I Visited My 1st Coin Shop Yesterday...

I well know what you went through. For some strange reason there are many coin dealers that use the internet, go to coin shows, have or work in a coin store. Some only do one or the other. For some reason if a coin dealer opens a store, they just don't understand how to work with the public in person. Some really don't care if their web site or coin shows do real well so how they treat or deal with customers in a store is not important to them.
One such coin store I know does so well on their web site and the location of the store is such that they do well regardless of how they treat or discuss with customers. Many such stores also want to only sell items for as much as possible for the greatest amount of profit.
Your problem is you want to be treated as a real, true to life, customer. It's not that they are coin guys, they are just in buisness to make as much money from you as possible.
Go there often so they get to know you. Right now your just someone passing by and may never buy anything.

Very True!

Powerkicker- Don't worry about what the dealer thinks of you because they will be happy to be rid of some of their junk bullion or other "dead" merchandise. I love Asian coins, but around here I am the only person who buys them. Since my local dealer throws all silver Asian coins into the junk silver and all copper coins into the 25 cent junk bin, I always ask to look at these. He is happy to be rid of the stuff, and I am so happy to find such esoteric coins.

I must admit that I have found the opposite to be true on occasions when I buy from dealers who are not familiar with me. In fact, I have a rather humorous story about how I bought a few Chinese cash coins and a few coppers of the Indian Princely States:

As I paid the dealer, he said "I don't see why anyone would want that crud. No one on earth can read them." I then replied in a nice, amused manner, "well certainly native speakers can, and if one cannot, then just a bit of studying allows you to become familiar with them."

He then responded, "I tell you what, I don't know why you would want to read that. As it is, we're gonna be at war with China and India soon!"

At this point I was so bewildered (and trying to hold in laughter) at his comment that I just walked away. haha

Thanks for the input. I left with an overall good feeling about the folks there at the shop. They were gracious enough to look over a morgan I brought in and let me know if it qualified for deep mirror proof like before submitting it to PCGS. They also went out of their way to find me some air-tites for my few pieces. They really did kind of go blank on the "Do you guys have a scratch and dent silver bullion bin?" query.

Sending that Morgan in for grading has also given me a bit more interest in collecting numismatic stuff, which I've never felt much need to do before. The guy there just may have made a collector out of me by spending the time it took to look over that one coin. Time will tell...

The Morgan was bought as bullion in a lot on ebay for $10 when spot was around $8.

The more you go in, the more they will get to know you. I know that I have said this in other threads, but I really miss my old coin store. I would go in at least 3 times every couple of weeks and always buy something no matter what. As I kept coming in I was recognised and soon would spend more time talking than looking around. After two years they would set stuff aside for me to look at first before they sold it to others and would always give me my familiar corner to look through items. The best part was when I made the level of being able to look through the bulk buys before them and get to buy them for almost nothing and them being happy that I found something of value to me.

I really agree with Carl, the more you go somewhere the more they get to know you and treat you better. It is always nice to go out to eat and your favorite waitress comes from the back (and out of her way) to sit you in her section and catch up on what has been going on since the last time you were there.

I went to the coin store yesterday and bought a 1886 Morgan and a 1912D Liberty Head nickel. That was my fourth time I have visited the store since I started collecting and I noticed the owner is starting to remember me, and takes the time to answer all my questions. He owed me .50 change and gave it to me in the form of a shiny 1994 Kennedy half. That made my day. I am going back next weekend.

We only have one coin shop in the whole of Western Kentucky. It is in downtown Paducah and has been a family owned business for over 50 years or more. The family are very gracious and helpful. I cannot remember ever having to pay 'book value' for a coins I have needed. I am sure there are those I would have to pay full price if I asked for those. But, they are indeed a business. I love the way they spend time talking to children who come into the store. They often give him a coin he is caught gawking at when we go into their store. He loves to go and that is good business. I never feel 'held up' when I purchase anything from this family. I have an erry feeling that at this point in their business life they are simply having fun and doing a great business because of it.