Gatewest Coins, Winnipeg Mb. What Is Your Experience.

It's been years since I was in Gateway but I experienced the same thing. They acted as if they couldn't wait for me to leave.

So, they offer to go 'get' a specific coin from their vault? Just one example? I like to sort through several and make a selection. They must think they are selling fast food.

Provincial Stamp and Coin. Al the owner of that brick and mortar store will be at the Manitoba Coin show also. I sold some of my spare Canadian decimal coins to him this morning and chatted with him for over 30 minutes. He also gave me for free, the 2020 Charlton Catalogue Canadian Coins 73rd Edition by M. Drake

The last time I was at Gatewest Coins, they stock some display cases with antique rings and other jewellery. The only display case that I was interested in, was the mechanical rotating display case that held the Canadian decimal coins. Most of their business seems to be centered around bullion and NCLT. Yes I even asked to see the Canadian coin decimal binders as well and was denied.

In regards, to the store Collectibles Canada, I went there once and only once.

Just to follow up, Gatewest at one time had a ticket numbering system, it felt like being in a catalog merchant's store like "Consumers Distributing", waiting in line to have your order fulfilled. If you are old enough to remember that business model. It's not a bad idea, as customers are served in the correct order. Again most of the busines seems to be in bullion and NCLT. Yes, the high quality numismatic items are in the vault, you have to request the item by country, denomination, year, and grade, and they will fetch it for you from the back (security reasons from the store). For hobby collectors this may not be acceptable to them as a method to do business and form a numismatic friendship or customer relationship.

If you have taken any sales or marketing courses, first impressions are very important. Yes, the one or two ladies in front need to be more personable and smile more. At least look more welcoming at a minimum. A little more numismatic education for up front staff would be helpful also. Ian spends most of the time in the back of the business. The last Canadian Decimal coin I purchased a few years ago, Chris came out from the back, sold it to me, and we had a 2 minute chat before he rang it up. I was happy with the purchase and he was happy with the sale. Before that happened, I was last in line to 3 customers, 2 were sitting in front placing their order, and I was standing behind the gentlemen ahead of me. I saw bullion and NCLT transactions being perform. If you ever want to stop there and have a look at what is in the display cases, I would recommend that. Just be patient when your in line to place your order. My brother told me there is a massive amount of road work in front of the store, so wait till the season of construction ends. I have never purchased anything from them online, so no experience there.

Personally for me, I have no issues buying Canadian decimals items from Gatewest, though I would not sell to them. I would buy from Al and sell my spares back to him and have done so twice in my collecting hobby. Now if you ask me why? Answer is, Gatewest business expenses looks a lot higher than what Al's are. So I believe Al would be able to make a higher offer on my spare coins than Gatewest. Expenses like the number of employees, carrying cost, store property managing expenses, etc.




Yes, I was also in the old store before the expansion. The small looking shack like structure on the far left side of the building on the corner. I remember, it was a bit dark in there, it was cramped, and I could smell a little mildew in the air. I am actually happy that they expanded to the neighboring building. It was one of the first coin stores I visited when I started collecting.

Point taken Canadapennies19...I just wanted to share that I believe Gatewest to be a treasure trove of items, and that I have rarely found a dealer to be fairer in terms of pricing...

I also wanted to offer that I have had a way better experience calling the store ahead to let them know I am coming, for example, I visited recently to look at raw silver dollars and by the time I arrived they had pulled out some great coins to hunt through (of course as you mentioned in your post I also ended up purchasing most of them!)

Either way, good point made, the local coin shop should make sure to keep that local coin shop feel to accommodate their valued customers

Living two provinces over, I have only dealt with them by phone for coin supplies and post 1966 coins like 50 cent pieces and coins like 1997 quarter not issued for circulation and that type of thing. Helpful by phone and orders processed accurately and delivered in a reasonable amount of time.

Quite a bunch of ebay transactions ,a few phone transactions and a couple website transactions and all went very well .No trouble whatsoever and been very fair on the pricing ,even taking some lower offers.

fhuahs, to the Community!