Rumors From Long Beach-B & M Sold?

elwood

I don't know if this is the place to post this and I haven't noticed anyone else mentioning it.

But the rumor was that Spectrum bought Bowers and Merena??

MrEureka

This is the first I've heard of it, but it makes perfect sense. Congrats to Spectrum and CU!

dorkkarl

b & m better do something!

K S

coinchallenged

Maybe a question for the Q&A forum. I know someone last week asked David Currey Hall what the future holds for B&M and he said it was bright. Maybe the lights going to shine for someone else.

kieferscoins

I heard this also at Long Beach from a dealer. I don't know if it is true or not.

Cameron Kiefer

Russ

<< <i>I heard this also at Long Beach from a dealer. >>



If a dealer said it, it must be true.

Russ, NCNE

LAWMAN

Change the name already.

Conder101

<< <i>Change the name already. >>


Can't really do that. After all the old crew was either fired or quit the only thing the firm had left of value was it's name and reputation. With almost a complete turnover of staff the reputation became shaky. The only thing left is the name recognition. Change the name and all you have left is a well financed start-up company with NO reputation. No, they need to build up customer confidence in the firm with the name and current staff first before they consider changing the name.

roadrunner

Heck, they paid $7-14 MILLION for the words Bowers and Merena.

roadrunner

dorkkarl

i think the SHOULD change their name.

1st, they need to buy a dock on the massachusetts bay. then a minor change to "bower's marina", & they'll be back in biz.

K S

artdeco

What's the saying "A rose by any other name?" Well, the roses are all rooted elsewhere. Names don't hold anything, if you're smart that is. Not when the talent and heart are elsewhere.

They should just call themselves "&" if you ask me.

coinchallenged

Actually, they could keep B&M which could stand for Bayou's & Mardis Gras. Of course you could say it should then be B&MG but that works too since B&M has a Gallery.

dorkkarl

maybe they could start a bowling alley & call it "bowler's arena".

K S

abuell

Call them up and say that you have a complaint and you insist on talking to someone at the very top. Insist on speaking to Mr. Bowers or Mr. Merena. See if the pick someone too play the part for you!

Placid

I just got a small catalog in the mail today from B&M with coins they have for sale.

coinguy1

Does anyone have any serious thoughts/comments on this subject?

Just for fun (or maybe for argument), if you folks were in the business, what would you pay for the name (Bowers & Merena), keeping in mind that you would also get a lengthy list of established clients to whom you could try to sell coins and/or get consignments from.....?

artdeco

I was being serious.
A mailing list is worthless when you can't back it up with knowledgeable staffers.
I wouldn't buy the name, that's for sure.

Conder101

I would expect it to be worth around a million or so today. The problem is that a large portion of that client list knows about the change in ownership and may not be as loyal to the company anymore.

coinguy1

<< <i>I was being serious. >>

Artdeco, sorry, your " " threw me off.

RYK

Just for fun (or maybe for argument), if you folks were in the business, what would you pay for the name (Bowers & Merena), keeping in mind that you would also get a lengthy list of established clients to whom you could try to sell coins and/or get consignments from.....?

Seriously, I think it would be very difficult for B&M to compete under the current circumstances. Presumably, the current management has contacts and friends in the business that will continue to do business with B&M no matter who owns it. Otherwise, given that Bowers has such a strong presence in numismatics and now (expectedly) has joined up with a new upstart firm, I think it will be hard for new B&M to get new business. Numismatic firms are only as successful and reputable as the individuals who make them up.

I am trying to come up with a real world business analogy, but big public US companies are not run like these very small (in comparison) coin firms. For example, if Michael Dell left the Dell company and joined another computer company or Bill Gates left Microsoft (as Paul Allen did) and joined another software company, I would expect Dell and Microsoft to not miss a beat in their own business. Both companies are far, far bigger than their founders. Not the same in coins.

artdeco

My wink was for calling them "&" I didn't want to seem TOO negative!

Barry

RYK,
Sometimes when the prime mover leaves, it doesn't work for the new company.
Examples:
Steve Jobs - I forget the name, but he tried starting a new computer company some years ago after leaving Apple and it flopped.
Seymour Cray - Left Cray Research and started another computer computer with Cray in the name. Never amounted to much.