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 Replies: 23 / Views: 2,134 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
891 Posts |
I was at a coin show a while back. At one dealers table I saw a coin that I like and asked how much for it. He told me 110.00 for it. I already had figured I wasn't wanting to spend over 100.00 before I got to the show so I offered 100.00 for it. The dealer seemed to be insulted that I countered his price. He told me that he was only making 2.00 on it as it was which I found that hard to believe. Was I in the wrong to counter his price after he had already given it to me or should I have made the offer before the price was given? I didn't get it, didn't like his attitude and went on elsewhere. If I was wrong then what is the correct way to go about this? Any input would be a big help. I really don't like ticking people off.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5362 Posts |
Mike - it really depends on the coin. I usually handle it just like you did provided it is not a bullion item (margins are very low there). On counterfeits which are my favorites, I always haggle. But most dealers don't know what they have, so I have to start by proving the coin is fake.
There are other clues - if the dealer has a price marked on the coin - he is usually willing to deal. That is only an opening price. If the coin is marked $110 - I think $100 is a fine counter offer. If you know the exact coin you are looking for check Grey Sheet prices before you go to the show. Then set a limit on what you are willing to spend and don't go over it.
Are you going to the Greenville show tomorrow or Raleigh next weekend?
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
891 Posts |
Thanks swamperbob, I just didn't know if I was out of line. It wasn't bullion it was an early commem. I don't get the greysheet I usually check online ebay, heritage, teletrade to see what they are going for before I go. might have to breakdown and invest in the greysheet. Not going to make Greenville gun show trip got moved to sunday. Kinda messed up my weekend plans. Didn't know about raleigh. Will be looking into raleigh though. Thats just a hop, skip and a jump from here. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
751 Posts |
I've been to about a dozen small shows with 2-5 dozen tables each.
When I ask a dealer what he's willing to take for a coin, he usually consults a greysheet or the back of the 2x2, which frequently has his cost in code. When he gives me a price, I usually don't haggle.
But when a coin is marked with a price, that's nearly always negotiable.
He shouldn't have gotten insulted or made you feel bad, that's not nice and not smart. But coinshow guys don't always have the best people skills.
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Valued Member
United States
72 Posts |
He shouldn't have been insulted by the price that you offered him for the coin, it was a reasonable difference. I go to local shows and set up to sell I consider all offers and usually will counter offer with a split price.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4589 Posts |
There was nothing wrong in your counter, this is an example of person w/ bad attitude, and you need not even bother w/ him
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Pillar of the Community
United States
891 Posts |
Yeah I didn't think it was to cool. He has a shop close by and I will never go in there just because of that. I know people have bad days I do myself, but the thing that got my goat was when he turned and walked away from me like I was nobody. Thanks all for reassuring my confidence. Kinda made me gun shy.
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Valued Member
United States
218 Posts |
First, I agree this guy was wrong in the way he responded.
He should have never reacted that way. At most he could have politely told you he couldnt sell it for that price and maybe offered another similar coin in your price range. perhaps the same coin in a slightly lower grade.
What I have done in the case of a dealer not willing to haggle is go around and find 2 coins worth about $50-60 each and see if I can talk the dealers down and bring the 2 coins back to the original dealer and offer a trade. That is if they were polite in the first place. I agree with you and wouldn't go to his local shop as well.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2365 Posts |
Unfortunately, there are some dealers that just are too snotty for me to deal with. I agree that your offer was appropriate and that this dealer reacted inappropriately to a potential buyer. It's a good way to lose business and it seems that is just what he did.
I wanted to add - he walked away from you? How rude! It seems that this person judges a "book by it's cover". Try this for fun - go into that guys shop, dress to the nines with a three piece suit or "Sundays Best", and every article of wealth that you can display on your person and THEN see what his reaction is to a potential buyer! Bet every coin that I've got that you will be treated like the ONLY buyer he has!!!!!!!! It might also be fun to see if you can find the coin that you wanted at the show and make the same offer that you did. I bet he'll take your offer!
I did this once in an upscale retail store. I went in with my little jeans on and daily wear and was ignored. I went in with full regalia and was treated like a Queen! Never went back either!
Edited by dsking
08/06/2006 10:53 am
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Valued Member
United States
218 Posts |
quote:
Originally posted by dsking
I did this once in an upscale retail store. I went in with my little jeans on and daily wear and was ignored. I went in with full regalia and was treated like a Queen! Never went back either!
I did something similar at a car dealer. I went in with a old concert t shirt and torn jeans looking for a car. The dealer didnt know I had a cashiers check for the entire selling price in my pocket. The only person who even came over to assist me was what had to be the newest guy there. After discussing the different options and coming to an agreement on a price, he asked about financing and when I said I was paying cash, the other sales people got REALLY polite and tried to work their way into the deal offering assistance. I made sure the new kid, who by the way was VERY professional the whole time, got ALL the credit for the sale. Edited by Ferret Lord
08/06/2006 5:03 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2365 Posts |
Good Job FerrettLord! One more for the good guys!
A friend of mine once did that also. He was in his grubbies and went to a car dealer to buy a Cadillac. He went to one dealer and was ignored. Went across the street and paid cash for the car. The info got back to the first dealer and they were shocked. This particular "friend" developed the patent for the Scotts Turf Builder POLY formula! He could have bought the entire car lot with cash! tee hee
I'm glad that you gave the new guy the deal. He earned it! Works everytime!
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Pillar of the Community
United States
891 Posts |
That does like a pretty good idea dsking and ferret lord. I just might have to do that just to see how he acts. Then I can say remember when and turn and walk out. Oh so cruel. But knowing what kind of person he seems to be he probably wouldn't even care. I do see that kind of treatment all the time. Sad but true. As they say what goes around comes around.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
14454 Posts |
I did the same thing when I bought my escalade, I went in with jeans and an old alice cooper T-shirt on and my Myrtle Beach Bike Week hat on and couldn't get anyone to even come help me when they saw me looking at the escalades. I walked around for a good 30 minutes and kept looking back like I was waiting on someone to come help me but they were all standing at the door like I was getting ready to break into one or something. I started walking to the door and when I opened it thats when the salesman asked me if I needed help. I politely asked him for the sales manager and he pointed me to the Glass office, I walked in and pulled 200k cash out of my front pocket and dropped it on his table and told him I had come there to buy an escalade and since none of his sales men wanted to help me out I would be taking my business down the street to the next car dealer. You could have heard a pin drop when he saw the money and after I was finished saying what I said he was doing everything he could to get me to stay and even called all the salesmen in the office asking why they didn't help me. The said "they didn't see me out there" and I just told all of them that was a bare face lie because I was watching them watch me outside for 30 minutes before I walked in. I then left and went 2 blocks over to the next dealers lot and the sales people were more social and I paid cash for the escalade there, when I went and picked the vehicle up I pulled into the lot that wouldn't give me time of day and parked the escalade right at the door and got out and walked into the sales managers office and told him how much I loved my new vehicle just so he would know that I was serious about wanting a vehicle and told him that if he didn't change the attitude of his salesmen then he would be out of business soon
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Valued Member
United States
228 Posts |
Same thing happened to me. Back in the late 80's I was a long haired tattoo'd glam rocker with bleached blond hair. I stopped in a dealer to look at a cool yellow 77 Corvette and the salesman said "kid, you really think you can afford a Corvette" ? I pointed to my Blue 75 Corvette and said "yup". His attitude changed and I told him I would not buy a car from him if it was a dollar.....
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2365 Posts |
Great stories! Absolutely wonderful. Car dealers and salesmen are the worst at making assumptions. I would like to see the outcome of Southern Yankees visit to the coin dealer. Go for it! "You can't tell a book by it's cover"! Oh so right!
"Alice Cooper t shirt"? "long haired tattoo'd glam rocker with bleached blond hair"? Ahhhhhhhh, the wonderful folks we have on this forum. Me? I was a long haired, holes in my jeans, Picketing on OSU campus, radical! Didn't trust anyone over 30? Remember that! Ofcourse, you do and "you" know who you are!!!!!!
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4589 Posts |
UI just love all the stories, if I could be a fly on the wall I would be laughing my tale off..
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Replies: 23 / Views: 2,134 |
Posted 08/05/2006 10:20 pm
