Anyone done business with Tulving in Newport Beach?

DesertLizard

There a handful of NB coin dealers who are all the same or controlled by the same person[s]. I had a problem with one of them and wish to make sure Tulving is not part of the group.

Thanks.

DCAMFranklin

We can't read your mind. If you don't tell us who it is you are trying to avoid, we can't tell you if they are involved at Tulving.

They offer great coins at great prices. Their service and delivery are fast.

wallstreetman

Ive bought more Platinum, Gold and Silver Eagles from Hannes Tulving than you can shake a stick at! At times his prices are so low you can turn right around and make a 30% profit, of course you have to buy $500 worth. No problem, since I always buy a $1000 worth or more to avoid tax, Im in California. Only one time did I ever have a problem, I bought and paid for some $50 Eagles and one was put on back order when he had said he had one, I told him to give me a refund and he did. Tulving has made me alot of money, and saved me alot of money also! He also ships quick!

wallstreetman

30% is on the KEY dates, you have to be quick, Im always clicking on his site!

relayer

I dealt with a few times and it's always a good experience.

gemtone65

I seem to recall that he was charged and convicted of defrauding many clients in the 1980's by selling vastly overgraded coins. Perhaps others here can confirm this observation. If I'm proved wrong, I will retract this statement and apologize.

kranky

I was a Tulving customer back then (late 80's) when it was Hannes Tulving Rare Coin Investments. Their ads stated "No client has ever lost money or failed to make at least 10% in one year." HTRCI graded and slabbed coins and the grades were accurate or even undergraded by a point IMHO. The problem was that they issued their own price sheets in which no coin ever went down, and they bought and sold based on their own price sheets. When the market bubble burst, their price sheets never acknowledged the reality of prices dropping and eventually the roof fell in. It appeared to be an operation where new money coming in was used to pay off existing customers.

The FTC got involved in 1992 and put an end to it. I think he reappeared on the scene in 1996-97.

I still keep the box of HTRCI coins on my desk (worth about 10% on the dollar today, maybe) as a reminder that coins are not an investment. Greg Roberts of Spectrum was Tulving's right-hand man back then.

itsnotjustme

I've had many dealings with Tulving, all were problem free.

LanLord

Can someone post a link to his site?

Thanks

dpoole

Tulving

That was easy!

This is a very good company, and I've always been pleased with my contacts with them. I think his secret is he doesn't get greedy, and leaves some slop in the trough for the next hog.

DesertLizard

Thanks guys, all this has been very helpful. I prefer to buy in person and it appears he has no physical location so I will pass on this one.

coynclecter

Since you are looking to buy in person and you are in So Cal, you might try the Irvine Gold Mine. My dealings with them have always been satisfactory.

Rover

Baseball-Memory does serve you correct.

Here are the links to the Federal Trade Commission documents that apply to Tulving:

http://www.ftc.gov/opa/predawn/F93/hannescoi1.txt

http://www.ftc.gov/opa/predawn/F93/hannes2.htm

http://www.ftc.gov/oig/agingmemo.htm

Dan

coinguy1

kranky got it right about the trouble Tulving got in to. And, I believe they had a "guaranteed buyback" of their coins at the unrealistically high prices published in their own price sheets.

They sold nice coins for the uncertified grades assigned to them but, when the market dropped, they could not support their "buy" prices or honor their buyback policy. I beleive that "guaranteed buybacks" offered by dealers fall under federal securities laws and if sellers sell coins that way, without a securities license, it is a big no no.

DesertLizard

Rover,

You ARE good!

Bow-wow!

As I mentioned I will skip over this one. A leopard never s changes his spots!

toothpuller

I have ordered from Tulving 4 or 5 times and have found him to be excellent. His coins are top quality and his prices can't be beat.

wondercoin

Over the past couple years, I have done PLENTY of problem-free business with Tulving and have referred numerous customers their way. Everyone has been very happy. No doubt, they are a competitor at times to what I sell, but an honest competitor.

I would like to share with the Boards the following information, which I am informed of directly from The Tulving Company:

1. Tulving reached an out of court settlement with the FTC, admitting no wrongdoing. It would have been impossible to fight the resources of the U.S. Government and Tulving chose to settle, as many businesses do.
2. The Tulving Company Inc, established in 1990, is an authorized PCGS and NGC dealer, an Ebay Powerseller ( 35harbor) and has done business with over 10,000 customers.
3. Tulving is an advertiser in good standing with Numismatic News, Coin Age Magazine and Coin Dealer Newsletter.
4. Tulving's sales for 2002 are expected to be over 30 Million Dollars.
5. Tulving's references are: (a) PCGS references: Rick Montgomery and Miles Standish; (b) NGC Reference: Mark Salzburg.

Wondercoin.

gemtone65

I am astounded by the support given to Mr. Tulving on this forum. Reading these comments, one could easily conclude that Mr. Tulving
should be absolved because he overhyped, but did not overgrade (or overcharge), the market collapsed so it wasn't his fault his customers lost most of their value, greedy corporate executives do similar things so why should the FTC single him out, he agreed to a settlement (i.e., he paid a large fine) not because he was guilty but because it was easier to do so than fight the government, he has lots of well known references and is a member of many numismatic organizations according to his own firm, etc., etc.

I would like to hear the viewpoint of some of those earlier customers that he took to the cleaners -- maybe we would then get a more accurate picture of his behavior and perhaps true character than is presented here.

Perhaps it's just me, but with so many dealers who did not "settle" with the FTC, why deal with him? I think you guys have a softspot for the notion of sin and redemption -- better than no sin at all?

Tonelover

There are plenty of major firms whose principals have been involved in nefarious activities. Right on my desk I have a beautiful little pre-slabbing days "portfolio" of "rare" coins telemarketed to an elderly lady for $4000 which is worth about $250 right now. It contains four raw BU Morgans labeled with grades as high as MS-67, and a handful of ultra common foreign silver coins that are worth little more than melt value.

It is accompanied by a fancy little letter congratulating her, guaranteeing the awesome quality and investment potential of her purchase and is personally signed by an owner of one of the largest and most respected firms in business today. The guy is sleeping quite comfortably and people bow to him, while widows and orphans got taken to the cleaners. It was a lot more than just the market dropping, it was clear a boiler room operation in the most classic sense. Take no prisoners.

I think I may just send it to him and let him give her the current appraisal.

kieferscoins

<< <i> think I may just send it to him and let him give her the current appraisal. >>



You should, but working for another company may present problems. You could at least give her his current contact info after you tell her what they are really worth.

Cameron Kiefer

braddick

My personal experience has been positive.
I was putting together a PCGS Modern Type set for the Registry and bought the common, MS69 1/10 ounce gold and Plat through him. He was kind enough to send me, upon request, the insert numbers in advance.
He went to the time and trouble to do so when really he could have just as easily blown off my request as frivolous.

OldeTowneCoinShoppe

This is an ancient thread - apologies, first.

Is there a premium today for common coins in old Hannes Tulving slabs?

Also, it's interesting that "tulving.com" is now a launchpad to GreatCollections....

DocBenjamin

2002?

I think Taft was president.

davewesen

there is a mild premium for Tulving slabs

Bikergeek

Interesting to see these old threads pop back up. I had never heard of Tulving. But among the top results of my googling is a tidbit about him doing 30 months in federal prison. https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdnc/pr/federal-judge-sentences-coin-and-precious-metals-dealer-and-his-company-defrauding-over

I'm with the poster @gemtone65 who remarked above (in October of 2002!) that he was shocked at the waves of support for Tulving. Maybe in 2002 the case wasn't as clearcut as the fraud case in the sentencing article in 2016. But it certainly seems like gemtone65's spidey sense was right on the money!