Price Gouging At A Coin Show

LOL... he figured you looked elsewhere, couldn't find it cheaper, so he upped the price.

What he didn't figure is you were going to tell the world he's a gouger.

I probably wouldn't have bought from him either. That's just wrong!

Unfortunately, shows can be a great place to buy coins, but you get bad dealers there as well as good. Sometimes, it's a 50/50 split on good to bad. I also think it's easier to get better prices at the smaller shows because the cost of a table isn't as high for the dealers.

At that point I wouldn't have even given him the $15 and just walked away

I had a similar experience a few months ago, but this time it was over $50. I located a Seated dollar, and by the time I got to the dealer 2 hours later, the price had clearly been remarked $50 higher than what was quoted, with the claim that they couldn't keep up with prices. Fair enough...I studied the coin under magnification, found some nice swirling pinscratches in the obverse field, informed the dealer and walked out.

I would have argued with him also then once he changed his mind to $15.00, I would not have bought the coins a that price....

I agree with everyone. I would have walked away, I'd sooner give someone else $16.00 than give that dealer $15.00.

Sorry, I'm with the dealer on this one. He offered it for $15, you passed and walked off. That price was now void. These things don't have prices set in stone people. He looks at it figures what he has in it and decides on a price. Later when asked again he does the same thing but this time doesn't come up with the same price. He isn't gouging he's just coming to a different conclusion. I do the same thing here in our carpet shop. People ask for a price on something I have in stock, I know what we paid, I know what it is marked, and I come up with a quote based on those, how long since the last sale, how long since the last sale of that material, even how I am feeling and the attitude of the customer. If he passes and the next person through the door asks for that same stock he might get a different price. If the first customer comes back next month and prices it again, I don't remember what I quoted last month, so I come up with a new price.

No the dealer was justified with coming up with a new price. Especially since they had walked the floor already. Like Bobby131313 said he may have figured you had priced all over the floor and he was the cheapest. Maybe he didn't like being bargin shopped. Anyway it doesn't matter, a price quote is ONLY good at the time it is offered. You walk away it is null and void. Frankly he may have errored when he quoted $15 and was hoping you passed. He might have been gouging himself with the first quote. I've done that too. If my too low quoted price is accepted when offered I stick to it. But you leave don't expect to be able to come back and have me agree to shortchange myself later.

We do not know all of the circumstances involved. A dealer is entitled to adjust his prices anytime he so chooses. This could be for a number of reasons. He walked the floor, like you, and found that he was considerably under priced. He might have brought two or three sets of these coins and sold two while you were gone and decided to up the price on the last set. He might have double checked his price list and found that he had them simply priced wrong. Or, he just decided he felt like it. Prices change daily without any rhyme or reason, look at gas prices. My guess is if you had walked back and asked the price the 2nd time and he had said $12.00, you would have not complained or insisted on paying $15.00. Many times at the end of a show, I see prices adjusted down and we do not consider the dealer to be unreputable. So, why if he adjust upward is he wrong?
Jim