Etiquette ?: How long is it reasonable to wait?

Yep. Hence my confusion.

A lot of times, I've seen bullion places with unpriced items for various reasons. Here are a few I can remember off the top of my head:
1) Their prices are highly variable due to the underlying metal value.
2) The items are on display to remind potential sellers that the shop owner deals in that type of item. They may not even be for sale.
3) The items are sometimes on hold for a customer (especially if there's a brokered sale).
4) The case contains fakes for reference (usually clearly marked as fakes).

 

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Lol I’m from Chicago. I may have encountered some of the same dealers.

I work with a lot of people. Over time I’ve come to find that a lot of people are always talking and telling you what their next thing is. Most people are full of it and if you remember some of the stuff they say and ask them about it a month later, no actual movement has happened.

With dealers, I find the same thing. It’s like the old joke, “What do you call a guy who got a ‘C’ in medical school? Doctor”. Just because they have a shop doesn’t mean they are actually any good at selling coins. Unless you are trying to purchase a one of a kind item, save yourself the aggravation and keep your money for a purchase that will bring you more joy in the coins and the purchase process itself. You can earn more money but you can’t get the time back.

 

My all time favorite was a shop in the city (I believe it was primarily a pawn shop) where the guy was wearing about $50k in gold and was super, super friendly to me on the day I brought my attractive ex-gf. I came back the next day without her (but brought enough cash to make a significant purchase for the right deal) and when I politely refused to purchase a 5-coin set of polished dateless Buffalo Nickels for $25, he began screaming/cursing at me (honestly) telling me he was a millionaire and didn't need to deal with people like me who would buy a good deal he offered. He literally refused to show me any coins unless I agreed to buy that set (which I politely explained contained coins that could easily be purchased for less than a dollar total.) I walked out the door, laughed quietly to myself, and promised I was officially done with Chicago area coin purchases.

 

Probably more like $50 of imitation jewelry