At this time of year, we like to reflect over the past 12 months and analyze the current coin market.  One aspect of the business that immediately comes to mind, is the Internet.  It seems that our clients are doing more shopping online and attending coin shows less frequently. Most of the major coin shows this year were not very well attended.  Whether this is a sign of economic times or convenience of shopping online isn't clear, but we would like to guess it's a combination of both.  We have an amazing website! It allows you to buy from a shopping cart if you choose, and our images are as close to the actual coin as we are able to reproduce. From our perspective it really shouldn't matter how you buy a coin from us..but it does!  

 

What drives a person to become a coin dealer is the love of rare coins.  You naturally think that seeing awesome coins, buying, selling and placing them with clients would be exhilarating...and it is!  But, at Albanese Rare Coins, both Dave and I truly enjoy the relationships that we have developed over the years with our clients, and many of you are now our dear friends.  Some of you have shared with us your challenges, such as illness's, divorce, and economic problems.  When the tables were turned you have called and inquired about our families, health problems, and downturns in the coin market.  We are very thankful for each and every one of you!  If we didn't have the opportunity to meet you face to face at a Baltimore show or at the Summer ANA, we may never have had the opportunity to truly connect as collector and dealer and the next step... friend and confidant. 

 

The coin collector community is a close-knit group and if you aren't attending coin shows, you are truly missing out on some wonderful times.  After the coin show and a nice dinner (usually with clients) you might find us sitting in the hotel lobby reminiscing about the past.  There is a history to this business, and hearing stories about the Eliasberg auction or remembering specific coins and comparing notes, only makes one a better Numismatist!  At a Thursday night dinner after a day at the FUN show this past year, I marveled as my clients passed iPads and images on telephones around the table comparing their collections!  I would suggest you make a real effort to attend a show in 2011 and if you haven't introduced yourself to us...please do so...we will be happy to make your acquaintance! The list of the 2011 shows will be updated on our website very soon so you can hopefully begin planning on attending some.  

 

I am always intrigued to learn what moves a person to love coins.  Sometimes it is as simple as a gift from a relative when you were a child.  Many owners of premier registry sets have shared with me how one little coin opened the door to many years of enjoyment in this hobby.  Contact us if we can locate a special coin for someone you would like to remember for the holidays.  We will be happy to try to locate a special piece for you.

 

We will continue to place superb collector coins on our website, so check back often.  However, many of the rarities that we offer never even hit the website.  We have an extensive wantlist from our clients that we have assembled over the years and, of course, they are offered the coin(s) first.  Call or email Bonnie or Dave to update your wantlist or submit a new one with us. 

 

We thank you for your business in 2010 and we look forward to many glorious coins in 2011!

Happy Hanukkah 

and God Bless...Bonnie Sabel, Dave Albanese, Robyn Moore,  and Dominic Albanese.