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Anyone ever buy rare coins from Blanchard?
Proofmorgan
Posts: 808 ✭✭✭✭✭
I see their ads in the PCGS mailings, but 99% of the time the coins in the ads are already sold. It also seems like sold items linger on their website a long time (as advertisement presumably). The available coins seem to be priced quite high.
Has anyone bought from them before and how was your experience?
Are you able to negotiate somehow? Their website is very corporate with buy it now pricing and no direct numismatic contact.
Collector of Original Early Gold with beginnings in Proof Morgan collecting.
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Yes. Do your research and due diligence.
End Systemic Elitism - It Takes All of Us
ANA LM, LSCC, EAC, FUN
If you call, they assign you a sales person. You can then make offers. Worst they can do is say no.
Recently did this with a gold commem. Offered what I thought was fair for the listed item, and the rep accepted the offer in real-time.
Note - Received an e-mail from the contact after the sale, trying to sell me something else they thought that I might be interested in purchasing. Not really my style. So, I asked that they refrain from contacting me in the future about things they thought I might want. They have honored the request to date.
I never purchased anything from them. I heard from a reliable dealer friend that they do handle rare and expensive coins. Always hard to navigate their site. I never called them because I did not want to be on their call list.
An old high school buddy worked there for many years. I had lunch with him last year and brought up coins. He only knew about modern stuff and bullion. No clue about rare coins.
Thought that was interesting.
Paradime also seems to always be sold out. Whenever I see an ad for a nice coin on mycollect, the coin always is marked sold 10 to 15 mins later.
God comes first in everything I do. I’m dedicated to serving Him with my whole life. Coin collecting is just a hobby—but even in that, I seek to honor Him. ✝️
I think that's the purpose of this post...
Young Numismatist • My Toned Coins
Life is roadblocks. Don't let nothing stop you, 'cause we ain't stopping. - DJ Khaled
Just to follow up:
I called and connected with a guy who sounded like a used car salesman. He would not move at all on the two coins I was looking into. No check or wire discount. Credit card same as "cash". He said they only discount coins after they have been on the site for 60 days. I asked how far along it was in the 60 days (note: I've been watching it on their site for a few weeks). He said it was just listed today and he is sure it'll sell today or tomorrow.
I may try to call back and see if they connect me with someone else later this week.
Many years ago, they mass marketed and sold various expensive gold coins.
"Seu cabra da peste,
"Sou Mangueira......."
I dealt with them in the late 90s, also Jefferson company. Slick sales brochures were impressive. I bought foreign gold coins at small premiums. I think the impetus was a page 2 ad in the Wall Street Journal for MS63 $20 Libs.., a loss leader. The coin was NGC if I remember right, one of the late dates such as 1902-s that was badly banged up for grade, looked MS61. I should have kept it anyway.
Retail +++++ prices
They have very high overhead from marketing costs and employee commissions, those of us more advanced collectors who frequent the forum are not their target demographic.
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I haven't ever bought anything from them because of their pricing and the way their website is set up. It is too complicated for me.
I have 2 bust half's that are in Blanchard flips, bought private party from a seller that said we're passed down to him from his father.
I bought them in a lot along with coins in Littleton flips...all bought at 3 grades BACK of what the flips were marketed at and this was 20 years ago.
I'm pretty sure the marketed price on some of the Littleton flips have come up to current values.
Always thought Blanchard dealt only in bullion, so it was of little interest to me. Just looked at their site and they have a few nice bust dollars, including a quite nice 1798 small eagle dollar - PCGS 40/CAC, but very expensive. Scarce bird though.
Paradime is incredible! Shannon answers the phone 24/7 and ships fast. He is very knowledgeable for such a young man (I watched his podcast interview) and he negotiates. Friendly service and super quality material! Would buy from them again in a heartbeat!! I was VERY impressed!!
Sometimes, it’s better to be LUCKY than good. 🍀 🍺👍
My Full Walker Registry Set (1916-1947):
https://www.ngccoin.com/registry/competitive-sets/16292/
I agree, they are great!
I can give a first hand report now:
I reached out and was able to contact a different rep. I will say that if I was buying stocks pre-internet and had to contact a broker at a large firm, this would be a similar experience. It was 95% life stories, getting to know me, and 5% business. Despite what the first rep said, this one was able to give 5% off up front and 10% when I pushed him.
It was all verbal over the phone. The order had to go to the "floor" for processing. Two days later, I had no indication that an order even occurred. I was just told that my card would be processed when shipped.
Day 3: I called the generic operator asking for an order status. She said it was "awaiting payment" with a ship date of 14 days after the order date. We both found the delay odd for a card payment.
Side note: The first rep called me to let me know the coin was sold...I played dumb. A day later he emailed saying the 2nd coin I was interested in was sold (still active on the website), but he had one 3x the price that was available
I see Mike Fuljiens (Universal Coin) running ads with Sharktank's Kevin O'Leary on Youtube. I wonder what their sales schtick is these days.
It reminds me of the shysters on the tv, 👎
Tried to buy a coin once; was told it was already sold. Suggested they take the listing off their website. It was there 2 months later. I haven't looked since.
DOG acolyte
That is helpful to know you can negotiate with Blanchard.