We were up bright and early Saturday morning, in fact, way too early! But, we were excited! To get going, we stopped at Biggby's for a little caffeine before our 1 1/2 hour drive north to Wheeler, Michigan. You see, my son SBV has always enjoyed money. Even as a toddler he loved to sort money. By the time he was five years old, his favorite game was monopoly. In fact, we got so tired of playing with him and usually losing, he began to play by himself...by playing both sides of the board. So, it's not surprising that he loves to collect money, mostly coins. So, on Saturday morning, we were off to a coin auction!
On our way north, we enjoyed the sights. First, there were fields of sugar beets.
It looks like the soy beans are ready to be harvested!
Fields of corn!
And finally, we arrived at the Wheeler Township Hall for the Doty Coin Auction.
There used to be a coin auction here approximately once a month. We started coming here a few years ago, but have not been "regulars." And believe me, there are "regulars." But, we have been attending enough that we were welcomed by the auctioneer and his staff. SBV had spent a couple of weeks preparing for the auction. He was able to access the coin list online and researched those coins that he is interested in bidding on and their values. The value of coins are based on their age, rarity, and condition. He made a spread sheet and was ready to go! I go along for fun, for support, and to bid on the coins that I think are "pretty." (Believe me, "condition" is pretty complex, so I stay away from those coins where condition is important.)
Once we arrived, we signed up for our bidding numbers. Then it was time to check out the coins and especially the "condition". I head straight for the Commemoratives or proof sets- or as I call them, the "pretty" ones. I also check out the unusual coins such as the three cent pieces, the large cents, or the tokens. SBV tends to collect pennies, large cents, proof sets, commemoratives, foreign coins, and anything that looks especially interesting.
As we took our seats, we got our spread sheets ready to write down winning bids and follow the auction. This particular auction is often low key, with less pressure than other faster paced auctions.
The auction began with the silver dollars, which is fun to watch because some of the bids can get pretty high. The crowd is pretty varied: some people are collectors, and some are dealers.
A few years ago when we first began going to coin auctions, SBV was a pretty nervous bidder. But now he is a pretty savvy bidder and knows when to start his bidding, when to go for a coin and when to stop. It is pretty exciting! I tend to get a bit excited, and he will let me know when to stop as far as value is concerned. I always listen.
When all the coins that SBV is interested in have been auctioned, it is time to go. We head for the check-out and pay for our treasures.
We were pretty successful at this auction and came home with some nice coins, as you can see.
SBV's coins are now cataloged, and mine are stashed away for his future birthday and Christmas gifts. But, I wanted to show you my favorite of the day...the 1892 Columbian Exposition Commemorative half dollar.
I hope you enjoyed the coin auction. Have a wonderful day!
