An Idea of mine.

It's good to know that I am not the only one who has come to this conclusion.

Agreed. This is the one area in which Tim has shown tremendous growth, so if he insists on starting a coin-related business, I believe it would be wise for him to focus on his one strength.

Since "everything" is included, if sent this "cigar box" from "someone who knows 0 about coins", is it safe to assume that you will be attributing any/all varieties? If sent a box of cents with one CPG-listed variety thrown in as a test, would you be able to not only find, but correctly attribute the coin?

See below.

See below.

Okay, great... so you're still basing actual values off of a guide. While it is not worth again going over the folly of this with you, I would like to point out a recent thread about a 1957-P 1C NGC67 offered on Teletrade. IIRC, Numismedia lists FMV for this coin at over $1000, yet the aforementioned specimen failed to sell at the $400 opening bid, so using this one example, please tell me how your lazy generalization of 80% Numismedia FMV would benefit your client?

You proudly state that you own five domains, but say nothing about how well they are paying off for you. How is the "Future of Coin Collecting" site going? Other than the one thread trying to siphon off CT members, have you tried promoting the site? If I remember correctly, there has been no new threads in over a month, and most of what is there was posted by you offering services and asking for donations, so is it safe to assume this is another one of your great ideas now down the toilet?

Regardless... if you really want to work for yourself, that is great, but you need to wake up to reality. Photography has long been a hobby/borderline passion of mine, and I would have loved to make a business out of it. While I have sold a few photos over the years, if I put passion above practicality, I would long ago have been living in a cardboard box. My point is that you need to stop trying to play business, and actually focus on what there is a need or market for. Or, if you really want to play dealer, you could always do what numerous other jokers do and flip dreck as something special on ebay, but that would mean somehow fixing your paypal problems or being forced to use mommy's account. You also could consider actually leaving the house to get out and meet people to show your worth and prove yourself, but darn-it that just wouldn't be as fun, and you would have to accept the reality of being an unknown nobody instead of the savior your fancy yourself as. I've no doubt that it is beneath you to start out small filling minor want lists and/or slowly building a clientele, so keep with the big dreams and comparing yourself to the greats.

To put it simply, and all other issues aside, you do not have the skill or ability to follow through with this venture, Tim. I understand that it may sound like endless fun to sit on your butt in Mommy's house and wait for other people's coins to arrive in the mail, but it is a pipe dream and very far from the new idea you seem to think. Your threads can be amusing at times, but at others they are just sad.

 

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Hey can I get a link to his "FOCC" site, or if that isn't allowed at least a point in the right direction to finding it?

 

The reason I do not participate in the various "guess the grade" threads, is because I personally do not grade beyond Unc. To me, UNC is UNC.

I've seen various coins resubmitted and gained or lost 2 whole points.

I've also read about people buying "OGH" holders, and sometimes have success receiving a higher grade.

Even beyond that, there exists a firm that "ensures the grade", also known as "CAC".

So if you buy a coin in the OGH holder as MS63, resub, and it comes back MS64, and gets a "CAC" beanie, what exactly have you accomplished?

Zero, absolutely nothing.

I guarantee that if you took the same coin, and submitted it 100 times to any of the "big 3" TPG's, there will be a spread of 2 points.

Getting back to "why would anyone pay for your service"?....

If someone told me they have a firm that "ensures" the grade of a coin, I would tell them they are nuts and I doubt they would make a dollar. This is because grading is subjective, and is simply an opinion.

However, CAC seems to do quite well.

Also...if people think that these "OGH" holders will resub for higher grades...than that goes to show you that they did NOT do the job right the 1st time. They call this "gradeflation".

There is no comparison in grading, its subjected from the ANA Grading Standards, which have been around since the late 70s.

To me, grading beyond AU is silly, because a uncirculated coin's grade is so subjective, that it's a complete waste of time to even try to maintain a "standard".

Either that, or only have 3 grades in the MS range, not flipping 10!

But...maybe 20 years from now, there will exist a company that ensures CAC did a good job.

 

Good grief man.

 

Why not just get trained and apply for a professional grader/certifier job at a TPG or CAC? They pay very well, you get benefits, etc., and it gets you out of a small town and out to SoCal (PCGS) or Florida (NGC).

 

Tim, it sounds like you want to make money on coins as a side job. That is great, but why not keep it simple? The easiest way to make money on coins is buying them for less than you can re-sell them for.

Here's another idea. Buy a Ryedale coin sorter, and sort $100 FV bags of copper pennies and sell them for $140-$170.

Yea it will be work and not a heck of a lot of fun but you WILL make money doing it.

 

I have contempt also for grades past Unc. I have nothing but contempt for TPGs and U.S grading. But if your going to appraise peoples' coins you have a duty tell them what is, rather than what you wish it to be.

 

I do want to make money with coins as a side job.

However, it takes capital, which I was hoping to obtain through my appraisal service.

I guess I can always give it a try, and it don't work, just wait til I have around $2,000 saved up, and start being a dealer.

 

Guess what, Tim... you don't make the rules or set trends, and you just sunk the last thread of credibility your business idea was holding on by. I do hope that whenever this new "main" site is up and running, you are sure to put this front and center. Be sure to tell people that even though some coins can have significant values differences from tick to tick, you don't believe in it, will not waste your precious time "appraising" coins in the category, and that anyone foolish enough to send to you can simply eat any losses suffered because of it.

Is this what gradeflation really is, or are you, as usual, making an assumption but wording as fact?

If all OGHs are in-fact undergraded by present standards, this should mean easy money for you, right? Get to cracking, young man, and please be sure to let us know of the results.

As for the rest of this, it is just more proof of why you will fail. It is pitiful that a "professional appraiser" publicly states that a coin going from a 63 to 64CAC accomplishes "zero, absolutely nothing" when in the real world, this absolutely can increase the value, sometimes substantially.

 

In the real world, it does add value, but only to those who belive so.

MOST of the OGH holders than can upgrade, already have been done, most of the remainders will not.

Before you write my idea off as rubbish, a few people do not believe in TPG's at all.

 

Wait... an appraisal, with your own grading standards no less! Where do I sign up?

Seriously, if you're not going to grade to the industry standards, how can supply an accurate appraisal? Then you'll assign a value based on an arbitrary percentage of one website's opinion? Ican feel ole Jackson tryong to escape my wallet as I type.

Just to put this in perspective, I was the very person you are trying to target. Several years ago we actually inherited those "cigar boxes full of coins" that you're hoping to get. Keeping in mind that I knew absolutely nothing about coins, the first thing we did was open the boxes snd look at them. Then (because the event occurred in the 21st century, we turned to the internet, specifically Google. And guess what? All the information you are offering to provide was right there (that's how I found this place). At no extra charge. Do you know how to get to top of a Google search? I didn't have to wade through many search results before I found the info I needed.

I do agree with the others in that your photograpy skills are good. Work that angle instead. But undrstand you still need to market it right, and continuously hone those skill, to be successful.

 

This might be the most foolish post I have ever read on any coin forum, EVER!

 

How so? Where is your side of this opinion?

 

My side is the industry standard that is accepted and used by every numismatist. You are the one whose contention is that these two coins should have the same grade and value.




Just curious, what are you planning to say to your customers who paid you for an appraisal but their coins are uncirculated?

 

What about AU58/MS60/MS61 sliders?

Does the above mean you're willing to sell MS67 Morgans for MS60 prices? After all, to you, UNC is UNC.

 

Anything above AU58 will be sent to a TPG where for $20 you get a holder along with the grade.

 

I don't think the $2,000 will be quite enough Tim. Minimum, to be a Real Coin Dealer instead of a Coin Dealer Wannabee will require a minimum of $50,000 along with a reputation which would allow you to "borrow" from Peter to sell to "Paul" and then repay "Peter", keeping whatever profits are left over.

Us coin dealer wannabees take the easy way out and sell stuff on eBay. Low overhead (i.e. cost of a PC and internet connection and shipping supplies) and we get to work our own hours. All part time of course.

I used to entertain the thought of opening a B&M but from what I figure, I'd need to have access to about 500 grand to give it a half way decent shot. (Traveling to Coin shows and rubbing shoulders with fellow dealers ain't cheep you know!)
I'd also have to have a "source" of stuff to sell. Whether they are walkin's or bulk email purchases from other dealers is unimportant. I can't buy without having something to buy it with!

I do applaud your enthusiasm though. I believe that you will learn something once you move ahead with the "idea". Hopefully, your parents won't have to pick up the pieces.

 

Must we flay anymore flesh here? Uncle! I've had enough. Unsubscribed.......

 

Unfortunately for you, the real world is where you have to run your business.

 

I can't believe I read four pages of this. I have owned my own business for nine years. I guess after reading some of your threads, my conclusion is that I am jealous. Your complete disconnect from reality would be a welcome vacation from my stressful yet productive life.