A dealer lists "years of experience" on his site--ethically can he start counting from his

Longacre

I am curious about something in the coin dealer world. Whenever I check out a dealer's website, I frequently see things like "30 years of experience" or something similar. In other professions where there is a licensing requirement, I assume that the "years of experience clock" starts ticking on the day that they obtain their license. For example, if a lawyer passes the bar in 2000, I think he can factually say that he has 7 years of professional experience.

In the coin world, what are the ethical rules surround the years of experience question? Does the clock start ticking at the point that the dealer started pressing circulated Lincolns into a Whitman board at age 5? At age 7? Age 10 maybe? Or are the rules surrounding your years of experience based on the time that you are a full-time professional? On some websites, I see some fairly young dealers, probably no older than fourty, boasting of 35 years of experience.

What are the rules about this?

UtahCoin

Do you realize you used Ethics and Coin Dealer in the same post??
Seriously, I think you're right that many start the clock with the 1st Whitman penny board. Using that criteria, I have amassed 47 years experience! QUICK! Time to update the website!

IGWT

The only rule is for a collector to note which dealers shade the truth and which do not.

crito

Does a boxer's experience start after he goes pro? So winning the gold medal at the Olympics doesn't count?

One is amateur experience the other is professional experience. If they don't explicitly state that it's professional just assume it's all amateur.

Deadhorse

I don't think there are any "rules" in this area.

But I'd agree that you can tell a lot about a person's honesty and integrity with this simple yardstick.

I used to be a civil engineer, so was my Grandfather and I used to help him out as a kid in the summertime with simple stuff, but I never considered that to be "experience" on my resume. It was a plus to mention it in a job interview, but I have a feeling that I'd have gotten a bit of a jaundiced look had I listed it as professional experience.

"Sure, I'm 28 years old and I've been in civil engineering for over 20 years now". I think I might show that applicant the door.

seemyauction

How about when there is a partnership they count the combined experience........that one always gets me too.....


AL

Longacre

<< <i>Does a boxer's experience start after he goes pro? So winning the gold medal at the Olympics doesn't count? >>




This is a good point, but I think it's a bit different. A coin dealer is a highly specialized professional with unique skills. Let's take a similar profession, like a doctor. I don't think a doctor can increase his years of experience for the time that he spent watching Quincy, MD on television. I don't think a coin dealer should be counting his "Whitman folder" years either.

BlindedByEgo

<< <i>

<< <i>Does a boxer's experience start after he goes pro? So winning the gold medal at the Olympics doesn't count? >>




This is a good point, but I think it's a bit different. A coin dealer is a highly specialized professional with unique skills. Let's take a similar profession, like a doctor. I don't think a doctor can increase his years of experience for the time that he spent watching Quincy, MD on television. I don't think a coin dealer should be counting his "Whitman folder" years either. >>



I learned how to tell an obviously cleaned coin from a non-cleaned coin by the time I was 12 or 13. Lots of "dealers" with "30 years experience" still can't seem to - at least according to their presentations.

It all comes down to their personal ethics. Statements like "X number of years experience" are meaningless to me until I see their actions. Talk's cheap.

GoldenEyeNumismatics

to me, the days of the whitman pennyboard are where it starts

Cgb

Agreed, I really could care less of their years of experience.

I do care about their ethics, prices, etc.

FredWeinberg

I usually say, when describing my experience --

"A collector since he was 12 years old, and a
Full-Time Dealer since 1972"

BlindedByEgo

<< <i>I usually say, when describing my experience --

"A collector since he was 12 years old, and a
Full-Time Dealer since 1972" >>



Yeah, but you were already a mensch at 12.

Frankcoins

<< <i>Agreed, I really could care less of their years of experience.

I do care about their ethics, prices, etc. >>



Wanna have your prostate reamed out by an ethical, CHEAP surgeon doing his first roto-rooter job?

crito

I was just reading about a sixth grader who founded his own company and raised $6.5 million in venture capital.

http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/09/19/playspan-takes-65m-series-a-founder-in-grade-6/

If senile old farts can keep counting despite not being able to remember what happened 15 minutes ago, let alone 15 years ago, why not this kid?