In a business related to something as traditional as coin and sports card collecting, there’s still a need for businesses such as 3 Coins to embrace today’s technology.

Actually, it’s more than a need. According to store owner Craig Bond, it’s a requirement.

The longtime Downtown Trenton shop, which has been in operation for 20 years, has taken to the Internet in a couple of different ways to increase business.

Bond’s business partner for the past two years, Greg Nocella, has talked about delving into the online world.

Now, 3 Coins is offering customers the ability to sell items on eBay, the online auction site.

What happens is this: 3 Coins will either sell items on consignment through eBay, or will outright purchase those items.

Bond said they’ll sell everything from small items (coins and collectables) to large ones (campers, RVs and automobiles).

“It pretty much runs the gamut,” he said. “We’re selling a lot of different things, too. Collectable toys, train sets, a lot of things.”

All a customer really needs to do is bring in his or her items of value for a free estimate, and a course of action can be determined from that.

It’s a long way from the traditional way of doing business.

“You really do have to adapt,” Bond said. “If you’re fixed in on just one thing, doing things just one way, you’ll be in a lot of trouble. You have to learn how to adapt.”

To take a look at some of the items being offered online by 3 Coins, simply go to www.ebay.com. Search by “seller” and enter “geno1959” as an access code located in the entry field next to the “find a member” button.

Thus far Bond’s site has more than 5,000 positive feedback transactions.

“People can be aware of whatever we’re selling online,” Bond said. “It’s something that’s building, and it takes time. But I think it’s a pretty neat idea.

“A lot of our regular customers have been there,” he added. “We deal with hundreds of customers a week. As far as bringing things in and selling them online, it’s still kind of new. But there’s a lot of word of mouth, and it’ll keep growing.”

In the shop itself, coins are still the most popular item among 3 Coins customers. Bond said many people look at rare coins as an investment that has been pretty steady over the long haul.

In the course of running day-to-day business, however, Bond said the availability of the Internet as a research tool has changed the way businesses like 3 Coins do business.

Instead of going to a collectable show to learn about an item, he can now find out with a few quick keystrokes on his computer.

“It’s just the way everything has evolved in the world,” Bond said. “It’s a tool.

“This is another way of doing business.”