Professional vs non-professional handling of coins

Hi,

I took several coins into my nearest coin shop the other day to have people more knowledgeable than me see them in person and give me their opinions. They weren't anything incredibly special, but were all in VF-XF+ condition, a capped bust half and a seated liberty dime in particular. I like these two coins and wanted to know what he thought the value would be, what I should do with them and so on.

The dealer, who I've had a very good experience with so far took a look, wanted some of the other coins I brought in and had some questions about these two particular coins. They weren't key or even semi-key dates and they weren't in MS condition but he questioned whether they were real, said something just wasn't right to him. So he asked if he could see them outside the container (airtite, etc). After taking out the coin, and he did this with both of them, he weighed them, and then proceeded to quickly flip them end-over-end in his hands with his fingers touching the faces (not the center, but definitely not just the edges) and dropped them on the glass counter to hear the sound of the material a couple of times.

I was frankly a little shocked by the rough handling of my coins and didn't know if I was over-reacting or not since I'm no professional and he goes through so many more coins than I ever have. I am very careful with my coins, even breathing cautiously when examining them raw. Assuming his hands were dry (I don't see any fingerprints on the coins after getting them back), is this kind of handling generally ok and I'm just oversensitive? I know the value isn't that much on these, but I was still a little taken aback. What do you think?

 

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Any other dealers in town?

Or, I should say, are there ANY coin dealers in town?

 

Many.

 

It would be one thing to ask you if he could take it out to weigh it, but for him to touch it all over the obverse and reverse, and then have the audacity to drop it on the glass counter?!?!?!?! WTF!!!
I'd have been ****ed. Was there any damage done to the coin? These are all things he should have asked you specifically if the could have done, and then only proceeded with your premission.

 

I thought so too. But honestly, I didn't know if, because these are not particularly special coins in any way, this was common or reasonably acceptable. I personally didn't think so, but what do I know?

I didn't immediately see any damage to the coins that I hadn't noticed before. I'm not completely sure.

 

It's really bad that he did that with YOUR coins. I get pretty wound up when I carefully go through the stack of Danscos behind the counter at my dealers, pick the ones I want, ever so carefully remove them then when I ask for flips the guy just grabs them up and shoves them in, fingers all over the faces. Again, not bank breaking coins but MS63 and up silver rosies. At least they're still his at that point though and I could just choose not to buy them...

Now I make sure to always pack them up myself. I have stacks of flips from other things I've bought that I can take along so I know they're handled the way I like.

I'm never sure if it's just me being anal or whether they just have so much experience and know they're not harming them. Personally I'd just as soon avoid taking the risk.

 

That's exactly what I'm talking about. Do coin dealers go through so many coins that they just don't really care about anything that's not top-of-the-line or they know coins can stand a little dry fingerprint here and there or how much tossing around is too much or what?

 

It doesnt really matter if you gave him an 1877 MS60 Indian Head Cent or a 2008 Lincoln Cent they are your coins and the "dealer" should have treated them and you with more respect than that. I'd bet he wouldnt want you to come into his shop and start bouncing his coins off the counter and questioning the authenticity of the coins he is selling. I'd find a real coin dealer.

 

I think "Indianhead" has said it all. You really need to find another coin store.

 

I've never run across anything like that, even in the places I won't go back to.

 

I try to handle anyone elses coins with kid gloves - unless they are selling "junk" silver. Even then if it looks nice I'm carefull.

I would consider other dealers and voice your concerns. It's YOUR coin.

 

absolutely unacceptable behavior on the part of the "coin dealer". no escuse for his handling of your coins.

 

You did say that they were VF/XF right? Then fingerprints aren't going to show up. I don't like the part where he tested the ring but maybe there was something that made him feel that it was fake. Even then he should have said something about it to you.

Speedy

 

be glad he didn't drop them onto the concrete floor and then hand them back like nothing happened - happened to me at a coin show - yes the dealer bought them. i would let him know the next time your there that you weren't happy about the handling of your coins. he might have not thought anything of it at the time since he was more focused on seeing if the coins were real. i'd give him the benefit on this one - but not again.

-Steve

 

Actually I agree here. At the same time if you get some good buys from the store, then use them for buying only. I know at my local coin store they are very careful when someone brings one in, but less careful with their coins - but they do still handle them properly.

After he did all that - did they say they are real?

 

permission for this kind of testing first. the coins do not belong to the dealer. does the u break you buy policy apply if he rim dings your coin???

 

Most coin dealers will explain what they are doing before they do it - by chance did you ask him his opinion on whether the two were authentic? were you trying to sell them to him? I can't imagine any logical reason he'd have weighed & tested the silver ring w/a counter thump on common date vf coins. Did he explain 'what' looked odd after subjecting the coins to the mangle thump test?

 

pro..................

i think that you experienced a very brazen dealer.what kind of jerk would handle someone elses property that way?

i think what i would have done this: after one coin that was mishandled i'd say HOLD IT PAL! let me get you a pair of gloves before you risk damaging any more of my coins!

that clown is one piece of work! SHEESH!

 

I was interested to see what he would be willing to pay for them, I wasn't anywhere near committed to selling them. He didn't give a reason for why he thought they weren't authentic, just "didn't look right".

I say VF/XF, but I'm probably being pessimistic - at least one would likely grade AU and the other looks polished to me, but with AU details.

I'll take them to another dealer nearby that I've had good experiences with before. Thanks for all the comments!