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 Replies: 18 / Views: 6,524 |
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Valued Member
United States
368 Posts |
So today after 8 months or so of coin, roll, and box searching I decided to go to a coin shop. I went to one near my house after going to a few banks and figured I would try to make a friend and maybe even some deals. The guy is a hair dresser and coin collector on the side so I went in and had to wait, no big deal I sat in the corner on a chair so I didn't look like I was stealing anything. HE finished his hair cut and came over to help me. He asked me what I wanted. I explained how I just recently started collecting (maybe a mistake) and that I was looking for knowledgeable people to talk to, and get coins from. He was quite pushy and didn't really seem like he knew what he was doing. I asked him if maybe we could set up some sort of trade for silver Roosevelt dimes. I asked if I could bring in the ones I had extras of if we could swap for the ones I needed. He told me he would give me a dollar for mine, and that Red Book said his were worth 1.50 so that's what he would sell them to me for. I said wait, let me get this straight you are going to take my dimes for a dollar and give me dimes of the same value for 50 cents more? wow I moved on. Asked him if he had albums I could buy since I had folders and wanted to upgrade what I looked at. He said yes and pulled out an 18 gallon clear tote of whitman folders...I said no I already have those, do you have albums. He said thats what these are. I said can I have something you can see 2 sides of the coin in, like a dansco. He said those were too expensive but he could order them for me. (I could buy it online if I didn't want personal contact with someone cool, but whatever). So next I ask him about coin tubes. He said he had them and asked if I wanted to buy some so I said probably. Expecting a price of 5-15 cents, most people on here said they get them for 5 cents. He asked how many I wanted and I said 2 half dollar ones and 4 penny ones....just as a way to pay him for his time. HE charged me 50 cents a piece plus tax. HE DIDN'T EVEN LET THE TAX SLIDE AS A WAY TO MAKE A CUSTOMER OR ANYTHING. He gave me back 74 cents. He was really pushy on me buying things, and kept trying to get me to purchase a Red Book from him for 15.25 plus tax. I don't even know if thats a good deal so I said I'll think about it. In my opinion.....what a cheap skate. I can get better deals at the flea market. I really don't want to go to another coin shop if this is the way they are. Is this a bad experience and a bad shop or am I the one who is wrong. Please let me know, the only thing that is ok Is I bought the coin tubes for 3.26 with money I won yesterday on a dumb bet with a friend. anyone have any helpful thoughts or places around Buffalo NY where it is cool to get coin supplies and coins? this was too crazy for me  |
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Valued Member
United States
270 Posts |
Well thats a bad deal! A lot of people here sell coins at better rates than a store. It is nice to talk to someone in person but when treated the way you were I would not go back. If you find a good online dealer or look at the for sale section on here, you cant go wrong!
Edited by mrh757
07/23/2010 12:55 am
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4000 Posts |
Dude, you went to a hair dresser. Maybe you should find a coin dealer that cuts hair on the side!
There must be full-time coin shops in your area that you can establish a relationship with. At first (at least in my experience) they just treated me like another customer and I didn't feel like they took me very seriously. But, with time, once they seen that I was serious about collecting and spending money, they started cutting me deals and keeping an eye out for my "want list" coins.
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Valued Member
 United States
368 Posts |
it was like a hair dressing place in the back
idk
him and his brother do this I guess but they are hard core out for themselves
not good deal makers thats for sure
is my roosevelt idea that far off or do you think a coin shop would do that?
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1080 Posts |
Keep looking for a better dealer. Try going to a coin show nearby and get cards from the dealers who show up there when you find someone personable.
There are 3 dealers in town that I've visited. One is fantastic (he would buy your junk silver dimes for about $1.20 and sell them to you at about $1.35 currently), tolerates people hanging out and asking questions. One is who we affectionately call the "Coin Nazi." He throws you out if he decides you are wasting his time with questions. The third is pretty low key, often closed.
Keep trying.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
6381 Posts |
I don't think his prices were that unreasonable. My local dealer charges about $0.45 each for the nice square plastic coin tubes but will offer a discount if I wanted a lot of them. Silver dimes at $1.50 each seems like a reasonable retail price. You should probably be able to get more like 12X face when selling them, so I'd say he was low-balling you a bit on that front.
The big question is whether the experience was positive for you and obviously it wasn't. So, vote with your feet and find another dealer. Attend a local coin show if possible. Approach each new dealer with an open mind and you will be able to find one that treats you fairly.
Good luck!
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4000 Posts |
Well, they are out to make a profit. Trading you coin for coin doesn't pay the electric bill. If you were after-hours, off-duty, coin-collecting buddies, then you guys probably would trade coin for coin. But, that's not what they are in it for.
Even my local dealer buys silver at 11X face and then sells it for 12X. Gotta pay the bills!
Granted they could have handled themselves a little bit better if they want the potential for repeat business, but it sounds like they are more into the haircuts.
At least you didn't get scalped!
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Valued Member
United States
368 Posts |
these weren't the nice coin tubes
they are the regular round coin tubes
nothing special just ordinary coin tubes lol
but yeah I felt like I wasted my time there and that I was unwanted
I want a friend who can talk about coins, all my friends make fun of me lol
I want someone who likes this stuff and shows it
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10982 Posts |
Sorry about your bad experience but a hair dresser/coin dealer may not have been the bast place to start.
The prices sound typical though and coin tubes for 50 cents is cheap. Who said they buy them for 5-15 cents?
Try a "real" coin shop if there is one in your area. It might be a better experience but you never know.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4000 Posts |
There should be some coin clubs in your area to look out for. They usually meet once/twice a month and you can trade, auction, hear lectures, etc. See if you can find something like that and then your world of contacts (and leads on good dealers) will open up.
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Valued Member
United States
368 Posts |
I know they are out to make money but idk I thought it would be a better experience, I didn't even want to buy anything, and I thought I would be drooling over a glass counter...not giving the man a $3.26 pitty tip buy on coin tubes I didn't really need lol
I guess I'll keep looking and let you all know how the next trip turns out. I have my eye on a few other places....I want some dansco albums lol
anyone know of any cheap places online for danscos
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Moderator
 United States
56855 Posts |
My "main" coin dealer sells coin tubes at 3 for a dollar. If you go to three different coin shops chances are you will get treated three different ways,my point is keep checking shops until you find one that you like best.And the longer you deal with the same coin shop the friendlier you will be treated.I have been going to my "main" shop for over thirty years.
John1 
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Valued Member
United States
420 Posts |
my "main" coin shop back home was a gun shop that had coins... dang I miss that place
lemme see that .45 ... ok i'll take it and 10 boxes of ammo, hey is that a Morgan?
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
1682 Posts |
I also miss the coin shop that I went to in South Florida that was also a gun shop. Was never able to do much with regards to guns since I was a kid and they always gave my grandmother a cup of coffee when she took me there.
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Valued Member
United States
188 Posts |
I bet the coin/gun shop didn't get robbed while they were open at leasr |
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Valued Member
United States
123 Posts |
Yeah sounds like you got a bad coin dealer, just try another shop, the coin dealers are usually really friendly and helpful if its there main hobby, you can also make small talk while buying and looking at coins which enables you to learn a lot from them, my coin dealer knew I didn't know that much but he still told me the book prices, every time I asked a price he'd pull out his book show me the price in the book and say but I'll take so much off and he'd take a little off every time, you just need to find the good coin dealers and you'll be good :D
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Replies: 18 / Views: 6,524 |
Posted 07/23/2010 12:43 am
