Anyone ever been to JJ TeaParty shop?

Rampage · February 17, 2012 10:47PM

I am heading there today and was wondering what to expect. I am here from Florida for a little while so thought I would poke around different stores in the area.

Thanks.

shorecoll · February 17, 2012 11:07PM

The shop is disappointing unless you prearrange a backstage tour. The shop I believe is now mostly for bullion. I went there once in the old days before the transition and it was much better than now.

Whit · February 17, 2012 11:27PM

Good morning: I was there in very early January, a diversion from a professional conference I was attending. The shop was rather small, dark, with little on display. I asked about Walkers, but much of their inventory was at the FUN show. Now, on the same short stretch of street, you will find two or three other coin shops. As with J.J.T., no big displays to speak of, so be prepared to answer the question, "Can I show you something?" when you walk in. I did purchase a nice problem-free 17-D Merc in fine for a matched set I'm building.

Whit

DIMEMAN · February 18, 2012 12:38AM

I was there in 2005. It is in a very neat part of old Boston. The shop itself is not that much...just neat and small.

Bochiman · February 18, 2012 1:21AM

A year and a half ago.
Small, tight, confined. Not many can fit in there at the same time.
Nothing special in the cases but you can ask and see if they have anything in that they can show you.
I overpaid for a nice half-cent that had come in that weekend from a show and hadn't gone off for inventory yet.
Dont' expect the items from the website to be in the shop unless you let them know ahead of time that you would like to see something specific and are coming.

Getting there should be done by walking from the Commons, imho, as there are too many tight one-way "alleys" (streets).

I felt like Harry Potter going down Diagon Alley walking those narrow spaces

pcgs69 · February 18, 2012 2:53AM

What others have said. I'm not sure how much inventory they actually keep there...

There wasn't even a name on in front of the door when I was there in 2004 or so. Just the street number.

MFH · February 18, 2012 4:34AM

Everything said is 100% true.

Without an appointment - its a waste of time.
Liz doesn't work weekends - and most of the
coins are kept off premise. Only Gail knows the
location - and she's hiding somewhere in the
mountains of New Hampshire shoveling snow.

They are basically a mail order shop now but
a major force on the bourse floor.

Lakesammman · February 18, 2012 5:49AM

Yep - would enjoy the environs and maybe have a pic taken at the entrance, if you're so inclined. O/W, not much reason to go.

Smitty67 · February 18, 2012 5:53AM

I bought some stuff from them at the FUN show. Very nice and friendly staff.

rec78 · February 18, 2012 5:55AM

I was there in the mid-1970's once--Apparently not much has changed-Just a little hole in the wall shop.

garrynot · February 18, 2012 5:58AM

Ditto all that was said. I was in there, said hello to the person behind the counter and that was about it. I was walking all around Boston anyway. Nothing on display except a few raw coins. I saw some currency tacked up on the wall. I have bought a bunch of stuff frpom them though. Great dealer.

BillJones · February 18, 2012 6:31AM

The shop as been at that location at the time I moved to Boston in 1979. I've been there a few times since I moved to Florida and did not see much for sale that interested me. In the old days they had some wonderful coins, but you had to ask. Now I guess you would need an appointment to see the good stuff.

Here's a really nice 1801 half dime I bought there years ago.

howards · February 18, 2012 8:37AM

I was there sometime in the eighties. I remember two things about it:

1) Small and cramped
2) I bought a copy of the VAM book, which was long out of print at the time and I'd been searching for one. (This was before VAMs became popular.)

Rampage · February 18, 2012 8:46AM

I went there this morning and was not impressed at all, and the two folks there were less than helpful.

jdimmick · February 18, 2012 8:52AM

Ease up with critizing there business. They are not a b & M shop. They are 100% National show dealers and great people.

Just like my shop, small B & M, who literally has nothing in the shop to offer, yet we did over 2 1/2 million last year. Todays business is done away from the store front, except on the buying side.

But I am toying with the idea of closing the store front and doing hotel buying next year only. That way I only have to work a few days a month.

tightbudget · February 18, 2012 9:22AM

It's like a typical B&M shop. There's really not too much special; you won't see the stuff you see in their online inventory in the store unless you arrange in advance. If you're looking for gold and silver coins though, they do have a good selection of those.

GeorgeKellogg · February 18, 2012 9:30AM

You might consider signing up for their Email Newsletter. It's entertaining, full of new purchases, and comes out frequently. They are also good about posting photos of coins on their web site.

TwoSides2aCoin · February 18, 2012 10:40AM

would prefer their coins to bags of dreck coming in by the pound.

Spooly · February 18, 2012 11:40AM

I have bought a lot from JJ Teaparty over the internet. Great dealers.

jedm · February 18, 2012 12:05PM

<< <i>I have bought a lot from JJ Teaparty over the internet. Great dealers. >>

I have the same opinion. I am very pleased with them.

Billet7 · February 18, 2012 1:08PM

<< <i>I have bought a lot from JJ Teaparty over the internet. Great dealers. >>

For sure they are great dealers with great inventory, I don't think anyone is arguing that point.

perkdog · February 18, 2012 1:48PM

I havnt been there since the early 80's, I was around 10-12 years old and my memory was of a decent sized oriental man behind the counter with a gun holstered at his side.

BillJones · February 18, 2012 10:51PM

One of the things you have to bear in mind is that having a ground level store in Boston entails risks. If it got a around that they had a couple million dollars worth of rare coins in their cases or on the premises would be a invitation to a robbery or burglary. Having a few tens of thousands of gold and silver bullion around is bad enough.

When the Worthy Coin bid wall existed in Boston, coins were stolen off it from time to time despite the best efforts of a the management to prevent it. It’s just the natural of trying to deal with small and valuable items in the heart of a metropolitan area.

Rampage · February 18, 2012 11:45PM

<< <i>One of the things you have to bear in mind is that having a ground level store in Boston entails risks. If it got a around that they had a couple million dollars worth of rare coins in their cases or on the premises would be a invitation to a robbery or burglary. Having a few tens of thousands of gold and silver bullion around is bad enough.

When the Worthy Coin bid wall existed in Boston, coins were stolen off it from time to time despite the best efforts of a the management to prevent it. It’s just the natural of trying to deal with small and valuable items in the heart of a metropolitan area. >>

You make a very valid point.

johnny9434 · February 19, 2012 4:49AM

<< <i>Everything said is 100% true.

Without an appointment - its a waste of time.
Liz doesn't work weekends - and most of the
coins are kept off premise. Only Gail knows the
location - and she's hiding somewhere in the
mountains of New Hampshire shoveling snow.

They are basically a mail order shop now but
a major force on the bourse floor. >>

thats what i have found out as well. there web site is the place to check out. jmo and happy hunting

Anyone ever been to JJ TeaParty shop?

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