Does Your Dealer Actively Service a Want List for You?

Barndog

I know many dealers solicit want lists, but I've really had only one dealer actually work/service my want list regularly. Sometimes I would get two calls in a month, sometimes one every other month. Of course, the more "mature" my coin collection became, the less frequent the calls...but they're still coming, thankfully. Just got a call today. Nothing "special" or rare -- just a nice XF-45 half dime that I have had on my want list for quite some time (looking for a more eye-appealing coin to replace my current set piece). They'll send the coin, I'll check it out. A dealer actively servicing want lists, imagine that.

I make sure I send an updated list to this dealer 3-4 times a year.

JJ Teaparty is one of the best

MrHalfDime

In my experience, the only dealers who have actually serviced my want list, looked for the things I wanted, and called me when they found them, are J. J. Teaparty and Brian Greer. Many dealers will solicit your want list, but you typically never hear from them again.

As you stated, as your collecting interests become more specific and narrowed, it becomes more difficult for dealers to locate the items on your want list, but the two dealers mentioned above have found a way to do it.

Greeniejr

It really depends on your buying behavior. I have several customers who I can go and find them coins on their want list with regularity. There are others that when the right coin comes along we give them a call. I have others who I can put 100 coins in front of them and they will not buy a single coin because they have such unreasonable expectations. It definitely makes going to a show a lot more worth while when I have several active want lists in hand. Just make sure that if you give a list you have reasonable expectations (you wont find a lustrous, well struck, blast white, sesqui half in PCGS MS63 at ask). You also should make sure that you call them back promptly when they offer a coin to you. I got two Morgans on memo for a customer that were priced in the 5-10k range and he didn't get back to me for a month. Also make sure that the dealer knows what you are looking for and the look of the rest of your set so that they can match newps with your set. Anyone can PM me to discuss want lists.
David Greenstein
Harlan J. Berk LTD

MrHalfDime

David Greenstein:

Interesting comments, and I wholeheartedly agree. No dealer will want to service your want list if you never buy anything they find for you, or if you take too long to make up your mind on a coin sent to you. It's a two way street.

Your comment about letting the dealer know the 'look' you are seeking is also a very valid point. I recall several years ago I was seeking a nice high AU example (I have a strong preference for AU-58 coins) of the 1863-S Liberty Seated half dime for an upgrade, to match the overall grade and look of the balance of my set. I contacted J. J. Teaparty, and Liz soon responded with an 'AU' example. Unfortunately, the coin lacked any real pizzaz, and just did not have the eye appeal I was seeking, even though it probably met the technical grade. Over time, we both learned just how difficult my requirement really was. A second example was soon forthcoming, but with the same result. Finally, Liz called me and said "I have your coin. I KNOW you will keep this coin." She sent it to me, and it was absolutely gorgeous, and precisely what I was looking for. From that point on, she knew the 'look' that I was seeking. When you can develop that kind of relationship with a favorite dealer, you stick with them.

19Lyds

My Dealer?


I'm my own dealer so I suppose so. I tell me to watch out for any nice BU IKEs or rolls and bags of IKEs!

Type B Washington's is another item I look for for me.

MrObvious

Interesting thread, Barndog. I've had want lists with 5 or 6 dealers in the past and the number of coins they've found for my collection are - JJTeaparty: 11 , All of the others: 0. The prices have been high and getting higher, but they find the coins.

seanq

I've stopped giving out my want list, as I've only had one person contact me with a coin for sale: Lou Perlman of LBP Numismatics in New Jersey.

More than once I've found coins I'm looking for up for auction on eBay, being sold by dealers who actively solicited my want list. It happened again a few months ago, someone had purchased a large old collection, I sent him my want list (only 11 coins on it, BTW), and three weeks later, there's one of the 11 on eBay. The good news is, I won it anyway.


Sean Reynolds

Mickley

I guess I'll have to get more involved with JJ Teaparty, from what is said above. I have a few /very few, dealers that I trust and do business with, but no one seems to be interested in my collection and collecting needs, thus, no want list. In fact, from at least two of them, I cannot even get auction representation. The whole thing is very upsetting for me. Plain and simple. And quite honestly, since I am but a peon in the world that these dealers are involved with, I find it kind of cruddy that I'm treated differently than the big time spenders. It's almost like I've become a stranger with some of them, and I"m just not happy about that.

Barry

I've never understood dealers soliciting want lists.

Over the years, I've given a few short lists to a number of dealers. Only one ever called me about something on my list. Why do they bother?

BECOKA

Not really, They usually know what I like at it is the type of thing they will look to find for their inventory anyway.

I just have to be first to respond when they post their new inventory.

RYK

My primary dealers know what coins I am seeking and call me when they run across them.

ram1946

Add Andy Skrabalak of Angel Dee's and Jim Rottman of NACT (formerly Ellesmere) as dealers who actively search the coins on my want list. Others with whom I have shared my want list have disappointed.

LoveMyLiberty

At one time I had want lists in with 5-6 of the leading dealers. Think I got a
call twice for a specific coin in the last 7-10 years. Now I update a list every year
and pass it to 2-3 of them. I can understand when dealers have a lot of
customers it's hard keeping everybody's want list upper most on their mind.

I use responses on a want list as a gauge of how the market is doing. In a
robust coin market very few calls. In a down market they call a lot. Right now
the calls are to get you to sell what you've got to meet the demand.

PerryHall

<< <i>At one time I had want lists in with 5-6 of the leading dealers. >>



Sounds dangerous. What if three of them got into a bidding war to get a coin on your want list?

tjkillian

After 37 years of collecting, last June I got my first call from a dealer that had a coin in my want list. A 1891 Indian Cent in MS-64RB. It was Rick Snow's company, Eagle Eye Rare coins. I bought the coin right away and have been happy with it and his/her attention to me.


I would love to have a dealer find a coin, even once a decade, that I had on my want list. I guess I am too specific: Any MS-60 through MS-64 Seated Liberty coin in a PCGS holder. I guess I need to broaden my horizons.

lasvegasteddy

not many collect matte proof lincolns but one of the most active dealer staying on your want list is brian wagner...some 65-75% of set registries are compiled by his efforts of personal attention

i'm sure mark feld is more then noteworthy here on personal attention you just know by

Greeniejr

I think a major issue there is, is that people aren't honest with themselves about their value to certain dealers. It is true that there are some dealers who value customers large and small that being whether you spend $5 per week, $50 per week or $50k per week. Many of the largest dealers get so inundated with want lists that they just will ignore the guy spending a few hundred or even thousands a year (to some dealers). It is a sad fact but sometimes bigger isn't always better. Someone mentioned Andy with Angel Dees and some people from JJ but they seem more like the exception than the rule (Andy is always honest and up front). The thing is, if a dealer is willing to put a little bit of time, dealing with want list is not rocket science. As a dealer, I know my clients collections and with very little effort or cost can help put coins in front of people.

I am often asked why I don't collect coins and I give the answer, I don't collect myself but I have a few collections. I am still relatively new to the game (though I have been in the business since I was about 12, 7 if you count being a page) but I consider the few sets that I am building for clients to be my own, clearly not in a legal sense. If you want someone to help you with your want list, especially if you are early on in a set, you need to find someone who still has the passion. That will "take ownership" of your collection and be as proud of it as you are. I can't say that about registry sets because that is just buying plastic. What I am talking about are truly nice coins that fulfill your collecting goals. In the end it is your collection but as a dealer who builds it, I take pride in it. If your dealer doesn't, then there is an issue.

David