How do you think of your local brick & mortar dealer?

291fifth · January 23, 2011 4:14AM

To me, they are now just a place to sell bullion related material.

So far as numismatic coins go, they are no longer of much importance for either buying or selling.

cheezhed · January 23, 2011 4:21AM

Overpriced junk.

CaptHenway · January 23, 2011 4:24AM

All generalizations are wrong, including this one.

RYK · January 23, 2011 4:28AM

Actually, we have two very good brick-and-dealers in town.

One scours the midwest for coin purchases and consignments and offers "collector" quality coins in auctions 2-3 times per year. I purchased this coin from them a couple of years ago, amongst others over the years:

(yes, it's a gold sticker)

The other made me a very strong offer for some of my southern and early gold coins, when I sold them a few years ago, and I accepted it.

No complaints here.

MidLifeCrisis · January 23, 2011 4:29AM

Well, my local brick & mortar dealer is Julian Leidman and I think pretty highly of him.

shorecoll · January 23, 2011 4:30AM

Our only decent one closed 10 years ago.

Flatwoods · January 23, 2011 4:30AM

I agree that alot of local B&M's have become just bullion dealers.
The rise in the metals market being the primary reason.
When bullion cools off they will go back to dealing more with collectors.
I don't blame them for making a living while the oppurtunity exists.

As Capt Henway pointed out not all dealers can be classified that way.

Sonorandesertrat · January 23, 2011 4:31AM

Local B&M dealers are good places for people to get started. The biggest problem with this type of dealer is that he doesn't get out much (i.e., routinely travel to out-of-state shows), and his inventory will inevitably reflect this.
Collectors in the hobby longer than a few years are apt to get bored looking at stale inventories that are largely devoid of many kinds of important type coins in decent collector grades (i.e., half cents, Capped Bust quarters, etc.).

RichieURich · January 23, 2011 4:33AM

We have a good brick & mortar shop about 45 minutes away. I have done many deals with them, both buying and selling, that have been mutually beneficial. I often send people there if I think the shop will have what they are looking for.

If I ever have extra time in Chicago, I would visit the Harlan J. Berk store without hesitation.

And I know some dealers from shows, who I know run good shops such as Pat Vetter in Monroeville, PA and several others.

TomB · January 23, 2011 4:48AM

I'm fortunate that I have one brick & mortar shop very close by run by a very honest father-son pair and then there are two additional honest dealers within 45 minuts of my home.

ChrisRx · January 23, 2011 4:49AM

They deal mostly in jewelry.

cmerlo1 · January 23, 2011 4:51AM

There isn't a bad one in Austin. Saturday is McBride's day for me, almost every week.

291fifth · January 23, 2011 4:55AM

<< All generalizations are wrong, including this one.

>>

This isn't a generalization. It asks how you view your own local brick & mortar dealer, not all dealers.

BillJones · January 23, 2011 5:03AM

The one B&M dealer with whom I do business is an honest guy and knows a lot within his field of specialization. I buy the current year's Proof sets from him, and I've sold silver coins to him.

From a numismatic perspective there are very few dealers who have what I want these days. I guess you would have to say I'm light years ahead of him in that regard because he's happy when he can get a 1795 Flowing Hair dollar in any condition. I've owned at least one for years so they are sort of old hat to me. I'm trying find far tougher type coins.

RichieURich · January 23, 2011 5:05AM

<< 

<< All generalizations are wrong, including this one.

>>

This isn't a generalization. It asks how you view your own local brick & mortar dealer, not all dealers. >>

The original title of the post was a generalization, the post's title was changed.

EDIT: My error, the post's title was not changed.

LindeDad · January 23, 2011 5:09AM

One is always over priced for everything. Another is near the retirement home and I like to cheery pick his steals. And the last one is a front for shill auctions and stolen goods I think at times.
Numbers one and three don't see me anymore. And the drive to the other is only worth while every month or so since it's about a hour trip.

dbldie55 · January 23, 2011 5:09AM

He has taught me more than anyone else. He is the number one dealer in the nation as far as I am concerned.

Bochiman · January 23, 2011 5:59AM

<< 

<< 

<< All generalizations are wrong, including this one.

>>

This isn't a generalization. It asks how you view your own local brick & mortar dealer, not all dealers. >>

The original title of the post was a generalization, the post's title was changed. >>

No, I don't think it was. The original post wasn't edited, so that means the title wasn't changed. You should apologize to the OP for suggesting he changed it. And, for what it's worth, I read it the way he intended with the "your" local brick and mortar dealer.

So, on that vein, I would say that I have two that I go to. Both are where I sell bullion. One is where I buy "pocket change" that fits our danscos.
The other is where I buy double mint sets that I like.

Neither is that great at collector coins (one has more than the other but nothing that I have seen that is worth it).

291fifth · January 23, 2011 6:05AM

<< 

<< 

<< All generalizations are wrong, including this one.

>>

This isn't a generalization. It asks how you view your own local brick & mortar dealer, not all dealers. >>

The original title of the post was a generalization, the post's title was changed. >>

No, it wasn't.

Onedollarnohollar · January 23, 2011 6:06AM

I wish mine was better.....

Over-priced and under-informed about what is being discussed on these forums......

ColonialCoinUnion · January 23, 2011 6:32AM

My local dealers buy and sell all sorts of type coins, so my view is very unlike the OP's.

bidask · January 23, 2011 6:35AM

I have picked up some great deals from my local B&M......yesterday a 2010 proof pcgs 70 dcam first strike $50 for $1475.

ambro51 · January 23, 2011 6:41AM

I am a coin fiend and I never go there.

whats that tell you?

Barndog · January 23, 2011 6:59AM

when I lived in San Antonio, the local shop was LoneStar Coins on I-281. It was great. Spacious, clean, stocked with a great variety of US and foreign coins and notes, plus bullion galore. Even had books and collecting supplies. Good hours of operation too.

Now that I'm in New England, I do not have that luxury. Local shops are tiny, cluttered, have little in the way of decent coins, and they mainly focus on bullion. One shop has decent hours and honor the posted hours. The other has decent posted hours, but that doesn't mean that anyone will be there at the time.

pennyannie · January 23, 2011 7:02AM

I have 4 choices for a local B@M, 3 are worthless overpriced.... Then i have the first B&M that i ever set foot in. We have become good friends over the years, when something good comes thru the door i usually get a call and a very fair price IMO. He could easily jack the price up AND does not do it.

Overall i am not a fan of most B&M's. I have been thru the door of many and i believe they are pretty regional operators, meaning that if you are a unknown they will attempt to take advantage of you.

Longacre · January 23, 2011 8:40AM

Although my local dealer (Sam Sloat) also sells belly button rings, I still think highly of him.

coindeuce · January 23, 2011 8:52AM

I'm employed full time by one. I can't remember the last time I bought from or sold to the shop.

You dig?

cmerlo1 · January 23, 2011 9:32AM

<< when I lived in San Antonio, the local shop was LoneStar Coins on I-281. It was great. Spacious, clean, stocked with a great variety of US and foreign coins and notes, plus bullion galore. Even had books and collecting supplies. Good hours of operation too.

Now that I'm in New England, I do not have that luxury. Local shops are tiny, cluttered, have little in the way of decent coins, and they mainly focus on bullion. One shop has decent hours and honor the posted hours. The other has decent posted hours, but that doesn't mean that anyone will be there at the time. >>

My buddy James and I used to drive down from Austin once a month or so to go to Lone Star, because they always had a TON of fresh silver dollars. We always spent money ($200 - $300/trip, over $2k in one trip) and thought we had a good rapport with everyone there (I've had dealings with Fernando since the Daryl Vaudt days back in the early 90's, and James has known Larry twice as long). A while back, James called to see if they had any new dollars we could go through, and he was told by the young guy they have working there that they didn't want us there "cherrypicking VAMs" any more because we "never bought anything". They are now on my 'never do business with again' list.

ScarsdaleCoin · January 23, 2011 9:40AM

Funny the local B/M shop is the only real coin shop in Westchester County... out of at least 100 collectors that I know in the area... 90% have never bothered to even come in.... no reason not to...they just dont.... so yes my feeling is that a lot of collectors just use ebay and net and could care less about building a relationship with a shop

stealer · January 23, 2011 9:42AM

One is nearly blind and the other enjoys ignoring me but has great foreign coins for under melt to cherrypick

Rampage · January 23, 2011 9:54AM

My local B and M is great. The owners are great people and I buy there often.

CharlotteDude · January 23, 2011 10:13AM

My closest is about 4 miles away. They (Thaxter brothers) rarely carry the type of material that interests me (early and southern mint gold), but I've got nothing but love and respect the guys.

'dude

TPRC · January 23, 2011 10:19AM

My local B&M is terrific. He doesn't always have what I want, but he gets a terrific assortment of sometimes high end and scarce material. I have learned a great deal from him and I still buy at least 1/2 of my material from him.

CaptHenway · January 23, 2011 11:18AM

<< 

<< All generalizations are wrong, including this one.

>>

This isn't a generalization. It asks how you view your own local brick & mortar dealer, not all dealers. >>

The generalization was in the first posting, not in the thread title.

It says "They," not "mine."

TD

Goldbully · January 23, 2011 11:20AM

<< Overpriced junk. >>

Couldn't agree with you more!!!!!!

questor54 · January 23, 2011 11:23AM

<< We have a good brick & mortar shop about 45 minutes away. I have done many deals with them, both buying and selling, that have been mutually beneficial. I often send people there if I think the shop will have what they are looking for.

If I ever have extra time in Chicago, I would visit the Harlan J. Berk store without hesitation.

And I know some dealers from shows, who I know run good shops such as Pat Vetter in Monroeville, PA and several others. >>

Harlan J. Berk is my local B&M dealer, and well worth a visit.

Bochiman · January 23, 2011 11:28AM

<< 

<< 

<< All generalizations are wrong, including this one.

>>

This isn't a generalization. It asks how you view your own local brick & mortar dealer, not all dealers. >>

The generalization was in the first posting, not in the thread title.

It says "They," not "mine."

TD >>

I would agree IF he hadn't also stated, right at the start, "To me". So, I read that as his experience and not a generalization for everybody

keets · January 23, 2011 11:28AM

To me, they are now just a place to sell bullion related material.
So far as numismatic coins go, they are no longer of much importance for either buying or selling.

i imagine that most of the forum and most of the B&M dealers themselves will agree with the former part of the post. the primary purpose of a storefront is to buy from the public while having an accessible location for dealers/clients. i would disagree with the latter part of the post, though, and suggest that you may try a different shop(s) if you're not finding anything at the usual haunts.

canadanz · January 23, 2011 11:46AM

I think my current one is great. One in my last city was overpriced and had terrible customer service.

jdimmick · January 23, 2011 11:48AM

My shop is a place to hang out an socialize. we do buy a few coins also

Bochiman · January 23, 2011 12:26PM

<< My shop is a place to hang out an socialize. we do buy a few coins also >>

Well, move your shop over up this way then

speety · January 23, 2011 12:36PM

At school the local guy is Brad Karoleff, can't say anything bad about him!

Tallpaul000 · January 23, 2011 12:58PM

Sounds like the ops are all over the place, guess it depends where you are. I travel some and hit up local BMs when I can. I find some that are rude (which is crazy IMO), and some that are great. The local one I usually go to here does a lot of bullion, but they have decent collector coins too, although the content has dropped off a bit. As far as the commodities surge, I am recently going counter and focusing more on collectors coins.