Two recent dealer experiences that were NOT GOOD rant.
keyman64
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[rant]
Tampa Bay Area Florida
A Jewelry/Coin Shop advertising on TV was advertising that they are a PCGS and NGC Authorized Dealer that buys and SELLS all types of coins. It looked like it was a bit better than your average pawn shop and so the next time I was close by I drove a few extra minutes to check them out. They had a buzzer on the door to buzz me in. That went quick, as you know sometimes it doesn't but it was very smooth. I walked in, went straight towards a jewelry counter where a young lady was. She seemed nice and pleasant and the store was nice. I asked where their numismatic material was (large place and I did not see it at first glance). She said, "What's that?" Ohhhh boy, not the best of signs but not an issue. I then said "Coins." She politely informed me that her uncle handled that, walked out from behind the counter to direct me to her uncle. He walked over to me and we were standing in the middle of the store. He asked me what I was looking for and I explained I wanted to see their coins. He then started to get a bit more specific and asked what I was looking for...I explained that I generally look for Mercury Dimes but am a buyer of lots of different things. I also said I prefer slabbed coins but am interested in looking at anything he may have, normally there is a case that has coins that you can just look at or whatever. He said he did not have any mint state Mercury Dimes but he had bags of the melt material. He also said he had lots of slabbed material though. I said great, I'd like to take a look to see what there is to see. He then asked if there was something specific I was looking for. I then tried to tell him I buy lots of different things and named a few series. He then explained that without something specific he just wasn't going to pull out his $4,000,000 in inventory. I kinda stood there with a blank WTF look on my face for a second, said I guess you really don't want to sell anything and I walked out when another customer was coming in so I did not have to wait to be buzzed out. Really weird. I had a fresh hair cut, cleanly shaved, freshly showered, nice clothes, designer glasses on, an $800 watch that I was wearing, nice shoes etc...I was polite and well spoken. I have no idea what the hell to even think about that. Why would they run a TV commercial like that and then I end up with that experience?
Highly Regarded/ Frequently Talked About on these Forums/ National Dealer
2.5 weeks ago I called them during their normal business hours. They did not answer the phone so I left them a voice mail to please call me back about help with a Registry Set build. Here again, I was well spoken, said my name and phone number twice. No phone call back.
No one wants business. No one wants to sell anything. Very strange that I have two of these strange experiences so close together.[/rant]
Okay, thanks for listening to my rant. I feel better now. Go back to your regularly scheduled happy coin talk.
Tampa Bay Area Florida
A Jewelry/Coin Shop advertising on TV was advertising that they are a PCGS and NGC Authorized Dealer that buys and SELLS all types of coins. It looked like it was a bit better than your average pawn shop and so the next time I was close by I drove a few extra minutes to check them out. They had a buzzer on the door to buzz me in. That went quick, as you know sometimes it doesn't but it was very smooth. I walked in, went straight towards a jewelry counter where a young lady was. She seemed nice and pleasant and the store was nice. I asked where their numismatic material was (large place and I did not see it at first glance). She said, "What's that?" Ohhhh boy, not the best of signs but not an issue. I then said "Coins." She politely informed me that her uncle handled that, walked out from behind the counter to direct me to her uncle. He walked over to me and we were standing in the middle of the store. He asked me what I was looking for and I explained I wanted to see their coins. He then started to get a bit more specific and asked what I was looking for...I explained that I generally look for Mercury Dimes but am a buyer of lots of different things. I also said I prefer slabbed coins but am interested in looking at anything he may have, normally there is a case that has coins that you can just look at or whatever. He said he did not have any mint state Mercury Dimes but he had bags of the melt material. He also said he had lots of slabbed material though. I said great, I'd like to take a look to see what there is to see. He then asked if there was something specific I was looking for. I then tried to tell him I buy lots of different things and named a few series. He then explained that without something specific he just wasn't going to pull out his $4,000,000 in inventory. I kinda stood there with a blank WTF look on my face for a second, said I guess you really don't want to sell anything and I walked out when another customer was coming in so I did not have to wait to be buzzed out. Really weird. I had a fresh hair cut, cleanly shaved, freshly showered, nice clothes, designer glasses on, an $800 watch that I was wearing, nice shoes etc...I was polite and well spoken. I have no idea what the hell to even think about that. Why would they run a TV commercial like that and then I end up with that experience?
Highly Regarded/ Frequently Talked About on these Forums/ National Dealer
2.5 weeks ago I called them during their normal business hours. They did not answer the phone so I left them a voice mail to please call me back about help with a Registry Set build. Here again, I was well spoken, said my name and phone number twice. No phone call back.
No one wants business. No one wants to sell anything. Very strange that I have two of these strange experiences so close together.[/rant]
Okay, thanks for listening to my rant. I feel better now. Go back to your regularly scheduled happy coin talk.
"If it's not fun, it's not worth it." - KeyMan64
Looking for Top Pop Mercury Dime Varieties & High Grade Mercury Dime Toners.
Looking for Top Pop Mercury Dime Varieties & High Grade Mercury Dime Toners.
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Comments
As to the second situation that is unfortunate. From the dealer side of things it can get quite hectic, especially if it is mainly a proprietorship/one-person operation which many are.
I know personally I have been to Seattle, Chicago, Santa Clara and a local club show in Sacramento, 4 shows in 3 weekends. At best 1-2 days in between so it's been a challenge. This weekend is devoted to getting newps up from all those shows and getting ready for New Orleans this coming week. But your rant is a good reminder to all of us as dealers to get those calls returned if we can't pick up the phone as soon a possible. Thanks for sharing and helping those of us who do care to keep focused.
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Yes. but where did you get those nice clothes, designer glasses and $800 watch, humm?
I guess at a place like that you just have to ask for one type at a time. Kind of a pain.
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RIP "BEAR"
Selling low is not part of their business model
I'd like to know the names in case I want to sell low
There was a pawn shop several miles from my house and I got the same treatment. It's beyond pathetic.
If you said you wanted to buy a roll of MS63 Morgans or 100 BU Saints, I'm guessing they had have tried to accommodate you.
Fortunately, there are many other retailers in the market that seem to offer what you are seeking.
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His 4Mill inventory was probably priced at Redbook.
"“Those who sacrifice liberty for security/safety deserve neither.“(Benjamin Franklin)
"I only golf on days that end in 'Y'" (DE59)
<< <i>Perhaps you were dressed TOO nice!
Along the same line, I was thinking "mustard"
Once I visited a pawn shop not too far from my home- actually, the owner's a good friend of my father, and has known him for like... I don't know.. 25 years or something. Anyway, I went to check out what she had, as my dad told her that I'm interested in coins. We walk in together, and he asks to see some gold bullion. I ask her what she's got, and she tells me, "I've got a lot of old silver coins." Great! I thought to myself. "What do you have?"
"What do you want?"
"I don't know... old silver?"
She paces around finding the gold for my dad. I stand there waiting patiently, with a smile. "What do you want?" She asks again.
"I'll seriously take a look at anything you might have. Morgans, Peace dollars, commemoratives, anything older, etc."
I guess she gets a phone call? At this point, I am still waiting patiently, wearing a look of content on my face, just trying to be pleasant, etc.
"You're not telling me what you want-"
"OK, do you have 1921 Peace dollars?"
"Here's what I have.." she takes out a huge bag of junk silver. I mean, JUNK silver. The kind you'd feel weird about paying 100% spot for. I looked through all the beat up half dollars, dimes, and quarters, and noticed one Franklin half in XF condition, with a huge dent on it. I asked her how much she would have liked for it.
"$20."
"Oh.. that's a bit much..."
"Yeah, well, I paid $18 for it, sooo..."
I shrugged and said "thanks for your time." Maybe some people really don't want to do business, I don't know. In my opinion, this can be good, for indicates which B&M stores are a waste of time to check. I guess you could always swing by to cherry pick their supply, as these types of dealers most definitely don't know what they're doing.
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<< <i>designer glasses >>
Did you also post your rant on Pinterest
<< <i>I hope that you expressed to the Tampa Bay area dealer(?) that he not only has lost you as a customer, but likely anyone else in your network of collectors that you intend to relay your experience with. That turd appears to be a one way, dead end street. His "Four million dollar inventory" is worthless and merely a carrying cost without customers.
Does anyone really believe that he has a $4,000,000 inventory?
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
In regards to the big shot coin dealer, I totally understand what some dealers said, like PonyExpress8. Some of these dealers have crazy schedules and it is tough. I totally get that. That is why I did not think much about it after it had been a week, or even two. We will see if it gets to 3 or 4 weeks. I figure if it gets to a month then they just aren't going to call back which is fine. There are plenty of other fine dealers out there that might be willing to help with my Top Pop Registry Sets. Or maybe I should call them back with my best British accent and say that I have a spare $20 Million Dollars clogging up my toilet and maybe they can help me spend it wisely? LOL...oh wait, I can't do that now, they might read this.
I'll update the thread if I ever get a call back.
Looking for Top Pop Mercury Dime Varieties & High Grade Mercury Dime Toners.
<< <i>
<< <i>designer glasses >>
Did you also post your rant on Pinterest
LOL...just trying to paint the picture that I didn't walk in there like a bum off the street looking for a light, a free meal, some beer and with a shotgun under a trench coat.
Looking for Top Pop Mercury Dime Varieties & High Grade Mercury Dime Toners.
<< <i>Not to worry, nothing lost.
His 4Mill inventory was probably priced at Redbook. >>
It was priced ABOVE Red Book. Which is why he didn't want to show it. Who was this first experience with?
The second experience is fairly typical. Another call is warranted...
Taylor
I am a YN and I do not want anybody to question my IQ Level! I don't know everything and came here to learn!
<< <i>WOW! Just wondering, in the title discription you said two, I only heard one. Or am I crazy?
Taylor >>
There were two different stories in the OP.
Looking for Top Pop Mercury Dime Varieties & High Grade Mercury Dime Toners.
If so, he sells the better stuff to another shop.
Could you PM me the name?
Looking for Top Pop Mercury Dime Varieties & High Grade Mercury Dime Toners.
Eric
Edited for spelling and clarity.
"Seu cabra da peste,
"Sou Mangueira......."
I really don't think that most coin shops around here are interested in selling to collectors - they seem to be focused on buying cheap from the ignorant.
Even (or perhaps especially) Stack's - I haven't been there in 10 years or so, but the two or three times I did go in there I couldn't get anyone to give me the time of day. I'd ask for specific coins and get the answer: "Well, that's not a rare coin, but we don't have any." The only guy who was interested in talking coins was the guy in the world coins department (which was upstairs at that time).
The only pleasant experience I had was a visit to Dr. Arnold Saslow in West Orange, NJ - he was quite stand-offish at first, but once he figure out that I and my buddy knew what we were talking about, he warmed up a lot.
Personally, when I want to talk coins and see a lot of coins and buy or sell coins - I go to a show. Everyone there is much friendlier!
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<< <i>Why would they run a TV commercial like that and then I end up with that experience? >>
Maybe their typical customer comes in and requests specific items, which they can either say they have or not. Or maybe it's something else entirely. Either way, they are in business to sell stuff and decided (for whatever reason) that it was not worth their time to show you everything they had in slabs, hoping that you might find something to buy. There are only so many hours in a day and every business has to make decisions as to how they're spent. You are, of course, absolutely free to never attempt to do business with them again if that is your choice.
<< <i>I never thought id see the day i'd stop 3/4 through a read to defend a dealer , you walk in an unknown and he's trying to help you and you are saying ..nah..just show me what ya got hahaha ..id have thrown you out too >>
LOL. I paraphrased. The conversation was a little deeper. I did ask for specific items as well. He was not trying to help AT ALL.
Looking for Top Pop Mercury Dime Varieties & High Grade Mercury Dime Toners.
``https://ebay.us/m/KxolR5
<< <i>The bad part of not having television is reading situational comedies here. >>
Looking for Top Pop Mercury Dime Varieties & High Grade Mercury Dime Toners.
.
Just kidding you!
<< <i>designer glasses on, an $800 watch that I was wearing, nice shoes etc Could you post a picture of these? This post is useless without pictures! Sounds more like a pimp than a coin collector!
.
Just kidding you! >>
Did I forget to mention my fur coat in 80 degree weather, fancy purple feather hat and large rope gold chains along with gold nuckle rings on my left hand?
Looking for Top Pop Mercury Dime Varieties & High Grade Mercury Dime Toners.
I learned that if I don't see any cases I just leave, no reason to raise my blood pressure any more than it already is
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That's just the thing. These folks were not trying to help. I'm not sure they were afraid of being cherry picked. I'm not even sure they know what that is! They probably could not grade at all and just had some slabs and a price guide.
I must point out on the other side of the coin as it were there are still some (1 to 3) dealers in my old watering holes in NYC who under grade, do not yet understand (or care about) the numerical system and have a lot of raw Pr Mercs and Indians (and no Internet and a 1-3 year old price guide). This is slightly offset by them handling coins improperly which can cause a panic attack - it's like "just gimme that!" before they make a 65 a 64. Old raw toned MS & Proofs in envelopes. To quote my favorite of these folks "Oh, who the $$$$ knows WHAT it is, just gimme $150 for that". Also, you sometimes have to go through old cleaned and "red" "MS" Indians. But, it is usually worth it. Lots of MS Morgans and Peace...a good time!
Eric
Edit for spelling.
Agree with the Stacks stories, very negative experiences there (NYC) as well, as a young collector in the 70s. Experiences with Spinks in London were just the opposite, very pleasant and courteous; guess which business has had four decades of my custom?
I would not pull everything out of my vault just so you can look and see.
and I am not going to let you back in my vault.
<< <i>I am guilty also.
I would not pull everything out of my vault just so you can look and see.
and I am not going to let you back in my vault. >>
Most larger jewelry/coin shops like this that I have had experience with have a glass case or two with coins in them that you can look at through the glass and then ask to see something if something strikes your fancy. I did not even get to look at the cases if there were any. I was confronted in the middle opening of the store and really left only to shake my head and leave. Maybe they have a part of the store with a case or two with coins but I don't know. I was not asking to go in anyone's vault, that's an asinine assertion. Nor would I expect or want someone to go pull everything out of their vault to show me. Another asinine assertion. I figured I would just look at a case or two and look at what they have out and that is it...and also ask if they have any Mint State Mercury Dimes, Mint State V Nickels or Mint State Buffalo Nickels beyond what was in the case....and if I needed to give specific dates I could do that as well. How the heck would my actions be out of the normal?
Looking for Top Pop Mercury Dime Varieties & High Grade Mercury Dime Toners.
I would not pull everything out of my vault just so you can look and see.
and I am not going to let you back in my vault.
Pat,
Just out of curiosity, assuming you have a retail store - perhaps even one such as the OP described - can you comment on the business model for such an establishment?
Are they not aiming their business at walk-in collectors? Are they only looking to buy rather than sell?
The reason I'm asking is that the times I've visited coin shops as a stranger (business trips to distant cities), I've had good experiences. Three dealers were happy to pull out boxes of slabs and talk to me about the coins - and all made decent sales.
Of course, they were actual coin shops - inventory on display, etc.
If I go into a "coin shop" and the dealer fights with me about showing me inventory, I'm more than happy to give him a pleasant "thanks for your time" and walk away.
Check out the Southern Gold Society
<< <i>I am guilty also.
I would not pull everything out of my vault just so you can look and see.
and I am not going to let you back in my vault. >>
If i visit a dealer like this i buzz out as soon as i am buzzed in, no reason to waste my time either.
I went to Heritage a few years back ( probably more than a few but) with a friend that was selling them a few coins. We got to shooting the breeze with the buyer and made some comments about some high grade 1893 s morgans and a few others. About the time he was wrapping up the business at hand he said name off a few more coins we would like to see. So we named a few and he said he was going upstairs to get a few for us to look at. I stopped him and said we were wasting his time as we we not buyers of coins that cost 100k plus, he said well don't you just want to look at them anyway. lol. We spent another hour and had a good time. He actually had a better comment about looking at the coins but it is not interent friendly.
I would probably get tired of pulling coins out for customers to look at if i was in the business too, except i hate to pass up a sale or future sale.
NGC registry V-Nickel proof #6!!!!
working on proof shield nickels # 8 with a bullet!!!!
RIP "BEAR"
I had someone come in last week who handled the situation correctly and things went super well. He asked to look at a couple specific types of things, he picked out a piece or two to consider and we got to chatting. Eventually after 10 min or so he asked if he could see the full boxes because he tends to buy stuff that catches his eye. Of course at that point I let him. The fact is that you have as much responsibility to build a relationship as the shop owner.
<< <i>One thing you have to understand is that when you walk into a shop, you are being profiled from the second you walk in. Not by the clothes you wear or how you look. We have seen time and time again at our shop that you could be dressed like a hobo and spend millions of dollars. Conversely we have had people in thousand dollar looking suits not have 5 bucks to their name. We profile by behavior. If you start acting squirrely and refuse to answer questions specifically we get suspicious. Once we are suspicious the relationship gets tenuous and sometimes it doesn't go well. When someone new comes in I hesitate to show them the full slab boxes because there is a lot of value and people tend to not like someone hovering.
I had someone come in last week who handled the situation correctly and things went super well. He asked to look at a couple specific types of things, he picked out a piece or two to consider and we got to chatting. Eventually after 10 min or so he asked if he could see the full boxes because he tends to buy stuff that catches his eye. Of course at that point I let him. The fact is that you have as much responsibility to build a relationship as the shop owner. >>
I agree with this 100%. Having gone into dozens and dozens of places like this over a few decades and ALWAYS HAVING A GOOD EXPERIENCE, I am confused as to how this visit went so so wrong. It just bugs the crap out of me. Oh well, time to move on.
Looking for Top Pop Mercury Dime Varieties & High Grade Mercury Dime Toners.
Second deal, the well known dealer...sounds like you caught them at a busy time. It happens. Don't take it personally.
RIP Mom- 1932-2012
If you were truly interested in browsing their coin inventory, why not be patient with them and let them try and assist you.
Build a rapport with them through conversation. Let them know your interests.
I hate to say it, and I may be wrong about this, but it reads to me like you went to their shop with an agenda or chip on your shoulder.