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Mega merger coin dealers
Moldnut
Posts: 3,113 ✭✭✭✭
I remember Dick Osburn/Wayne Herndon not that long ago and more recently Gary Adkins/DLRC.
How have these worked out for the collector and for the companies.
I can't say I've bought from either since the merger.
Derek
EAC 6024
EAC 6024
0
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I think that Gary Adkins has essentially retired. That is my take. I miss him at the shows because he used come up with some nice coins that I could purchase. The David Lawrence operation is mostly an auction house, and it's hard to see the coins in person before you buy them. I don't like the auction house format and use it as a last resort when I can't find specific coins at the shows. I feel like overpay at auctions about 90% of the time.
Coins are coins. It is nice to deal with pleasant dealers, but the coin isn't changing based on who deals it (unless that individual has a side practice as a coin doctor).
I don't think Gary has retired - he sent out an email today now that they are officially joined. It reads like he's running a shop within DLRC, using all their back-end systems, so he's free to focus on coins not running a business. Maybe that's 'semi-' retired...
ANA 50 year/Life Member (now "Emeritus")
What BStrauss3 said. I talked with Gary at Central States. He is looking forward to dealing coins without all of the rest that comes with running a business.
I suspect there will be other mergers as the hobby continues to contract.
That's exactly right. Gary joined DLRC so that we could provide the backup support for him while he runs for the position of ANA President. Gary also allows DLRC to have a presence at Long Beach, Blue Ridge, Central States, and in the general midwest area now. If this is retirement, I want to part of it...after working with him at a few major shows the last few months, I'd say he's working as hard as ever!
President of David Lawrence Rare Coins www.davidlawrence.com
email: John@davidlawrence.com
2022 ANA Dealer of the Year, Past Chair of NCBA (formerly ICTA), PNG Treasurer, Instructor at Witter Coin University, former Instructor/YN Chaperone ANA Summer Seminar, Coin World Most Influential, Curator of the D.L. Hansen Collection
Interesting feedback Bill. As I mentioned in the post before, Gary isn't close to retired. He is adding a dimension that DLRC simply didn't have before we joined together. We're setting up at shows we haven't done in years and he's still running his office in Minneapolis.
I'm sorry that you don't like auctions, but DLRC is far more than auctions. Yes, we do offer weekly internet auctions with all new material, but we also have over 5,000 coins available for direct sale. If we have something you want to see in-hand, just let us know before our next show and we're happy to bring it! Also, if you buy something (non-auction) and don't like it in-hand, you're welcome to return it without a problem. Feel free to give myself or Gary a call at anytime, we're happy to help!
President of David Lawrence Rare Coins www.davidlawrence.com
email: John@davidlawrence.com
2022 ANA Dealer of the Year, Past Chair of NCBA (formerly ICTA), PNG Treasurer, Instructor at Witter Coin University, former Instructor/YN Chaperone ANA Summer Seminar, Coin World Most Influential, Curator of the D.L. Hansen Collection
I've bought from both DLRC and GA at ANA shows. Both are really, really nice people to deal with.
ANA 50 year/Life Member (now "Emeritus")
If you would honesty work on my want list, I would honestly work with you. Unfortunately most dealers ignore want lists nowadays. I don't understand that because it was one of the cornerstones of my business when I was dealer.
As for auctions, I have been burned so many times it makes make me sick. I even had one major auction house come back wanting MORE MONEY for a lot that they had sold at a public sale. The lot was CLOSED with hammer dropped in public, and they wanted more money. The reason? They had "missed a snail mail bid." What a load of crap! The real problem was they had not gotten what they thought the lot was worth, and they wanted more money out of me.
If you look at "Coin Facts" numbers for a specific coin in a specfic grade, I'm often the one who has paid the most. None of the coins have CAC stickers and none are among the finest known for their kind. None of them were the kind coins that make you #1 in the registries. So what gives? Every time I bid on something the bids go nuts, and I'm sick of it.
Moving right along. I voted.
``https://ebay.us/m/KxolR5
...and auctions with reserves set at retail offer a diminished experience.
Recently bought a gold coin from DLRC at the Santa Clara show, not sure who was manning the table but when I asked about the price on the coin he told me the book price, then said its way to high though and offered a price much lower.
My wife and I spent quite some time at his table talking about many things and he was down to earth....just great. I never really stopped at a DLRC table to talk and just assumed it was "David Lawrence" at the table, lol.
As for auctions, I recently signed up for Heritage but have yet to bid/buy there or at any auction. Still not real comfortable buying something I'm not holding.
Mustang, I think you might have mistaken the table...we haven't set up at a Santa Clara show in over 10 years...it was too difficult for us to get there reasonably.
We'd love to see you if you come down to Long Beach though!
President of David Lawrence Rare Coins www.davidlawrence.com
email: John@davidlawrence.com
2022 ANA Dealer of the Year, Past Chair of NCBA (formerly ICTA), PNG Treasurer, Instructor at Witter Coin University, former Instructor/YN Chaperone ANA Summer Seminar, Coin World Most Influential, Curator of the D.L. Hansen Collection
Bill: this is great feedback! I would suggest sending an email with your list to Gary and myself based on this. He's specifically working on want lists for us. We have an automated want list feature that emails you, so I'd be happy to enter those for you there as well and we can certainly do our best to fill a few holes for you without the auction...
President of David Lawrence Rare Coins www.davidlawrence.com
email: John@davidlawrence.com
2022 ANA Dealer of the Year, Past Chair of NCBA (formerly ICTA), PNG Treasurer, Instructor at Witter Coin University, former Instructor/YN Chaperone ANA Summer Seminar, Coin World Most Influential, Curator of the D.L. Hansen Collection
@Billjones is a decent guy
Best place to buy !
Bronze Associate member
Thank you!!!
To DLRC Mr Brush, I apologize for the mix up, just wanted to set the record straight. It appears I bought the coin from Lawrence D Goldberg at the Santa Clara show. I usually keep better track but I bought a few similar coins since prices have been dropping and didn't keep proper notes, lol. It did get me to your website though!
Upon further consideration, comment deleted as "contrary to proper etiquette".
I'm not fond of auctions with high reserves, poor photos, and 15% return fees.