Home Precious Metals

POLL: Do you have any sympathy for this "little old lady"?

This excerpt taken from another thread in which the author recalls a recent real life experience:


"Haven't been around much..busy....but had to vent this...
One born every minute...Pawn shop visit today..Older lady walks in with large heavy bank cloth bank bag...Bag full of silver coins....Morgans Barbers standing liberties mercuries all nice stuff...Pawn guy humped her unconcious...she got 3 times face....My GOD!!!!!! BTW I think siver was around 39 yesterday...could be wrong on that"





So......do you have any sympathy for the lady, or none at all? I personally feel that if someone gets ripped THAT bad, they obviously did no homework, nor did they put in the effort to get a couple offers before selling. No sympathy here.....you just cant fix stupid.
«1

Comments

  • And I will admit that the pawnshop that did this is a bunch of money hungry scumbag leeches. But thats irrelavent to how I feel about the "little old lady". image
  • roadrunnerroadrunner Posts: 28,303 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Scum bags. She should have gone to see the Pawn Stars.

    A friend of my sons took 6 oz of 18k gold chains to local jewelry chain stores and pawn shops. Best offer was from a national chain jewelery store that everyone here would recognize
    That was 20% of spot! The other bids were in the 10-15% range, including the pawn shop. All member of the Villians, Thieves, and Scoundrels Union.

    roadrunner
    Barbarous Relic No More, LSCC -GoldSeek--shadow stats--SafeHaven--321gold
  • I agree with this guy
  • mkman123mkman123 Posts: 6,849 ✭✭✭✭
    Ouch I feel bad for that lady!
    Successful Buying and Selling transactions with:

    Many members on this forum that now it cannot fit in my signature. Please ask for entire list.
  • I dont condone "preying" on the uneducated at all. In a perfect world, everyone would be perfectly fair. But everyone knows this aint a perfect world, and furthermore, most....MOST people know that a pawnshop is going to lowball you as much as you allow them to. Having said that, in this day and age of the internet, and even reality TV showcasing pawn shops.....why in the world would anyone sell a bag full of silver without doing 3 mins of research. Laziness? Thats it. I cant feel sorry for lazy people at all.
  • bretts911bretts911 Posts: 764 ✭✭✭


    << <i>I dont condone "preying" on the uneducated at all. In a perfect world, everyone would be perfectly fair. But everyone knows this aint a perfect world, and furthermore, most....MOST people know that a pawnshop is going to lowball you as much as you allow them to. Having said that, in this day and age of the internet, and even reality TV showcasing pawn shops.....why in the world would anyone sell a bag full of silver without doing 3 mins of research. Laziness? Thats it. I cant feel sorry for lazy people at all. >>


    image
  • MsMorrisineMsMorrisine Posts: 33,019 ✭✭✭✭✭
    isn't profit how we all make money?

    Current maintainer of Stone's Master List of Favorite Websites // My BST transactions
  • tydyetydye Posts: 3,894 ✭✭✭
    I do

    But my view might change had it been someone other than a little old lady.

    another view - a few months ago I evaluated one of my older neighbors collections and told her where to go to get the best price when she decided to sell - she sold to a local jewelry store for a fraction of the price. I was irate - I told my wife that was the last time I would waste my time trying to educate others.
  • BaleyBaley Posts: 22,660 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Caveat Venditor

    Liberty: Parent of Science & Industry

  • OldEastsideOldEastside Posts: 4,602 ✭✭✭✭✭
    This is a touchy subject, Yes I feel for the lady, my
    mom is 78 and she's just so smart that she does'nt
    tell me everything, she's very independent and she
    can make decisions on her own (rolling my eyes) um
    she's on the internet with Facebook and such and
    if a wrong decision is made, well it's my faultimage.

    If it were my mom I'd be livid, she rides one of those
    scooters and she gets a lot of help from good samaritans
    and she does complain about certain people that try
    to take advantage of her, but when I pry into her "Buseness"
    I get nowhere.

    If I were in the pawnshop I believe I would have tryed
    to edjucate this women before I got kicked out or removed.

    Steve
    Promote the Hobby
  • PerryHallPerryHall Posts: 46,111 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I hope something really bad happens to that pawn shop owner.image

    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

  • WOW! that's terrible to buy those coins from that lady so cheep! it was like buying a gold coin for 10 bucks from someone! Sneaky and underhanded business. I wonder how these places get away with it?
    Many successful BST transactions ajia
    (x2,Meltdown),cajun,Swampboy,SeaEagleCoins,InYHWHWeTrust, bstat1020,Spooly,timrutnat,oilstates200, vpr, guitarwes,
    mariner67, and Mikes coins
  • VikingDudeVikingDude Posts: 1,342 ✭✭✭
    Free market.
  • Downtown1974Downtown1974 Posts: 6,795 ✭✭✭✭✭
    You cannot teach somebody about ethics. You either have them or you dont.
  • secondrepublicsecondrepublic Posts: 2,619 ✭✭✭
    Some older people don't have access to the internet and aren't aware or "with it" mentally. It would be different if the seller weren't elderly.
    "Men who had never shown any ability to make or increase fortunes for themselves abounded in brilliant plans for creating and increasing wealth for the country at large." Fiat Money Inflation in France, Andrew Dickson White (1912)
  • roadrunnerroadrunner Posts: 28,303 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>I do

    But my view might change had it been someone other than a little old lady.

    another view - a few months ago I evaluated one of my older neighbors collections and told her where to go to get the best price when she decided to sell - she sold to a local jewelry store for a fraction of the price. I was irate - I told my wife that was the last time I would waste my time trying to educate others. >>



    The old neighbor may have forgotten your advice or become more confused. It happens.

    roadrunner
    Barbarous Relic No More, LSCC -GoldSeek--shadow stats--SafeHaven--321gold
  • mrearlygoldmrearlygold Posts: 17,858 ✭✭✭


    << <i>Free market. >>




    That's not "free market" it's fraud, it's theft.

    Jeeesh, free market. What planet are you people from?
  • Despicable but what are you going to do? The elderly can be so trusting, are you going to change the way people think at that age?.
    I bought some silver coins from a women here in the village a few years ago. I could have given her face and she would have been happy. ( I know her and just kept my gas money for a ride into the city).
  • MsMorrisineMsMorrisine Posts: 33,019 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I just wanted to see what people would say about that comment.

    no one flamed me for it???


    Would theft by deception apply here?


    or Fraud?

    Current maintainer of Stone's Master List of Favorite Websites // My BST transactions


  • << <i>This excerpt taken from another thread in which the author recalls a recent real life experience:


    "Haven't been around much..busy....but had to vent this...
    One born every minute...Pawn shop visit today..Older lady walks in with large heavy bank cloth bank bag...Bag full of silver coins....Morgans Barbers standing liberties mercuries all nice stuff...Pawn guy humped her unconcious...she got 3 times face....My GOD!!!!!! BTW I think siver was around 39 yesterday...could be wrong on that"

    So......do you have any sympathy for the lady, or none at all? I personally feel that if someone gets ripped THAT bad, they obviously did no homework, nor did they put in the effort to get a couple offers before selling.>>>>>>>>>> No sympathy here.....you just cant fix stupid. >>



    Would you feel or think the same way if it was your mother.
  • gecko109gecko109 Posts: 8,231


    << <i>

    << <i>Free market. >>




    That's not "free market" it's fraud, it's theft.

    Jeeesh, free market. What planet are you people from? >>





    Nobody cold called the old lady, or pushed anything on her. She actively went to sell the coins.....she got an offer....she accepted that offer. No "fraud" or "theft" was commited here. If you had an item of which you didnt know the value, would you take it to a pawn shop and accept the 1st offer they threw at you? If you would, then im sorry, but you are just too lazy for me to care about.

    As an interesting twist to this debate, since you claim it was theft and fraud....at what point does it cease to be that? If the pawn shop paid 10x? How about 20x? Would you consider 20x face to be theft and fraud? Where do you.....on your high and mighty moral horse mark the exact cut-off point between outright theft and just a lowball offer?
  • gecko109gecko109 Posts: 8,231


    << <i>

    << <i>This excerpt taken from another thread in which the author recalls a recent real life experience:


    "Haven't been around much..busy....but had to vent this...
    One born every minute...Pawn shop visit today..Older lady walks in with large heavy bank cloth bank bag...Bag full of silver coins....Morgans Barbers standing liberties mercuries all nice stuff...Pawn guy humped her unconcious...she got 3 times face....My GOD!!!!!! BTW I think siver was around 39 yesterday...could be wrong on that"

    So......do you have any sympathy for the lady, or none at all? I personally feel that if someone gets ripped THAT bad, they obviously did no homework, nor did they put in the effort to get a couple offers before selling.>>>>>>>>>> No sympathy here.....you just cant fix stupid. >>



    Would you feel or think the same way if it was your mother. >>




    Absolutely. People make poor financial decisions every day. I cant be there to help everyone, and I certainly feel that just the most basic homework goes a LONG way to getting a good deal. If my mother sold something for far less than market value, shame on her.....not the buyer.
  • JCMhoustonJCMhouston Posts: 5,306 ✭✭✭
    Yes, I feel very sorry for her, because we allow these same people to vote.
  • gecko109gecko109 Posts: 8,231


    << <i>Yes, I feel very sorry for her, because we allow these same people to vote. >>





    image You really cant fix stupid!
  • Gecko You must be a BM guy who would rip off your mother as well as anyone else.

    When you offer a lowball offer to anyone who doesnt know whats going on, its theft and your defrauding them.
    It might not be that as in the letter of the law but thats what your doing.

    Sleep well my friend Im sure you will because you dont have a conscious.
  • MsMorrisineMsMorrisine Posts: 33,019 ✭✭✭✭✭
    exact cut-off points are hard,

    but stuff well over the line is easy.


    this is well over the line.

    Current maintainer of Stone's Master List of Favorite Websites // My BST transactions
  • ...When you offer a lowball offer to anyone who doesnt know whats going on, its theft and your defrauding them.
    It might not be that as in the letter of the law but thats what your doing...


    image
  • gecko109gecko109 Posts: 8,231


    << <i>Gecko You must be a BM guy who would rip off your mother as well as anyone else.

    When you offer a lowball offer to anyone who doesnt know whats going on, its theft and your defrauding them.
    It might not be that as in the letter of the law but thats what your doing.

    Sleep well my friend Im sure you will because you dont have a conscious. >>







    I could have bought 3, $1,500 coins for $375 each. But I did the right thing.



    See what happens when the new guy (thats you) runs his mouth without knowing whats going on? image
  • gecko109gecko109 Posts: 8,231


    << <i>Some older people don't have access to the internet and aren't aware or "with it" mentally. It would be different if the seller weren't elderly. >>






    Ok then...lets create a new law that people over the age of say....65...are no longer legally allowed to do business without a power of attorney. How do you think that would sit with the AARP?

    Seriously folks......was it a bad rip? You bet your butt it was! But when will this nation's people get back to the basic fundamental concept of ACCEPTING RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR OWN ACTIONS?

    Its simply more sickening to me that we have become a society of "its someone else's fault when I come up on the short end", than it is to see a lady get taken on a coin deal. Either you ARE responsible for your actions, or you ARENT. Which is it? And if your argument was...."but this was an old lady".....then I propose a new law as stated above. You cant have it both ways people. Either the elderly are held accountable for their own actions, or we simply make it illegal for them to participate in any financial decisions and treat them as we do minors. Which do you want? image
  • mrearlygoldmrearlygold Posts: 17,858 ✭✭✭


    << <i>

    << <i>

    << <i>Free market. >>




    That's not "free market" it's fraud, it's theft.

    Jeeesh, free market. What planet are you people from? >>





    Nobody cold called the old lady, or pushed anything on her. She actively went to sell the coins.....she got an offer....she accepted that offer. No "fraud" or "theft" was commited here. If you had an item of which you didnt know the value, would you take it to a pawn shop and accept the 1st offer they threw at you? If you would, then im sorry, but you are just too lazy for me to care about.

    As an interesting twist to this debate, since you claim it was theft and fraud....at what point does it cease to be that? If the pawn shop paid 10x? How about 20x? Would you consider 20x face to be theft and fraud? Where do you.....on your high and mighty moral horse mark the exact cut-off point between outright theft and just a lowball offer? >>




    I don't think it's possible to have a conversation with you on this subject. You obviously have a different definition than most on what's right and wrong and frankly you are exactly the type of person I try my best to avoid in life . So please ignore me as I'll do the same with you. K?
  • Stupid people walk the streets every day, retarded or mentally challenged people walk the streets everyday. If it’s acceptable to rip off a stupid person, is it acceptable to rip off a retarded or mentally challenged person. Maybe they could be considered one of the same ???

    If you think taking advantage of either is acceptable then I hope your mothers are very proud in how she raised you or how/what you turned out to be, a thief, dishonest, unscrupulous and disgraceful person.

    A few days ago a 75 year old lady way assaulted and raped, was she STUPID being out living her life. If you say yes then her being raped was justified and acceptable. Just like the old lady selling coins and the buyer taking advantage of her being STUPID, is he justified and is it acceptable of the buyer. Some will say but that’s different, in reality no its not.

    Maybe because of how some people think about or how they operate, this is why this hobby has a bad reputation. Complete honesty and a fair profit, FAIR is the only thing that’s acceptable.

    What I said above is all I have to know about what’s going on
  • moonshinemoonshine Posts: 1,039 ✭✭
    I didn't vote because there was not an option for BOTH.

    While I do feel she should have done her homework, maybe she doesn't really have anyone to help her ... although she should have shopped around. Maybe she is sickly and older people sometimes don't use the internet. It's just really sad that people do things like that. Their day will come.
  • PerryHallPerryHall Posts: 46,111 ✭✭✭✭✭
    The elderly tend to be more trusting of others and there are many predators that have no problem taking advantage of them. Let's not be too quick to blame the victim.

    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



  • << <i>

    << <i>

    << <i>Free market. >>




    That's not "free market" it's fraud, it's theft.

    Jeeesh, free market. What planet are you people from? >>





    Nobody cold called the old lady, or pushed anything on her. She actively went to sell the coins.....she got an offer....she accepted that offer. No "fraud" or "theft" was commited here. If you had an item of which you didnt know the value, would you take it to a pawn shop and accept the 1st offer they threw at you? If you would, then im sorry, but you are just too lazy for me to care about.

    As an interesting twist to this debate, since you claim it was theft and fraud....at what point does it cease to be that? If the pawn shop paid 10x? How about 20x? Would you consider 20x face to be theft and fraud? Where do you.....on your high and mighty moral horse mark the exact cut-off point between outright theft and just a lowball offer? >>


    Though generalizations are rarely useful and mean different things to different people, I agree with the Supreme Court 'I Know It When I See It' definition of 'obscene' as it relates to this circumstance.
  • Downtown1974Downtown1974 Posts: 6,795 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Its too bad alot of people lack one of the most basic traits in life.....manners. Too much greed and "survival of the fittest" mentality.
    It will come back and bite the store owner in the arse. It ALWAYS does.
  • piecesofmepiecesofme Posts: 6,669 ✭✭✭
    It takes two to do any deal. Unlike most that've replied, I feel bad for the old lady because she was screwed and I despise people who do this to others. Nothing wrong with making a buck with some meat left on the bone, but my God, this not only crosses the line, it reminds me just how many evil-hearted people are out there.

    Remove yourself from the coin/bullion world for a minute if you can, you now know nothing about coins/bullion. Ask yourself how would you feel if this were your Mother and thru your own common sense you thought something just didn't sound right about this when your Mother told you about it. So you checked it out and saw how badly someone just raped your Mother. How would that make you feel?
    Let's just say i'd be paying the dealer a visit image
    To forgive is to free a prisoner, and to discover that prisoner was you.
  • 66Tbird66Tbird Posts: 2,858 ✭✭✭
    Isn't a form of elderly abuse to willing take extreme advantage in a financial manner. Knew a friends father that had a pawnshop do that. It was like a six figure deal for three. They won it back in the end.
    Need something designed and 3D printed?
  • It takes two to do any deal. Unlike most that've replied, I feel bad for the old lady because she was screwed and I despise people who do this to others. Nothing wrong with making a buck with some meat left on the bone, but my God, this not only crosses the line, it reminds me just how many evil-hearted people are out there.
    Remove yourself from the coin/bullion world for a minute if you can, you now know nothing about coins/bullion. Ask yourself how would you feel if this were your Mother and thru your own common sense you thought something just didn't sound right about this when your Mother told you about it. So you checked it out and saw how badly someone just raped your Mother. How would that make you feel?
    imageimage
  • Striving for people to consider your business a responsible and reliable company is more important to being successful than being willing to sacrifice everything to achieve this goal. How a company goes about achieving their goal should to be at least as important as the goal itself. Tolerance, respect and trust are all fundamental principles of correct dealings with one another in daily life if you want people to consider your business as a responsible and reliable company.
  • VikingDudeVikingDude Posts: 1,342 ✭✭✭
    BTW I was not serious about the "Free Market" comment. I don't like it when people are taken advantage like that; see a previous post:
    Previous post
  • MrSpudMrSpud Posts: 4,499 ✭✭✭
    It kinda depends. Some people just don't care and are happy to just take whatever the first person they ask offers them. I had a relative that died that had a bunch of coins in albums that he had been collecting since the 50s. I remember seeing them when I was just a kid, complete sets of many classic series in old original albums. When he died his brother was told by another relative how valuable the coins were, but his brother just didn't care and took them to the closest place that bought coins just to get rid of them. He just wasn't interested in getting more money, just wanted to dispose of something he didn't want to deal with.

    But if was a poor widow who really needed the money and didn't know any better, then I'd have sympathy.
  • JustacommemanJustacommeman Posts: 22,847 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>...When you offer a lowball offer to anyone who doesnt know whats going on, its theft and your defrauding them.
    It might not be that as in the letter of the law but thats what your doing...


    image >>



    This. MJ
    Walker Proof Digital Album
    Fellas, leave the tight pants to the ladies. If I can count the coins in your pockets you better use them to call a tailor. Stay thirsty my friends......
  • WingsruleWingsrule Posts: 3,010 ✭✭✭✭
    There already are laws on the books regarding elderly abuse. I would think you could make a good case that this is what happened here.

    That being said, during the last several months of my mother's life, one of my siblings or I had to attend doctor's visits with my mother. She would not understand or remember all of things she was told regarding medications, procedures, etc. Does that make her stupid?

    What if the lady in your OP did some research and became confused about the 'true' worth of her items?
  • I think what you have in this thread is a contrast between a hard line businessman and the rest of us who are not as hard nosed as they are. There are businessmen who see profits as profits, and if someone is willing to sell them something on the cheap, then there is nothing morally wrong with it. Then there are others who see it as "taking advantage" of someone. This is a classic case of people just
    agreeing to disagree.
  • piecesofmepiecesofme Posts: 6,669 ✭✭✭
    This is a classic case of people just agreeing to disagree.

    Yeah, but "laziness" doesn't have a damn thing to do with it as has been implied.
    To forgive is to free a prisoner, and to discover that prisoner was you.
  • roadrunnerroadrunner Posts: 28,303 ✭✭✭✭✭
    The only truly honest to the core dealer I know recently went to purchase some coins for an elderly woman. She thought they were worth
    $40 total and said so up front.....ie $1 presidential gold coins or something. My friend proceeded to shell out his usual 95+% of retail for a pile of
    1 oz US gold coins. The woman was astounded. Fortunately, none of the wolves got to her first. As she would have undoubtedly been fleeced.

    If the public doesn't know what they have, that doesn't mean you offer them any less than what you would to someone who knew what they were.
    That's just being a decent person. I understand that the majority of B&M's figure it is their birthright to fleece the unknowing, after all they have to pay the rent. image

    Ever since I was aware that my local B&M shelled out $25K for several very rare key date US gold coins worth about $80,000 I view this situation very differently. The old
    woman had no idea how truly valuable they were but realized they were scarcer gold coins. Once slabbed, those coins were worth about $100,000.

    roadrunner
    Barbarous Relic No More, LSCC -GoldSeek--shadow stats--SafeHaven--321gold
  • WingsruleWingsrule Posts: 3,010 ✭✭✭✭
    If the public doesn't know what they have, that doesn't mean you offer them any less than what you would to someone who knew what they were.

    You summed it up nicely, RR.image
  • fiveNdimefiveNdime Posts: 1,088 ✭✭
    IF she had kids, the kids should have a better idea of what their mom had.
    if they were intrested in protecting her(their) assets.


    it IS her property.

    she could have spent them for face value, which i have heard happens too.



    << <i>...Pawn shop visit today..
    Older lady walks in with large heavy bank cloth bank bag...
    ...Pawn guy humped her unconcious... >>


    sounds like she got (date)raped & robbed.
    while being dressed provocatively in a heavy canvas bag, its no excuse.



    BST transactions: guitarwes; glmmcowan; coiny; nibanny; messydesk
  • JustacommemanJustacommeman Posts: 22,847 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Taking advantage of the elderly or ill informed is wrong 365/24/7 and twice on Sunday's. MJ
    Walker Proof Digital Album
    Fellas, leave the tight pants to the ladies. If I can count the coins in your pockets you better use them to call a tailor. Stay thirsty my friends......
Sign In or Register to comment.