Rude Local Dealer

itsnotjustme · October 26, 2003 9:56AM

Lsat night I made my last visit ever to one of two local dealers. This store has a small coin counter in the back. Normally just has raw material... saw 4 slabs for the first time ever. Only 1 reputable (NGC $10 Lib in MS62 overpriced by $100).

Anyhow, after looking the raw coins over from outside the case (rotating display case), I asked to look at a few in person. I had all my coins to look at ready so he could just open the case one time. Here's as best memory serves me... I may have a couple mixed up, but all had something wrong or did not make the grade assigned.

1804 Half Cent in AG $30 - Multiple bad scratches (gouges) across the face.
1807 Half Cent in F $70 - Badly corroded reverse
1865 3CN MS63 $110 - Looked polished or whizzed
1966 or 67 3CN in MS63 w die clash $110 - probably AU58
1887 Liberty Nickel MS60+ $80 - problems

The overall examination of these coins took no more than 3 minutes, start to finish. After I passed on all of them, and was walking away. He mumbles to the effect of "People just looking for overdates like they are the only one who knows about them. Waste of my time." I know he knew I would hear him. I had my 3 year old daughter with me, and didn't say anything back. I was not looking for overgrades, I was looking for problem free coins worthy of being slabbed and added to my set.

Once before he grumbled about people trying to pick out the MS67s before he got to properly grade/price them. Well, to my great satisfaction I picked up an 1954-S Roosevelt marked MS65+ for about $2.50 six months ago. It now resides in a PCGS MS67 slab.

I swear I will not visit his shop again.

jonesy · October 26, 2003 10:10AM

You might want to go back to eyeball those Roosies again!!

wingedliberty · October 26, 2003 10:20AM

Whether you were looking for overdates or overgrades, its really a shame that this is the kind of ignoramus maximus that you had to encounter. Unfortunatly our hobby is filled with this kind of obtuse dealer. Congradulations on the upgrade

Placid · October 26, 2003 10:22AM

airplanenut · October 26, 2003 10:22AM

I'm a YN... we always piss off dealers more... what's his addy?

coinkat · October 26, 2003 10:28AM

go to more shows and you will have more fun.

Coinosaurus · October 26, 2003 10:30AM

A pity, there are so few coin shops left that it is a real shame when the person behind the counter is unpleasant.

stman · October 26, 2003 10:30AM

In the past I hated this type of dealer you speak of. These days I get a kick out of the old grumpy ones and look at it as entertainment. Serious, I would rather have some old grumpy guy that doesn't want to get up off his perch.... than what I call the new wave dealers and everything they have is PQ, MONSTER, and let's not forget RAINBOW.

DragonAzz · October 26, 2003 10:33AM

Years ago I was in a similar coin shop with my very young step-daughter. I passed on the things I might have been interested in. As I was leaving the proprietor grumbled a remark about "time-wasting tire kickers."

As I was almost to the door my young step-daughter asked loudly, "Daddy, can we go to a real coin store?"

DHeath · October 26, 2003 10:40AM

I've got one here who showed me an album set of Franklins assembled from rolls. As I was looking at the reverse of the first page, he said "they've all got bells on them". Then he told me how he used to sell stamps, but he quit because the stamp guys would come in and look for an hour and not buy anything.

I've got another dealer who lets me browse the entire inventory at a table and help myself. He prices from bid. Guess which one gets my money.

DAM · October 26, 2003 10:40AM

A similar situation happend to me about 12 years ago. I felt belittled by a local dealer who, in my opinion, was beating his chest about what he knew concerning large cents rather than assisting/teaching me. This wasn't the first time this happened.

Needless to say he has never received another cent from me.

All collectors want is some help and to learn.

barberlover · October 26, 2003 11:13AM

Rude behavior knows no occupation, no income, no race, no religion, no sex. Anyone can by rude or mean. Anyone can be nice.

The golden rule is something I still believe in and people who treat me well will be treated well by me to begin with, on the other hand people who deliberatly say or do rude things to me do not go unanswered in like manner.

A coin dealer at the central states show in Minneapolis 3 years ago had a bust gold eagle in M.S. 64 I wanted to look at, his responce was "it's 50,000 dollars" meaning don't waste my time peasant!!! then he walked away from me without another word, I guess he vdidn't need to share in the lowly 9,000 dollars I spent that day, after all that level of money was beneath him.

Les

bigtonydallas · October 26, 2003 11:23AM

If I find a rude dealer, I make it a point to go back and cherry a variety and let them know about it.

keets · October 26, 2003 11:33AM

rude coin dealers who are poor businessmen would be rude and poor businessmen in whatever field of endeavor they choose. it's to our detriment that they chose this hobby. the only solution is the choice you've made, go elsewhere.

al h.

GaCoinGuy · October 26, 2003 2:14PM

Sadly, there are some here who shall remain nameless who actually support and defend this type of dealer..............glass houses, folks.....glass houses.

construct · October 26, 2003 5:47PM

I don't pretend to defend the dealer you were working with, but let me tell another story.

There was a dealer in my town, now retired. He had a reputation for being brusque. But I could look at his coins in the rotating case. I could look through his junk boxes. His grading was very conservative, but his prices were full retail for his grade. I loved going to his shop. His staff would not bother me, but they were friendly and would answer questions. One time I asked him about gold counterfiets. He said, "Take a look at this" and threw a quarter eagle lib. at me. I caught it. He said, "Not all of them are that obvious. Show him this one, Ben." He handed Ben an Indian half eagle. Ben showed me how the stars were the give-away.

I loved going to that shop. I even found a 1903-S dime in AG in a junk box. I got it for half a dollar. Personality doesn't matter a bit to me. Fairness is all I ask for.

EvilMCT · October 26, 2003 9:56PM

Yesterday I checked out a local dealer. Everything in the shop was marked at or above an MS65 price for complete junk. His inventory that was displayed consisted of approximatelt 85% state quarters, with the rest being mostly junk. In one case he had about 15 of the reddest IHC I had ever seen, 1 of which may have graded as high as VG. When asked, he mention how rare these BU IHC were these day's. Then I noticed that he had some proof sets. Since I didn't need any that he had displayed, I asked about mint sets. He walked me back over to the proof sets and pointed. I tried to explain the difference, but he was clueless. Overall, the dealer was pleasant to talk to and eager to help. Unfortunately, he didn't use his energies to learn the hobby first.

Ken

1jester · October 26, 2003 11:24PM

"As I was almost to the door my young step-daughter asked loudly, "Daddy, can we go to a real coin store?"" --D-azz

Classic!!!

TayTay · October 26, 2003 11:50PM

A pity, there are so few coin shops left that it is a real shame when the person behind the counter is unpleasant.

And a good number of the ones that are no longer around probably had unpleasant employees, and wonder what went wrong. Amazing how so many people don't realize how far good customer service could carry them. I have heard at sometime of a 1-10-100 rule, in that 1 upset person will tell 10, those 10 tell 10 more, etc. Then because you po'ed one person, you kept 100 out of your shop.

TheNumish · October 26, 2003 11:50PM

Hey Construct--

The retired dealer you are talking about is a great guy. Fair prices, fair grading and he treated everyone the same way. If a little old lady walked in his store he'd pay her a fair price even if he could get away with paying nothing. If you wanted to go through his tubes of circulated 1919-S Lincolns and pick out the perfect VF he'd have no problem letting you take all day. I just think his gruff exterior was just the way he came off. I don't think he ever meant to be that way.

Shamika · October 26, 2003 11:54PM

"Once before he grumbled about people trying to pick out the MS67s before he got to properly grade/price them. Well, to my great satisfaction I picked up an 1954-S Roosevelt marked MS65+ for about $2.50 six months ago. It now resides in a PCGS MS67 slab."

Not to excuse his rude behavior, but it appears he knows a thing or two about ulterior motives.

Rude Local Dealer

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