Hey all, Im getting kinda tired of Ebay and was wondering if many of you have used Teletrade or Heritage before?So far Teletrade seems a might bit easier.They seem to have some good prices on the items I looked at. So anyone had any dealings with the above mentioned?
You're trying to compare apples and kiwi fruit. Heritage and Teletrade, along with many other reputable dealers, are professional coin dealers who use auctions as part of their repertoire. In general, although not exclusively, their auctions are for higher grade material. EBay on the other hand, along with Yahoo, Amazon, and other venues, are "meeting places" utilized by amateurs and professionals, with honest and crooked examples of both types. In general, although again not exclusively, their auctions are for lower grade material. Each has a following, and many experienced collectors use both types of source for new material. Personally, I wouldn't bid on any moderately or high priced material (~$50 or more) on an EBay-type site without knowing exactly who the seller was, and being confidant in their return policy. On the other hand, I wouldn't expect to fill a date set hole with a low-cost coin by attending a Heritage auction.
Can I suggest if you hate dealing with such online bidding risk, you always have the alternative of reputable coin dealers online. I'm sure there are plenty of people who can recommand you a list of such dealers. Of course, you might pay a bit more, but that might be the best option if online auction paranoids you very bad.
Can anyone recommend online dealers where they have pictures and prices available online? I've been using harlanjberk.com and I like them since they have the images and prices online. Most of the other online dealers I've come across has just prices and they opinion on the grade but no pictures of the coin.
Bone, thank you. I've looked at civitas ebay store. If a coin is cleaned do they note that on the description? I'm still bad at catching cleaned coins.
Piece-of-cake, don't know about the cleaning thing though Bonedigger Bonedigger Dogs in the Moonlight
online dealers Heritage online has very exellent pics that you can zoom in on the coins you want to look at. they also have buy prices and auctions.
I've never purchased from Heriatge, I've looked at their pics and they're great. Is there any fees involved on purchases other than the coin price and s/h?
I believe Heritage charges a special buyers fee. Doesn't seem especially prohibitive, nor especially inviting either.
I used to buy quite a few coins from Teletrade. Then they lost one of my winnings and it took forever to get my money back.
This is something I'm never gonna understand - why are people concerned with a buyer's fee ? Every single house there is the world charges one - so what ? A buyer's fee is nothing more than part of the price of the coin - you just have to figure it in. Say the most you are willing to pay for coin A is $100 - but there is a 15% buyers fee. It's quite simple - you don't bid $100, you bid $87 if you don't want to pay more than $100. $87 + 15% ($13.05) = $100.05 What is the difference between doing that and paying $100 for the same coin elsewhere that doesn't have a buyer's fee ? It's still $100 for the coin
the difference is that this method seems a bit "shady". I know that everyone does it and it is an accepted practice, but why is it necessary? Why should I, as a buyer, have to try to figure out what 87% of what I'm really willing to pay is? The answer to that question is what makes it a little underhanded; if they eliminated the buyer's premium it is unlikely that the final hammer prices would be a full 15% higher than they are now. By dividing up the charges that will be assed to the buyer (and seller on a consigned item) the auction companies make more money than they would otherwise. Doug, while I respect you and your ability to stick to the price that you are willing to pay and that you are able to always refrain from bidding more than 87% of what you are willing to pay, that isn't necessarily the way everyone is. The auction houses understand this; their buyer's premiums prove that they do.
You're entitled to your opinion CT, but I see nothing underhanded or shady about it. It's not like it's a surprise waiting for you at the end of the auction. You know about it from the very beginning. And I have absolutely zero doubt that hammer prices would end up the same if buyer's fees were done away with. For everyone who buys from an auction house on a regular basis factors them in as part of the cost. And hopefully you also realize that when you buy a coin from any dealer - you pay well in excess of that 15% - you pay closer to 30% - 40%. Everybody charges for their services whether it's a dealer, an auction house - even an individual. That's the nature of business and how they stay in business. But I think if you would do a little honest comparative shopping you'll find that the vast majority of the time you get a far better price for a given coin buying from an auction house, which includes the buyer's fee, than you ever will from a dealer's shop. And in many cases that even includes ebay - where you supposedly pay no fees at all as the buyer. But by all means - this is a choice that every individual must make for themselves.
I wrote about getting a job there but I would have to move to TX.....maybe at another point in my life but that doesn't look like it would work out now Amen... Speedy
Then why aren't they done away with? If the auction houses would rally make the same money without buyer's fees as they do with them (assuming bidders would up their bids to compensate for the reduced fees) then what possible reason would the houses have for using the fees? It seems like an unecessary and counter-intuitive thing to do. P.S. Doug please understand that I am playing devil's advocate here. I understand your point about it not being shady/underhanded, but you'd said you didn't understand the mentality of complaining about the buyer's fees so I am trying to explain that mentality to you.
I use Tele Trade alot for the high end grade AGE,APE and Modern Gold Commem collection..great on-line auction with very good service. I have never had a problem wirth anything from them.. RickieB
