For the record, I've seen Michigan post numismatic news items that were not negative (as I recall the most positive ones were on the darkside forum). Did it ever occur to anybody that the reason it seems that MI posts so many bad stories about coins from the news is that in order for a story about coins to make the news it usually has to be pretty bad?
Face it folks, to most of the world our hobby is deadly boring. If it's in the news it's usually because of the human element - y'know, lying, cheating, stealing, murder, etc.
Either that or some layman stumbles upon a great rarity and treats it as a lottery win.
<< <i>Why single out Michigan? Why shoot the messenger? >>
Because the guy seems overly interested in the underbelly of our fine hobby. There is a time and place for that, but by and large people should be promoting the more positive aspects of our common pursuit. Go read what QDB writes in CW every week. He won't avoid talking about scams but by and large the message is overwhelmingly optimistic, as it should be. >>
------------- ------------- Yes the Noe stuff of Michigan was overkill
But no one else here does much to point out
actual court records of scams and fraud in our hobby--
Plus I don't see Michigan's posts on actual robbers of dealers
as negative at all--it's a good thing to be careful--and be reminded!
I think Michigan is doing us a favor posting stuff like this. Anyway, it's stuff like this which is probably why ebay has been inadvertantly offending so many people checking into their identities and validity of purchase of coins they are selling.
The posts by Michigan are not only interesting but pertinent to all involved in collecting or selling rare coins. Thank you for your contributions The link by Lustig was equally interesting reading. One gets the feeling that there is a book and movie lurking in the shaddows. If depressing news to some or unwanted focus on the seamier side of the field to others, it is too often reality. BTW: Were Noe, Haber and others described in the linked article all wannabees?
While I'm glad this clown is finally going to answer for his mis-deeds, it's frustrating to know that it took 188 complaints over the period of 4 years before any real action was taken against him... obviously the 2 prior arrests and subsequent releases didn't slow him down. It's jack-holes like this that give honest sellers a more difficult time trying to make a fair sale.
<< <i> Did it ever occur to anybody that the reason it seems that MI posts so many bad stories about coins from the news is that in order for a story about coins to make the news it usually has to be pretty bad? >>
This is true for other forms of news as well, not just coins. News, by its very nature tends to be negative. It is the happenings that are out of the ordinary or not the expected occurances that are news. It is difficult to report on the number of accidents that didn't happen and the number of collectors who weren't ripped off.
Even if you could it would be rather dull news and we would quickly ignore it. "Joe Blow has operated his coin shop for five years now and so far there haven't been any complaints filed againts him. John Smith has had a good week with some nice material coming in and over 90% of the people who came in have been satisfied." For every bad egg you could probably report on a hundred dull commonplace good occurances because normally you ARE going to have a good outcome more often than a bad one. But I'd rather hear about the bad one because that gives me information I can use to make sure that I DON'T have a bad one myself.
That's exactly what I was getting at Conder101. If it isn't sensational, it's not news. While this attitude isn't exclusive to numismatics it is especially true here due to the fact that Joe Average finds our pursuit so boring to begin with.
Comments
Face it folks, to most of the world our hobby is deadly boring. If it's in the news it's usually because of the human element - y'know, lying, cheating, stealing, murder, etc.
Either that or some layman stumbles upon a great rarity and treats it as a lottery win.
Those are your basic variations of coin news.
<< <i>
<< <i>Why single out Michigan? Why shoot the messenger? >>
Because the guy seems overly interested in the underbelly of our fine hobby. There is a time and place for that, but by and large people should be promoting the more positive aspects of our common pursuit. Go read what QDB writes in CW every week. He won't avoid talking about scams but by and large the message is overwhelmingly optimistic, as it should be. >>
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Yes the Noe stuff of Michigan was overkill
But no one else here does much to point out
actual court records of scams and fraud in our hobby--
Plus I don't see Michigan's posts on actual robbers of dealers
as negative at all--it's a good thing to be careful--and be reminded!
he probably hid in a swamp down there. Aligators and snakes won't bite attorneys.............out of professional courtesy.
Anyway, it's stuff like this which is probably why ebay has been inadvertantly offending so many people checking into their identities and validity of purchase of coins they are selling.
The link by Lustig was equally interesting reading. One gets the feeling that there is a book and movie lurking in the shaddows.
If depressing news to some or unwanted focus on the seamier side of the field to others, it is too often reality.
BTW: Were Noe, Haber and others described in the linked article all wannabees?
'dude
Your ego shouldn't be so fragile that a post on an internet board hurts it.
<< <i> Did it ever occur to anybody that the reason it seems that MI posts so many bad stories about coins from the news is that in order for a story about coins to make the news it usually has to be pretty bad? >>
This is true for other forms of news as well, not just coins. News, by its very nature tends to be negative. It is the happenings that are out of the ordinary or not the expected occurances that are news. It is difficult to report on the number of accidents that didn't happen and the number of collectors who weren't ripped off.
Even if you could it would be rather dull news and we would quickly ignore it. "Joe Blow has operated his coin shop for five years now and so far there haven't been any complaints filed againts him. John Smith has had a good week with some nice material coming in and over 90% of the people who came in have been satisfied." For every bad egg you could probably report on a hundred dull commonplace good occurances because normally you ARE going to have a good outcome more often than a bad one. But I'd rather hear about the bad one because that gives me information I can use to make sure that I DON'T have a bad one myself.