It never hurts to cordially ask! :)
Broadstruck
Posts: 30,497 ✭✭✭✭✭
So I was thinking today of what has yielded me some of the neatest purchases throughout all my years within this hobby? Well I guess I started doing this back in the late 80's when dealers sent out catalogs or published CW ad listings. I'd call inquiring and usually purchased the item and then toward the end of the conversation would ask "Do you have anything else not listed which might be of interest to me?" This has worked just as well venturing online with web sites too asking the same. Using CRO's "Early Bird" as an example asking such to any dealer is like getting first shot at the bird before it's even hatched the egg. I recently asked a dealer and was sent three responding emails loaded with images of 40 fresh unlisted items. It was like being able to cherry pick a whole collection and I ended up buying 1/4 of the items which I might have missed 1/2 or more had I just casually awaited seeing their inventory update. Just figured I'd share as that one sentence not only eases the hunt, but also has the power to very positively affect your entire collecting goals.
Comments
I think your buying something up front opens the door to let the dealer know you're serious and not just wasting his time. Good strategy. Thanks for passing it on.
You were lucky. I just did that with a dealer and got the nothing reply. I don't think I am top of their go to list.
Successful BST with drddm, BustDMs, Pnies20, lkeigwin, pursuitofliberty, Bullsitter, felinfoel, SPalladino
$5 Type Set https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/u-s-coins/type-sets/half-eagle-type-set-circulation-strikes-1795-1929/album/344192
CBH Set https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/everyman-collections/everyman-half-dollars/everyman-capped-bust-half-dollars-1807-1839/album/345572
Yes even with a new dealer it works well toward building a relationship showing you are not a random fly-by-night one and done buyer.
Don't let this bother you since it might be a fluke, so it's worth trying again via email or by making a phone call.
Yep and a fair amount of the most interesting and somewhat valuable items where purchased under the heading of
miscellaneous.....Oops now the secret is out
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CoinsAreFun Toned Silver Eagle Proof Album
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Gallery Mint Museum, Ron Landis& Joe Rust, The beginnings of the Golden Dollar
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More CoinsAreFun Pictorials NGC
You are lucky! Seems I have to pry what I want out of other dealers. I bought a coin, or thought I did, and then 5 minutes into the conversation, wait, let me check my wantlist.
The price was offered to me....not me offering.
Excellent advice. I've acquired several great coins by asking dealers at shows whether they had things I was looking for that weren't in their cases.
When I used to go to coin shows, I had frequent success by asking dealers if they had any 'xxxx' that were not on display. Often they would say yes and dig out some coins from their stored inventory behind the table. My collecting interests are not always in the 'popular' stream of current interests. Never hurts to ask, and often little treasures are found. Cheers, RickO
It would be great if you posted a pic of a coin acquired this way so we can be envious!
"Got a flaming heart, can't get my fill"
My ~ Copper 4 The Weekend™ ~ item post was acquired by such asking. It was just hanging around awaiting proper imaging and offered to me via texted cellphone pics. Quite ecstatic I instantly pounced on it as in copper it's only the second example I've ever seen.
I'll ask at coin shows for something I'm looking for. Sometimes the dealer would ask me ahead of time. It's worked out well
When I stop at a garage sale I always ask before leaving if they have any old guns or coins for sale. Not often but, a couple of times it paid off. The first time it was an old rusty Colt revolver that cleaned up beautifully. The second time was a fruit jar full of foreign coins. When I got home and dumped out the coins, about half of them were silver dimes, quarters ...
Wisdom has been chasing you but, you've always been faster
It is always nice when a dealer responds with enthusiasm and produces from a want list. I have had the opposite effect more often than not. I spend $$$ in a niche part of the hobby, inquire of the dealer if and when something in that niche comes up in his inventory to contact me, and I always learn about those items at the same time as everyone else.
Makes you wonder sometimes. 🤔
Dead Cat Waltz Exonumia
"Coin collecting for outcasts..."
Seems to me that some people have better access than others to the really nice coins from some dealers. It’s definitely a good idea to build a good relationship with dealers who specialize in your area of interest.
Back when I was actively trying to complete my toned Roosie date set, I would routinely ask dealers at Long Beach if they might have any such material "in the back". 98% of the time, they would not, of course. A few years back, a local dealer I'd never dealt with surprised me and produced almost a full PCGS box of toned Roosies he said he'd recently submitted or purchased already slabbed (memory fails me now). Anyway, there were a handful of beauties in that box, and as his asking prices were beyond reasonable (I don't think he really knew the toner market), I readily snapped up all the ones that appealed to me. This one was the star of the show:
It never hurts to ask.
Wayne
Kennedys are my quest...
Great post. I like the mantra, “the worse someone can say is no, but I won’t know unless I ask”
Similar story, I recently purchased a piece of exonumia from a seller on eBay. When I received the item, it looked great and even had some original documents from the time of purchase, along with a small note that said “I have other similar items” and an email address.
I emailed and thanked the seller for sending contact info, and asked to see any other similar items that I may be interested in. To my delight, the list produced was nice and the prices were right. I ended up “cherry picking” about 90% of the additional items thinking “this is the first time these are available to market, from the original buyer, and being privately offered to me” - I couldn’t pass up the opportunity.
So I agree, it never hurts to cordially ask
It's all about what the people want...
Works at yard sales too. I always ask if they have any coins for sale and almost always get told “no”. But every now then it really pays off.
Once asked an old fella that question and we talked a bit and he invited me in to see his table full of coins he was wanted to sell. While I was looking at them he says he has to go to bank and will be back in a half an hour. Floored me since we’d just met and out the door he went over my objections. I remember calling my wife to tell her I was alone in this guys house looking at a table full of silver. When he came back we did a deal for everything on the table. Next he asked me if I was interested in gold, and pulls out a bag of about 20 gold 50 pesos. I could only afford one at the time and I think it was $1100 or $1200 dollars back then. That just doesn’t happen every day.
Even when I receive an unsolicited offer, I thank the seller on their offer even if I do not accept it.
Wayne
Kennedys are my quest...