I went to a store and saw a dealer restocking ASE without gloves on. I saw the same thing at coin shows. So wearing gloves are just for numi coins?
It's because they, like most people in numismatics, consider them to be nothing more than a hunk of bullion. Would you handle a 1 oz silver bar with gloves ? They wouldn't either. And to them that's all the bullion coins are.
Most do not for any type of coin be it bullion or collectible. Even professional graders do not wear gloves as it impairs the ability to handle a coin with the proper dexterity.
The dealer by my house pulls out his little felt pad to lay the coins on, but handles all his coins without gloves.
Quite true, but if you ever watched how dealers handle the bullion coins you'd understand the OP's question. They just pick them up and handle them like they would coins from their pocket.
Yep Yep. Who wants to get their gloves contaminated? You may need them to fondle a real coin at some time.
I do handle them the same way for the most part. Unless it is a BU roll I could care less. I wont wear gloves but I do properly handle them by the edge if they are nice & fresh. I've been a dealer now for almost 5 years Doug, did ya forget ?
One time I was speaking with an error dealer as he was sorting & mounting "red" off center cents into 2x2s. He was talking (spitting) all over the coins & touching them on all surfaces with his dirty fingers. All those nice red cents probably have spots, & all kinds of ugly toning patterns today. Of course, they are probably no longer in his inventory and may be in YOUR collection right now. This experience was in about 1990. At that time, I cleaned every red cent I purchased from that guy with acetone & alcohol before sealing them in my 2x2s. They look darn good today so it was probably a good thing that I did it back then.
No I didn't forget. But then neither I did say that every single dealer there is does the same thing or handles them in the same manner. My comments are merely to indicate that most, majority (or however you want to say it) dealers do what I said - not all of them.
I've got some AGE's from the 90's that I have had for a while. They are mounted. I haven't had them out or touched them. I can see faint finger prints on them. Thank you dealer. "While it might be just bullion to you to some of us it may mean more, keep your dirty fingers off any coins you intend to sell"
