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 Replies: 15 / Views: 1,859 |
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Valued Member
United States
198 Posts |
I was out on one of my "treasure hunts" in Sacramento Ca. the other day. I found a place that primarily buys & sells gold and silver. They advertised that they sell coins and currency, so stopped in. They had some currency in a case, BUT since Dad was not there, the two guys working there refused to sell any of it.  So then I saw some silver dollars. One was a very nice proof like coin.  When I asked fro a price, they told me that it was not for sale! I asked to look at another and again, the coin was not for sale! So I asked them WHAT exactly WAS for sale and it was all the rest of the coins.... these were over priced. Needless to say I walked out with my money still in my pocket. Has anybody else experienced this? |
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
2133 Posts |
I can well understand such a situation.
My dad considered himself more knowledgeable than anyone else and he had no regard for our abilities or feelings.
He often said to me "I can't understand how you don't know the answer - it's obvious.
If those stall-holders had a dad like that, they might be too scared to use their own initiative, or sell something unpriced.
However, if everything else was overpriced, you can be sure that if you caught up with Dad, the unpriced items would have a ridiculously high price.
So just walk away, and don't waste your valuable time.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3486 Posts |
There is NOTHING wrong with saying "Thank You" for your time and walking out of the store.
Just do not go back again!
The dynamic at a coin show is different: a poor spouse may be "minding the store" and have no idea
about coins. Usually a "she" you may be told to wait until the husband/boyfriend comes back.
This is quite acceptable.
That is very different from a coin store in which the the folks behind the counter are assumed to know what they are doing. If they cannot do business take your business and money to another store.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1436 Posts |
I was at the ANA summer sale in Orlando and asked one of the dealers about a specific Morgan in his case w/ lovely peripheral toning. He told me the story about how it was in his personal collection but had decided to sell it. HE told me the price he wanted for it. I thanked him for showing it to me and explained that since I had just got there, I wanted to look at what the other dealers had before making a decision. Bad mistake. I didn't see another that I liked as much, and when I went back to buy the Morgan, he decided he no longer wanted to sell it. Oh well, guess I need to jump on those nice coins I find. Do you know if it was because of your age they didn't want to sell to you? |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5850 Posts |
Oh, yeah. I walked into a pawn shop a couple of weekends ago and saw a nice 100-ounce bar of silver in the display case. When I asked how much it was, the guy said that the "other" owner (his father, as it turns out) deals with all the coins and silver and he wasn't in.
So I made a special trip back the following Monday and asked the father how much it was. "Not for sale."
*sigh*
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
Pending on where you live, there are many places that have items in a showcase but not for sale. By me there are restaurants that are never open but have been there for many years. Many pawn shops are open but when you ask for almost anything, it is not for sale. Lots of places like this everywhere. Gee, I wonder why?
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
2624 Posts |
I was gonna state why but vulgar language is not appropriate.
If something is not for sale it shouldn't be on display in my opinion. I hate time wasters, items that are not for sale belong in a collection not a shop. I really would have a dig if I ever encountered this situation.
If the game is they want to sell to someone desperate to buy the item at an exorbitant price the response should not be "it's not for sale" it should be more along the lines of "that isn't great value it sets me in for more than it is worth really..." and if the person still wants to buy then tell them "I need to get X-amount to recoup my money" or "I will have to dig out the records and work out a price for you"
Edited by DavidUK
08/08/2012 8:32 pm
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
4411 Posts |
I have been to a couple of pawnbrokers lately and been told their silver coins on display aren't for sale. I quizzed one of them and he said because he got into them when silver was high and he wont be selling whilst spot is so low. I figure if something isn't for sale don't have it out on display or say you have it when asked. Obviously they don't |
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Bedrock of the Community
13014 Posts |
Probably to lazy to remove them. If theyre waiting for silver to climb back to 40 or higher theres a chance they could be waiting for years.
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
2133 Posts |
I know several small business owners who prefer to store their valuable coins in their shop rather than at home.
They have to have security and comprehensive insurance for their shop and in some locations, shop insurance for expensive valuables is cheaper than home insurance (providing the premises are secure and fitted with an alarm).
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
2133 Posts |
If I were a business owner, I would fear to put a label on really expensive item in a display case in case that attracted the opportunist thief stealing the most valuable items.
Also, when I worked in a bookshop in 1976, the owner instructed me to tell people that looked suspicious that a book wasn't for sale, if it was priced over £100.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1436 Posts |
I can understand a dealer wanting to draw attention to his display w/ a specific coin that he doesn't want to sell. If nothing else though, the dealer should simply put a sign or note in the display to indicate that specific coin is not for sale. No harm in that.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
Quote:
If something is not for sale it shouldn't be on display in my opinion. I hate time wasters, items that are not for sale belong in a collection not a shop. I really would have a dig if I ever encountered this situation. Obviously many miss the point of what such people are doing. This is what normally is called a FRONT. Places, like pawn shops, put many items out on display so it appears to be a ligit buisness. A restaurant that looks like it's almost open but never is, also may well be a front. A place for any law enforcement organizations to pass by since all appears to be OK. In some areas, there are taverns that are supposed to close at a certain time, but people can be seen going and coming much later although all lights from the outside are off. There are small buisnesses everywhere that are never open. In large cities most people understand what is going on there. |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
36741 Posts |
Some of those shops are there to buy only. They use coins and bars as props.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
17884 Posts |
Quote:
If something is not for sale it shouldn't be on display in my opinion. I have no problem with such items being on display, but they need to be clearly marked that they aren't for sale. Sometimes you have something you are proud of and want to show off. But the viewer should be informed that it isn't for sale and to not bother asking. |
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Valued Member
United States
54 Posts |
"Some of those shops are there to buy only. They use coins and bars as props."
This. They are just there to buy gold and silver at severely discounted prices so they can wholesale it out.
There is a shop near me that is pretty new. I took some surplus bullion there and they quoted me $2/face dollar less than my normal store. They had a few bottom of the barrel culls in their case but nothing anyone would want in a collection.
I walked out and went to my normal store and told them the story. The guy tells me that all they do is buy gold and silver cheap then come sell it to him at the price he pays everyone else.
Just taking advantage of ignorant people who don't know the value of what they have.
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Replies: 15 / Views: 1,859 |
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Posted 08/08/2012 2:28 pm
