear hear ... I mean, here here.

This may end up being a little expensive for those who want all coins. (Think of the Euro/EMU commems alone - one would end up paying the shipping charges for coins from 16 different sources.) In this case it may be less costly to pick them up at, say, the World Money Fair.

But if anybody wants the German "10 Years Euro" and/or "Saarland" €2 coins, just holler. I cannot tell yet what mint mark they will have - I will have whatever the Bundesbank branch office in Düsseldorf gets. As mentioned above, the first one will be issued in early January, the second one comes in early February.

Christian

[izotz]

Hmmmm....  I am a newbie here, so I suppose it is too early to say this, but maybe I could help with the Spanish one.

As chrisild said, sometimes it is not interesting, as if you need just one, you will overpay the shipping costs. Somebody may have a good idea about it.

I have some friends here, so when we need anything, we usually swap rolls that we share. So you share the coins and you also share the shipping cost. I don't know whether some of you may come from the same area.

And regarding the Spanish one, I'm afraid that it is not available yet. Maybe by the begining of February. You know, Spain is different

[Figleaf]

Thanks, izotz. That's three countries covered. Let's hope there'll be more ...

On shipping cost, for me the obvious solution would be to exchange trading lists and ee if you can fatten those packages or to include some silver regional issues.

Peter

[platteauo]

When I do a SWAP with another collector, nor him nor me ask shipping charge; only the coin exchange value or 1/1.  For me, I suppose the shipping cost are almost the same in the both hand.  I don't know !

According to me, the main thing is the both swappers are satisfied.

But if I buy coin on internet, I look at the shipping cost. 

[izotz]

That's ok, platteauo, but the matter is that if both of us have a 2€ coin for swapping, the cost (for both) of the shipping will be bigger than the money we save to avoid the coin dealer shop (although the swapping experience when you meet new collectors is priceless  ).

[platteauo]

Ok !  I hadn't very well understood the "subject".

Well, it depend if the coins are rare or not and in which condition (if you can found it easily) ; and how far from your home is the dealer (how many are the cost of your car if you go to this dealer ?).

If you often see your correspondant, wait the next time you will see him to exchange the coins.

Or if it is a regular correspondant, wait he had other coins to propose you.

And if it is a new correspondant, you will have the pleasure to have a new one 

[BC Numismatics]

Olivier,
  If you decide to swap a Belgian 2 Euros for a Spanish one,you could get around charging for postage by enclosing an International Reply Coupon,which can be exchanged from one country to another to pay the postage back.

Aidan.

[Figleaf]

Olivier makes a valid point. If you don't live in a city where there are dealers, the equation changes. The nearest dealer that I know who'd supply euro coins is in Amsterdam. The trip would cost around €27.20 by car (taking the fiscally correct price of €0.19/km) plus parking charges (another €8 to 10) or €15.80 for the train part plus two bus trips. Ouch.

Peter

[izotz]

Engineers love to look for the minimums on equations    :

If you live in Madrid, you may get a Spanish roll. You swap it with other collector, you get another country's one. The post office will tell you about the shipping cost.  Next time you may go to "Plaza Mayor" (numismatic flea market) by public transport : 1€ per single ticket, less if you buy the 10 trips ticket or even less if you buy the monthly ticket (as I do). Then, what you only have to do is to find 24 other collectors to share that treasure (the number maybe different if you get an Italian roll, for example).

I suppose that is why you can find so many engineers on big cities

Oh, well, I must admit I chose the best environment for that situations. The real experiment may differ a little bit.

I understand what you say. I was born in a little town, in that time where nobody knew what Internet was, so so long ago 

[Bimat]

Hi all,
I really appreciate the initiative taken by Christian..But what about collectors (like me) outside Europe or Eurozone? Here in India,commemorative Euro coins are rarely found,and they are sold for very high price,for example,the Spanish 2 Euro Don Quizote commemorative is sold for about 300 Indian Rupees,which is double of face value.That is the reason why I haven't got a single Rome treaty commemorative coin for my collection  Even the 1 Euro coins are sold for 95INR (Face value: 65-70 INR) for used condition and 110-120 INR for UNC I really hate this! Any solution for this problem?

Aditya

[platteauo]

Try to find a correspondant with you be able to do swap or other arrangment. 

Or try ebay or the site of the mint of the country which make the coin.  Now, many national bank have a online shop.

But do a swap is very funny and more cheaper :-) !

[izotz]

It's funny for me right now that an Indian tells me that selling a coin at twice its double value it's too high.

On one hand, in the eurozone it's quite normal that common 2€ coins are sold for 3€. 

On the other hand, recently an Indian collector wanted to sell to me some common Indian coins at least 15 times their face value. And I have proof he is on some "good collectors" list, so I suppose he may be honest with them.

As platteauo said, the good choice for you could be some swapping. Any eurozone collector can get for you Don Quijote, Treaty of Rome or EMU coins, as long as you can swap any Indian coin with him at face value  (or not). Would you do that? I would bet you wouldn't as we tend to value more the things we have.

Anyway, again for all collectors, I went to Banco de España (Spanish Bank) this week, but the EMU coin has not yet been released. When I have more news, I will tell you all about it.