Coins Dealers In Thailand

[Kid Romeo]

Hi gang. I will be going to Thailand for a few days. If anyone knows any coin dealer in Bangkok where I can get cheap deals; please let me know. I have came across addresses of some from Google search but I am presuming that those might be for tourists and hence expensive.

[Numismatica]

Don't know where you can get coins,but Richie (Rangnath) must be having an idea since he was there last year.

A friend of mine(he spent a few days there) told me that low value world coins(especially those from Oceania)are pretty cheap,but if you go for Thai coins,they are quite expensive...

Aditya

[Kid Romeo]

Thanks for the info Adi. Getting coins of Oceania at cheap rates would be great.
BTW I was forwarded a link by a friend
http://collectorbox.blogspot.com/2010/02/1st-day-hunting-at-bangkok.html
I guess I have to shop from there.

[Figleaf]

Some coin dealers congregate on the "stamp market" in front of the main post office, New Road Charoen Krung, Sundays only. No public transportation there, so it's a bit of a walk or a taxi.

Peter

[adam]

Hi,

At Jatujak weekend market, you may want to check some coins dealers as in the map below too. There are many coins you might interested.



For the dealers at the front of the central post office, you can go there by Skytrian, get off at saphan taksin station. At the street level, turn left. You will pass Robinson mall, Assumption College and surawong intersection. The central post office is on the left side. It's about 3-4 minutes by walking from the station or 4 bus stop.

Also, you may want to check at flea market around Grand Palace (The red line areas in the map below). There are many dealers, both old and new coins. The price can be asked but beware the counterfeit, especially the old coins.



If you want to buy some recent issue commemorative coins at-face-value price, you should go to Bureau of Monetary Management office at the north of sanam luang, near khaosan road (The red dot in the map above). Once you go inside the building, the right wing is Bureau of Monetary Management box.
the left counter - circulation coin
the middle counter - commemorative coin
the right counter - circulation coin for the company
open hour 9.30 am - 3.30 pm (lunch break 12 - 1 pm)

The left wing is Bureau of Grand National Trasure shop. They have some old issues, both precious metal and base metal, and coin souvenir. They also have a shop inside Grand Palace, near the gate to Wat Phra Keaw too (open hour 8 am - 4 pm).

Good luck,
Have a nice trip in Bangkok.

[Kid Romeo]

Thank you so much for the informative post Adam and welcome to the forum. I'll take print out of the maps and your post with me. I was scheduled to go there on 16th but now got my tickets booked for 20th.
Cheers,
Rony

BTW the pdf file in your signature is also very interesting and informative.

[adam]

Glad that I can help you.
I forgot to say that Bureau of Monetary Management office opens weekday.
Bureau of Grand National Trasure shop inside Grand Palace opens everyday unless there is the royal ceremony.
And you have to ware sleeve-shirt and long trousers to get inside Grand Palace.

[MS]

BTW the pdf file in your signature is also very interesting and informative.

You are right, its very informative.

Thanks adam for the list. I have 5 bi-metallics 10 Baht coins from Thailand which I had not yet identified. Thanks to your PDF that task is now trivial.

Welcome to WoC.

MS

[Kid Romeo]

Adam, one more question. Do I need to haggle with these coin seller or are their rates fixed? I am not very good at bargaining, please give me some tip.

[adam]

Well, the price of some coins are higher than KM catalog, a lot, you may be surprised!
So if the dealers' price is not satified you, try to negotiate first. Some dealers might discount for you when you buy them amount of coins.
But some dealers are not. Just look for the others. That's what my best suggestion.

Sometimes I just say "thank", return the coin back to the dealer and walk away.

[Figleaf]

All over the world, the rules of coin markets and dealers are:

- the domestic coins are the most plentiful and the most expensive
- the price difference between UNC and F is the largest in the home country; if you can accept VF you'll find bargains
- domestic tokens defy gravity: cheap and plentiful
- the foreign coins most people cannot read or readily identify are the cheapest and the most difficult to find
- gold and silver coins are often overvalued, other metals undervalued
- if the coin is identified or easy to identify and the price is too good to be true, it's likely to be a forgery
- every reasonable dealer will allow you to use their copy of KM, but KM price quotes mean nothing
- always bargain, especially if you buy several coins and be prepared to walk away

Peter

[Kid Romeo]

Thanks for the tips Peter and also thank you Adam for all the advice.

[mumbapuri]

Just a note of caution. Personally, I have never been to Thailand. But, from those who have been there, I have heard that due to excessive "bargaining" habits of Indian tourists, some of the thai shops/sellers simply refuse to entertain indians. This I have heard not specific to coins sellers but for regular stuff, like clothing etc.

Let see what KR has to report when he is back from his trip.

[Kid Romeo]

After all that hoopla; I sadly couldn't manage to visit even a single coin dealer owing to my busy schedule. Just picked up this souvenir from souvenir shop.

Found two 10 baht commemoratives from circulation though

[andyg]

I sometimes buy coins/sets from tourist places as a mememto of the visit rather than to actually collect them.  I remember buying a Buffalo 5 ct from outside the Denver Mint, it was a very common one in about VF grade, probably twice the price of buying it from the local dealers too.  If I find another in UNC or a rare date would I swap it?  Nah...  I like the 5 ct I bought as it reminds me of good memories.