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 Replies: 13 / Views: 2,151 |
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New Member
United States
12 Posts |
Saw a 1915 Indian quarter eagle, asked to see it. Decent choice AU, figured $280 or so. Asked for price - $565. Asked dealer what he considers the grade. He says "MS63. Theres only a little wear on the cheek and the eagle's shoulder."
Umm, it was more than a little and any wear at all makes it not unc. This was a dealer I will never buy anything from ever.
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Valued Member
United States
265 Posts |
I bet it would have been a different story if you were bringing to him to sell
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New Member
 United States
12 Posts |
I asked what he graded it at to see if he was dishonest or just stupid. Stupid I would have forgiven.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1912 Posts |
Had an interesting case at a show. I needed one Peace dollar to complete my book. Then three years later I decided to sell the book and this same dealer examined one of my dollars saying it was altered. I told him it shouldn't be altered because your the one that sold it to me three years ago assuring me that it was not. Sold the book to a different dealer telling him this upfront. Second dealer says the coin was fine. First dealer was sort of a crook trying to get the book at a cut rate price. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7617 Posts |
Coin dealers are like politicians....they will say or do anything to get a vote (politicians), sale or off-the-street purchase (coin dealer). They both have a knack for putting lipstick on pigs, though!
That reminds me, tomorrow is Super Tuesday. Gotta go vote ....even though the choices ain't too grand.
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Rest in Peace
United States
17900 Posts |
As with any group coin dealers have a few bad apples. To learn a huge amount about any dealer/seller I recommend one single question.
What do you collect?
Most will give you the "Candy shop owner" answer, which is fine.
Some will have a light bulb turn on as they tell you their current or past collecting joys. Previous or active collectors will be the most knowledgeable and have grades and conditions for planet earth.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1912 Posts |
I enjoy observing human behavior as it adds little stories that go with some of my coins. I was at a coin show and the dealer was really fussy about keeping order of the coins in his boxes. He made it very clear to place the coins in the right order back in the boxes while browsing. He set a couple boxes in front of me assuming I wanted to pick through them. I asked him if he had a particular coin, and he did, and he took it out from his case and handed it to me while he paid attention to more customers. When he returned to me he "yelled" at me for getting his boxes all mixed up. I replied by saying I never looked at any coins in the boxes. I just want to buy the coin you handed to me.
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Moderator
 Canada
10456 Posts |
Quote:
Coin dealers are like politicians....they will say or do anything to get a vote (politicians), sale or off-the-street purchase (coin dealer). They both have a knack for putting lipstick on pigs, though! That is painting this business with a pretty broad brush, no?  "Discovery follows discovery, each both raising and answering questions, each ending a long search, and each providing the new instruments for a new search." -- J. Robert OppenheimerContent of this post is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses...0/deed.en_USMy eBay store
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1912 Posts |
I think it's a broad brush. I know a few jerks but a lot more that really know their stuff and are fair and square. Funny as human nature is though, my stories seem to involve the jerks in the world. I guess if you are a fair and honest dealer maybe you go under the radar in the public's eye. Don't get much mention. It's the bad apples that stand out.
Edited by Albert
02/29/2016 6:37 pm
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Valued Member
United States
343 Posts |
I switched local coin shops because the one guy treated me like a number, whereas my new guy is actually friendly and polite and even invited our St. Bernard inside once.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1912 Posts |
You can't go wrong with dog people. Dogs are superior character judges (that's why all dogs love me). Anyone that does not invite dogs in has something important lacking. I especially love old dogs. I visit a wood shop, tool store, motorcycle shop or car dealer and there is an old dog present- that's where the focus is. My dog isn't welcome? Well excuse me while I take him outside. And by the way there goes my money and any business you might have had.
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Pillar of the Community
1153 Posts |
Quote:
I switched local coin shops because the one guy treated me like a number, whereas my new guy is actually friendly and polite and even invited our St. Bernard inside once. Must be a very big LCS! |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
17884 Posts |
Quote:
and any wear at all makes it not unc. Tell that to the TPG's. They often slab gold with "a little wear" as MS. |
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Valued Member
United States
311 Posts |
I give my LCS a hard time almost every day... if I sell him something it is always graded low, but if he is selling me something it is always MS67 in his eyes! it's really a running joke, but its true about business... its cutthroat, but he always tells us where he gets the prices and why he came up with that price (if we ask)... but around here it is mostly tweakers selling off their "dead grandfather's" coin collection...
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Replies: 13 / Views: 2,151 |
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Posted 02/28/2016 11:15 pm
