It's important, even if it is a liteside issue.

satootoko · October 22, 2004 2:53PM

Link

Conder101 · October 23, 2004 4:10AM

Sorry, not important. And why report it to the Secret Service? "Hello Secret Service? Yes there's this company called National Collectors Mint that is marketing gold plated copies of a 1929 half eagle marked COPY just like they are supposed to by the Hobby Protection Act. No, they aren't doing anything illegal. Well can't you shut them down anyway? You can't. They have to be breaking the law first. Ok, I'll try the Postal Inspector." "Hello, Postal Inspector? There's a company selling gold plated copies of US coins for $20 dollars. Are they marked copy? Yes. Do they say they are maked copy? Yes. Do they mention that they are only gold plated? Well yes, but not real clearly. But they aren't worth $20, and the buyers will not be able to get their money back out of them when they sell them. There's no law that says you can't offer an item for any price you want, and you don't have to guarantee that the buyer will be able to sell it for more than they paid. Oh, in fact if they DO guarantee that then THAT would be illegal. So you can't go ahead and shut them down? Ok, thanks anyway."

satootoko · October 23, 2004 8:18AM

<< <i>marketing gold plated copies of a 1929 half eagle marked COPY >>

I guess I must be going blind. Would you mind pointing out where the word "copy" appears on any of their tokens?

Aethelred · October 23, 2004 8:29AM

<< <i>But they aren't worth $20, and the buyers will not be able to get their money back out of them when they sell them. >>

Chances are the buyers will never be able to sell the crap they buy from those shysters. When people bring stuff like that into the shop where I work I always explain the "real coin collectors are not interested in copies of coins" and send them packing.

lordmarcovan · October 23, 2004 8:37AM

Do y'all get a lot of that garbage coming into the shop?

I notice they do not show the "COPY" stamp on that fake $10 Indian, even though in the TV ad, you can briefly see it on the reverse as they rotate the coin around.

There can be no doubt of this company's desire to fleece the unwary, even when they are careful not to violate any actual laws.

Aethelred · October 23, 2004 9:33AM

We do see as lot of junk that people are sure is worth a fortune. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I refuse to sugar coat the issue just to spare a customer disappointment.

ajaan · October 23, 2004 10:14AM

From the ad:

<< <i>All tributes to original coins contain the "copy" designation as mandated by federal law. >>

lordmarcovan · October 23, 2004 10:24AM

Yes, buried down at the bottom of the page in small text. I find it noteworthy that the stamp is not shown in the picture.

One will probably not catch these folks in a blatantly illegal act- they're too slick for that.

I don't have a problem with their products, actually. It's the way they market them.

guysmy · October 23, 2004 10:39AM

These people are not doing anything wrong. Sure, they are selling junk, but they are selling it cheap. It's just sad that the people that are buying it are the uneducated and the poor.

It's important, even if it is a liteside issue.

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