John Pack At Bowers & Merena Still Doing His Job
wondercoin
Posts: 16,982 ✭✭✭✭✭
If B&M is "sinking" like the Titanic, John Pack is still "arranging the deck chairs" and one must give credit where credit is do. 
At the FUN sale, while sitting in the auction room, I bid on a coin I had not planned to bid on. I had viewed the coin and my notes reflected it was fine for the grade, but I had not prepared to bid on it prior to the auction. It was listed as a "pop 1 with 2 better" in the catalog and appeared to be "going cheap", so I bid at the last minute and won the lot. After the auction, I discovered the coin was really "pop 9 with 9 better" and that B&M had made a rare typo in their auction catalog.
I paid my bill in full (chalking it up as my mistake and lesson to be learned for going off the "script" and buying something I had not planned to) and about 2 weeks later while speaking with John Pack on another matter mentioned the typo.
Today in the mail I received a check representing the 15% buyers premium. John refunded to me everything B&M made on the coin in the auction so that they would not benefit in any way from their mistake.
In my opinion, this was PURE CLASS. If they maintain this level of customer service they will continue to remain "Your friends in the rare coin business". Good work John and thanks again!!
Wondercoin
At the FUN sale, while sitting in the auction room, I bid on a coin I had not planned to bid on. I had viewed the coin and my notes reflected it was fine for the grade, but I had not prepared to bid on it prior to the auction. It was listed as a "pop 1 with 2 better" in the catalog and appeared to be "going cheap", so I bid at the last minute and won the lot. After the auction, I discovered the coin was really "pop 9 with 9 better" and that B&M had made a rare typo in their auction catalog.
I paid my bill in full (chalking it up as my mistake and lesson to be learned for going off the "script" and buying something I had not planned to) and about 2 weeks later while speaking with John Pack on another matter mentioned the typo.
Today in the mail I received a check representing the 15% buyers premium. John refunded to me everything B&M made on the coin in the auction so that they would not benefit in any way from their mistake.
In my opinion, this was PURE CLASS. If they maintain this level of customer service they will continue to remain "Your friends in the rare coin business". Good work John and thanks again!!
Wondercoin
Please visit my website at www.wondercoins.com and my ebay auctions under my user name www.wondercoin.com.
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Comments
Russ, NCNE
Russ: Honesty, if a "little average joe" as you put it had this happen to them, it is likely they would not want to even buy the coin and would have probably asked to void the purchase (which B&M might have done). I accept full responsibility for what I did and will likely lose several hundred dollars on the coin, even with John Pack's courtesy. That does not detract from what John sought to accomplish in refunding all the money B&M made on that coin.
Wondercoin
<< <i>Russ: Honesty, if a "little average joe" as you put it had this happen to them, it is likely they would not want to even buy the coin and would have probably asked to void the purchase >>
That's a rather presumptuous statement. I guess one must be well-heeled to be possessed of a strong moral code.
Russ, NCNE
peacockcoins
BTW, why don't you go elsewhere to piss on someone elses thread of praise. I'm sure you can find so many threads praising folks on the board - it should be no problem
However, reality rears its ugly head - and I am no, not even close to, a big shot. Yet, in 16 years of collecting successes and mistakes, I've built a small collection I'm very proud of. There may be some out there who would look down their nose at it, but most dealers I've dealt with and I imagine most collectors (even if they're just being nice!) would be happy to have several of my pieces, if not the whole lot of them.
One of my favorite memories was approaching my first boss, a local coin dealer who I'd worked for from junior high through high school, to show how my collecting had progressed since graduation from college. Out I pulled a superb eye-appeal MS-64+++ 1885 dollar to show him; he appreciated it for the nice coin it was until I told him it was an '85-S; his eyes widened a bit in surprise and so did my pride of ownership. Similarly nice was my 1804 half cent Spiked chin in ANACS AU-58. I had "done good". He has since passed away so I'm very grateful I reconnected with him when I did.
Perhaps he was just being nice to me, as some of the coins I'd seen from his personal holdings over the years I worked for him blew me away. Wayte Raymond pages of glittering gem Standing Lib Quarters and a Mehl page of St. Gaudens double eagles come to mind. Were I able to view those coins again today, I'd likely be able to better point out their shortcomings, but I wouldn't trade the memories for anything.
Oh, I've drifted from my original point - I'm a small-fry. But never in one single dealing (of maybe a dozen total) with B&M did I ever feel as though I was anything but first-class. I hope that I'll always deal with others in such a manner.
(edited for a couple of misspellings.)
A simple gesture goes a long way in making a customer happy.
Now, for what wondercoin did. I'm shaking my head in disbelief. (Yeah, I've done stupid things just like this, but I can still shake my head at others.
I have to say that I've had nothing but great experiences from dealing with John Pack and all the other people at B&M. (I can't say the same for QDB, but that's because I've never dealt with him.) BTW, John Pack doesn't know who I am; I could've been a lousy customer for all he knew...
EVP
How does one get a hater to stop hating?
I can be reached at evillageprowler@gmail.com
Greg: Yes- it was stupid, but the coin was a 19th Century Pattern coin and my notes showed it was nice for grade. You know how it is in the auctions - you basically have 3 seconds to act. And, what were the odds the catalog would have been so screwed up on the pop! If the catalog was right, I would have been "rich"!
Yes, a good gesture, although, it's no more than I would think you deserve, considering, it wasn't your mistake; sure, some will say it was up to you to verify the ad -- I happen to think some relationships, esp those built on reputation, shouldn't require a "background check" for every transaction.
Russ - I didn't see your question as urinating on anyone's parade, this time.
Lakesammman - I hardly think of you "I'm a strong buyer of Condition Census IHC's, FE's, 1858 cent Patterns and IHC/FE Varieties - PM me if you have material to offer." as a "tiny joe." I, on the other hand, AM a tiny joe and have been dealing with B&M for more than year now. Haven't had the pleasure of dealing with John Pack, but, I have dealt with QDB more than a couple times, Gordon & Betty, Gail Watson when she was still here, Deb, Melissa and Al. Form this "tiny joe" - maybe its coincidence or maybe not, but, my last three or four interactions have left a whole lot to be desired. I'm considering taking my "tiny joe" budget and completing my want list, elsewhere. Believe it or not, and this is no a$$-kissing, QDB was much more oriented to making this "tiny joe" feel welcome, then the current customer service staff.
My first post wasn't pissing. My second post was, but that was after Wondercoin drew first piss.
Wondercoin,
My bad. I didn't realize that when you posted your thread on a public discussion forum, only affirmation and automatic agreement were allowed.
originalisbest,
Lest you misunderstand, I harbor no ill will at all toward the wealthy. Quite the opposite. I celebrate their success. Contrary to what frequently passes as popular opinion, the majority of the rich earned that wealth through dedication, perseverance and plain old fashioned hard work. They are a living testament to the freedom in this country, and the opportunity that freedom affords one and all.
I simply asked a question and found the response to that question offensive. I'm surprised that you, as a professed average joe, did not.
Russ, NCNE
I have to disagree. It was 100% wondercoin's mistake. Sure B&M also made a mistake, but it is up to the buyer to verify the outside information - especially if you are placing your uneducated bid on the coin based on this information. These catalogs are printed up weeks ahead of the auction. The pop could have (theoretically) changed dramatically in that time.
This isn't a case of the auction house getting some primary piece of information (date, grade, grading company) wrong, this is a mistake of outside data that is well known to be inaccurate to begin with. Buy the coin, not the pop report data.
And I still think that if Joe Blow called up after learning of this mistake, the auction company would have done the same thing. It was a tiny loss to the auction house. Making one customer unhappy, even a small customer, would likely cost them much more in the long run.
A lesson unfortunately completely lost by many businesses!
Kindness comes in many forms. Remember: "Do unto others as you would have others do unto you" You experienced the Golden Rule.
Lablover
Greg Hansen, Melbourne, FL Click here for any current EBAY auctions Multiple "Circle of Trust" transactions over 14 years on forum
GO NOLES!!!
LabLover
I called and explained the situation to them and Kingswood ate some of the charges on the remaining lots. For this reason, I will continue to do business with them.
"Seu cabra da peste,
"Sou Mangueira......."
The title of this thread might need an update.
Does anyone know what happened to him?