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The difference between a used car dealer & a used coin dealer?

ccexccex Posts: 1,188 ✭✭✭
in U.S. Coin Forum
I've supported myself for the last 18 years buying, selling, upgrading, repairing, and giving advice in used computers. When I started, the personal computer market was full of high-tech mystique with lots of buyers who wanted to get in to the information age but who couldn't come up with the $5000 for a decent new computer. I did everything a 24-hour day allowed to learn the incompatibilities of existing PC technology, and joined my best friend from grade school in starting a used computer dealership. When the technology was so new and exciting to me, I laughed hard when a customer asked me:

"What's the difference between a used car dealer and a used computer dealer?"

He replied, "The used car dealer knows when he's lying."

Today used computers are as well known as used cars, but there are still many buyers of raw circulated coins learning to grade but enamored of the series.

What's the difference between a used car dealer (who tries to see how much the client can afford or how little the seller might take for it) and a used coin dealer?
"Never attribute to malice what can be adequately explained by stupidity" - Hanlon's Razor

Comments

  • garsmithgarsmith Posts: 5,894 ✭✭
    image
  • KaelasdadKaelasdad Posts: 1,232 ✭✭✭
    One should know his coin dealer well, or he is just as well off buying the coin from the used car dealer. And very few used cars will sell for more 10 years from now, and a good dealer may even buy that coin back from you.
  • Dog97Dog97 Posts: 7,874 ✭✭✭
    What's the difference? I can think of several:

    If you pull up at a used coin shop there isn't 3 used coin salemen lurking around like vultures in bad leisure suits wearing cheap aftershave that start walking your way until you look at them then they stop and look the other way like they hadn't noticed you then when you turn your back they start moving in on you again.

    You don't have to sit in a used coin dealership for 4 hours to find out if you can afford a used coin.

    Used car dealers have flashy smiles, good teeth & nice breath.

    Used coin dealers never have any coins whose last owners who were little old ladys.

    Used car dealers have nice personalities, shake your hand and act like they are happy to see you.

    Used car dealers have free coffee & pizza.

    Used coin dealers don't let you take a coin home for several days to see if you like it.

    Used coin dealers don't give you a loaner coin while yours is being worked on.

    Used car dealers don't have that mushy old people smell.

    Used coin dealers don't pull a piece of paper out of their pocket and tell you "I can get fired for showing you this but this is what we paid for this coin."
    Change that we can believe in is that change which is 90% silver.
  • morgannut2morgannut2 Posts: 4,293 ✭
    As a former antique/classic car dealer in the 1970'2-early 1980's---I would say at least one of your assumptions is invalid. There is such a demand for high quality, restored, and original "survivor (ie unwreacked) classic cars---- your notion that a dealer will try to buy anything as cheaply as possible is just not correct in most cases. Generally my major concern was that the car was indeed of high quality--then to ask what the seller wanted and what hewould sell it for, then, buy JUST BUY THE CAR--(making sure to get BOTH the title and the CAR in HAND-- so a sleasey seller would't take my purchase and resell it just to make $100 more than I paid!

    I understand the comparision to coin dealers and coins---but what you don't understand is that it is very common for rare used cars--even "common: Corvettes (1963-67) to have $100,000 or even more spent restoring them to actual Factory Specifications! If that were done to a coin, it would be done by a CON--not a COIN man!

    AND, I actually think the College guy who used to (rarely) sell me grass ---was more honest than many--but not all of today's coin dealers!!!imageimage
    morgannut2
  • Dog97Dog97 Posts: 7,874 ✭✭✭
    <<<As a former antique/classic car dealer in the 1970'2-early 1980's---I would say at least one of your assumptions is invalid. There is such a demand for high quality, restored, and original "survivor (ie unwreacked) classic cars---- your notion that a dealer will try to buy anything as cheaply as possible is just not correct in most cases. >>>

    I didn't say that. I didn't say anything bad about used car dealers. image
    Change that we can believe in is that change which is 90% silver.
  • morgannut2morgannut2 Posts: 4,293 ✭
    "The used car dealer knows when he is lying" --
    No, you didn't say that-but-----maybe you should read what you really did say---start on the smelling stuff and move on to the paperwork
    the "lie"" in the dealer's pocket=== I suggest you deal with a better quality car in the future.
    morgannut2
  • Dog97Dog97 Posts: 7,874 ✭✭✭
    Oh that was the other guy that said that. What I said about vultures wasn't bad was it?
    Change that we can believe in is that change which is 90% silver.
  • numismanumisma Posts: 3,877 ✭✭✭✭

    Would you rather deal with a "used coin dealer" or a "new coin dealer"? imageimage
  • numismanumisma Posts: 3,877 ✭✭✭✭


    .........and do NOT deal with a used coin dealership that also has a "service and repair department".
  • pharmerpharmer Posts: 8,355 ✭
    Dog, you crack me upimage
    Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?

    Apropos of the coin posse/aka caca: "The longer he spoke of his honor, the tighter I held to my purse."

    image
  • MarineEAS1999MarineEAS1999 Posts: 327
    I know the difference...there's no "coinfax.com"...




    You should know what you are buying and not rely on the salesman
    to tell you.
    Ken

    My first post...updated with pics

    I collect mostly moderns and I'm currently working on a US type set.

    image
  • BearBear Posts: 18,953 ✭✭✭
    Hey big doggy, what do you mean "Mushy old people smell"

    Us old folks may smell funny, but we got feelings you know.image
    There once was a place called
    Camelotimage
  • PerryHallPerryHall Posts: 46,891 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>Hey big doggy, what do you mean "Mushy old people smell"

    Us old folks may smell funny, but we got feelings you know.image >>



    I think he meant "musty". I must admit that I've been in several coin shops that had their own unique smell.




    Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
    "Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
    "Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire

  • Dog97Dog97 Posts: 7,874 ✭✭✭
    <<<"The used car dealer knows when he is lying" --
    No, you didn't say that-but-----maybe you should read what you really did say---start on the smelling stuff and move on to the paperwork
    the "lie"" in the dealer's pocket=== I suggest you deal with a better quality car in the future. >>>

    I didn't say that was a lie. I said coin dealers don't do that. Coin dealers are very secretive about what they pay for a coin & their markups.
    However if I offended anybody with the remark about vultures.......I sincerely apologize to Nature's big magnificent birds.

    Change that we can believe in is that change which is 90% silver.
  • ziggy29ziggy29 Posts: 18,668 ✭✭✭
    A used car dealer can paint the used car without being called a "car doctor" or AT'ing the vehicle!
  • BigEBigE Posts: 6,949 ✭✭✭
    Used car dealers have bald tires and used coin dealers have bald heads!-----BigE
    I'm glad I am a Tree
  • MercMerc Posts: 1,647 ✭✭
    Last week, my boss asked me about going to her first coin show (at Baltimore) to buy some ancients. I cautioned her and compared coin dealers to used car salesmen. Some will treat you right and sell you what you are wanting, others will do whatever they can to make money.
    Looking for a coin club in Maryland? Try:
    FrederickCoinClub
  • fastrudyfastrudy Posts: 2,096 ✭
    Used car dealers Never see their customers again, at least that is the way they act. Food for thought?
    Successful transactions with: DCarr, Meltdown, Notwilight, Loki, MMR, Musky1011, cohodk, claychaser, cheezhed, guitarwes, Hayden, USMoneyLover

    Proud recipient of two "You Suck" awards
  • RussRuss Posts: 48,514 ✭✭✭


    << <i>If you pull up at a used coin shop there isn't 3 used coin salemen lurking around like vultures in bad leisure suits wearing cheap aftershave that start walking your way >>



    Hehe. When I owned a Corvette, I also owned an old beat up Ford Escort as an every day driver. I used to experiment by pulling in to car lots in the beater one day, and the same lot with the Corvette the next day. The speed at which the vultures come swooping in changes dramatically. image

    Russ, NCNE
    eBay consignment sales | | Collectibles from Resco CCC
  • LakesammmanLakesammman Posts: 17,461 ✭✭✭✭✭
    A used car dealer will buy it back at some level.
    "My friends who see my collection sometimes ask what something costs. I tell them and they are in awe at my stupidity." (Baccaruda, 12/03).I find it hard to believe that he (Trump) rushed to some hotel to meet girls of loose morals, although ours are undoubtedly the best in the world. (Putin 1/17) Gone but not forgotten. IGWT, Speedy, Bear, BigE, HokieFore, John Burns, Russ, TahoeDale, Dahlonega, Astrorat, Stewart Blay, Oldhoopster, Broadstruck, Ricko, Big Moose, Cardinal.

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