What was the most insulting offer you've ever rec'd for a coin..

goose3 · February 25, 2006 10:51PM

from a dealer OR collector?

ebaytrader · February 25, 2006 10:56PM

<< from a dealer OR collector? >>

Dealers rarely insult other dealers with stupid offers but collectors on the other hand...

RYK · February 25, 2006 10:56PM

I am not sure if insulting is the best word, but several months ago I offered a lot of six NGC-graded generic $20 Libs (AU-58 to MS-62) on the BST board as a group for a wholesale price, and a board member (collector), whom I do not know very well, asked for detailed pictures on all of them and offered below melt for the best one of the group...oh, and I was supposed to cover shipping, too.

goose3 · February 25, 2006 11:06PM

RYK the b/s/t is an odd place.

I will rarely post a problem free certified key date coin on there and have on occasion listed several. There's always the pm or 2 from dealers or part time dealers that begin with some song and dance about greysheet. Like I give a rats ass what greysheet says about true Key date coins. The ones I sell I would buy ALL day at greysheet.

I really only have a couple of instances where I felt insulted. One time was at the Baltimore show and I was attempting to shop my killer G6 Chain cent for a nice lower graded pcgs 1893s morgan with a certain well respected dealer. I felt I was being toyed with over the lack of this person to name a number. Later in the day, I left my chain with Wayneherdon to sell and he sold it within a few weeks for enough to buy nearly 4 of those morgans.

At the FUN show I was looking at some nice items and showed the dealer my 55/55, even though I would not consider trading it and told him so. He claimed it was in the "Wrong plastic" (older anacs) but acted as if he would be doing me a favor by giving me some paltry sum for it on trade for the very items he had just bought and marked up.

lakeshore · February 25, 2006 11:08PM

I was offered a crisp new $10 bill for my uncirculated 1901 $10 gold piece. I was told it would be much easier to spend the paper money than the gold piece. I was visiting New York as a teenager in the mid 60's and had just purchased the coin from another dealer for around $30; but I didn't tell the second dealer that I was a collector. (By the way, I still have the coin.)

LanLord · February 25, 2006 11:09PM

This has so many options.

I dreamed up possible ...

never mind.

xbob · February 25, 2006 11:10PM

I took my family hand-me-down coins to a show (Mostly worn 1921 Morgans) and was told by dealers that they were worth less than $10 each. These are old big silver coins. They must be worth hundreds if not thousands!!!!!

I am joking of course but how many times has that happened to non-collectors out there? A humbling introduction to the world of coin collecting.

66Tbird · February 25, 2006 11:21PM

dealer for sure. I quit going with stuff to sell. The last was an offer of $425 on a 1850 LC in ms 64 rd. But the common date graded seated dollar (au50) for $40 made me laugh while involuntary called him a a&&hole was good to.

coinpage · February 25, 2006 11:31PM

It's a Business, the most insulting offer is an offer never made after a lot or your time is wasted.

halfnut · February 25, 2006 11:34PM

Some time back I had a few MS66 Kennedys for sale on the bst board at a price that was 20% back of the E-bay average and I received a PM from a member that stated my price was twice what I shoud be selling them for. So his price would have been 7.00 and I had included shipping. I don't think so!! I sold them the next day for the price I started with and the buyer was more then happy to get them at that price. I now avoid this member's post's and I will not bid on his E-bay Auctions.

Dan

fc · February 25, 2006 11:41PM

i love this thread.

i have never sold a coin, but in other hobbies i sure have
ripped a few dealers on comic books. It goes both ways right?

Veep · February 25, 2006 11:41PM

Dealer at the local monthly show offered 50% of Bid for a rock-solid NGC-64 1932-S quarter. I sold it a week later for Bid. That was three years ago and thousands spent later, but I've never stopped at that dealer's table again.

jdimmick · February 25, 2006 11:45PM

When I decided to sell my PCGS 1799/8 Large cent I took it around to several dealers at the CSNS show last may. One of them offered 3600.00 for the coin. I later sold it for well over 5 figures.

Barry · February 25, 2006 11:49PM

2500 for a coin worth 25K

If you don't remember the thread, look here.

goose3 · February 25, 2006 11:51PM

I would suspect that there are quite a few PM's being exchanged already here.

BAJJERFAN · February 25, 2006 11:54PM

I don't remember numbers but the worst offer I have ever gotten was on the BS&T boards here. Did get insulted at a show once but since the item wasn't for sale I don't count it.

RYK · February 26, 2006 12:01AM

2500 for a coin worth 25K

If you don't remember the thread, look here.

Yes, Barry's was a hoot!

Shamika · February 26, 2006 12:04AM

I've had a few offers on coins that were about 1/3 what they should have been. I don't want to go into specifics.

Fairlaneman · February 26, 2006 12:06AM

Back in the 80's a offer of $1200 was made by a dealer for a set of Raw Merc Dimes that was missing only the 16D and 21D. I piece mealed out the set for over $6000.

More recently, also Mercs, I had 2 NGC boxes completely full of PCGS graded Mercs. One dime was pulled out and shown to a dealer. His bid was almost $200 back of Gray Sheet Bid for the coin. Wham, back into the box and out the door. Later on the coin shown to the dealer was sold for over Gray Sheet Ask. No it was not a common as dirt date. It was a very desirable semi key date.

Some times you can ignore stupid offers and sometimes they will stick with you forever. Also it seems as though just because you are selling coins the dealer thinks you "Must Sell" them.

Ken

kalch23 · February 26, 2006 12:07AM

I brought a slabbed NGC 63 quarter eagle and the dealer pulled out a June 2004 bluesheet to show me what it was worth.

100proof1957 · February 26, 2006 12:13AM

dealer !

i still buy from him but only if i think its a rip !

100proof1957 · February 26, 2006 12:17AM

Forgot about the last show i went to.

shopped a 57 Washy in NGC 68 CAM around

dealer says "thats a 40 dollar coin"

dont think so scooter !

clw54 · February 26, 2006 12:17AM

Not so much an offer as a comment about a raw 1955 DDO I showed him. He said it was very worn and beat up, about a VF. PCGS slabbed it AU55. Either this guy couldn't grade, which I doubt, or he routinely lowballed customers' coins out of habit. If he'd had it in his display case, it wouldn't have been marked VF.

FullStrike · February 26, 2006 1:15AM

A customer of mine wanted some product from me and wanted to pay with these funny silver Coins that said $100 on them. I never seen that kind of chit before so I allowed him $10 apiece on them. He had only five of them so I couldn't let him have the 8-ball he wanted but I gave him a couple good size stones.

Anyway I stopped by this Coin Dealer / bling merchant/ fence I knows and ask what he give me for the Coins. The sleezy old white man say he ain't never seem that chit before but he say he give me a dollar apiece for them cause they some foreign crap. I took it. To think I paid $10 for them, I swears you can't trust those crack-heads for nothin.

Anyways Last night I tried to drop some jewray off on the dealer and I saw he had my coins for sale for $1200.00 each. Thay was marked BU Platinum Eagle 1 oz. Stupid fences can't be trusted at all.

OffMetal · February 26, 2006 1:22AM

Not me, but my dad was showing a dealer the most beautiful 1992 11 cent double denomination in PCGS MS-67 a few years ago. It was a flipover, and both strikes showed equally. The dealer had to attend to another buyer looking at a few other things, and told is son (YN, about 13). The kid looked at it, and offered my dad $50. Of course my dad wasn't happy, but I told him not to worry, one because he was a kid, and another because he could a lot more starting it at $0.99 NR on eBay

-Ben

RegistryCoin · February 26, 2006 1:27AM

Probably the most insulting is when a dealer offers much, much less than you paid, for a coin that they recently sold to you.

LincolnCentMan · February 26, 2006 1:29AM

I had a bunch of unc wheats that I took to a show one time. The first dealer I went to started grading them.... xf40, au50, au50.... When he got about twelve deep, I told him to stop because I didnt want to waste his time. We didnt even get to the offer part. I guess he thought I was a sucker.

David

rhedden · February 26, 2006 1:38AM

I took an 1878-p Morgan dollar, Reverse of 1879, slabbed as MS-63 DMPL by ANACS, to a Baltimore show and offered it to a dealer who specializes in DMPL Morgans. It was deep, deep DMPL, not borderline at all, and had nice rim toning. Now that is a coin that is rare in DMPL in its own right, but it was also a R6 VAM variety that was denoted on the slab. The guy says "that MIGHT be worth half of what you want for it, MAYBE. He basically was offering 50% of 63 DMPL greysheet. He then proceeds to try to sell me som "real" DMPL's off his own table, which were priced at 3 times above Trends, and were mostly 1885-P and 1879-S common date junkers.

I was pretty peeved at the time. Bowers & Merena offered me almost twice his price (in other words, slightly below Bid) for the same coin for outright sale. Dealers like this need to realize that a well-informed collector will not come back to their table after being treated like that.

Dukie101 · February 26, 2006 1:50AM

$9 for a Buffalo Comm Dollar,said it was just a silver round!!!!

I have some good offers on the BST board,but have had some that were wild,with wild reasoning. And yeah-----don't quote me the greysheet on keydate coins either.

TommyType · February 26, 2006 2:13AM

Makes you appreciate the good dealers out there!

Example:

I was paring down some of the excess stuff we all tend to accumulate. Offered the lot to a dealer I really respect. Besides giving me fair prices on a large bunch of coins, there were these exchanges:

- VF-20 Fugio. "I really like to carry these, but they're really a specialist item. I'd suggest you check with (respected copper dealer)."

- Really nice, lusterous, AU Shield Nickel. "What are you grading this?"
My reply. "I'd say high end AU....probably 58."
Him. "Ok. Then we're talking about the same coin." In other words, he went out of his way to NOT offend me by knocking a coin that COULD have been called MS.

A pleasure to deal with because he doesn't treat collectors as inferiors!!

notlogical · February 26, 2006 2:14AM

A dealer told my dad once that he would give him "melt value" for his set of 1986-2005 PCGS MS69 Silver eagles because "boullion in plastic isn't worth anything". I'm not going to say what my dad said

WTCG · February 26, 2006 2:42AM

I have received many insulting offers for coins in the past, especially when I was still predominately a collector (and a young guy at the same time). One time one of the largest gold dealers in the country once offered me 40% below melt price for my slabbed MS63 Saints. Another time I was offered $150 for a Proof Seated Dollar in PR64.

One incident worth mentioning occurred last month at a coin show in San Jose, CA. A dealer (a moron from Orange County, CA who I'm not fond of to begin with) walks up to my table asking to see two nicely toned slabbed Proof Liberty Nickels. He asks me what my prices are. He listens then pulls out his Bluesheet and tells me what Bluesheet bid is and if I can let him have the coins for Bluesheet bid. I proceed to tell him where in his body he can stick his Bluesheet. It should also be known that this dealer is some one who frequently quotes me prices for his coins at over 50% to 100% over Greysheet bid for widget caliber coins. In a conversation in the past he once told me that he's had trouble buying coins at "dealer" prices.

TwoSides2aCoin · February 26, 2006 2:55AM

<< A dealer told my dad once that he would give him "melt value" for his set of 1986-2005 PCGS MS69 Silver eagles because "boullion in plastic isn't worth anything". I'm not going to say what my dad said

>>

i always laughed, I guess I never considered it an insult unless he used duragatory words toward me, where women have tended to offer fairer prices, probably cuz i'm so cute

.... but then again, nobody sees me on ebay where everything starts at face value (cuz that's what money is worth).... and ends up in a sniper's hand.

Coinosaurus · February 26, 2006 3:21AM

I had a dealer guy offer me face value for the non-silver coins in my early 1960s proof sets.

Sometimes it is better to not make an offer at all.

tjkillian · February 26, 2006 3:33AM

I had a dealer offer about 10% below melt for my PCGS MS-63 St. Gaudens, common date.

Tom

kiyote · February 26, 2006 3:48AM

$30 over melt for a 2004 half oz proof platinum. "No one buys these things, I can't see why anyone would pay over spot for platinum." This was 6 months ago...

Coin Finder · February 26, 2006 4:15AM

I oft hear these words from coin shops:

When buying

"Well it,s a pretty thin market" = low ball offer

" Modern Mint stuff never holds these prices" = I will not buy but I will give you issue price

When Selling

" I haven't had one of those in here in 20 years" = high price way above trends

Same coin 2 months later brought in to sell:

"Well it's a pretty thin market for these" = low ball offer

" Well I have one of those already" = I will buy it for way under greysheet bid

Buying silver/gold or selling:

"I don't buy on Saturday" = market is closed and I may lose on this deal come back on Monday when I can win.

"this coin has been worked on" = I will give pennies on the dollar fo this coin, have my buddy recolor it and sell for greysheet bid.

" I don't buy slabbed coins" = I will buy it after I take a few points or grades off, crack it and put the original grade back on and sell it for bid.

There are many others and they all insult me.

Tbig

busco69 · February 26, 2006 4:22AM

I had a dealer offer 15 dollars for a 1883 liberty nickel ms 65 in a old INS holder, sold it on ebay for around a hundred dollars but that was awhile back.

MWallace · February 26, 2006 4:38AM

A dealer once offered me below face value for a group of Mint Sets.

Fairlaneman · February 26, 2006 5:23AM

<< I have received many insulting offers for coins in the past, especially when I was still predominately a collector (and a young guy at the same time). One time one of the largest gold dealers in the country once offered me 40% below melt price for my slabbed MS63 Saints. Another time I was offered $150 for a Proof Seated Dollar in PR64.

One incident worth mentioning occurred last month at a coin show in San Jose, CA. A dealer (a moron from Orange County, CA who I'm not fond of to begin with) walks up to my table asking to see two nicely toned slabbed Proof Liberty Nickels. He asks me what my prices are. He listens then pulls out his Bluesheet and tells me what Bluesheet bid is and if I can let him have the coins for Bluesheet bid. I proceed to tell him where in his body he can stick his Bluesheet. It should also be known that this dealer is some one who frequently quotes me prices for his coins at over 50% to 100% over Greysheet bid for widget caliber coins. In a conversation in the past he once told me that he's had trouble buying coins at "dealer" prices. >>

Don't ya just love it when someone LOOKS at your coins and then pulls out the BLUE Sheet and offers even less than the sheet price ? I had a dealer in Oregon do this once. To this day I have not spoke to him or even stopped at his table at shows or his shop. Before the incident I always made it a point to look at his stuff.

Ken

BigBen · February 26, 2006 5:40AM

No wonder all these dealers are complaining about small margins, shrinking customer base, sales tax, etc. It sounds like most of them have the political sense of a president selling our ports to a govt-owned Arab company that still doesn't recognize Israel as a country during a most critical election year! Being serious though, business is about relationships and trust, and if most coin dealers and resellers act like this when dealing with others, then yes they are going to have problems

I would love to find a shop that all the good attributes of a good business, as I would rather deal with them and I'm sure many other would too. Maybe the coin biz is like the computer biz, in that alot of folks who are good at the job are in it but have terrible social sensibilities. Dealers please read our posts!!

BulletBiter · February 26, 2006 6:10AM

About 18 months ago I was at a local show and had brought a few duplicate Morgan’s I had and wanted to get rid of, an 84-O in 63, 86 in 63, and an 81-S in 64 all in PCGS holders. The first couple of tables that I stopped at I got quotes of about what I thought I would get for them at a show, but nether had anything that I was looking for so I passed on the deals and moved on. The 3rd table I stopped at, who did have some stuff I was looking for. I asked him if he was buying or be interested in trades. He asked to see what I had, so I showed him. He looks at me and says, well I don’t think a trade is in order, but I'll give you $35 for the lot. $10 apiece for the 63’s and $15 for the 64. That was about all the trying to sell I did for the day. On a positive note, I did find something I was looking for so it wasn’t a total waste of time.

BlindedByEgo · February 26, 2006 6:14AM

I sat down with a retired fellow and his wife and went through their coins with them. I made them a fair offer, and asked if they understood that they could sign up on Ebay and make 30% more. They said that they understood, and then showed me two offers, one from a local dealer and one from a nationallly known dealer working off of a very detailed list.

The first offer was for a third of my offer (where even with no upgrade bonanza I had 35%), the other local offer was for 50%.

They were happy with me, but it left a bad taste in their mouths for almost being ripped.

Now I have a local dealer I work with who, for example, sold me a certified set of Peace dollars, 63's and 64's. Calls me up 6 months later, says he has a buyer who REALLY wants the set, would I be interested in selling it - he knows that they're nice. Doesn't try and use the sheet, basically offers me twice what I paid - no haggling.

That's the kind of guy I want to work with for the rest of my life.

LincolnsRule · February 26, 2006 6:28AM

I'm not insuleted by it, but I was looking for $5500 for a coin and got a serious offer of $250 for it.

ColonialCoinUnion · February 26, 2006 6:42AM

I have been insulted in the past not by a low dollar figure offer by someone who doesn't know better, but by dealers from whom I bought a coin who then have had no interest in buying it back at anywhere near the level for which they sold it to me.

I think thats just bad business.

I've sold some coins and I've been proud enough to represent them once and I'd be proud enough to buy them back at some level close to the selling price.

mozin · February 26, 2006 6:46AM

There are only two dealers to whom I would offer to sell. Eveything else goes to auction houses.

In answer to the thread question, I cannot remember, since it was so long ago that I offered anything to another dealer. It did not take many attempts until I learned I couldn't stand trying to sell to coin dealers.

cho10 · February 26, 2006 6:59AM

$4100 for 6 coins (ANACS slabbed) worth more than $10,000 (all Morgans fairly low grade but still 2 1893-S, 2 1889-CC and 2 1893-CC).
I eventually sold the 6 together for $11,000 after turning down some intermediate sums.

FullStrike · February 26, 2006 8:24AM

<< $30 over melt for a 2004 half oz proof platinum. "No one buys these things, I can't see why anyone would pay over spot for platinum." This was 6 months ago... >>

A brick at Halloween should even-up the score. Everyone will think it a random teen-age delinquent act of stupidity.

pontiacinf · February 26, 2006 8:39AM

<< I would suspect that there are quite a few PM's being exchanged already here.

>>

oh man that was my first thought reading this

keoj · February 26, 2006 8:59AM

Many years ago when I was starting out, a dealer offered me $500 for a AU-50 1799/8 early dollar. Unfortuately I took the deal. I was an idiot but I still feel like I got completely and unethicly fleeced.

keoj

Barry · February 26, 2006 9:02AM

The dealers just hurt themsleves in the long run.

My inlaws had some coins they wanted to sell. They wouldn't even consider selling to a dealer, knowing the general reputations.

What was the most insulting offer you've ever rec'd for a coin..

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