Top 10 List of ways coin dealers annoy at shows:

byergo · May 5, 2003 6:55AM

10. Half of the coins in your case have a "PQ" sticker on the front of the slab
9. Ignoring customers with your back turned to the show floor
8. Loudly saying rude things about other dealers or collectors within ear shot of potential customers
7. Acting like collectors are lucky to look at an item in your case
6. Giving customers a nasty/rude look when you don't buy the item they handed you for review
5. Putting stickers on slabs that leave residue and are difficult to remove
4. Selling merchandise which is everything BUT quality coins (sports cards, antiquities, paper, medals, stamps, colorized and gold plated crap, political buttons, worlds fair memorabilia, cheap jewelry, etc...)
3. 100% of your coins are slabbed in ACG, home-made, or other POS holders
2. Shutting down your booth mid-day Friday at a Fri/Sat/Sun show
1. Conducting yourself like a used car dealer

LucyBop · May 5, 2003 6:57AM

11. No 53s FBL Frankies for sale!

Barry · May 5, 2003 6:58AM

Sometimes I wonder why some dealers have glass cases, rather than just a wooden box. They leave papers, etc. covering it all up, anyway.

NBSQLGeek · May 5, 2003 6:58AM

HAHAHAHA

Russ · May 5, 2003 7:07AM

Leaving your "hundreds" of 1964 proof sets back at the "shop" because "nobody" buys them, and telling me that at every show over and over each time I ask if you have any.

Russ, NCNE

ARCO · May 5, 2003 7:14AM

I get most annoyed by collectors more than dealers. I am trying to spy some good coins and there is some big fat body hogging up half the display looking through the dealers junk bin with a copy of the redbook in hand. I come back half an hour to an hour later and the some air hog is still there wasting everybody's time when he could be better served getting rolls of coins at the bank and searching through them at home rather than using up good air at a coin show.

Tyler

VonZipper · May 5, 2003 7:16AM

12. When dealers are afraid to have their picture taken.

nucklehead · May 5, 2003 7:19AM

I've gotten the No.9 treatment at times (mainly at Long Beach).I just say to myself,to hell with them and move on.

anoldgoat · May 5, 2003 7:21AM

ARCO - Sorry about that

Peetie · May 5, 2003 7:21AM

I noticed #9 the most at the St Louis show.

JBSteven was very nice and let me see a super MS68 Mercury dime. Coinguy1 seemed to be very busy, but still had time to say hello! Alot of the dealers didn't even look up.

I did enjoy the show and there were a bunch of nice coins on the floor.

Mark

greghansen · May 5, 2003 7:22AM

Yikes! I wonder how long it will take a dealer to post the Top 10 ways customers annoy at shows.

jeffnpcb · May 5, 2003 7:32AM

#13 Trying to make a deal on a trade and offers low bid for yours and PCGS price guiges for theirs!! AND THIS RAW FOR THEM AND GRADED FOR YOURS!!

topstuf · May 5, 2003 7:35AM

I think there is only ONE thing that tweaked me at shows.

Hearing what they HAD either 10 years ago or sold on the way to the show.

IT DOESN'T MATTER.

But I will agree......even as a dealer..........If a dealer is gonna keep his table unattended or play "storytime" with other dealers, they should stay home.

UNLESS they are EMPLOYEES of some Rippem, Dippem, n Flippem outfit and they are on an expense account, in which case I just chalk it up to the new American work ethic.

I..........W I L L............see a coin if it interests me.

(oh one other............CONTRADICTING...... me on something I....KNOW)

topstuf · May 5, 2003 7:36AM

Oh yeah.....I only allowed pictures for the Colombian Coin Club

yaaaaahahahhahaha!

baccaruda · May 5, 2003 7:38AM

Hearing what they HAD either 10 years ago or sold on the way to the show.

or telling you what it cost when it was at it's all-time high in 1989 - as if it has anything at all to do with today.

barberlover · May 5, 2003 7:43AM

1. dealer A., after dealer day is over is talking to dealer B at his table with dealer B's bag totally covering dealer A's display case and dealer A is totally ignoring everyone else either trying to get his attention or even look at his coins which dealer B has totally coverd up, and whats worse, they are just shooting the breez even after there deal is done, by all this time the collector [remember him?]
has left the table feeling pissed off and ignored.

2. Dealer is asked to show you one of his coins but thwe dealer doesn't think you have enough money to buy it, so he politly tells you to get lost.

MadMarty · May 5, 2003 7:45AM

<< Leaving your "hundreds" of 1964 proof sets back at the "shop" because "nobody" buys them, and telling me that at every show over and over each time I ask if you have any. >>

I want to share an experence from the show in St. Louis. I was there Friday and drove home Friday night. In the late morning Val Webb shows up with a crapload of 1964 Proof Sets. Well I'm in hog heaven!!! He gets them pu into the case and I ask if I can look at the 64's. He tells me "Won't be done setting up until tomorrow, you can't look at them!". Two hours later Mr. Webb is sitting at his booth eating a sandwich, I ask very in a very nice way if I can see the 64 proof sets, I explain I won't be at the show on Saturday and sold coins and have money to spend. He tells me I told you already you little sh!t that I won't be ready until tomorrow. If your not going to be here tomorrow, tough sh!t!"

Well that is one dealer that will NEVER see a dime out of me again.

LucyBop · May 5, 2003 7:46AM

<< some big fat body hogging up >>

when its frankie halves its every fat body for themselves, after me of course.

nwcs · May 5, 2003 8:40AM

I've seen PLENTY of annoying customers, but here are a few things I don't like that some dealers have done:

* Telling someone how to clean coins (using baking soda)
* Ignoring a customer who is wanting to ask how much something is so they can talk to someone who isn't buying anything
* Stickers all over the slabs
* Lots and lots of ACG, NTC, and PCI slabs
* Telling another customer that NTC grades very well for non-toned coins and PCI is accurate most of the time

jbsteven · May 5, 2003 9:38AM

peetie:

My pleasure showing you that nice ms68 dime of mine. Hope you found something at the show to take home.

sadysta1 · May 5, 2003 9:43AM

No price tags on coins

fcloud · May 5, 2003 9:47AM

So, do you want some cheese with that whine?

RGL · May 5, 2003 9:52AM

"You don't want that coin! Now, this little gem ..."

"Why would you collect that crap?"

airplanenut · May 5, 2003 9:59AM

I hate when I'm not given the time of day because I'm a kid- so sure, I can't afford the best pieces in your case, but if you give me the time of day, I damn well may recommend you... or go back in the future...

parkave · May 5, 2003 10:25AM

In defense of my fellow coin dealers, many dealers are wholesale only and set up at the show to buy/trade strictly on that level. I am usually with my back to the table (or not at the table at all) because that is where I am reviewing potential deals in private. Many passers by seem to suffer from a sense of entitlement as if all deals should be dropped and full attention be given that very moment. It's just not possible. The retail/collector traffic, while important to all of us who do both retail/wholesale can sometimes be a bit impatient when asked to come back to the table. If you want to see a coin bad enough you will return when the dealer has a spare moment (which is rarer than some coins in the showcases!) to take the time to work with you.

Bottom line is we have two-four days (depending on the show) to conduct business and it is a highly competative and often stressfull grind. Blanket apologies to all you that feel ingnored.

Stand there with a checkbook in hand and you'll get the red carpet treatment

Legend · May 5, 2003 10:30AM

You guys missed cranky dealers.......

Darn I hate cranky dealers.......

On a serious note: It has been a proven FACT that dealers tend to get robbed more when they put price stickers on coins. Most of the bad guys have no clue otherwise as to what they are stealing. The most well known robbery was about 2 years ago when Tom Reynolds was targeted and robbed (several hundred miles from the show) because the theives could see the value of his coins.

Russ · May 5, 2003 11:02AM

<< He tells me I told you already you little sh!t that I won't be ready until tomorrow. If your not going to be here tomorrow, tough sh!t!" >>

Marty,

Are you serious? Or pulling our legs?

Russ, NCNE

Merc · May 5, 2003 11:20AM

Thanks for the stories. These are interesting to read.

I had a dealer laugh at me once because the thought I couldn't afford a 1942/41 dime in fine. I rejected the raw coin because it had been harshly cleaned. He is a small time dealer and my collection is worth far more than his entire inventory. I won't be adding any of his coins to my collection.

ChodeLee · May 5, 2003 11:39AM

My fav...eating food, having it all over your mouth and spraying food as you answer a question.

docday2003 · May 5, 2003 12:18PM

<< My fav...eating food, having it all over your mouth and spraying food as you answer a question. >>

Especially if they spray some of that food onto their raw coins which they are trying to sell you.

Elcontador · May 5, 2003 12:42PM

Only rarely do I have an unpleasant encounter with a dealer when at Long Beach. Oh, he / she might not have something I want or we may not agree on the price, but I don't consider that to be unpleasant.

But once in every show, a dealer will be sitting at his table speaking to a friend -- not doing business, this I could understand -- and ignoring me when I want to see something in his / her case. Last time, a guy had a 30P FH MS 66 SLQ I wanted to see. I waited nearly a full minute at his table, and then left, not to return. This guy couldn't give his coins away to me at any time in the future.

jadecoin · May 5, 2003 11:51PM

MadMarty, that sounds like despicable behavior on that dealer's part. Could you please PM the name of that dealer to me?

Oh, and thanks for stopping by on Friday. Enjoyed talking to you, and I hope you enjoyed the show.

- j c c

kranky · May 6, 2003 12:13AM

I wonder if the dealers who are only doing wholesale business could put a sign on their table to that effect. Then the collectors wouldn't have to waste their time.

Conder101 · May 6, 2003 3:11AM

I have seen such signs on dealers tables at some shows.

keets · May 6, 2003 3:32AM

6. Giving customers a nasty/rude look when you don't buy the item they handed you for review

rude people anywhere just suck!!

i was at the Ohio Coin Expo about a year and a half ago and asked a dealer if i could look through his proof sets. i was planning on buying, but evidently he was too impatient. after about 5 minutes he actually yanked a set out of my hands and told me i'd looked enough!! i bought elsewhere.

al h.

cladking · May 6, 2003 3:39AM

Many dealers are not careful enough with coins, they handle them
and drop them on the case or floor. Sometimes I'm tempted to buy
a coin just to give it a better home.

BillJones · May 6, 2003 4:37AM

The rudest remark a dealer ever made to me:

When I was about 25 years old in the mid 1970s, I politely asked a dealer if I could see a coin that was in his case at a show.

His answer was: “You can’t afford anything I’ve got in there.”

It was an interesting response since at the time I was regularly spending one to two thousand dollars for a single coin, which made me a pretty strong buyer for that point in time.

After I learned more about his pricing policies, I later concluded that he was right. This guy is still business, and part owner of one the largest firms. I have purchased coins from that firm, but I’ve still not forgotten the treatment I received from him that day.

Barry · May 6, 2003 5:56AM

To sum it up, dealers should take away from this thread:
You are in a customer service business. You treat customers poorly and you will suffer where it counts - in the pocketbook. Also, this discussion proves coin buyers have long memories about being treated poorly. Blow off a "kid" today, you may miss the opportunity for a big sale 10 years from now.

Okie · May 6, 2003 5:59AM

My one & only coin show experience so far was Charlotte in March of this year. I had a great time and no one treated me rudely.

However, I saw one of the dealers treat his MOTHER very rudely. It was embarrassing. Mom had come along to help sonny sell some coins. Sonny was a pushy, younger dealer who acted like a used car salesman. He called over to his mom and said "I don't know what your problem is, will you get up and sell to this gentleman?" I told mom I was just looking and that she shouldn't let him treat her that way.

Coppernicus · May 6, 2003 6:08AM

Dealers that annoy me are the ones that lounge around with their fat bellies, pinky rings, gold medallion neck chains and greased back hair while they pretend I don't exist. I stand there in my ratty blue jeans, Grateful Dead t-shirt (also ratty), gray (originally white) Reebok Court tennis shoes, with my ten for a dollar Bic pen stuck behind my ear, and my 39 cent spiral notebook in my left hand and my right hand in my front pocket grasping a nice-sized wad of C-notes. Then when wheeler-dealer comes up for air, and looks over at me with a sneer on his face, I ask him if he has any 1985 proof sets he can show me.

He returns to the depths.....

PTVETTER · May 6, 2003 6:18AM

As a dealer let me say this

QUIT STEALING MY COINS AT THE SHOWS

I try to treat everyone with respect and I have met with some on the board. I let everyone look at my coins, I can't and don't count the money customers have in the pockets. But it seem like everyother show someone rip me off...

Would you as a customer seeing someone steal something turn him/her in ??

Coppernicus · May 6, 2003 6:22AM

PTVETTER - I would turn them in!! I can't stand crooks! An overpriced dealer is not a crook in my book - just someone I will avoid.

stman · May 6, 2003 8:36AM

<< Dealers that annoy me are the ones that lounge around with their fat bellies, pinky rings, gold medallion neck chains and greased back hair while they pretend I don't exist >>

Still LMAO from the last time you mentioned this. And indeed it still is funny imo. I don't think the gold medallion neck chains were mentioned before. I do understand what you mean on this and at the Santa Clara show I think I seen a few of these type that you describe.

BigE · May 6, 2003 1:16PM

byego, many auto dealers are totally honest, so I take offense to your post. What do you sell?-------------funeral plots?-----------BigE

Gallienus · July 30, 2018 12:13PM

@greghansen said:
Yikes! I wonder how long it will take a dealer to post the Top 10 ways customers annoy at shows.

Min threshhold for a major US coin is $50,000. Any customer who spends 50K at a single time, preferably quickly and without asking any questions is okay; all others <50K, too picky, questions, young person, etc., piss them off.

BryceM · July 30, 2018 12:19PM

Zombie thread alert!

Insider2 · July 30, 2018 12:27PM

Zombie poster also! Where have you been @Gallienus?

PerryHall · July 30, 2018 12:50PM

Zombie thread or not, it's a great thread and worth reading. It's neat to see a lot of old forum members who are no longer with us.

jafo50 · July 30, 2018 12:53PM

@parkave said:
In defense of my fellow coin dealers, many dealers are wholesale only and set up at the show to buy/trade strictly on that level. I am usually with my back to the table (or not at the table at all) because that is where I am reviewing potential deals in private. Many passers by seem to suffer from a sense of entitlement as if all deals should be dropped and full attention be given that very moment. It's just not possible. The retail/collector traffic, while important to all of us who do both retail/wholesale can sometimes be a bit impatient when asked to come back to the table. If you want to see a coin bad enough you will return when the dealer has a spare moment (which is rarer than some coins in the showcases!) to take the time to work with you.

Bottom line is we have two-four days (depending on the show) to conduct business and it is a highly competative and often stressfull grind. Blanket apologies to all you that feel ingnored.

Stand there with a checkbook in hand and you'll get the red carpet treatment

Maybe you should post a sign at your booth stating "Wholesale Only" or "Dealing only with the Trade". I'm sure you'd look at things differently if your fellow dealers ignored you when you showed up at their booth. Just saying....

BillJones · July 30, 2018 12:58PM

I can ignore most of these points. Here are a couple with which I agree:

Ignoring customers with your back turned to the show floor

Yes, being ignored is annoying. What's more annoying is the comment, "You can't afford that," as if the guy knows anything about my net worth or the size of my bank account.

Putting stickers on slabs that leave residue and are difficult to remove

Most stuff comes off with "Goo Gone," but I had one instance where the stuff on the stickers ate into the plastic which forced me to get the coin re-holdered.

The coin was interesting piece, a 1903 McKinley commemorative gold dollar that was beautifully toned with P-L surfaces. It strongly resembles the rare Proofs (mintage 50) for this coin. For that reason I bought it, but I didn't count on having to spend another $65 in postage and re-holder charges.

I'll add one more.

Dealers who come back with the phase, "What do you want pay?" after you have asked for a quote. It's you merchandise; you price it.

mustangmanbob · July 30, 2018 1:02PM

Dealers who think they are smart enough to steal a few coins when they are looking at what I have to sell.

Top 10 List of ways coin dealers annoy at shows:

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