Coin Show Heist!!!

I'm 17, and It kind of stinks...I went to the FUN show, and I was VAM hunting. I went up to a dealer and asked if she had any raw morgans (she has a whole box of them in the glass case) and she just looked at me and said "Uhh, we don't have any of those." I was so ticked. I just walked off...If she doesn't want to be kind, she doesn't deserve my buisness....

 

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Remember that dealer, and you should write about her to Coin World.
That was not the kind of thing that is a positive note for the hobby.
We constantly write about getting young people into the hobby, I assume from your note that you are young, otherwise why would she treat you like that, and this is the way that you are respected?
Wrong on her part.

 

So what do you have to look like? Should I wear a disguise? I do not resemble any of the coin dealers I've met.

 

Heritage Auctions emailed out a spreadsheet of Summit's coins stolen if anyone has use for a copy I can send it to them.

Here's the dealer's contact info if anyone has any info...
Chris Napolitano
Summit Rare Coins
651-227-9000
chrisssummitrc at aol.com

 

GDJMSP:
Ther is only one thing that I can say: GOOD FOR YOU!
Perhaps the dealer will think twice before he 'sizes' people up like that.
Or, perhaps not, either way it is his loss, and your gain, because you were the better person.

 

Great Story and a good lesson in life.

 

For those that know what I look like with get a laugh out of this---I just asked to go with a guy to a job site tomorrow....get this....in a short word---bodyguard I'm going but I don't think I'm going to be much good.!

Speedy

 

So your BIG and SPEEDY.

 

I've been turned away by several dealers at different shows. I'm not young. I've worn different attire... from shorts and a t-shirt, to going right from work in a suit and tie, and everything in between. I was told a lot of dealers have VAMphobia. They don't want to get cherrypicked on Morgan and Peace dollars. Some are trying to increase their knowledge in this area. I usually don't even pull out my loupe any more. Most want you to have a list of coins you need for your set and request it specifically. Lately, I've taken a different approach. I ask for a date and mint that has a specific VAM (like "do you have any circulated 1899-O Morgans?"). They'll usually show you a couple and then you can glance at your list and ask for something else... or they slide the box of raw coins your way because they figure you're trying to complete a set.

 

I attended the FUN show and there was security everywhere...inside and outside in the parking lot. Dealers are allowed to load/unload their invnetory at special loading areas not visible to the public...so, what I am trying to say is that there was enough on-site security.

But this robbery occured OFF-SITE, with a knife no less. I just can't imagine a robbery now-a-days for millions of dollars in coins with a knife, and nothing more. Does inside job sound realistic? ...and how in the world are these thieves going to fence these coins?....unless it makes its way overseas.

 

Some dealers just don't like variety specialists cherry-picking them. They are also too busy or too lazy to attribute them themselves. So this is another possibility.

 

I saw Speedy mention this too and I think this is a great point. It would have had to been the luck of the draw who they confronted with that knife for the heist to be successful.
I've got a good knife too that would have been on me. For that kind of inventory, I might have taken my chances and seen if the guy really wanted to go.

Normally, the attacker(s) just expect people to submit and give them what they want. I'd say most are not prepared to actually fight it out in a big confrontation or ready to face 1st degree murder charges. There was probably a 98% chance they would have took off running if the guy said no and pulled out his own knife. What's sad is, Minnesota and Florida are both concealed carry states. How hard would it have been to have a carry pistol on you when you're transporting over a million in inventory!? How much risk would an average criminal have pulling a knife on somebody in Florida? Down there, your chances are pretty good of being shot. I mean, give me a break.

Which is why this sounds a little fishy to me. If somebody wanted to get out of the coin business and jack the insurance company at the same time, that sounds like a partially believable story, I suppose.

 

brinks!

 

Individuals robbed of coins that have attended a coin show is a lot more common than people realize. It usually happens on the way home from a coin show, knife show, gun show, etc. Criminals know that the average person that goes to these shows carry large quantities of cash. In most instances they care little about the coins for coin value and many of the coins themselves will end up in a coin counter, pawn shop, flea market. It's really the cash they want or basically. Yes some are after the coins but getting your money from the sale of coins is time consuming, investigative wise a not to profitable product. Even more difficult to sell than a toaster of TV set.
Around areas I know of many such robberies don't even make the news since they are so common. It's usually only when someone says it's in the millions that anyone even hears about them.
For those reasons every time I read on a this forum that someone is going to ANY coin show, I stress the safety first subjects. And on top of those listings should always be what to look out for on the way FROM a coin show.

 

Thats alot of stuff, I hope he was insured! Even so some of the stuff
Looks like it will be irreplaceable!!

 

Has anyone bothered to look at the date on this thread?

 

I just noticed that and was going to ask why somebody bumped this from 1-15-07? I could understand if there was an update, but.....how would you even come across this?

 

LOL, thought the same thing myself....