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 Replies: 26 / Views: 5,126 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4870 Posts |
Listening to that Robert Chambers is ANNOYING! Plus they seem to over hype the coins they sell.
David
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Forum Mom
 United States
5877 Posts |
While I have seen coins hyped on TV like gold-plated State Quarters (which, in my opinion, are barely worth their original .25 as they are now altered), I have also noticed that they are starting to sell NGC and ICG graded coins. Yes, their prices are still a little high, but at least with those, you are looking at coins that will probably at least hold their current value, if not increase. I'll never forget the show for the raw BU Morgans that the guy was handling all over the place, though. The woman kept yelling at him to put it down. It was hysterical. The coin must have had 5-6 fingerprints on the surfaces by the time the guy was done. Actually, it was the next show I watched that they were selling slabbed coins - maybe they just wanted to protect the coins from big, old fat fingers?  |
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Valued Member
Canada
195 Posts |
I have no experience with the shows you are talking about because I don't get them here but I would like to share my experience with our "Shopping Channel" There is a dealer from Toronto who comes to the Shopping Channel four or five times a year.The prices he charges are sometimes considerably more than the accepted retail value. Free market and buyer beware aside here is my problem with the way he operates.The information in his presentation is,while not exactly untrue,very misleading. I will give my favourite example (those of you who know me from C.T. will have seen this before). The Royal Canadian Mint started in 1971 producing what they call a "prestige proof set".The quality in both the coins and the presentation has improved a great deal over the years and the price for a 2005 set is about $80.00.The issue price in 1970 was $12.00 and catalogue values for set from the 70's is still mostly under $20.00.Even into the mid 90's with one exception(the 1991 which is never sold in these offerings)the CCN trends prices are still under $40.00.They now offer a group of from 5 to 20 of these early sets at an avergae price of about $50.00 and tell you what a great deal it is "compared to current issue price" the most often used phrase in all the shows. So you are being sold a $20.00 set for $50.00 and are led to beleive that you are saving $30.00.It may not be dishonest but I certainly think it's unethical. That's my rant Bill |
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Forum Mom
United States
5877 Posts |
I agree with you - it's very shady and misleading, though not an outright lie. However, these guys ramble on and on and people only listen to about every other word, so I'm sure that many only heard $80 value, $50 purchase and end up feeling like they got a great deal. Couple that with the high-pressure sales on TV ("call in the next 5 minutes and you will get an additional xx") and you've got the makings of a nice little scam on your hands.  |
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Rest in Peace
United States
2884 Posts |
Hello Fellow Forum Folks! My Curiosity has got the best of me. Why has everyone skipped commenting on Littleton's? (Remember, the T.V. gang uses Littleton prices as their benchmark) They are just as bad and every bit as misleading to the uneducated buyer. I know many people that have been surprised by an invoice for the "special packet" of coins they never ordered! Again, they have another "layer" in the company in that they also cater to the serious collector and at that level are mostly a very fine company. But they will waylay the new guy and never blink! I wonder how many "type sets" of G4 or G8 coins they have duped the new guy with at highly inflated prices. They also sell all of the "painted and plated crap" the T.V. shows sell. The points I am making are not to defend shady sales practices. At least the T.V. guys give you 30 days to bail out if you feel like you got screwed. I have not seen that anywhere on ebay! I think I have brought up many valid points that have gone unanswered because there is no real answer for people who choose to make the same errors over and over again! I won't comment any more (except in fun) about my "Down Home Boys" as it's no fun always being in the minority on this subject!  WAH WAH!!!Mike See todays (5-15,16) signature below, that says it all!!!!! Edited by Mike
05/15/2005 2:19 pm
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Forum Mom
United States
5877 Posts |
quote:
Originally posted by Mike
Hello Fellow Forum Folks! My Curiosity has got the best of me. Why has everyone skipped commenting on Littleton's? (Remember, the T.V. gang uses Littleton prices as their benchmark) They are just as bad and every bit as misleading to the uneducated buyer. I know many people that have been surprised by an invoice for the "special packet" of coins they never ordered! Again, they have another "layer" in the company in that they also cater to the serious collector and at that level are mostly a very fine company. But they will waylay the new guy and never blink! I wonder how many "type sets" of G4 or G8 coins they have duped the new guy with at highly inflated prices. They also sell all of the "painted and plated crap" the T.V. shows sell. The points I am making are not to defend shady sales practices. At least the T.V. guys give you 30 days to bail out if you feel like you got screwed. I have not seen that anywhere on ebay! I think I have brought up many valid points that have gone unanswered because there is no real answer for people who choose to make the same errors over and over again! I won't comment any more (except in fun) about my "Down Home Boys" as it's no fun always being in the minority on this subject! WAH WAH!!!Mike
See todays (5-15,16) signiture below, that says it all!!!!!
Mike, you have made some valid points. I was never able to watch your two guys because it turned out we didn't get PAX. I was very disappointed. With your description of how they operate though, they sound like an exception to the rule and good for the hobby besides. There are a lot of dealers with over-priced coins and shady, misleading descriptions (I think there is some type of poetic license for advertising). The HSN guys get targeted more often because they are more visible. I personally can't knock Littleton because, after my grandfather got me interested in coins, he had a massive stroke, so we couldn't continue in the hobby together. As a child, I saw the Littleton ads and spent $1 here and $1 there in order to continue to collect. Yes, I ended up with a bunch of junk, but it kept me interested in the hobby and I always liked the history and descriptions that they included on their little packets. I found Littleton to be very friendly and easy to deal with as a child and will therefore always have fond memories of them. I know that a lot of what they sell now is overpriced and I wouldn't purchase from them now for that reason, but I will always have a soft spot in my heart for Littleton since they kept my interest in the hobby alive. |
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Rest in Peace
United States
2884 Posts |
Littleton's, like many companies have had to change with the times. I as well bought odds and ends from them out of magazines. They were one of main ways to aquire coins outside of a dealer when I was a kid.. I have no real slam against them because they do deliver what they advertise even if it is overpriced. I was merely being illustrative. Mike
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2724 Posts |
Mike,
The shopathome channel uses the American Historical Society catalog for their prices, not Littleton.
Littleton is a valid coin group if used with common sense. They are grossly OVERPRICED in their catalog, but are very agressively priced at the shows. They are very strict in their grading, and are often among the best buyers in the country.
I do not suggest using them outside of a show.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4870 Posts |
Do you think the proof sets offered by the Coin Vault are cherry picked from each set then reassembled with a slightly lesser quality coin?
David
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2724 Posts |
NO. They move in quantity and could care less about the individual coins. I have met their buyers many times over the years, and they pay the BEST money on the show floor. They tell enough of the truth to get sales, and they sell a ton of coins each and every month.
We (collectors and dealers) allow this to happen because we do not spread the truth to our friends and family and people we interact with.
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Rest in Peace
United States
2884 Posts |
ND, Paul Chambers has on many occasions picked up a Littleton’s Catalogue and thumbed through it spouting off prices. (They often feign using the " RedBook") A few years ago, before Mr. Chambers became the guru of T.V. coins he answered an e-mail question of mine relating to this subject and provided Littleton's as the source of their price comparisons (maybe he lied to me). In all of the posts I have made on this forum about Littleton’s, I always mention the other level of the hobby they work in and that they are tough graders. A rip off is a rip off whether it be Littleton’s or Shop at Home. So the S&H Buyers pay top dollar on the floor. I wonder who sells to these unscrupulous thugs? I think anyone in business that wants to make money. So Littleton’s gets a pass on their catalogues as long as they’re good and aggressive on the floors. That somehow makes up for raking the innocents across the coals in their catalogue sales! Something is not adding up here! Mike [:0] |
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Valued Member
Canada
195 Posts |
Not surprisingly, the guy I mentioned in my post is also known for paying top dollar at shows.
Bill
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2724 Posts |
quote:
Originally posted by Mike
ND, Paul Chambers has on many occasions picked up a Littleton’s Catalogue and thumbed through it spouting off prices. (They often feign using the " RedBook") A few years ago, before Mr. Chambers became the guru of T.V. coins he answered an e-mail question of mine relating to this subject and provided Littleton's as the source of their price comparisons (maybe he lied to me). In all of the posts I have made on this forum about Littleton’s, I always mention the other level of the hobby they work in and that they are tough graders. A rip off is a rip off whether it be Littleton’s or Shop at Home. So the S&H Buyers pay top dollar on the floor. I wonder who sells to these unscrupulous thugs? I think anyone in business that wants to make money. So Littleton’s gets a pass on their catalogues as long as they’re good and aggressive on the floors. That somehow makes up for raking the innocents across the coals in their catalogue sales! Something is not adding up here! Mike [:0]
Mike, You are correct. Bad dealers are bad dealers. I have never shied away from telling it like it is, and won't begin anytime soon. |
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Rest in Peace
United States
2884 Posts |
ND, you are the man! Thanks, Mike
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2724 Posts |
I have posted lists of who I recommend before, and I guess that I will here very soon. When I recommend a dealer or ebay seller, it is because I have dealt with them personally and have the utmost confidence in their ability to take care of the customer. I know that my standards are a bit much for most, but I would rather be remembered for my integrity and honesty than any coin I have sold. |
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Replies: 26 / Views: 5,126 |
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First Page
Posted 05/15/2005 08:43 am
