Yeah, I know, it has been awhile since I posted. I had some family issues which prevented my upcoming purchases, but now that things have settled I decided to attend the local coin shop today to see what dimes may be available. When I entered I was greeted and asked, "Welcome! Would you be interested in viewing our bullion bars and medallions today?" I initially thought, "Never heard that before," and simply replied a, "No thanks." I started to browse, just to see what was new and what was on display. After awhile I asked to see several Barber Dimes. While viewing a kid came in and asked if he could see some nickels from 2000-present. One of the assistants walked over the glass display case and said, "Sure, but I'll have to stand here and watch you go through them though." I guess the kid wanted P, D, and S and asked for 3 of each year in BU. The assistant asked the kid why one of each just wouldn't do and if he really needed P, D, and S. A little while later the kid asked for several examples to pick the best one and at this the assistant replied, "Why? They are all BU." The kid eventually got his coins and left. I was curious so I tried a similar tactic, thinking maybe the assistant just wasn't accustomed to kids. After I picked up 5 Barbers I asked to see BU Roosevelt Dimes from 1980 to present including proofs from a different assistant who helped the kid. Again, I was led to the glass display case and she stood there while I looked at the coins...heaven forbid I take them to a table to look at them under the light, instead I had to stand there and look at them by a window. She handed me a 1980 P and D and I asked for another example of the same date and mint mark, explaining I was looking for a full torch example. She sighed and said, "If you are going to look at several examples all the way to 2013 we are going to be here awhile and I have some bullion to catalog." I asked if she could just pull all BU and proof examples of the dates I asked and I could sit at a table and look through them. She stated, "No, I have to stay here to make sure you don't take anything and we need to keep as many dimes available in the case in case someone else wants to look" At this, I was perturbed and disgusted by the rudeness, excessive priority on silver, and the distrust of not being allowed to take simple, clad dimes to a table for further examination. Every collector wants the best example and not just a label of "BU." I know they probably had merchandise stolen before, but I remember plenty of times as a kid and teenager going through Roosevelts and Mercuries at the table, by the box-load and being content for hours, but now I had to stand at a glass display case by a window, looking at one coin at a time, being hovered over by the assistant until I found the coin I wanted. At this, I told her I was tired of looking and they could keep the Barber dimes as a show was coming up, and promptly left. Am I looking at this wrong, or did this seem inappropriate? I only have one shop in the area, so not much to compare against, so input would be appreciative.
The sins of a few have incriminated the many.... There's a shop I go to in FL that has video cameras under the counters (to see your lap and hands), and 2 overhead on either side of you. Plus an armed security guard who sits there all day with one job: watching buyers. I know the owner and some of the staff. But he has every right to do that. I asked once if anyone had ever stolen coins with all that security. The reply was, "Just once. A $3000 coin." The thief walked out with it and when the shop owner noticed it was missing, they reviewed hours of tape until they spotted it. A few weeks later, police caught the guy in another state, arrested him, prosecuted him, and eventually the shop got their coin back.
Tough times in the USofA when nickels and dimes are under lock and key. I have gone through trays of 50 cent pieces (1968 -1980's), without anyone standing over me.
im 14 and the dealer in my area is really friendly. he let me go through a tray of pre-1933 gold and high grade key date Morgan dollars while he worked. sometimes he even lets me sit behind the counter and look through coins he hasnt priced yet. in fact, one time he gave me a free silver dollar (1922-s) for putting some coins in 2x2s for him
That seems pretty ridiculous. At the shop I go to they allow me to do my own thing as I look through the coins and even take my word for it when I tell them how many I have when I'm ready to check out. Granted, they know me, but they were never as unfriendly as the store you describe.
Well, every store has their own policy and practices. Unfortunately, the truth is if you don't feel comfortable dealing with them, the only solution is don't shop there.
She could be new or just be doing her job - an employee mght have strict orders from her boss / manager to make sure nothing goes missing. I guess don't take it too hard - everyone's different and agreed, it may not be friendly as you'll like it to be. Take the time to know them and see if it's the same. It's like trying to judge a book by it's cover - if you can tell people's personality within a short period of time, I would like to know how.
Also if she was just an employee and something came up missing then it may get taken out of her check or even worse she could be fired. She was probably just looking out for herself. Just like it's hard to shop while someone is hovoring over you it is also hard to find work. Give it time. Shop there more often and strike up some conversation.
That's right, I've stopped in at different dealers, where they don't even know my name and have never counted the coins I hold in my hand. They ask how many and take my word for it. We're talking handfuls. They offer a bag and do not charge tax with cash purchase, all with a smile and a thank you.
... also, this day and age, coin shops are few and far in between. It is the shops responsibility to make everyone's first impression a pleasant one. It's good for a dying store front business model. It is also the shops responsibility to realize that most people are good and honest. Their intentions are coin related and they do not have another shop for miles. As a species, we generally do not crap where we eat. This means most of their clientele will value the opportunity to stop in once in a while and will wish to re-enter the shop at some point in the future. Stealing once and being banned from the shop is not in the collector's best interest. I'm writing as a customer and the customer is always right.
Disagree about the part of the customer being always right - a 'customer' cannot just walk in a store and trash it. If you think it's ok to do so, I have no further comments. I would expect to be treated nicely but do understand about security problems. I've been to money exchangers where there were soldiers standing beside them with rifles. Intimidating? Yes. Necessary? Possibly. Can you blame them for it? No. Not when you see news about robberies and potential damage they can do. You'll be out of work if your place gets smashed and it doesn't do good to your reputation if you didn't have adequate security in place. Unfortunately this is the world we live in - trust is something that has to be earned and everyone has their own reasons to question everyone else. Please kindly open a coin store if you do have that in your vision. I am more than happy to pay a visit some day.
Why would anyone open a storefront coin shop when they are quickly becoming obsolete? Maybe you are confusing a pawn shop (in a bad neighbourhood) that has a coin display case and a few coins, with an actual coin shop? I did not state that breaking the law was appropriate (ex: trashing a store). Whatever gave you that idea? My comments as a customer, remain accurate and without any contention. Please feel free to start a separate topic on security, guns, trashing stores, etc... There is a substantial difference here, A - paranoia and possibly losing a bigger sale while standing over a display of modern nickels and dimes, B - letting someone look at modern, non-silver nickels and dimes without standing over them. Do we not want customers to return? In case you missed it, there is also a wink after my customer comment.
Sounds like that shop has had some past issues and are now paranoid about every person who walks through the door. I can understand as most dealers work off very small profits, making a coin or two stolen a bigger deal than a stolen candy bar at Walmart. Like was mentioned already, be a good customer and get to know them. I bet that changes things. Heck, my shop allows me to go in the back room where I can sit all day if I want looking through boxes of coins right out of the safe. They trust me entirely, and I've bought enough stuff there that they know where I live if anything comes up stolen.
i live in Kansas City and the 'secret santa' has guards with machine guns and an armored car provided by the city.
My local coin dealer's shop has been broken into several times since he's moved to his current location three years ago. I don't think anything's been stolen, though. It's not in an icky neighbrohood, neither. Yeah, I don't know how long the "Local Coin Shop" thing is gonna last: Not only are criminals lured by the "free lolly" tempting scumbags to burgle these places, all the emphasis on precious metals shoves not only the collector coins (and the customers who buy them) aside at times (in some shops), it also invites unwanted scrutiny by the local city government, who thinks the owner is getting away with murder somehow.
If it makes you feel better, coin dealers hover over me and my 4 year-old son when he's picking out world coins from the 5 for a dollar bin. I tend to believe it's because they want to see who's picking the coins out. When they see that he's the one doing all the work and is honestly setting aside what he wants to buy, they always throw in a free coin.
My favorite local coin dealer had a robbery gone horribly wrong (one dead) and now keeps his closed sign up all the time. You have to know what hours he might be there, and if he doesn't recognize you, he doesn't unlock the door.
It's also possible the assistant was just having a bad day ... A really really really really bad day ... Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
