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Observations from my LCS about non-error PMD error coin questions

thisistheshowthisistheshow Posts: 9,386 ✭✭✭✭✭
edited June 15, 2019 3:47PM in U.S. Coin Forum

Just typed this up but lost it. Warning kids-don't try to do too many quick edits.

I was at my LCS yesterday looking through 90% quarters-and finding a few keepers (for me pretty much heaven on earth).

I was listening (not eavesdropping ) to the only customer talking to the owner's son. He was apparently a worker from a different LCS one town over and seemed to be getting some scrap gold priced.

They were discussing the issue mentioned in the title. They both estimated between four and five calls/visits a day by inquiring individuals asking "is this an error" and often not believing the answer. And they said when it is a real error it is frequently not a valuable one, not even in the CPG or an album or the registry, not worth listing on eBAy, not sellable, etc. (Wait, what, "sellable isn't a word? Thanks spell check- but 'I'm leaving it!!)

I turned around and asked them what do they think is causing this phenomenon. The customer blamed etsy search results. He also said there is another LCS on the other side of his town and that the owner has posted a few error videos on YouTube. He said callers/visitors who don't believe him are sent there! :D The owner's son blamed misleading Google search results and YouTube video as additional probable culprits. I told them about the same issue occurring on forums I am active on.

Anyway, what I didn't hear mentioned was that either tries to use the opportunity to educate the person and create a customer. But I know here and on other forums many of us do just that to try to create new collectors for our beloved hobby and community.

Thanks for reading!

Thoughts and comments welcome!

Edited for wording

Comments

  • HemisphericalHemispherical Posts: 9,370 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @thisistheshow Agree, too many edits and all the typing goes poof. I use “copy” a lot so there’s a copy in the buffer for the “just-in-case.”

    Sensationalism and the quick buck. That is those who ask about error coins (quick buck) and whom get their information from the sources in your narrative (sensationalism). Not coin collectors just “treasure” hunters. ;)

    Similar to the news. Good news does not get the views which means no money. Bad news equals views and translates to more bad news.

    Oh well time to figure out what the heck I am going to do with this 5oz Apollo puck I just received, it was on backorder since my 24 March order. :o

  • thisistheshowthisistheshow Posts: 9,386 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Thanks for the comments @Hemispherical and the copy tip.

    Did you plan to add the puck to your collection?

  • HemisphericalHemispherical Posts: 9,370 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I already have the puck and the rest... ;) kind of an Apollo fan. :)

    Have a tendenacy of: if one is good why not two... or... :D

    It might be a birthday present for one of my grown kids. It’s either this silver or gold, now that I think about it. Got time for the next birthday. Usually, it’s a last minute, almost forgot kind of thing.

  • AUandAGAUandAG Posts: 24,515 ✭✭✭✭✭

    WHAT? FAKE MEDIA ON YOUTUBE????? no, can't be and etsy?

    bob :)

    Registry: CC lowballs (boblindstrom), bobinvegas1989@yahoo.com
  • thisistheshowthisistheshow Posts: 9,386 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Hemispherical said:
    I already have the puck and the rest... ;) kind of an Apollo fan. :)

    Have a tendenacy of: if one is good why not two... or... :D

    It might be a birthday present for one of my grown kids. It’s either this silver or gold, now that I think about it. Got time for the next birthday. Usually, it’s a last minute, almost forgot kind of thing.

    Nice presents!

    I don't usually spend more than $200 per month on coins and that is stretching it.

    I was born and spent the first six years of my life in Lowell. My mother got me the 5 oz puck for my birthday. ( I admit, I sent her the link to " check out') : :* You are a good Dad!!

  • RogerBRogerB Posts: 8,852 ✭✭✭✭✭

    "LCS" -- is that like "LDS without bicycles?"

  • thisistheshowthisistheshow Posts: 9,386 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @RogerB said:
    "LCS" -- is that like "LDS without bicycles?"

    @RogerB I am being forthright and earnest when I say that I have frequently enjoyed, appreciated, and laughed at the subtle humor you interject.

    And here I stand, humbled and honored that you should do so on my very own thread......and find myself sorry to say that, perhaps ironically, I don't get the joke :(:D

  • thisistheshowthisistheshow Posts: 9,386 ✭✭✭✭✭
  • rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭

    The term you wanted was 'saleable' or also spelled 'salable'...and it is a common phenomena among non-coin people to disbelieve the truth when offered. This applies to error (not) coins and the 'old therefore valuable' coins possessed by these individuals. I have encountered both, many times. Often, the individual purchased an old Morgan or Barber from the TV hucksters, whose hype assured them of mega returns on their valuable investment. Rubbish....One individual, whom I tried to let down lightly, never spoke to me again - convinced that I was trying to con him out of his treasure. Oh well... Cheers, RickO

  • RogerBRogerB Posts: 8,852 ✭✭✭✭✭

    thisistheshow --- Being somewhat "slow on the uptake" it took a while for me to realize that "LCS" means "local coin shop." The LDS humor was, at best, a bespoke effort largely in 1st gear and certainly an up-hill peloton.

  • jedmjedm Posts: 2,920 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I have noticed the this phenomenon also in my store where I have on display a dozen or so examples of each, currency and coins from around the world. My clientele are from very diverse countries and cultures, so the specimens make nice conversation pieces with the theme of "save your money with "_______" (us). When collecting becomes a topic of discussion - it's errors that get mentioned very often. I'm not an error collector; therefore, I tend to espouse my ideas on collecting which is to keep an eye out for exceptionally eye appealing samples with clean surfaces and/or artistic, historical or geographic designs that appeal to me rather than errors.

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