Meet David Sawyer | Numismatist

We had the good fortune of connecting with David Sawyer and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi David, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I have always loved the coin/numismatic hobby, and meeting other collectors and enthusiasts. In my area it has been very hard to find sellers of coins and collectible items, as well as meeting people interested in the hobby. My goal with my business is to bring people together and have a common ground around the collecting hobby. With our long winters up here I wanted to do something that was more of an ‘indoor sport’ you could say. I wanted to provide a venue for people to talk about their collections, sell coins, and buy coins.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Starting Cloud City Coins is a one hundred and eighty degree turn from my career. I still currently work full time as a licensed electrician in Summit County, and have been doing so for the last thirteen years. Learning all of the different aspects in the electrical world has taken years to solidify. In my spare time I enjoy crafting art and jewelry, and got into coin rings due to my hobby. I wanted my company to have a more small town local feel, while I still carry and source all of the same products as a larger dealer, I offer personalized products that are still coin related such as rings, cowboy hat quarters, and other handcrafted items. It has been quite an adventure perfecting the processes behind different handmade items, in order to be able to sell them in a timely manner. An on going lesson for me has been sourcing numismatics at a wide price point to suite all of my customers needs. You could have two of the same coins, but one could be worth a few dollars, and the other could be worth thousands due to the grade of the coin, the condition, the specific mintage, and many other factors. Finding pieces for buyers from all walks of life has been alot of fun!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Oh boy where to start!? Well, I would start with the waterfall off of 91, Chaulk Falls. It’s a super easy hike to a waterfall tucked back in small canyon. At a few stories tall, it’s quite a sight to see! We would also go into the mining district on the east side of Leadville. There are many historic buildings and artifacts still left to check out, with ponds and mountains surrounding you, it’s amazing. In the mining district there is a vantage point the locals refer to as ‘the top of the world’. From there you can see all of Leadville, Turquoise Lake, Twin Lakes, Independence pass, and several 14’ers, including Mt. Massive and Mt. Elbert. In town we have to walk Main street, there are so many cool shops, vendors, and restaurants, all with historical charm. Putting a label on a favorite store is really hard as they each have their own little niches. The Delaware hotel did a very impressive job retaining the historical feel, the inside of the building is stunning. Ale Yak has a great evening community vibe, and Marbitz Eats and Treats for desserts! Can’t leave without stopping by my favorite pizza place, Wicked Good Pizza!!! It’s a very fun town with lots of activities and local events. Skijoring in March, and Boom days in August. Boom days is by far my favorite. It’s a huge festival paying homage to the mining heritage of the town, lots of people dressed up and various activities throughout the event.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Shyla Cameron. She is the owner of the Iris Moon Emporium in Leadville. She reached out to me and provided space and events to feature my company.

Website: https://www.cloudcitycoins.com

Instagram: @cloudcitycoinsco

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cloudcitycoinsco

Image Credits
David Sawyer