Coin shows, your opinion? My first impression from one: grossly overpriced coins

@ewomack Part of haggling is letting the dealer know either his price is too high or telling him your budget. Sometimes they will lower the price if you manage to find another coin to buy. No need to sneak away, if they're rude with you about haggling be rude back to them.

 

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I just don't like haggling ... I have a few cheap friends that seem to get a real thrill out of "the haggle" ... yah, I'm just not that guy (I get zero-pleasure out of the confrontational haggle ... quite the opposite, actually)

... enough to never go to a coin show (meh, maybe I'll meet you guys at the bar, afterwards?)



=> I have great respect for dudes/dudettes that can dance the haggle-waltz (luckily, my wife is a very good dancer!!)

 

Personally I don't like to haggle either. But ever since I've started selling sports cards since I was young I've learned to accept it. I don't see anything wrong with trying to save some money, now if only I can control myself from buying all them coins...

 

Personally, I do not like to "haggle" either. However, I clearly distinguish "haggling" from effective negotiation.

Haggling: I feel that folks are trying to get what THEY want, nibbling, biting, and trying to get the "best deal" for THEMSELVES.

I enjoy negotiating:

If it is a meaningful coin or one that I focus, I ensure that I strike up a conversation and a hobby-relationship with the Seller. You can tell fairly quickly if this would be an individual that you can trust, and ultimately have a sound relationship for the future. I want people that I feel that I can come back to for great coins, or good information, as well as building a trust. I do not view Sellers as a "shop" that I am going to pick up a loaf of bread, or some fruit.

I strive to do my homework and research; I settle on a price zone that would be fair to both parties; I ensure that I am open, honest, and to the point; then I make a fair offer. I really do not worry about the price they mark on the item, nor what is posited. I work for the price that I am offering... I am willing to move if I see merit in the deal. If it does not work for either of us, I ensure we both know that our negotiation is done. I always keep the tone within my mind that this is a HOBBY and for enjoyment.

Many times, I have turned to leave the table, and the Seller has actually called me back to either agree, or to give me a fair counter-offer.

I want to ensure BOTH parties are happy, that we BOTH enjoy the Hobby, and that it is a fair deal in BOTH minds.

 

Yeah. I don't do this, either. Sometimes I'll make one offer, see if there's a counteroffer, and then decide if I can live with it. I don't offer on coins that are way outside of what I want to pay. Some dealers I know just won't budge on their prices, and I take that into account. The price is the price with them, and if I want the coin, I pay the price. Simple.

 

Be patient grass hopper...let the right coin come to you...IMHO...1. the dealers at coin shows have a hard time making back the money they have invested 2. I hope I am wrong, but coin shows are slowly going by the wayside.

 

Have you checked CA's balance sheet lately??

 

I've haggled plenty of times with numerous dealers. I have no problem with that. This was a special case where the dealer really didn't want to let me go because we had engaged in a pretty interesting discussion about Rome beforehand, so I think he thought he "had me." He wouldn't budge on the price of the Aurelius so I told him I wasn't interested, but he kept handing me more and more overpriced coins, all of which I didn't want to buy. I was about to tell him to take a flying leap to where the moon doesn't shine, but conveniently someone came along, distracted the dealer, and allowed me a more graceful escape. It was an unusual circumstance.

I have been pretty cold to a few dealers who must have assumed that I can't read Japanese and tried to pass things off to me that either weren't Japanese coins or not what they said they were (one tried to pass off a Meiji for a Taisho, which is pretty easy to spot if you know the Kanji for each). They may not have known what the coins were themselves, but they should make that clear rather than assuming. That made my bile boil, for sure. I walked away quickly and never went back to them.

 

One thing I learned while doing PhD coursework was to assume that anyone you talk to is potentially smarter than you. Personally, I am fine with being underestimated in a negotiation or really any conversation; it provides an unseen advantage.

 

That's a complete load of garbage, and by even saying such a thing you're potentially harming newer collectors who don't have the experience to realize this.

If you prefer buying while sitting at home, that's great and you've every right to enjoy your hobby however you see fit, but you don't have the right to mislead, and is exactly what your "100% sure" comment is. The fact, as testified to by many in this thread, is that shows can indeed offer sometimes better prices along with additional valuable benefits buying online simply cannot. Another fact is that many coins later appearing for sale online were acquired at shows, which certainly wouldn't be the case if your claim was true. Pressing others into limiting their options does not help them or this hobby as a whole, and this is especially true when said option just happens to include some of the most risky "opportunities" out there. Buying online can certainly be an enjoyable experience for those with the knowledge to do so safely, but is full of potholes and traps for those who cannot.

That said, I'm genuinely sorry your experience wasn't as you had hoped.

 

I don't mind some haggling. I set up at 1 or 2 shows a year. First, I want to make enough to cover my expenses. From then on I just want to move some inventory so I can buy more or special items for my on collection. I have had customers come back after giving them a deal. Most people aren't afraid to ask, what will you take for this coin.

 

Many show dealers I patronize do not have prices marked and I have to wonder how exactly they might quote the same coin five minutes later. Most have codes on the flips. That might make an interesting thread - how do you know what you have in a coin without telling the world?

 

I code my coins. I price all coins I put on display.