What Was The Worst Rookie Coin Mistake You Ever Made?

rj, the thing is they were right outside of a major AFB. Not to mention this is the Washington DC area with several other military bases and the federal govt. So the population has a very large percentage that is very fluid. Mre so than most other areas of the country. So there are always large numbers of new folks coming and others leaving. New meat.

Smokeriderdon that is just awful did you consider filing a police report or suing them in small claims court?

I'm afraid I would have lost it

At the very least, return with the police but your right, his word against yours...fortunately, criminals like that are still outweighed by legit coin people.

Okay, I wasn't a rookie, I wasn't even a coin collector yet, but when I worked in the US I did get some coins which I kept in a bag, and I did keep a Buffalo nickel, and State Quarters, but I was working in a supermarket, handling cash all the time, and I never, ever knew what I was holding in my hands.

I thought I hit the mother load, I couldn't understand why more people weren't bidding on this lot of silver Buffalo nickles, I thought it was my hrs of searching that stumbled upon this hidden auction (I was New to collecting, as well as ebay) So after I received them and started to look them up in the Red Book, of course not one had the slightest bit of silver in it. I did this again with Liberty Nickles, from the same seller shortly after winning the silver Buffalo nickles. I was riding the high from my first score, right into the ground lol. Its pretty funny when I think about it now.
Smokeriderdon Sorry you had to run into someone like that. Scary thing is, its lot more common then people think. I've ran into a few jeweler's who pull that trick with diamonds, and precious stones. That's why they do free repairs & cleanings. Just as Dealers keep fake key coins out of sight to pull the bait and switch, Jewelers keep diamonds & P.S's in the cleaning basket and close bye on the work table. Smoke at least you have the satisfaction or at least some knowing he got caught for something.
Bait and switch is my word of the day!

First, I feel a little comforted reading everyone's stories here after knowing how ignorant I was when I was young and had the chance to truly increase our collection.

I can't say it was only my viewpoint, but I was taught that "quantity" was the way to go .
The more silver Roosie's and Washington's I had the better. I just figured that the '32 s and d were just as good because there were "rare". While I'm thankful for what we have, I turned down several opportunities in the '80s to dramatically upgrade because I didn't think that 4 or my lower grade 32d's were worth trading for a MS 32d. I was 20, and of course at that age you know much more than others do, Oh well....
I have since tried to get the highest grades we can afford so at least I've learned just how important grading actually is!
I can't even write enough stories about how completely stupid I was at the beginning on ebay! But, that's why they have the saying - "sucker born every minute"

This.

Of course, they were not as cheap for me as they were Carl.

I had a few opportunities to by key date coins at what would seem like reasonable prices.

If only I could have sacrificed the other interests of my younger self.