littleton?

hello again everyone, does anyone in here deal with littleton???and if so have you ever experienced anything bad with them??such as with that automatic coin thing where if you dont like or want the coins you send them back within 15 days and they dont charge you anything??i'm just asking this because i used to do this with compact discs and i would send them back and they would tell me that they never recieved them...i was just wondering if they do anything like that...also they sent me some sacagawea dollers in unc-60, and on her shirt or whatever it is she is wearing, there is some discoloration, does anyone know what this is?? i have bought these coins, and i dont know if i should send them back this one is the 2003 D coin...thanks as always, very appreciated

josh

 

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You mean something other than what many consider to be their gross overgrading and even grosser overcharging?

 

josh,

You have made a mistake by signing up for a "coins on approval" selling gimmick.

The wisest thing you can do, is to cancel this contract immediately, and never consider this type of scam again.

 

I only dealed (spelling?) with them once...they sent me some coins...I took the ones I like and sent the rest back...with payment included..everything worked fine, why I left it then?, because as stated b4, the coins they sell are too over priced...BUT if you want to begin or finish a collection...and dont have time too look for them all over the shops or websites and enough money, that could be your best shot...IMO!

my 2 cents!

Ivan

 

I've got one thing to say about littleton coin company.....TO HECK WITH THEM! The same goes for the American Historic society, sure they are genuine....Genuinely cleaned to the core.

 

they used to have a good deal where you could get silver eagles for $6.25 for up to 3.i joined a couple times and then quit as soon as the coins came.

 

Choosing your dealer should be handled the same way that you choose your coins. Spend some time to look at exactly what you want. Many of the large mail order companies also attend the major coin shows. I would suggest using them only at these shows.
Most catalog purchases and program purchases are NOT a good way to get good coins at fair prices.

 

Littleton is a good company and will provide what they say they will. Their coins are sold at very high retail though. In almost all cases you'll be able to find the coins at more favorable prices elsewhere. They do sell some items which have a great deal of value added so it's not impossible to get some pretty "good deals" if they have exactly what you need.

Check out their competition and make your own choices.

 

I have not bought from Littleton since I was a child. From everything I'm reading,things have changed quite a bit since then. I've looked at their current prices and selection, and I would not buy from them. Not because they don't have quality coins, but because they are very overpriced. I haven't seen anything that they're offering that can't be had somewhere else for a better price. JMHO

 

well thank you all for your replies, i will terminate this immediatly... as for the sacagawea, any comments??? once again thanks

 

Yes, MS-60 is a numerical grade for the worst posible example of an uncirculated coin. A splotchy toned, or discolored coin, with very little eye-appeal would be one example of an MS-60.

Sac dollars are easily discolored because of the metal used for their composition.

 

I'm glad to hear the "other side the the story"--I had been told by an older collector who did it for years it was an alright deal so I just got my first shipment and like it--Do you have any feedback on "Palisades International"??

They sent a nice 1957 red cent and a nice mercury dime.

Why is this a bad way to get some coins--I see that you say that some place said they didn't get the money but how do we know the mailman didn't take it to them??

I would like to hear some comments before I do the next viewing.

Thanks

Speedy

 

okay well thanks again, i've made my decision, i think that littleton has lost a customer.

 

It's bad because they are sending you coins that you did not specifically choose to collect. You're letting someone else decide for you, and leaving yourself no option of shopping around for better deals.

These companies know that you are much more likely to buy their coins, once you have them, than to go to the trouble of sending them back.

To me, this hobby is all about learning 1st, and accumulating coins 2nd.

Having someone else tell me what to collect, and what to pay, is the furthest thing from my mind.
I hate to be rude, but I would laugh at that deal.

 

I did what 9roswell did. Took my silver eagles and ran. All I did to stop the coins before they started was to call their toll free line. No problems. I thought the silver eagles was a good deal.

 

I've done the SE thing many times. Hve most of my SE (collection as well as bullion) that way.

 

I just bought 5 - 2004 silver eagles for $6.95/each with no S&H. See this full page ad in the back inside cover of November 2004's Coin Prices. I understand their game and will send the other coinis back when they arrive and run away with these eagles at a nice price.

They just want a mailing name and address whereas you will get their solicitations ALL OF THE TIME. Too often, newbies bite at their prices like those that buy NGC graded coins on QVC for a nice hefty premium.

I bought their Eagles before at less than $7 per coin and ran. Take the Eagles and run (like the Steve Miller song). They make nice gifts to my nephews and nieces.

 

i bought a few coins off them a long time ago and they were over-graded but not as bad as some on e-bay.

 

You got a lot of replies, most of them negative. That tells you more about the dangers of asking for opinions than it does about Littleton. Allow me to speak on behalf of Littleton. Then I will cover the same question from a different angle.

1. There is no such thing as a free lunch. Costs are always passed on to the ultimate consumer. We all know this; we just forget what it means. Littleton's prices are "higher" than collectors expect and one reason why is the free approvals. Littleton's pays the postage both ways. That is just one factor.

2. Grading is subjective. People complain that Littleton "overgrades" but no one establishes a standard. What company grades so correctly that no one complains? Everyone wants to buy UNDERGRADED coins, of course. In truth, Littleton grades correctly. They are as reliable, accurate, precise and honest as any other top-notch firm in our hobby.

3. Problems lower grades. Littleton does not sell problem coins. (Your Sackie is a different situation entirely.) When Littleton grades a coin Very Fine, that is what it is, without rimnicks, scratches, overcleaning and other problems.

4. Littleton buys quality coins. I have talked to dealers who sell to Littleton. They pay above wholesale for coins without problems. They needs a lot of inventory for their many, many customers and they pay for it in order to get it. Dealers are very happy to see Littleton come in because they pay well. However, they do not buy junk.

5. Longevity counts. Littleton is in their second generation. They are in a small town in New England. If these people were half as unreliable or as undeserving as some people here have let on, they would have been run out of town on a rail 40 years ago. I have met David Sundman at meetings of the ANS where he was attending as a member. (He is also an ANA member, of course, but that's business. If you know anything about collecting in America, you appreciate what it means to find a dealer as a member of the ANS, participating as an individual.)

6. Can you get a better "deal"? Well, yes, considering that there is no such thing as a free lunch: all costs must be accounted for. Myself, I save my money, go to an ANA or regional convention like MSNS or Blue Ridge, stay in a motel for a couple of days, and so on. Most collectors say they cannot "afford" to do that, but end up spending as much on extras that they do not tally: (again) time in travel, time in the store, impulse purchases, shipping and handling, getting ripped off...

7. For many collectors, going ANYWHERE is not an option. Littleton is very popular with people who do not or cannot travel to coin stores and coin shows. For them, the extra cost of a coin represents an extra value in service.

Am I a Littleon customer? No, I am not. I do not collect much and my interests are more in research and writing. I have investigated the company. I know them from the hobby.


Michael
ANA R-162953

 

What you say makes a lot of sense, Michael. The coins that I've looked at from Littleton do seem overpriced to me, but it makes sense if the only coins they're buying are quality and are therefore paying more for them. And, as you say, they are on their second generation. They must be doing something right.