The Coin Show On The Shopping Network

and don't forget his manicured fingernails.

I shouldn't make fun though.

Actually, I think he's doing the hobby good.

I haven't kept track of his pricing.

I hope he isn't gouging the viewing public, as that wouldn't serve him (or all of us) well.

I don't shop on there. But I think many people might buy their first coin there and eventually might start collecting. I think he's a good ambassador to the hobby. Not a fan of the mint junk but I like that he has some old offerings.

Never seen a man with such manicured hands.

Steve Bromberg plays a very important role in Canadian numismatics. in terms of the circular movement of NCLT inventory... the circle is like this:

1. People buy NCLT from the mint directly or coin dealers or from the Shopping Network, either for themselves or as gifts
2. Those sets are then sold to smaller dealers either at coin shows or in the brick and mortar shops, and over time they generally accumulate a hoard. As a rule, they don't pay much for them.
3. Dealers then sell those NCLT sets at a "wholesale price" to Steve, who amasses these sets in large volumes to promote and sell on his show on the shopping network.
... the circle begins anew...

Coin dealers _LOVE_ when Steve does go to a coin show and is buying NCLT. They liquidate a very slow-moving product in a single bulk sale. It is interesting to watch... the dealers themselves fall over backwards at times, to get Steve's business. If it were not for Steve, some issues would never move or be promoted at all...

I don't like the coins that are commissioned and sold for an artificially inflated price. The first maple leaf shaped coin comes to mind. If I'm not mistaken, that was his creation. I could be wrong.
My point is, I tried to buy it directly from RCM but was told it was sold out but available through Steve. For an instantly higher price.

So the Circle of Life of NCLT begins with some marketing geniuses at the RCM deciding what relevant historical event should be depicted on a shiny metal disc. The marketing group decides the 100th anniversary of the invention of the left handed widget would the attract their target audience. The finance department adds that producing the shiny metal disc out of precious metals was cutting into the profit of the RCM so we will made it out of zinc. The group decides that the nominal value will be $20 in an attempt to impart some value to the product. Mintage will be set at 100,000 to induce a perceived shortage of availability. The coins are made and placed on the RCM website and sent to thousands of post offices. These shiny objects are purchased at $49.95 by people who like shiny objects. Fast forward a few years and the owner of the shiny object needs some cash and decides to take them to the local coin shop. The proprietor of the shop really isn't interested because he has lots of shiny objects that he can't sell and offers $15 to the owner. The owner of the coin points out that the coin is legal tender and the it's worth $20. The purchaser of the shiny object goes home with $18 and is quite upset. The coin shop owner places the shiny object in the front window with a price tag of $49.95.

Fast forward to a coating of dust on the shiny object and there is a coin show next weekend. Into a box go all the unsold shiny objects and its off to the coin show where the proprietor rents a table to sell his wares. Into the room enters a well dressed man who seems to have a lot of people following him (not an entourage). The well dressed man leaves with boxes of shiny objects and appears weeks later on TV with all of the shiny objects. Instead of being unloved and unwanted, they have been cleaned up and are being touted as historical, desirable,and going for $69.95. The well dressed man has sold all of his inventory and everyone except the original purchaser has made money.

Sums up in a humorous way frustrations that many have been expressing here.