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<p>[QUOTE="Norsk64, post: 2725259, member: 76713"]Welcome back to another issue of “COINS - AS SEEN ON TV!” The last issue in March featuring Rick Tomaska and his RCTV - Rick’s Collectible Coins, was a huge hit with readers given it was a Featured Article. If you missed it, do a search here on Coin Talk or copy and paste the following link into your browser. </p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/coins-as-seen-on-tv-featuring-rctv-rare-collectibles-tv.293380/" class="internalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/coins-as-seen-on-tv-featuring-rctv-rare-collectibles-tv.293380/">https://www.cointalk.com/threads/coins-as-seen-on-tv-featuring-rctv-rare-collectibles-tv.293380/</a></p><p><br /></p><p>Likely the last place you would consider when buying coins, is none other than the TV retail behemoth, Home Shopping Network. There are some I'm sure in the hobby, that didn't even know they (HSN) sold coins, but they've been doing it for 30 years now. So it's time for “COINS - AS SEEN ON TV!” to pay a visit to the “HSN Vault - Coin Collector,” to see what's going on and assess the “good” and the “bad,” and their prominence in the Coin TV world. Enjoy...</p><p><br /></p><p>Want variety? If you're looking for that high grade Morgan Dollar or Kennedy Accented Hair, you've come to the <u>wrong</u> place. The offerings of the HSN Vault are pretty slim. They will have the latest in U.S. Mint coinage in both silver and gold, a few recent foreign mint issues, silver bar “deals”, U.S. Mint and Proof Sets, and Eagle Anniversary Sets, to name a few. They did have some of the new 2015(P) Silver Eagles in ANACS MS69, but again...it's ANACS. HSN I think is single-handedly keeping ANACS and ICG in business. And Mike Mezack “proudly” states that HSN is the exclusive dealer of ANACS and ICG’s First Day of Issue. I can't imagine a whole lot of coin dealers crying their eyes out over that one! Just about every graded coin you see on HSN, are ANACS or ICG graded. You'll see some PCGS graded pieces occasionally, of which some are HSN exclusives. Which, as a collector and dealer, I look for if the price is right. But if you're buying ANACS or ICG, just know that when it comes time to sell your coin, with all things being equal, you will get less than if it were graded by NGC or PCGS. </p><p><br /></p><p>Since I touched on price when talking ANACS and ICG coins, now would be a most opportune time to look at HSN Vault coin prices. In a word, they're….HIGH. As for graded coins, your HSN choice will likely be ANACS or ICG Graded, but you'll pay PCGS and NGC prices, and then some. I can safely say that whatever coin HSN is selling, you can find one from a top-tier grading service, at a lower price, and free shipping to top it off, by shopping online. And it doesn't even have to be online! Other Coin TV shows/networks prices puts HSN’s coin prices to shame! I could give example after example, but I don't think there's nearly enough space! HSN appeals to the newest collector in terms of experience, as well as elderly collectors in terms of age. It's easy to watch an HSN presentation, with no numismatic experience needed, pick the phone up, and order what looks and sounds like is a great coin to own. A popular option that HSN offers is Flex-Pay. Splitting the payment up over 4 months is a big plus, and HSN can afford to do it. They also offer a full 30 Day Return Privilege, despite the type of coin purchased. Shipping charges are $5 for the first item, and $2.50 thereafter. Customer Service is friendly, competent, and easy to deal with. Lastly, and quite disappointing is that every order incurs sales tax. Not so with other Coin TV shows, depending sometimes on your order total and state of residence. </p><p><br /></p><p>Lead coin pitchman at HSN is Mike Mezack. Mike has been the coin on-air personality at HSN for 25+ years now, while also doing some non-HSN Coin TV presentations over the year. One of which I recall was when the state quarters were taking America by storm. He was on every nook and cranny infomercial station number selling coin maps and state quarters to fill them. And I'm betting he sold a bunch of them. When Mike is giving an HSN coin presentation with a co-host, you may have noticed that the other on-air personality typically knows zilch about coins, and asks questions only a grade-schooler would ask! “So these silver dollars have real silver in them?? But this gives us the chance to hear Mike take a trip down memory lane and learn from his extensive knowledge of numismatics, which he seems to enjoy a whole lot! Over, and over, and over again! He proudly boasts that he buys $20 million worth of U.S. Minted coins a year. And how he has cornered the market on the next numismatic superstars! I wrote similarly of Rick Tomaska at RCTV in last month’s issue. He is another numismatic long-timer, that in addition to loving coins, loves himself even more. Mike and Rick would have a great time in conversation, showing who can impress the other more. Rick, “I invented the DCAM/UCAM grade attribution.” Mike, “When people come up to me in the airport, I happily go through their pocket change with them.” They each have their own style, but Mike’s seems more annoying. His insistence on emphasizing each and every word in a sentence, just reeks of his salesman-speak schtick. An example? “Every! Single! Eagle! is .999 Fine! Silver!” as Mike adds punctuation at the end of every word for maximum effect. He’s got that TV laugh perfected, a polished TV voice, and wearing that full suit makes him look like he is selling a load of goods. But it's that pompous attitude and that “new car smell” that Mike puts off, that really puts me off. But that’s his style. And it has worked well for him for many years. Like many other Coin TV pitchmen, he also stretches the truth and is downright deceitful when talking coin valuations. He talks as if the last $50 an ounce silver days just happened (they happened in 2011), and we are heading there again soon, as he pitches...silver bars at 2x the price of melt, plus shipping. And for the new collector, and/or elderly collector, it's a perfect “mix” because you trust the name “HSN,” trust the face of HSN Coins, Mike Mezack, and his years of experience. And they offer a generous return privilege, percentage off coupons, and decent ship times. Experienced collectors and buyers know better, but the experienced buyer is not the market that HSN goes after. They want the uninformed audience, and newer & aged collector to be their audience. And for now and years past, they've got it. That is their niche in a crowded field of Coin TV choices.</p><p><br /></p><p>But for many of us in numismatics, it's the “mix” that makes the experienced buyer yell at the TV screen when you see some of the crap being shoveled by on-air hosts. And then to see items in the hundreds sell-out in mere minutes, because the typical HSN watcher just doesn't know any better. Not that HSN is the only Coin TV show/network sticking it to buyers. They're not. That's what I hope to uncover with “COINS - AS SEEN ON TV!”. An unbiased, yet I will call them as I see ‘em, type of analysis of the Coin TV Shows & Networks on cable and satellite systems everywhere. Here’s the scorecard on HSN Vault - Coin Collector….</p><p><br /></p><p>PRICE/VALUE……………………………....….F</p><p>QUALITY…………………………………….....…C+</p><p>VARIETY……………………………………..…...D</p><p>HONESTY…………………………………........D</p><p>ENTERTAINMENT/PRESENTATION....B</p><p>CUSTOMER SERVICE, RETURNS…....A</p><p>EDUCATIONAL BENEFIT…..………………C</p><p>INTANGIBLES……………………………..……C</p><p><br /></p><p>As always, comments are appreciated. You may agree, you may disagree with my assessment. In regards to my last write-up featuring Rick Tomaska and RCTV, I was accused of being too hard on them by some, while others said I wasn't hard enough. But discussion is a good thing. Just hope you're enjoying it! Next issue I'll take a look at the “NEW” AAN-TV. Don't miss it!</p><p><br /></p><p>Till next time…</p><p><br /></p><p>Jeff[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="Norsk64, post: 2725259, member: 76713"]Welcome back to another issue of “COINS - AS SEEN ON TV!” The last issue in March featuring Rick Tomaska and his RCTV - Rick’s Collectible Coins, was a huge hit with readers given it was a Featured Article. If you missed it, do a search here on Coin Talk or copy and paste the following link into your browser. [url]https://www.cointalk.com/threads/coins-as-seen-on-tv-featuring-rctv-rare-collectibles-tv.293380/[/url] Likely the last place you would consider when buying coins, is none other than the TV retail behemoth, Home Shopping Network. There are some I'm sure in the hobby, that didn't even know they (HSN) sold coins, but they've been doing it for 30 years now. So it's time for “COINS - AS SEEN ON TV!” to pay a visit to the “HSN Vault - Coin Collector,” to see what's going on and assess the “good” and the “bad,” and their prominence in the Coin TV world. Enjoy... Want variety? If you're looking for that high grade Morgan Dollar or Kennedy Accented Hair, you've come to the [U]wrong[/U] place. The offerings of the HSN Vault are pretty slim. They will have the latest in U.S. Mint coinage in both silver and gold, a few recent foreign mint issues, silver bar “deals”, U.S. Mint and Proof Sets, and Eagle Anniversary Sets, to name a few. They did have some of the new 2015(P) Silver Eagles in ANACS MS69, but again...it's ANACS. HSN I think is single-handedly keeping ANACS and ICG in business. And Mike Mezack “proudly” states that HSN is the exclusive dealer of ANACS and ICG’s First Day of Issue. I can't imagine a whole lot of coin dealers crying their eyes out over that one! Just about every graded coin you see on HSN, are ANACS or ICG graded. You'll see some PCGS graded pieces occasionally, of which some are HSN exclusives. Which, as a collector and dealer, I look for if the price is right. But if you're buying ANACS or ICG, just know that when it comes time to sell your coin, with all things being equal, you will get less than if it were graded by NGC or PCGS. Since I touched on price when talking ANACS and ICG coins, now would be a most opportune time to look at HSN Vault coin prices. In a word, they're….HIGH. As for graded coins, your HSN choice will likely be ANACS or ICG Graded, but you'll pay PCGS and NGC prices, and then some. I can safely say that whatever coin HSN is selling, you can find one from a top-tier grading service, at a lower price, and free shipping to top it off, by shopping online. And it doesn't even have to be online! Other Coin TV shows/networks prices puts HSN’s coin prices to shame! I could give example after example, but I don't think there's nearly enough space! HSN appeals to the newest collector in terms of experience, as well as elderly collectors in terms of age. It's easy to watch an HSN presentation, with no numismatic experience needed, pick the phone up, and order what looks and sounds like is a great coin to own. A popular option that HSN offers is Flex-Pay. Splitting the payment up over 4 months is a big plus, and HSN can afford to do it. They also offer a full 30 Day Return Privilege, despite the type of coin purchased. Shipping charges are $5 for the first item, and $2.50 thereafter. Customer Service is friendly, competent, and easy to deal with. Lastly, and quite disappointing is that every order incurs sales tax. Not so with other Coin TV shows, depending sometimes on your order total and state of residence. Lead coin pitchman at HSN is Mike Mezack. Mike has been the coin on-air personality at HSN for 25+ years now, while also doing some non-HSN Coin TV presentations over the year. One of which I recall was when the state quarters were taking America by storm. He was on every nook and cranny infomercial station number selling coin maps and state quarters to fill them. And I'm betting he sold a bunch of them. When Mike is giving an HSN coin presentation with a co-host, you may have noticed that the other on-air personality typically knows zilch about coins, and asks questions only a grade-schooler would ask! “So these silver dollars have real silver in them?? But this gives us the chance to hear Mike take a trip down memory lane and learn from his extensive knowledge of numismatics, which he seems to enjoy a whole lot! Over, and over, and over again! He proudly boasts that he buys $20 million worth of U.S. Minted coins a year. And how he has cornered the market on the next numismatic superstars! I wrote similarly of Rick Tomaska at RCTV in last month’s issue. He is another numismatic long-timer, that in addition to loving coins, loves himself even more. Mike and Rick would have a great time in conversation, showing who can impress the other more. Rick, “I invented the DCAM/UCAM grade attribution.” Mike, “When people come up to me in the airport, I happily go through their pocket change with them.” They each have their own style, but Mike’s seems more annoying. His insistence on emphasizing each and every word in a sentence, just reeks of his salesman-speak schtick. An example? “Every! Single! Eagle! is .999 Fine! Silver!” as Mike adds punctuation at the end of every word for maximum effect. He’s got that TV laugh perfected, a polished TV voice, and wearing that full suit makes him look like he is selling a load of goods. But it's that pompous attitude and that “new car smell” that Mike puts off, that really puts me off. But that’s his style. And it has worked well for him for many years. Like many other Coin TV pitchmen, he also stretches the truth and is downright deceitful when talking coin valuations. He talks as if the last $50 an ounce silver days just happened (they happened in 2011), and we are heading there again soon, as he pitches...silver bars at 2x the price of melt, plus shipping. And for the new collector, and/or elderly collector, it's a perfect “mix” because you trust the name “HSN,” trust the face of HSN Coins, Mike Mezack, and his years of experience. And they offer a generous return privilege, percentage off coupons, and decent ship times. Experienced collectors and buyers know better, but the experienced buyer is not the market that HSN goes after. They want the uninformed audience, and newer & aged collector to be their audience. And for now and years past, they've got it. That is their niche in a crowded field of Coin TV choices. But for many of us in numismatics, it's the “mix” that makes the experienced buyer yell at the TV screen when you see some of the crap being shoveled by on-air hosts. And then to see items in the hundreds sell-out in mere minutes, because the typical HSN watcher just doesn't know any better. Not that HSN is the only Coin TV show/network sticking it to buyers. They're not. That's what I hope to uncover with “COINS - AS SEEN ON TV!”. An unbiased, yet I will call them as I see ‘em, type of analysis of the Coin TV Shows & Networks on cable and satellite systems everywhere. Here’s the scorecard on HSN Vault - Coin Collector…. PRICE/VALUE……………………………....….F QUALITY…………………………………….....…C+ VARIETY……………………………………..…...D HONESTY…………………………………........D ENTERTAINMENT/PRESENTATION....B CUSTOMER SERVICE, RETURNS…....A EDUCATIONAL BENEFIT…..………………C INTANGIBLES……………………………..……C As always, comments are appreciated. You may agree, you may disagree with my assessment. In regards to my last write-up featuring Rick Tomaska and RCTV, I was accused of being too hard on them by some, while others said I wasn't hard enough. But discussion is a good thing. Just hope you're enjoying it! Next issue I'll take a look at the “NEW” AAN-TV. Don't miss it! Till next time… Jeff[/QUOTE]
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