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Favorite internet coin dealer???

Stop me if the forum has already discussed this topic, but I am curious as who everyones favorite internet coin dealer is, and why?

Comments

  • My favorite dealer is anaconda.rare.coins on eBay. He has a good inventory of PQ coins and currency, he seems like an honest person, and he usually has good pictures which helps. I can't afford most of his stuff but I like to visit his offerings. Sometimes he's kinda funny. He's a little arrogant and condescending at times but I think he has a good heart. Buy, hey, I could be wrong so don't buy something from him and then complain to me if it doesn't work out.

    adrian
  • BustmanBustman Posts: 1,911
    Adrian,
    Are you allowed to vote for yourself??? I guess I did not post any rules about the vote, so yeah, I guess you can.
    Have you ever considered setting up your own web site to sell your coins? ( other than your ebay site)
  • I've thought about it. It's actually on my list of things to do. Page 201, item 4,645.

    I get pretty good traffic to my ebay offerings. I got over 700 hits (700 different people) on one item (Baby you can kiss my...) within the first 24 hours. I keep pretty busy listing, negotiating, and packaging coins and currency up for shipment.

    So, rather than try to have my own little coin show in another part of the internet neighborhood, I'll probably just continue to list stuff on eBay.

    Besides, i don't know, nor do i want to learn html or whatever they call it. It was hard enough for me to learn how to list something on eBay. And, if i had them listed and de-listed by someone else, it would be just one more thing to coordinate. When someone buys it on eBay, it becomes unavailable automatically. Ever cruise someone's internet site, see a stunner like the MS68 monster toned Long Island for under 10K at Pinnacle's site, call Mark Feld's cell phone, email him, call him at home, all to find out that, gee, I guess we should have taken that off our site, it was promised to that Parrino dude two days ago, I'm sorry , Adrian, are you alright? Hey, now, take it easy, it's just a coin......hey, get a grip man.....

    I just hate to dissappoint people (and have them yelling at me, calling me a "sheister", etc.) and I know that I cannot be given too many responsibilities because mentally, I am only 17, and I'm already having a really hard time just keeping my room clean, let alone, having a web site to manage.

    adrian

  • shylockshylock Posts: 4,288 ✭✭✭
    Adrian's coins have been linked to here since I joined the forum two years ago. Since they're almost all beyond my means (and he rarely offers coppers) I look at him more as a museum curater than a dealer. At this point his Ebay storefront is so well known and bookmarked he doesn't need his own website.

    For what I collect and for what I like to browse:

    Rick Snow's Eagle Eye Rare Coins
    Pinnacle Rarities
    Legend Numismatics
    Larry Whitlow
    Albanese
    David Lawrence

    I recently made my first purchase from David Hall, an 1894 IH that looked too good to be true on his site but actually was even nicer in person. I'll be stopping by his site more often now...

  • IrishMikeIrishMike Posts: 7,737 ✭✭✭
    Gees Paul, I hate agreeing with so much all of the time. I like Rick's site as much for the information as his coins. All of the other dealers you have listed I visit quite often too. I might add AA Coins too, just because of the sheer numbers of IHC's he has listed.
  • 09sVDB09sVDB Posts: 2,420 ✭✭✭
    Please see my post "I met Tonelover".
  • flaminioflaminio Posts: 5,664 ✭✭✭
    My favorite online dealers are David Lawrence and CheapSlabs.com

    -Bob
  • BustmanBustman Posts: 1,911
    Here is an excellent way to tell which dealer is your favorite. Take a look at your collection, decide which coins you would NEVER sell or part with. Then figure out where the majority of those coins came from.
    For me, those coins are all coins that I bought from Legend. They know what I like, and give me a chance to see the coins before they are posted on their site. Having a relationship with a dealer like that is everything!
  • airplanenutairplanenut Posts: 22,148 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Adrian... do you have a scan of the AU50 chain cent you had a while back? I wanted to print it on glossy photo paper, but by the time i got the paper, the coin was gone image
    JK Coin Photography - eBay Consignments | High Quality Photos | LOW Prices | 20% of Consignment Proceeds Go to Pancreatic Cancer Research
  • ARCOARCO Posts: 4,396 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Anacondas coins rule the known universe for sheer beauty. When I make Bill Gates money I am going to clean him out.

    For circulated coins Randy Holder has some Beauties. He is obsessed with original coins and most of his offerings are of such. He sells on Ebay and has a website.

    Randy Holder's Site

    Another collector that has a great eye for circulated pieces is John Orloff Jr. His website lacks photos, but you can E-mail him and he will send them. We swap coin find scans all the time, and he is one of just a few that can make my saliva glands run uncontrollably.

    John Orloff Jr.

    of Course David Lawrence is great
    The consistently nicest circulated coins sold on Ebay (after myself of course) are sold under the handle of Ernster4@aol.com. Sure he sells some cleaned and problem coins, but I am talking consistency over time.

    If I could find a seller with as many quality coins as myself I would be in coin heavenimage

    Tyler
  • DIMEMANDIMEMAN Posts: 22,403 ✭✭✭✭✭

    ARCO

    I would love to have a complete set of Barber Halves just like your icon. That is a beaut.
    Heck, I'd take the quarter set like that too!

    My favorite dealers:

    David Lawrence
    Whitlow
    Heritage
    B & M (auctions only)
    Alpine
    L & C
    and occasionally (don't flame me here) Teletrade - every once in a while they have a nice coin.

    Jon
  • Go to my site and scroll half way down and you will find some links to sites chosen by the forum members.

    The link is in my signature line.
  • RussRuss Posts: 48,514 ✭✭✭


    << <i>Teletrade - every once in a while they have a nice coin. >>



    I just picked up a 1965 SMS Kennedy in MS67CAM from Teletrade and it is quite a pleasing coin. Paid a hefty $450 for it and, at the time, thought that was awfully strong money. Looking around, though, I've since discovered that it's the low end of the scale for what they've been fetching lately.

    Russ, NCNE

  • shylockshylock Posts: 4,288 ✭✭✭
    Arco -- 2 interesting dealers that are new to me. Especially Randy Holder -- thanks.
  • Ok, everyone's either forgotton this thread or their either at work or getting ready for work so I'll post this now. Giving away contacts is something you should only do for really good friends or if you are a lunatic. (Do I know you? You look vaguely familiar.)

    My very favorite internet coin dealer is Mark Feld with Pinnacle. The guy couldn't lie if he had to. Perfect eye for coins and very fair prices. Some of my best coins have come from him. I can’t say enough good things about Mark.

    http://www.pinnaclerarities.com/inventory.html

    Wait a minute. I almost forgot one other guy who is just as much a treasure as Mark - and that is Michael Printz with Larry Whitlow Coins, Ltd. Michael is totally top shelf. I started getting to know him a few years ago, and I would pause a million dollar mediation to take his call.

    http://www.whitlowltd.com/

    Uh oh. There's also my very, very good friend at Heritage. I can't tell you his name because he'll be mad at me because he already has enough work to do. But there's this guy, let's call him "Pee Ess". Not his real name. He is a guy you want to know if you like really big coins at good prices. He shoots straight every time. He is one of my main guys.

    Just ask for "Ballsum an' Eddie". They'll put you through to him. Get to the point with him and he’ll respect you for your prescience and reward you will a mind blower.

    http://heritagecoin.com/

    Also, Mr. Carner on eBay as "wcarner". He will treat you fairly and has some very cool and PQ coins and most of them are in the reasonably affordable range.

    I also like Mike DeFalco. But he is no longer tied for first with the other guys since he slammed my Roanoke in this forum and said he thought it was AT. Bass turd. Just kidding. Mike has great coins, not as many as the other guys, but if you want monsters that will make a preacher lay his Bible down, he's got 'em and he’ll sell ‘em to you at a fair price.

    http://www.numisvision.com/Home/home.html

    And finally, there's Gary Carlson at TAG (Tangible Asset Galleries). Gary is another person who I would send my mother to, to buy coins from. I'm not sure you would call him an internet seller. But he is as honest as the day is long, and when he says he has a gorgeous coin he wants to offer to you, when you get it, it will be gorgeous. 1-800-545-1001

    All of these guys that I have mentioned are true blue and I consider each of them my friends. There are others out there, some part time guys, others full time dealers who sell me mind-blowers, and I could name them, but I have to save a few pearls so I can keep my babies in shoes.

    One last thing. I just gave you (no charge) some good information. Knowing who to get coins from, though, is not the only key to your success. It takes hard work to separate the stunners from the stinkers and negotiate their purchase, all without angering the sellers. (Angering the sellers means you don’t get phone calls.) But the only way you can really find out if what you are doing is smart, is to try to sell the stunners you just bought. If you're not trying to sell the coins you buy, you are not enrolled in the PhD program at Coin University. The market is a very stern teacher - it has taught me many lessons and you should also enroll for the education you will get.

    adrian
  • toyonakatarotoyonakataro Posts: 407 ✭✭✭
    My favorite dealer is Mark at pinnacle.
    Althouh I haven't bought anything from their inventory yet, he helped me a lot at ANA show and I can't thank enough.
    I like to thank for a board member,michael, who recommended him to me.
    I also like George at Legend(who also helped me at the show) and Frank at B&M thouh I haven't met him in person yet.
  • shirohniichanshirohniichan Posts: 4,992 ✭✭✭
    So far my favorite has been tonelover's Philippine coin site.
    image
    Obscurum per obscurius
  • Oh, I almost forgot. In order to start buying and selling your coins you should:

    move to Texas so you can get a license to carry a firearm

    learn to handle and accurately shoot a firearm (a scored a perfect 50 out of 50 in my hand gun test) and practice regularly at a range

    get a license to carry a firearm

    either rent or lease your home or put your home in the name of another person who is totally disconnected to you

    get a sophisticated surveillance system

    make at least one trip to your bank’s safety deposit box every day

    buy a 9 mm for the car

    buy a 357 for the office

    buy a 45 for the home for when they come through a door or window

    buy an assault rifle with a scope so you end them when they're diving away

    get some money to get inventory

    leave your family to go to coin shows all over the country

    put your life’s savings at risk to do so

    get subscriptions to CDN, CCDN, Greensheet, Coin World, Num. News, Playboy, no skip that, you won't need Playboy

    get phones, fax machine, cel phone, scanner, digital camera, computer, monitor, printer, cable TV

    tell you wife you want a mistress or you want to start dealing in coins and that she can pick

    you have to get an extensive library and then read it

    and last but not least, you have to the find the time to

    take the scratches out of holders

    learn how to image coins,

    find time to write them up,

    talk to people on the phone,

    send and recieve emails

    buy stuff to package the coins up

    get postge

    give feedback

    and learn how to SAFELY ship coins!

    adrian


  • << <i>and learn how to SAFELY ship coins! >>


    Adrian:
    Would SAFELY shipping coins involve the use of that firearm from you first fifteen, or so, points?

    Pete
  • And now more on topic: I have always had the best dealings, and have a great deal of respect and trust, for wondercoin.

    Pete
  • TheNumishTheNumish Posts: 1,628 ✭✭
    Adrian--here's a serious question for you. On a scale of 1 to 10 how hard do you think it is to be a coin dealer? Compare it to your law practice and set that at an 8.
  • ANACONDAANACONDA Posts: 4,692
    That's an excellent question. There are huge barriers to entry for both. But, that's what keeps down the competition.

    With regard to the law gig, you need a law degree which means, generally, that you have to have a four year degree also. So, 7 years of full time college after you graduate from high school. If you get an undergraduate degree, there is a law school out there that will take you. If you do poorly, your choices are slim but you can still probably get in. Getting your own practice generally means staying on Campbell's soup and hotdogs for a few years longer but we all have to be somewhere and going somewhere and doing some thing, so why not put a fine point on your brain and a few sheepskins on your wall? I also have an MBA which i got while i was in law school. The MBA helps but I'd rather know "early to bed, early to rise, work like hell and advertise."

    With coins, the two biggest barriers are capital and knowing what you are doing. Knowing what a beautiful coin is, in the eyes of the marketplace is the key. I finally got the capital (which is the second biggest barrier) and again, I'm always working on knowing what I'm doing. Finding the time to do all that I want to do is also a challenge. I can't ignore my family either. I have suggested to my wife that she start collecting Lincolns so we could have more to talk about. Actually, i kid my wife all the time privately and publicly but she is God's #2 gift to me, right behind his son. I would rather be married to her than any woman I've ever met. She too has three college degrees (BS,MA,JD), is fluent in Spanish, has a fantastic disposition and can hold her own in French and Italian. Her taste in men is a little lacking but she is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen because she fires MY neurons more than Parrino's Wreath Cent in PCGS MS68. ("Thanks, dear, that's nice for you to compare me to a coin.")

    She though, isn't perfect. She has made me promise her that I wouldn't buy any coins over 50K without getting her permission. (I have a lot of coins that cost under 50K. In fact, I can't remember the last time I bought a coin over 50K. Oops, i guess i forgot to tell her about the Draped Bust Quarter in NGC MS66 I'll post later this week. Hmmm.....how will i handle that?)

    Ok, so, sorry about the length, typing fast has it's liabilities.

    So, law is an 8. Ok. That sounds about right. Coins are a 7. Anyone can deal in coins but you have to have the IQ AND confidence of Jim Halperin to make money in them. Who knows, maybe someday this will be more than a hobby for me.

    adrian
  • I like the way you think, Anaconda.image
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