Our Business
Classic Rarities specializes in numismatic services. We’re rare coin dealers serving the westernmost areas of New York state, centered on Buffalo, NY. We’ll buy a variety of historic coins direct from individuals, or take for consignment the same valuable coins and currency. U.S. silver dimes, quarters and half dollars 1964 and earlier, all silver dollars 1935 and earlier, U.S. mint sets, gold coins U.S. and foreign, commemoratives, silver and gold eagles and bars and more.
We also liquidate or take for consignment whole coin collections on the behalf of estates or organizations, purchase bullion bars, appraise coin holdings at an hourly rate–or for no charge if we purchase–and act as your agent in dealings with the major grading services. We’ll also consult on a variety of related matters for an hourly rate. In all transactions we protect your confidentiality and privacy.
Any of our services may be provided in our shop or in your private residence, bank or office by appointment. We find that, as a numismatic specialist and rare coin dealer, it pays to know our service area. We’re based in Buffalo, in one of the most history-rich cities in the United States.
Early History of Buffalo, New York
Native American archaeological history of Buffalo’s site at the head of the Niagara River, on the eastern shore of Lake Erie, dates back to at least 7000 BCE. In most recent pre-colonial times, Buffalo’s region was controlled largely by the Iroquois Confederacy, though the Erie people and the Neutral Nation people both had settlements in the area during the initial French exploration.
French exploration of the Buffalo area began in the early 1600s, with trappers and early fur traders as with most of the region. By the late 17th century, well-known and connected explorers like René-Robert Cavelier and Louis Hennepin were building trade routes and claiming territory in the region. Cavelier built and launched the “Le Griffon,” the first large sailing vessel launched onto the Great Lakes, from near Cayuga Creek inside the present-day limits of Buffalo.
Permanent settlement of the area near Buffalo Creek, that is now the core of Buffalo, did not begin until nearly the end of the 18th century, after the American Revolution. Prisoners captured during the Revolutionary War, in fact, were the first white settlers in the region.
The Holland Land Purchase, a large Dutch-funded land purchase, was completed on July 20, 1793. All the land of present day Buffalo was included in the purchase. Later negotiations in 1797 with the Iroquois as well as the founding father Robert Morris at a council called the “Treaty of Big Tree” cleared all native title to the land and cemented the deal. Settlers flooded to the region, which was rapidly subdivided into the many sub-towns of Buffalo that we know today.
The war of 1812 was devastating to the then-small town of Buffalo. Most of Buffalo and several surrounding communities were destroyed by fire or battle. Rebuilding happened swiftly, however, and by 1815 was complete. The Erie Canal, the completion of which caused Buffalo’s first explosive growth, was completed in 1825. The population of Buffalo at that time was 2400 people. By 1832 the population had exploded enough to incorporate Buffalo, still then confined to the region near the mouth of Buffalo Creek, into a city.
Buffalo – American Industrial Center
The rapidly-accelerating industrial revolution of the 1800s treated Buffalo well. Buffalo, as is still remembered today, was a center for American industrialism. At first, industry was centered on the Niagara River and Falls, which provided ample energy for milling and other early industrial projects. By the dawn of the 20th century, Buffalo was a booming metropolis and one of the first cities to heavily utilize electricity, giving the city its nickname of “City of Light.”
Buffalo continued to specialize in industry, producing the famous companies of “Republic Steel” and “Lackawanna Steel” which employed tens of thousands. Following World War 2, consolidation and movement of industry to cheaper regions caused Buffalo to enter into a decline that lasted several decades, like much of the industrialized city centers in the region.
Reinvestment in Buffalo
Today, Buffalo focuses on cross-border commerce with Canada, regional services like hospitals and lawyers as well as high technology businesses. Governor Andrew Cuomo’s controversial “Buffalo Billion” project, aiming to invest $1 billion dollars into the Buffalo economy, has already netted a large Tesla manufactury, called the “Tesla Gigafactory 2.”
Many, including us at Classic Rarities, are optimistic for Buffalo’s future.
