A Tale of Two Coin Shops or Dr. Jeckl and Mr. Hyde (long)
VamCollector
Posts: 347 ✭✭
I decided to pay a visit to a couple of coin shops this weekend that I had not been to before. Dropped in on the first yesterday. Nice, medium sized shop with 5 or 6 other customers looking around while I was there. A couple of the dealers were complaining about the long submission wait times at PCGS 
A very friendly lady asked if she could help me and I asked if they had any 65-67 Special Mint Sets in stock. She immediately brought out 3 boxes with 8-10 sets for each year. I picked out a couple of nice 65's, one had a possible cameo half and the other had a nice nickel. One of the 66's had the double die kennedy with the double profile so I picked that one up to. I found several single 67 Kennedys that looked interesting and a couple of other items. In tribute to Russ I looked through the 64 proof sets and managed to find a single AH Kennedy (not cameo). All in all I spent about $80. Very pleasant place to deal with.
Dropped in on coin shop #2 today and the number 2 is certainly appropriate. Much smaller place and I was the only customer in there when I arrived and left (which didn't take long). Politely asked the guy if he had any 65-67 mint sets to which he replied "on the wall". On the wall (along with several proof sets) were a 65,66 and 67 SMS. The Kennedy in the 67 looked cameo so I asked if he had any other sets in stock. He replied "I don't let people waste my time by looking through my stock trying to find high grade coins". I said "What, I'm only allowed to buy the set on the wall?". He replied "if you want to inspect the sets on the wall for spots, etc. thats ok but I (repeat) don't let people waste my time by going through my stock". Isn't every true "collector" looking for the best grades possible? What is wrong with that? Business really appeared to be booming at this place. I told him I would just pass altogether and walked out. I suppose I could have tried to finesse the guy and just taken the 67 but I have a real problem with problem attitudes and I wasn't going to upset his busy day with a sale. He was also asking $25 for the 67 (most of the stuff in the shop appeared to be priced higher than normal). I did the same thing at Long Beach a few years ago when after my request to look at an 1878 8TF Morgan resulted in the dealer (and he was one of the big ones) tossing the coin (it was slabbed) on the table and muttering something about variety collectors. The guy didn't know me from Adam or that I was even into varieties so I told him I no longer wanted to look at that coin or any others he had (and still haven't). I thought it was customary to inspect a coin before purchase. Geeze. I just don't understand that kind of attitude and how thin skinned people stay in this or any business. Just for the record....whenever a dealer allows me to look through proof sets, SMS, etc. I ALWAYS buy something. I figure its just good business.
A very friendly lady asked if she could help me and I asked if they had any 65-67 Special Mint Sets in stock. She immediately brought out 3 boxes with 8-10 sets for each year. I picked out a couple of nice 65's, one had a possible cameo half and the other had a nice nickel. One of the 66's had the double die kennedy with the double profile so I picked that one up to. I found several single 67 Kennedys that looked interesting and a couple of other items. In tribute to Russ I looked through the 64 proof sets and managed to find a single AH Kennedy (not cameo). All in all I spent about $80. Very pleasant place to deal with.Dropped in on coin shop #2 today and the number 2 is certainly appropriate. Much smaller place and I was the only customer in there when I arrived and left (which didn't take long). Politely asked the guy if he had any 65-67 mint sets to which he replied "on the wall". On the wall (along with several proof sets) were a 65,66 and 67 SMS. The Kennedy in the 67 looked cameo so I asked if he had any other sets in stock. He replied "I don't let people waste my time by looking through my stock trying to find high grade coins". I said "What, I'm only allowed to buy the set on the wall?". He replied "if you want to inspect the sets on the wall for spots, etc. thats ok but I (repeat) don't let people waste my time by going through my stock". Isn't every true "collector" looking for the best grades possible? What is wrong with that? Business really appeared to be booming at this place. I told him I would just pass altogether and walked out. I suppose I could have tried to finesse the guy and just taken the 67 but I have a real problem with problem attitudes and I wasn't going to upset his busy day with a sale. He was also asking $25 for the 67 (most of the stuff in the shop appeared to be priced higher than normal). I did the same thing at Long Beach a few years ago when after my request to look at an 1878 8TF Morgan resulted in the dealer (and he was one of the big ones) tossing the coin (it was slabbed) on the table and muttering something about variety collectors. The guy didn't know me from Adam or that I was even into varieties so I told him I no longer wanted to look at that coin or any others he had (and still haven't). I thought it was customary to inspect a coin before purchase. Geeze. I just don't understand that kind of attitude and how thin skinned people stay in this or any business. Just for the record....whenever a dealer allows me to look through proof sets, SMS, etc. I ALWAYS buy something. I figure its just good business.
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Looking for PCGS AU58 Washington's, 32-63.
A'hole !
42/92
Russ, NCNE
Jerry
I went to a local antique store/mall where an old man sells exonumia, cleaned bust halves, worn liberty halves for $10 each among other 'coins'. Recently he must have got some more stock.....this time it was SMS and 61 to 64 proof sets......all of which was banged up junk, nothing toned nicely, just real trash......he gladly let me look at them and I felt bad that I didnt buy anything but his prices were as he said, "I marked them at on 80% of Red Book value" He let me take my time for ten minutes as i looked through a shoebox of stuff.
He goes on to ask me, "What is everyone looking for? Arent they all the same? "
I explained what i was looking for and he just chewed the stub of the cigar in his mouth a bit more and said, "Huh"....turned around and thats it. I will peruse his material if it changes, but since I have lived in my town and visited his shop....8 years now the stock has changed little.