American Gold and Coins

Collector notes

Visiting a coin shop

A few notes before you walk into American Gold and Coins in Davenport, IA. These rotate daily. They are general collector etiquette from CDXList — not this shop’s house rules. When something is unclear, ask the person at the counter.

1. 01

   Bullion and collector coins are different conversations

   Melt moves with the market. A key date does not. Say what you think you have, then let them look. Mixing “it’s old so it must be rare” with a junk-silver bag slows everyone down. Sort in your mind: weight versus date.

2. 02

   Check hours before you drive

   Listings show hours when the shop has shared them. They still change for lunch, shows, and appointments. If you are coming from across town, call or look at the hours on this page. A two-minute check beats a locked door.

3. 03

   One conversation at a time

   The dealer cannot price a collection, answer a bullion quote, and pull a date from the case at once. If they are mid-deal, wait. If you only need a quick “are you open Saturday,” say that when they glance up — then step back. Courtesy is remembered the next time you walk in.

4. 04

   Tell them if a coin is damaged, cleaned, or already graded

   Hiding a problem wastes time and trust. “This one was cleaned” or “this already came back from PCGS” is useful. Dealers would rather adjust than feel tricked. Honesty on the small things makes the rest of the visit easier.

5. 05

   Large cash deals may require identification

   That is federal law on certain cash amounts, not the shop being nosy. Bring a government ID if you plan to move a lot of cash either direction. A dealer who asks for ID on a large deal is doing the job the right way.