There are 2 LCS near where I work and I decided to check them out for the first time today on my lunch break. The first one I really wouldn't consider a coin shop at all (even though their sign says rare coins). They don't really sell coins. They had a handful out but the guy told me they basically buy silver and gold. So I checked out the other shop. They had plenty on display. I wasn't looking to spend much, just a few bucks on a few common indian heads, buffs or liberty nickels, foreign coins things I don't come by often roll hunting, or even a cool common date silver coin. They did not have foreigns, or liberty nickels, but they did have bags of IHC and buffs. Only problem was they don't let you by single coins out of the bag, you have to buy the whole bag. While I'm in there a guy comes in to sell some coins. I hear the lady working the counter talk about the silver coins he brought in, but also about the IHC, buffs and liberty nickels. So when the guy sells his coins and leaves, I ask her if I can talk a look at the coins she just bought from him. She says, "Those are just silver coins." The IHC's were no longer on the counter, but the buffs and libertys were laying right there on the counter. I didn't want to be rude so I asked her if I could look at them anyway, because I have some silver coins too. She replied, "I'm sorry I can't sell you those." I politely said thank you for your time and left. Is these pretty normal for for LCS visits or just perhaps some bad luck?
No, atleast not for me. I have 3 LCS, and 2 of them are very nice. It might be that I'm young, but They give me great discounts, and are super nice and every single coin they have, even if they like it I can always make an offer. And usually they accept it. Another coin store, is completley ridiculous. I went to his shop, everything is overpriced completley, and when I go to this part of the room he says, dint go there! Your not allowed to see those coins! Although he listed them for sale on the window part view. And hes a total jerk.
Thanks xgajx, its good to know there are some good LCS out there. I will have to check for some others in my area.
I suspect someone needed to examine the coins they just bought before they'd be ready for potential buyers to look at.
I've been to coin shops where they only sell by the bag, so that's not very surprising. Maybe this place goes through the coins they buy for rares and sell the rest. Since they had not gone through them yet maybe that's why she "couldn't" sell those to you.
sometimes employees have set buy prices they can offer customers, but when certain coins are to be sold, they have to run them by the owner first, so they can be acuratly graded and priced.
Gotcha, that makes a lot more sense to me. I guess I figured a dealer would know key dates, and if I asked to buy the coin they would examine it and price it accordingly. She was very nice, wasn't rude at all, I just thought it odd I couldn't look at them. Well, that and the fact that she included the buffs and liberty nickels as silver coins.
Probably just the shops, the money today is in buying/selling gold and silver for these local shops. The collector base is just not there but plenty of people are willing to sell their scrap PM, and these places usually offer (and get) low purchase prices for this stuff. I do have a couple problems with your post. One, you state the shop had no foreign coins or liberty nickels, yet you say after the silver seller left, the IHCs were gone "but the buffs and libertys were laying right there on the counter". So which is it? The fact that she didn't let you look through the bag could indeed, be the store policy. If they make their money buying/selling precious metals, there is little to be made by selling individual, low-priced coins. So they only sell 'em in bulk. That's their prerogative. As far as letting you look at what the other just brought in, she may have had to change an inventory to reflect the loss of the IHCs (which I'm guessing he swapped for the silver) and the addition of the new silver, she may not have been ready to sell them. Since he bought them in bulk (the IHCs) and you just wanted to browse, he got them.
Sorry for the confusion. The gentlemen didn't buy any coins he only sold them, and the coins he sold were various silvers, some liberty and buffalo nickels and IHC. When I asked to look at the coins he sold her, the IHC were not on the counter anymore (I'm assuming she removed them to inspect like you all have mentioned). I mentioned the buffalos and libertys still being there because when I asked to look at them she said," Those are just silver coins." Obviously the buffalos and libertys are not silver so that is why I thought it was odd. Hope that makes more sense. Thank you everyone for your feedback.
My bad. That's a little different. I still think she needed to (or have someone else) add them to inventory before putting them out for sale.
