A Barnstorming Road Trip

Many of you may have heard the term “barnstorming.” To most, barnstorming evokes memories of early pilots traveling from town to town entertaining folks along the way. Popular during the ‘20s, pilots traveled around giving exhibitions of flying and performing aeronautical stunts. The term “flying circus” was born from several barnstormers performing together as a group. In 1920, the famous pilot Charles Lindbergh left college after two years to pursue a career in barnstorming!

Barnstorming also refers to politicians making a rapid tour of an area during a political campaign, a touring performer or theater group giving performances (often in barns), and athletes or teams touring to put on exhibitions or compete against local athletes or teams. Many early 20^th-century basketball and baseball teams barnstormed. The well-known oil company Phillips 66 had a semi-pro basketball team with paid players who barnstormed – or rather competed – against local teams all over the U.S. in the ‘30s. The Harlem Globe Trotters are the very definition of barnstormers!

Road Trip

Let’s take this show on the road! I’ve often commented that a dealer or collector will go to almost any means in pursuit of a great coin or deal. Personally, I’ve flown more than 2.5 million miles in my career in pursuit of, you guessed it, coins. I have “the bug!”

I’ve been to shows in some interesting places over the decades. In addition, I’ve done a little informal barnstorming myself. My barnstorming involved coin-buying trips. Sometimes these were in conjunction with a show, but some of the larger markets are worth a trip without a show. For example, Chicago is a prime example of a market where one person would be hard pressed to visit every dealer in town in a week.

On many of my buying trips, I would fly into one city and home from another. I would see three or four of the biggest dealers in the first city the next day. That evening I would drive several hours toward another city with a couple of larger dealers in between on the route. The second day, I would see a couple of dealers on my route and proceed to my second city. On the third day I would see two or three dealers in my second city and fly home. I had several areas of the U.S. in which I barnstormed two to four times a year, in addition to all the shows I attended.

Classic coin barnstorming is a little different. Generally, a dealer will begin advertising in a locale several weeks in advance of their visit. Usually, the dealer will pay for full-page ads in local papers to both make an impression and prime the pump, so to speak. Cash offers are listed for frequently traded coins, gold, silver, and a large list of other collectables. The advertisement lists the date, location, and details for bringing your items to sell. Sometimes flyers are distributed. Local TV and radio advertising isn’t unusual in larger markets.

The scope of what the dealer is buying is limited only to what is brought in and their expertise. For example, larger dealers might have a hotel suite or conference room with a couple of security guards or off-duty police officers. In addition, they might have a dozen experts who can make offers on anything from coins to antiques and luxury items. On the other hand, it might be one guy in a motel room. The whole point of this exercise is to buy. Of course, you hope they’re reputable, but how do you know? Who are these people?

When I was on the road buying, local dealers despised barnstormers. In fact, quite a few of the local dealers I did business with had an effective method of dealing with this competition. Many of these local dealers had relationships with their local newspaper because they, too, advertised. One dealer acquaintance had an advertisement (on file) that he would run in response to any barnstormer advertising in his locale. His local newspaper would purposely put his ad right next to the barnstormer’s ad!

Touting a bricks-and-mortar location, 10-plus years in business, Better Business Bureau credentials, and offering to pay as much or more usually worked for this local dealer. He would even have someone hand out his flyers in front of the lodge the barnstormer was located in. I’ve always been curious if the barnstormers continued to come back to his city.

Like all business, there are good eggs and bad eggs. I’ve had my experience selling to and buying from both the barnstormers after their trips and the local dealers who loathed them. In general, my confidence is in the local dealer because they are in a fixed location and their reputation (in that spot) is very consequential. On the other hand, there are barnstormers who have experts with knowledge not available to your local dealer. I would have more confidence in a barnstorming dealer who lists his professional affiliations in his advertisement.

In today’s world, information is available to almost everyone. Sure, you have folks who don’t have access to the internet, but their kids probably do. When you have coins to sell, do your research. If possible, look online. Take a pic (or have one taken) with your phone to enable the image to be emailed or texted. Check local listings for dealers and or coin clubs. Get several opinions. Consider those whose opinions that both made sense and you trust most.

My first reader in school was called a “Think and Do” book. I learned to read “See Spot Run” in a “Think and Do” book. The lesson applies here, too. Do your research, think about it, and then (do) sell your item with the confidence you made the right decision. You won’t know unless you ask first!