I need dealer help. Do you?

RYK

On another thread, Anaconda opined that dealers received predominantly negative publicity here and almost no positive publicity. I find this surprising as I have had very few if any experiences (buying or selling) that were problematic, and when I post a new coin, I always credit the dealer who sold me the coin.

Some of the collectors here are do-it-yourself'ers. Many have expertise in their area, can find the coins, grade the coins, buy the coins, and sell the coins comfortably without professional help. Russ comes to mind as one who has been successful buying and selling coins in his specialty, presumably without any help. Roadrunner is another.

For me, when I am making a coin purchase (over a certain dollar amount), I want the expertise of a dealer who specializes in what I am buying. Perhaps a far-fetched analogy, but I would not diagnose my gallstones and cut out my own gallbladder. I get the feeling that it is a sign of weakness around here if you collect a series and cannot expertly grade, buy, and sell it on your own.

Russ

<< <i>Russ comes to mind as one who has been successful buying and selling coins in his specialty, presumably without any help. >>



That's flattering, but I've had TONS of help. Maybe not so much from dealers, but from many, many people right here at this forum. I was a complete idiot 2 1/2 years ago, (go ahead, jump on that one - I know you want to), and damned near everything I've learned has come from the people here.

This forum is THE place for anybody looking for an accelerated learning curve.

Russ, NCNE

Mistercoinman

That is what this forum is all about, collectors and dealers alike sharing there experiences and knowledge with each other. I share your hesitation in spending the big dollars without clarification from someone of better or greater expertise than myself. I try to collect what I like and sometimes throw caution to the wind, but for the most part I ask questions or read others opinions on the subjects that interest me. You will be surprised what you can learn by just reading the post on these boards. I don't dislike any dealer and believe they provide a great service, it's the collectors that think a dealer has no right to a profit is when problems arise. I don't buy from all the dealers I inquire on, and sometimes use this information to gauge the market. In all collect what you like, and read what you can on the subject or items you are interested in. Now send me you full band Roosies. Fred

Bunker

This forum is THE place for anybody looking for an accelerated learning curve

Barry

Russ - now that you've gotten Kennedys down pat, it's time to learn and collect something else

mgoodm3

Oh yeah, dealers are necessary. The proofs that I collect don't just show up in pocket change or flea markets. I wish they did. I need someone with the knowledge, means, and contacts to find nice stuff for me.

lordmarcovan

I agree with Bunker's agreeing with Russ.

Bochiman

<< <i>Russ - now that you've gotten Kennedys down pat, it's time to learn and collect something else >>




Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!

He lives in MY area, not yours! It is already hard enough trying to find good proof sets at the local, small, shows knowing he was there first

Hey Russ....I hear the darkside is the place to go these days

jdimmick

Robert,

I feel that my grading abilities are solid enough across the board in most series that I can feel comfortable with my own opinion, however, I always welcome the opinion of others, especially if it's an area where they specialize in or I feel that they are quite a bit more knowledgeable. In fact, If I am looking at a higher dollar purchase, I prefer to have others opinions as well as mine to give me some sort of confidence about the purchase, maybe I am not seeing something that they do.

jim

CarlWohlforth

I agree with LM's agreeing with Bunker agreeing with Russ

Elcontador

I always try to get an opinion of someone I trust before buying a coin. I rely on a specific individual at each of the major auction houses re lot consultations (more often than not, they tell me to pass on the particular coin) when I cannot see the coin in person. When I can see the coin in person, I always ask a dealer I trust for a second opinion.

Dog97

Regardless of what the dealers are always crying about, I see a lot of sig lines that say "so & so coins" & get along great with everybody but it is always the few same dealers over & over that catch the grief. You figure it out, you're a smart boy.

Nothing wrong with using a dealer to locate the coins for you because they have better contacts. But if you can't tell whether or not the coin meets the grade or if the price is right for yourself then you need to study up on what you collect or you're going to get shanked for blindly trusting somebody else to make your decisions for you.

earlwbollinger

The majority of dealers are good and up and up.
You only hear about the bad ones, and it sort of makes it look like they all are bad.
I have only encountered a very few crummy dealers so to speak, the vast numbers of other
dealers have been really good.

ANACONDA

"Russ - now that you've gotten Kennedys down pat, it's time to learn and collect something else "

I know he bought a two center a while back.....oh, the lure of a Kennedy......Russ isn't Austrian, is he?

ANACONDA

I was just talking to a dealer today......a major dealer....he said he reads the threads here everyday and NEVER posts. He says there are too many __________s here.

He's not the first one to make that comment to me.

I've never personally experienced that. Everyone I've met has been warm and friendly. Knowledgeable. Good spellers. You know, those kinds of folks. Yeah, right.

But hey, it's a cross section of the populace. And, one out of about every hundred people is a psycopath.

Myqqy

Everyone I've met has been warm and friendly. Knowledgeable. Good spellers. You know, those kinds of folks. Yeah, right.

Is there going to come a time when anaconda no longer complains about how terrible this place is??

stman

<< <i>I need dealer help. Do you? >>



NO

ANACONDA

"Is there going to come a time when anaconda no longer complains about how terrible this place is??"

Sorry, I just can't stop whining. I need a good spanking.

I'll try to be more upbeat. No one likes a complainer. Thanks for the reality check!

100proof1957

Russ left that wide open !
as i am trying to be a good citizen i wont comment other than to say Russ knows his stuff and has nice coins !
On the other hand,Marty SUCKS !
As far as i can tell Russ dont play in my neck o the woods but Marty likes to play in everybodys forest's !

Proof

golddustin

There is only one dealer within an easy drive in my neighborhood, and she doesn't deal in any slabbed coins, so I don't visit very often - just to pick up some supplies, and take a look at the current inventory. I asked her to look for a half-dollar commem several years ago, and I'm still waiting to hear from her! She sold me a Morgan ( I think 1883-cc) graded VF, then about 5 years later, I needed some trading equity and tried to trade it back to her and she said "That's the nice thing about those CC's, they never lose their value!" Then offered to take it as a "fine" at a price $40 less than I paid for it. I kept my mouth shut and still have the coin. However, during my 4 days at the ANA convention, I met and spent quite a bit of time with many very congenial, knowledgeable dealers, (as well as forum members), did a good bit of trading, and came away with some business cards of the best. I am currently working with one of them on a Barber Half that caught my eye at the show. But it's funny, even now, months after the convention, those few ars-wholes that I dealt with briefly are still more vivid in my memory than the many more nice guys I dealt with. I would not make a purchase in the 4 figure range without a dealer's 2nd or 3rd opinion. , but I sure have learned an awful lot since I found the forum, and strongly agree with Russ that nearly all the knowledge you could want can be found right here!

golddustin

Oh - And Ananconda - Since I'm a pharmacist, that psycopath ratio is a bit higher for my walk of life!!