Should a dealer allow cherry picking from mint sets?....poll

topstuf

Mint set buyers don't want chewed up boxes or envelopes. Cherry picking will chew up boxes and envelopes.



???????????????

cladking

One of the many things I do to get a dealer to let me cherry pick his sets
is to take the bad or missing envelopes. I'll also take most partial sets and
the other dregs. Most of the large lots are going to be cut up anyway so
this isn't always a help.

I voted "no', because this is an individual decision.

dthigpen

I do not believe that there is a 'universal' answer to this question; it is reliant on the customer and the dealer's relationship with said customer - primarily the level of care and respect the customer shows towards the dealer and his goods.

joeyuk

IMHO bullion is generic and appearence would matter less then coins for an album or to be sent in to be graded.
Will the dealer look in the envelopes before purchasing from me?
Cherrypicking for varieties may be another question. The chances of finding the variety are probly less.

DHeath

Depends on the customer. I spent a few hours at a buddy's shop this morning, and looked through 500+ sets from 48-67, but also spent 30 minutes labeling his 81 sets as T1 or T2. I bought some fun stuff, but I visit him regularly and buy everything he gets that I like.

Russ

<< <i>Cherry picking will chew up boxes and envelopes. >>



Uh, yeah, okay. At least it's a fresh excuse.

Whenever I get any crap from a dealer when I ask to go through their mint and proof sets, I simply tell them that if I find a primo set, I have no problem paying primo money. Since they're getting this stuff across the counter cheap they generally shut right up and pull out the product.

Russ, NCNE

Numismanic

<< <i>Should a dealer allow a cherry picker to go through and wear out the mint packaging? >>



It usually helps if you buy something from the dealer. I have a dealer friend that won't allow anyone to cherrypick his sets anymore. The last Long Beach show he let a customer (if you want to call him that) go through his Mint sets and 2X2's and the person had half his dispay case covered. In the end he picked out one set and asked how much? The dealer said $6, and the customer asked if he would go down to $4. All that hassle for $6. After that the dealer said no more. I can hardly blame him after that incident. He lets me go through his sets at the shop, but then I always buy something from him out of courtesy.

ttown

Well if they didn't I'd just walk out the door and go to the next vendor. It maybe only a small sale to start out with but if you want to build a return customer base, you best not be a jerk.

I quit dealing with one dealer in town in the late 80's because of his attitude, I was a regular buyer for a decade and spent several thousand a year there. I guess he didn't need my money and I sure didn't need his coins or crap. JMO

MadMonk

If he wants to sell me a mint set, he better let me look through. Mint sets have been so abused, coins replaced, etc.

Veep

Mint sets are no different than the rest of the inventory. I wouldn't ask to buy just any Unc. Morgan Dollar. I'd look them all over and then (possibly) buy the one that I liked best.

MORGANHUNTER2

I voted yes only for the sole purpose of - if a dealer will allow me the time to go through and with my untrained eye see a awesome set and then I decide that I will purchase it for a fair price, I would be prone to go back and buy other items that I need to complete what I am after.

Now that is not to say that I have done this, but if I decide that I want to go after mint sets and proofs to make a birth year of my kin folk- which is just what my lovely wife thinks I should do- hey does anyone have silver dollars from 37, 52, 54, 57, 74,84??? in silver?? Wife does not understand that they did not make silver dollars in these years...

I married a cute blonde Marine!

MadMarty

There was a dealer in MI who when asked if I could see his proof sets very rudly stated that he doesn't allow just anyone to cherrypick his sets, that is reserved for his regular customers. So I went across the isle and ended up getting $400 in proof sets from another dealer. I made sure he saw that I bought a box of them, he then asked me what I wanted to see, and I told him "From you, nothing!"

topstuf

Guess I should have worded it differently.

"Should a dealer put ANYTHING out that he doesn't want pawed to death?"

heh heh

DHeath

Topstuf,

The way I see it, there are some that love average coins in nice envelopes. There are also some collectors who actually have interest in the quality of the coins themselves. Most dealers view the sets as commodities, interchangable, and all worth 10% back of bid. That's not a bad thing. For years, that's the way the collecting public viewed them too. Some day, some creative dealer will package all his sets in regular envelopes until sold, and will set aside the original packaging to give the purchaser that cares.

KISHU1

I went to a local shop last week and asked to see some proof sets and SMS sets. First the dealer reached on the back rack and opened them up and then let me see a few sets. After looking at them I asked to see some more, He repeated the same sequence. I really wanted to see more that he had in that tray but it did not look like I was going to. He asked me what I was looking for, and I told him sets with no spots or haze. He put the sets back. As I was looking in another case I saw some very nice proof sets with prices on them. I called the dealer over and asked to see the first set, he showed it to me, it had a nice cameo quarter, then I said I would buy it for the listed price. He said are you nuts!!! The quarter is worth more than that!! These prices are for the sets in back!! Can you believe this joker! I just started to laugh to myself and walked out.

ldhair

I love it. There are so many ways to look at this.

I feel the dealer should pile it on the counter and let folks look for whatever they wish to buy.

When the time comes to pay, the dealer should look at what he is selling.
If it's something special, he should price it as such.

Not letting a customer look at inventory just seems silly to me.

fcloud

If the dealer allows cherry picking, you should be willing to pay higher than book prices. The dealer I go to will not allow any type of looking. If you want a set, you tell him the year and you get what he gives you--take it or leave it.

Murphy

I think they are more than ready to put up with the cherrypicking as long as you buy something...a few sets, some supplies, a coin or two for your collection, something they can make a little (or a lot of) money on.

joeyuk

Murphy do you think the pic. of the altered date cent above the link to your auctions in your sig. line serves you well?

MadMarty

To most dealers Proof Sets and Mint Sets are just that. There is a bid/ask price. A lot of dealer check Proof Sets for no mintmark, type 2 and to make sure all the coins are there. That's about it. Some of the newer dealers check for cameo coins and put those sets away. Sometimes all you have to do is ask and they will bring the nice sets out. If he wants a buck over ask you pay it. I have one dealer (I see every 3 or 4 months) who loves it when I come in, I sort and arrange all of his proof sets in the drawer for him...

Julian

I am happy to let people look at anything I have, but I will not price them until after I have examined them, or have received an acceptable offers.

Generic prices get generic sets.

Premium prices get premium material.

DHeath

Julian,

That's the right way. IMO