Thread: Coin dealer's ad--Chaim Greenberg

I have been seeing Mr. Greenberg's ads in Coin World (p.109 March Trends) and elsewhere, anyone here have experience with him? He stated in his CW ad the availability of 1865-s $20 Liberties in MS63 for under $3000, certified. Colorful ad, check it out!

are you getting one???

I called him and he said that the coins offered at those prices are based on notional auction results etc., i.e. sorry but availability is extremely limited. It kind of faked me out.

The ad says that a "poor" family was forced to sell because of the depressed economy and their own difficult circumstances, but that there were millions of dollars in coins in the collection available at firesale prices.

I guess I am a bit suspicious after getting emails from Heritage warning me the guy had welched on his debts to them.

It says "We do not have the heart to make a profit on the estate so we are working on a small brokerage fee. The family's loss is your gain."

Also listed a 1924-S or 1925-D $20 Saint in NGC/PCGS MS63 for under $2000. Doesn't Coin World have some responsibility in clearing these ads?

again you getting any of those coins???

Are you? If you call for them they aren't available. It used to be the scammers on Coin World would offer uncertified rarities at impossible prices for grades, now even Coast to Coast, Paul Sims and the others are not playing that game.

i dont play games

Originally Posted by Owle

I guess I am a bit suspicious after getting emails from Heritage warning me the guy had welched on his debts to them.

And why would Heritage email you this.

Originally Posted by KoinJester

And why would Heritage email you this.

they like him

Originally Posted by Owle

Doesn't Coin World have some responsibility in clearing these ads?

If, as you say, when you call none of the coins being advertised are available for purchase, then you may have something to report to Coin World. And they would probably take action, but that action would not be anything more than refusing to accept any more ads from them.

However, it would also depend on exactly what the company says when you call them. If they claim the advertised coin/coins had already been sold to somebody else, then you wouldn't have a leg to stand on.

If on the other hand you could prove in some way that none of the advertised coins were ever available for purchase, and that would probably be almost impossible to prove, then I believe CW would put a stop to the ads.

Write or call Beth Deisher and ask her.

sounds shady to me...

Originally Posted by GDJMSP

If, as you say, when you call none of the coins being advertised are available for purchase, then you may have something to report to Coin World. And they would probably take action, but that action would not be anything more than refusing to accept any more ads from them.

However, it would also depend on exactly what the company says when you call them. If they claim the advertised coin/coins had already been sold to somebody else, then you wouldn't have a leg to stand on.

If on the other hand you could prove in some way that none of the advertised coins were ever available for purchase, and that would probably be almost impossible to prove, then I believe CW would put a stop to the ads.

Write or call Beth Deisher and ask her.

Exactly. All coins are subject to prior sale. There is an internet dealer who has "bargain lists" from time to time. On his last one I responded to it within 2 minutes, and STILL had people beat me on the order. CW has a pretty long lead time, so if it was a deal I am saying its very possible he has already got 25 calls on the coin. If that is the case, everything is on the up and up.

Btw what would the scam be? Did he try to sell you something else? Why would he simply advertise coins for sale to tell a caller no? The only way I see him making money is if half the ad he WILL sell at higher prices, and the other half was just to get attention.

Originally Posted by KoinJester

And why would Heritage email you this.

As a Coinplex member I have gotten their daily/weekly bulletins on buy/sells, stolen goods and warnings on bad dealers. The Greenberg warnings went on for quite a while.

Originally Posted by medoraman

Exactly. All coins are subject to prior sale. There is an internet dealer who has "bargain lists" from time to time. On his last one I responded to it within 2 minutes, and STILL had people beat me on the order. CW has a pretty long lead time, so if it was a deal I am saying its very possible he has already got 25 calls on the coin. If that is the case, everything is on the up and up.

Btw what would the scam be? Did he try to sell you something else? Why would he simply advertise coins for sale to tell a caller no? The only way I see him making money is if half the ad he WILL sell at higher prices, and the other half was just to get attention.

Very suspicious when rare coins worth many times more than the common ones are being offered at common date prices. When called he said something about those being examples of what he is selling, but though he lists a rare Type I and a rare Type II $20 Liberty in MS63 for what a common Type III might sell for in MS63, under $2000, there is no way on earth he, an experienced, seasoned coin dealer would offer the rare dates worth over $10K to any of the major U.S. coin dealers, to a Coin World subscriber just because they are a "collector". This is "off the charts" chutzpah, folks. Just look at the ad in the March edition of their monthly Coin World. The one with the sinking ship on the front cover.