I am done with coin shows and coin shops for a while

darktone

The rudeness I have experienced in the last few weeks going to coin shops was just topped by a dealer from Green Bay at a small coin show in Franksville Wisconsin. I have been actively searching for original mint sets from 1947-1958 and I was referred to this "Green Bay" dealer by another dealer in attendance. I went over and politely asked him if he had any for sale and he responded by saying that he had some sets at his shop. I told him I was very interested and I asked if he would be attending any other shows in southern Wisconsin where he could bring them along for me to see. He replied in a very pissed off half yelling voice that those sets were in his store and they were going to stay there and that he did not care one way or another if I bought them. He said a few other lines that were totally uncalled for but I was so shocked by his outburst that I just turned around and walked away. My brother came up beside me during his tyrade and asked me what the hell was going on- I told him to just keep walking as it was not worth making any more of a scene than the dealer already had done. I would gladly mention his name here but I was pretty upset and I don't remember it. Some might say I should have responded in kind but I have had a problem controlling my temper in situations such as this so I find it best to just walk away. mike

FullHorn

Laugh at him and then call him an idiot in a calm voice and then walk away, that will make a guy like that even more angry

LucyBop

just terrible!

kranky

Smart move to have walked away. Nothing good was going to come from jawing with such a rude person.

I wonder if he's never heard of bringing material to a show for a potential buyer. That could possibly explain his reaction, but in no way justifies it.

DHeath

OK Mike, so this spring get a bottle of weedkiller and put it in a Joy bottle. Write your message on his lawn, and in a few days.........LOL Just kidding. I don't know where those ugly thoughts keep coming from.

Seriously, you did it exactly right. Sometimes the juice isn't worth the squeeze.

darktone

kranky, if I could controll myself to just "jawing" I would have said something but I tend to escalate these things to the point of no return very fast. mike

ealandg

Ah, you should have given him the Gabrielle treatment for Grumpy Dealers - Buy the most expensive coin available from the dealer at the table next to him at significantly above greysheet. Then say (a little loudly), "Thank you so much for taking my Want List. I just know you'll find me that set of proof seated dollars. Money is no object. Talk to you soon! Thanks!".

wallstreetman

Dont just walk away, embarrass that clown to no end! If it would have been me, that guy would think long and hard about whether to do that again or not! If you ask Shiro, I was just in the market for a Tundra Double Cab. You should have seen what happened when I was told they had a truck I was interested in and then when I got there 40 minutes later, told me it had been sold the day before. Lets put it this way, they did'nt make any money off me, and lost a few customers in the MEAN time! Ya know those vehicles in the adds that sound too good to be true(there called lost leaders), I bought one from them that was'nt meant to be one!

stman

I love to deal with these kind of so-called dealers. It's the small things in life that bring me joy and these jerks always give me a good laugh.

On a serious note I have had these experiences with a dealer off and on for 20 years or so. I wouldn't go to the shop at all as his employees were the same way. Well, these days he seems to treat me pretty good because when he would be grumpy in the past I just laughed at him. He also sees me at many shows, and actually he gives me better prices and better buy prices these days. I believe him getting old and me as well has changed things. He's much older than me and I thought we were supposed to get grumpier as we age.

The thing is perhaps some folks don't stay as grumpy when they realize they're not here forever.

But to be honest, it was more fun when he was a jerk to me.

MFH

Hey, Mike !!!

Don't worry about running into that jerk at another coin show, he'll probably never go to another show as he feels most collectors are not serious buyers, and that all those ACG & NTC slabs he's been hauling around the Mid-West
are his top flight items, and no one is buying.

He should get out of the business if he can't work with the public. Or at least double up on his Zoloft or Paxil before he goes to another show.

Don't blame you for quietly walking away, the guy sounds like he was about to have a nervous breakdown.

Behavior like his can ruin an otherwise enjoyable day.

braddick

Darktone, I'm sorry you suffered embarrassment from this rude Dealer, but am impressed you didn't allow his behavior to dictate your own.

merz2

I too applaud your actions !!!!

LucyBop

Next time, tell those mean ol Grumpy ol Dealers...

"Beware the HepKitty, Be afriad, be very afraid!"

darktone

<< <i>Darktone, I'm sorry you suffered embarrassment from this rude Dealer, but am impressed you didn't allow his behavior to dictate your own. >>

Braddick, it did dictate my actions in that it ruined the show for me and I left a few minutes later- much better than being put up by the county until Monday morning though. mike

abuell

<< <i>OK Mike, so this spring get a bottle of weedkiller and put it in a Joy bottle. Write your message on his lawn, and in a few days.........
>>



Yea sure, hey this is Green Bay in February!!

RYK

Mike,

Try not to let a turkey like that get you down. There are people like that in all walks of life, businesses, and professions. The coin industry does seem to have more than its share, but there are a lot of wonderful people as well.

Robert

goose3

hey if it's someone that travels and you can remember who it was, I'll ask him if he has any original mint sets.

Robgetty

Don't let one bad egg sour you on the hobby. Fortunately, this sort of problem
is self-correcting, as dealers with that sort of attitude will drive themselves out
of business eventually as they push away their customers.

RYK

hey if it's someone that travels and you can remember who it was, I'll ask him if he has any original mint sets.



We could all call the shop asking for the mint sets, asking to hold them, send them for approval, send them to another dealer to look at, or to "shove them where the sun don't shine," etc.

coinkat

Mike:

Don't let some dealer impact your hobby and the enjoyment you get from it. Don't let some scumbag like that feel they have that type of influence...

fcloud

I was there this morning. I don't understand the dealers in this area. I asked to see two Mercury Dimes from one dealer. He would only let me look at one at a time. I must be shifty looking or something. I looked at his 1939-S Mercury dime that he had marked MS65FB, only to see a coin with a line tooled across the center. What a joke. Everytime I see the guy he has some neet coins, but when you look closely, all you see is junk.

Some guy walked up with a bunch of silver dollars to another dealer, and the guy told him all your coins are cleaned and not worth anything without even taking a look at the stuff. Oh well, at least I was able to go to a coin show.

I did pick up a few things, but nothing to write home about.

MrEureka

Mike - You must have really pissed this dealer off. How about telling us the WHOLE story so that we can learn from your mistakes?

MatthewBabcock

I would have asked for his business card...

OK Mike, so this spring get a bottle of weedkiller and put it in a Joy bottle. Write your message on his lawn, and in a few days....

Weed killer isn't my style... It used to be gas, but since that's become rather expensive to do the job right... I've become particular to using rye grass or winter wheat to do the job... Althought it takes longer for the desired results to be noticed, they are much nicer to see...

darktone

Last week I went to coin shops in Milwaukee and one guy kicked me out of his store when I asked to see some proof sets( he had a few other customers in the store and I wonder what they thought?) and at another shop when I picked out a proof set the store owner took it from me and put it behind the counter and said that one was not for sale. I think from now on I'll just buy off the internet or from sources I already have or dealers reccomended by forum members. mike

MrEureka

Last week I went to coin shops in Milwaukee and one guy kicked me out of his store when I asked to see some proof sets and at another shop when I picked out a proof set the store owner took it from me and put it behind the counter and said that one was not for sale.

Hmmm....

FC57Coins

Mikey ya done good. A dealer like that is someone you don't want your money going to. They're just bitter old men with no life. Let them be bitter with their coins, they're probably crap anyway, have patience, you'll get your mint sets

kranky

Three experiences like that in one week! That's unbelievable.

MrEureka

Three experiences like that in one week! That's unbelievable.

Kranky - You're assuming that it's a coincidence?

FC57Coins

So Andy - what are you holding back on?

darktone

<< <i>Mike - You must have really pissed this dealer off. How about telling us the WHOLE story so that we can learn from your mistakes? >>

Andy, I am really quite shy in person and I don't talk much. This is all I said- " I'm looking for mint sets 1947-58" when he said he had sets at his shop I replied " will you be at any other shows in the Southern wisconsin area where you can bring them with so I can see them" this all I said. Like I say I don't talk much so it's pretty easy to remember. mike

MrEureka

So Andy - what are you holding back on?

Just a pile of early mint sets. But I'm not bringing them out for anybody, not even a pug.

darktone

Andy, I have done nothing wrong to any of these people. Like I say I am very shy and timid in person and the only thing I could be accused of is talking too softly. I am a pretty big guy 6'1' 230 pounds with hair down to my butt and a beard- maybe I intimidate some or they are related to the rednecks from the "easy rider " movie. I should say the coin stores in Milwaukee were in the inner city and one was more of a pawn shop than a coin store. mike

coinlieutenant

Mike,

Dont let it get you down. You are a great collector/numismatist. No need to even give him the time of day.

V.r,
John

JrGMan2004

I had a similar experience, though not quite as bad, yesterday at a show. A guy who was a very active buyer (Had a huge sign you could see from across the floor) and was on a corner table. On his side table there was quite a bit of stuff, including a box with proof sets, and I started thumbing through them to see what dates they were, and apparently there was a little sign saying "Please ask" or something like that, and he was really pissed, b/c I didn't read the sign, and apparently there had been quite a few other people who had done the same thing, if that doesn't tell him something, then he must be pretty dense... but I just said sorry, and walked away... I already had learned that there are plenty of great dealers out there... at the show, I sat down at 2 or 3 other dealers' tables who had Proof Sets on their tables, and thumbed through them, and they were very nice dealers... someone else, I think fcloud, said something about the dealer who would only let 'em look at 1 coin at a time... that's stupid... when I'm picking between several different pieces, I wat to compare them side-by-side, at FUN, I compared 3 coins at the same time at J.J.Teaparty's table, he had wonderful employees, and polite as anything... so... don't let the members of the Grumpy, old, Senile, Jack-*** Dealers club get to you... there are plenty of nice people to hang-out with and talk to on the floor...

fcloud

I think the dealers in this area think you are picking through their stock for the coins worth thousands of dollars and they think you are going to send them in and make a bundle. They are too lazy to do it themselves. One guy I go to down here will not let you go through his sets if you want a set he will pull it out of a box and give it to you. If you don't like the set he gives you too bad!

Were you waring a Harley tee shirt. I think I saw you by your description.

Tony

MacCoin

I use to say f__k him and buy my coins some were else, but I soon found out that sometimes I needed the coins the dealer has so I had to learn to grin and bare it like a man. Whats a few minites dealing with an a$$ to inprove my collection.

darktone

Tony, no I had on a black leather coat and I had my hair in my hat so you could not even tell I had long hair today. mike

fcloud

Mike,

There is a bit larger show in Milwaukee the first weekend in April... Don't give up... Give it a try... Just try to keep in mind that the dealers here in southeastern Wisconsin are an odd group. They all seen to hate certified coins, and still try to overgrade when they sell and undergrade when they buy. Their was a dealer there that told me my 1916-D Merc wouldn't retail for more than 600, yet he had an AG03 for 595. It is all a game with them...

Can you describe the location where the dealer was on the floor?

Tony

MrEureka

First, there's no excuse for a dealer being rude.

That said, nobody wants to spend his valuable time serving a customer with whom the best possible scenario - a sale - means getting picked off. It's just human nature.

route66

Mike,
As per our conversation on coin shows, that's another reason why I don't go. Life's too short and ebay has most of what I want, over a period of time. Steve

mrearlygold

Just "yawn" and say "never mind, have a nice life"

TP

ealandg

Darktone, my feeling is that the dealer was probably freaked out by your appearance. I have gotten some cr*ppy attitude from dealers at shows as well. I wore a Harley tee to Long Beach and got snubbed by a couple of dealers. I assumed it was because I am a woman in my 30s, rather than a grumpy old man, but perhaps it was the "look".

Lucy said to just stare 'em down, so that is what I'm going to do from now on.

There are plenty of nice, reputable, SMART dealers out there who wouldn't be phased if you were wearing a pink tutu. Your money is just as good as anyone elses. These guys are clearly a bunch of morons. Don't sweat it.

ldhair

I can see where a dealer would not wish to lug a big box of mint sets to a show.

But I would think he would be willing to bring some early sets if he had a customer.

Can't see the dealer getting "picked off" if he took the time to look at the sets
and price them for what they are.

I laugh in the face of rude dealers and move on.
I'll spend my money at the next table with someone thats friendly.

darktone

Tony, I will still go to coin shows but I think I will stay away for a while- I am moving my business this month and I will be too busy to go to shows or shops so I will have some time to think about. I have not gone to the smaller shows or local coin shops for a few years because I was collecting stuff that only could be found at larger dealers or big coin shows but lately I have been looking at proof and mint sets so I am on the other end of coin spectrum. The dealer was pretty much in the middle of the show.

Andy, yes I was looking for cameo proof sets in Milwaukee at the coin shops but what is the difference between me looking at a few different proof sets or the guy looking at a tray of Morgan dollars? are we not both looking for the best quality? is it because he knows the exact value of the morgan dollar but can't tell the value of a proof set?

MrEureka

is it because he knows the exact value of the morgan dollar but can't tell the value of a proof set?

Either that, or - this is often the case - he hasn't even looked at the proof sets to figure out what he has.

BTW, if you were prepared to buy an entire pile of sets and take the good with the bad, most dealers would be OK with letting you score a few good sets. But when you want to spend ten minutes at his table and pick through the pile for the one better set on which you will let him make maybe two dollars, you're an unattractive customer. Sad fact of life.

Dog97

Damn darktone, I'm 5'10, 220, got hair ½ way down my back and a goatee ½ way down my chest & both arms covered with tatoos and go to shows & shops wearing my Stone Cold Steve Austin hat, ragged cut off jeans & flip flops and they are always nice to me. But that's in Alabama, Mississippi, & west Florida.
Did he have a hat on that looked like a wedge of cheese?

darktone

<< <i>BTW, if you were prepared to buy an entire pile of sets and take the good with the bad, most dealers would be OK with letting you score a few good sets. But when you want to spend ten minutes at his table and pick through the pile for the one better set on which you will let him make maybe two dollars, you're an unattractive customer. Sad fact of life. >>

Andy, I had several thousand dollars on me and I was prepared to spend it on early mint sets but not one was to be found. In fact I have bought every set that has been offered to me through shows and at coin shops. Also I have alway's made a purchase at any coin shop I have visited even if there is nothing that interest me because I own a small business and I know his time is worth something.

Dog, no but I had on Packer sweater under my coat.

CoinHusker

Just remember, hurt people...hurt people. He's got the problem, not you. Just keep waking man, right to another dealer who remembers it's buyers that are doing him a favor, not the other way around.

MrEureka

Andy, I had several thousand dollars on me and I was prepared to spend it on early mint sets but not one was to be found. In fact I have bought every set that has been offered to me through shows and at coin shops.

That makes you an unusual buyer. It's easy to see how someone might have erroneously assumed otherwise. Next time, try to communicate to the dealer that you have been buying lots of these sets, that you are not especially fussy, and that you will take quantities. You might be surprised at the results.

Shamika

Man, I wish you could remember his name!

darktone

Andy, If this was whole thing is because I am pre-judged by some dealers I would rather not do business with them and put any money in their pockets. I have met a few nice people that are looking for these sets for me and a forum member has offered to help me out since this thread was started- I think I'll just go through these channels and not look for others. mike