What Do You Consider An Insultingly Lowball Offer On A Coin?

I was at a coin show a couple weeks back looking for 7070 material, nothing in particular, but I stumbled across a 1866 Shield nickel (which I need), VF-ish condition, 2x2 price was $95, I asked what was his "rock-bottom" price, he looked at the "Grey Sheet" and said $80. I thought about it (for seemed like an eternity), and gave him the coin back and said that I was looking for a $70 Shield with rays, and thanked him for his time. I made a lap around the building and he asked me if I had any luck finding my Shield with rays, I told him no, maybe next time. It was getting close to closing time and he said that he would take $70 for the same nickel. SOLD! Sometimes it does pay off to "wait it out" especially near closing time at a coin show. Sometimes it does come down to "give and take", and "entertain" all offers.

I think if you getting around 50% of FMV your getting in the insulting zone.
Whats FMV? My favorite guide is ebay completed listings but grade discrepancies and ebay fees add a curve ball into the mix.

I go back and forth on it myself with the method I try and use. I have done the low ball lets work something out and I've done the take it or leave it. A lot depends on the seller. I have made a few purchases from David Lawrence where you get to make 1 offer and only 1 offer. With them I always just low ball it and if they take it great, if not Ill consider their counter offer since they always make one.

You can tell a lot about how do able the deal is by their first counter offer. I've had counter offers come in where you know youll be able to get it done and others where the dealer only dropped a dollar in price on an already over priced coin.

Sometime I wish you could just skip all the haggling and just get an honest response and save everyones time

I know this thread is a couple weeks stale but I wanted to add another thought.

My dad is exceptionally good at getting a good deal on things, whatever it is... maybe a car or negotiating salary and benefits. According to my mom, since I haven't been actually present for these things, he is fearless in what he asks for. Its funny because she literally shudders at the thought of doing what he does in person. So I'm guessing when it comes to buying things he lowballs in some form or another.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that its a game... if a price isn't fixed its up to the buyer to play the game and get the best price while the seller is trying to get the most. Lowballing is a strategy and it is a completely justifiable one because it is effective for obvious reasons. For someone to be insulted is stupid because there is nothing personal about it. Sometimes you see high-balling and low-balling combined... you get buyers offering 25% of ask because 25% of ask is actually still 80% of FMV. So there really isn't any amount that can be considered "too low", nor one "too high", and certainly it should never be insulting.

Also just to add: naturally, we're raised and taught to try not to offend people because its socially unacceptable. Plus most people just want people to like them in general. So when a seller tells you he is upset and offended/insulted by the offer (maybe in a less extreme way than this OP story), you have to realize that he's just trying to make you feel bad about your offer. All he's trying to do is get more money out of you in the end whether its right then for that item, or one in the future. If you want to get the item at the best price you can you have to not care at all about what the seller is going to think.