Finding coin dealer or coin club near Johnstown, PA

I live near Johnstown, PA and am looking for a coin dealer to visit or a coin club to join. I know there is a coin dealer in Johnstown by the name John Paul Sarosi. I called there one day soon after I started collecting seriously. I called to ask if they would send in a coin to PCGS to have it graded. I had a Peace Dollar I was thinking about having graded. The lady I spoke to was not exactly rude, but she was short with me, asking why I would want to do that. It seemed to me that I was a nuisance to her. I also spoke briefly to whom I suspect was the same woman at a coin show they were at in Monroeville, near Pittsburgh. Again, not very customer friendly but not rude.

I was going to visit their business soon but I decided to search Coin Talk to find out if anyone else has dealt with JP Sarosi. Wow! What I found was less than complimentary, to say the least. This man and his wife are not well liked. I have decided this man is probably not who I want to deal with. I am a small time collector, miniscule actually. I don't think I would spend enough in a year to satisfy a minute of this man's time.

I am looking for a dealer that would be friendly and talk a little about coins, especially with someone just starting out like myself. I would purchase items, of course, and trade coins if possible.

I recently joined PAN(PA Association of Numismatists) and they have an address for a coin club in Johnstown but I sent a letter to the club a few weeks ago and haven't had a response. I didn't get the letter back. There was no email address or phone number to call.

Can anyone help with either or both of these problems?

Thanks in advance.

 

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I'm down the road (Rt. 22) a piece from you. If you're just starting out, I deal with a guy at a local flea market. Nice guy, always willing to talk, good selection of coins and bills, decent prices. Only problem, he sets up outside, and he is probably done (or soon will be) until spring. I have not been to Sarosi's shop. There is not a lot of dealers down this way. I find most of stuff through local auctions.

 

To me it sounds like you would really benefit by being a member fo the local coin club. If you haven't heard back, contact the state society and see if they know the number of a member. Its a pretty small world, coin collecting is, and I have to believe someone at the state association knows a member of your local coin club personally.

I would also check out any PA coin shows, and go there to meet dealers in your state.

Chris

 

Good advice. I don't do eBay but I actually deal with an on-line vendor who I've had very good luck with. Nothing rare, but a good selection of US coins for the begining collector, and reasonable prices and shipping. If you'd like I'll post a link.

If you've joined PAN, their web sit has contact info for most of the local coin clubs in PA, though quite a few (like Indiana's) do not have an on-line presence.

 

Thanks omahaorange. I would appreciate the link. Also, PAN is where I got the contact info for the Greater Johnstown Coin Club. Not sure if it is still active or the contact person is still involved with the club.

Speaking of online dealers, I was looking through the latest issue of CoinWorld(just started subscribing) and was wondering about all the dealers ads. Who are the reputable ones and who are the ones to stay away from? I know CoinWorld doesn't and really couldn't vet all of their advertisers. Any opinions? I know I kind of switched the point of this thread. If you want me to start another, let me know.

 

Not implying you suggested eBay, simply stating I'd rather use a dealer outside that venue. I actually thought your advice was good.

 

I have had very good luck with this place (in, fact, waiting for a package as we speak):

http://davescoins.com/index.php
(hope the link is ok)

They also have an eBay store, but the prices there run higher. This is a link to their web site. Again, nothing rare, but a good selection of older and newer coins. I've placed several orders with them for Kennedy proofs. I have yet to have a problem.

I'm not sure how often they update the PAN site.

For what it's worth, I live around Blairsville.

 

Agreed. Penny Lady is a wonderful person and dealer, but unfortunately would not be my first recommendation for Bust halves or mercury dimes. Specialty dealers are truly a great resource, and should be used by most collectors. Once you get more advanced and know how to pick out a good piece on your own, feel free, but the knowledge you can learn from a specialty dealer is nearly priceless.

Btw Goon I believe CW does vet dealers to a degree. If they get too many complaints they revoke their ability to advertise. CW to me is actually a decent place to look for decent dealer, finding the best usually requires asking advice from other collectors.

Chris

 

Greater Johnstown Coin Club
c/o Richard S. Taylor
909 Coleman Avenue, Johnstown, PA 15902 Membership: 110
Meeting Night: 1st Monday of each month at 7:30 PM
Meeting Place: Riverside Fire Hall

If this is the same info that you found and sent your letter to and did not receive a response, Just go to the meeting

 

I believe the comment was in regards to Coin World magazine (CW) and not this forum (CT). I also believe he is correct in stating that they (and similar publications) do have a policy denying advertising to dealers about whom they receive complaints. I'm just not sure how well they actually enforce that policy.

 

I am sure that the relationship of advertisers and "sponsors" to print publications and other media can be an uneasy one at times. If CW were to get enough complaints they would have to drop a given advertiser, lest it appear they could be allowing solicitations for fraud; and there have been many advertisers that have been indicted and convicted that were long term advertisers on various media, herbal drug alternatives are one biggie. There are good companies that advertise regularly in CW and other numismatic publications, there is a high correlation between ethical compliance of an advertiser and many years of advertising in media, not a guarantee, but a liklihood that if they have been around that long they are probably ethical.

Getting back to coin clubs; there is going to huge range in terms of why people attend and participate, you have people that just enjoy the history of coinage and aesthetics of the designs; others have big buck collections and they will be more defensive generally when it comes to sharing their valued coins, and they need to be. A club member was telling me how at a NY club a few months back, he displayed some US gold eagles passed them around, and a couple of them turned up missing. No one was permitted to leave until they were returned to the rightful owner after he gave three levels of escalated law enforcement options if he did not get them back.

Coin clubs could have notable speakers on subjects of interest or short films highlighting some aspect of numismatics. I have been a member of other nerdy hobbies and from time to time a unique idea has been tried to the advantage of the members.

 

Finding a dealer

So true, sir, and expressed quite poignantly! And most of us know who you are talking about. When we meet them at coin shows we call them "colleagues". But between you and me they are frankly low life scum.

 

Just wanted to let everyone know who replied in this thread I was finally contacted by the GJCC. It took a while to forward the letter of inquiry to the current president of the club. I am now a member.

Referring to my collecting habits and recommending a dealer, I have just started collecting and am mostly collecting proof sets, yearly and presidential dollars. I am also starting to collect the first and last year of coins in slabs, certified by PCGS, NGC, or ANACS. I am not specializing in any type of coin but am currently looking for Walking Liberty halves of 1916 and 1947, hopefully in MS condition.

Thanks again for all the information. Thanks for the link omaha.

About on line dealers, I guess I am really looking at who to stay away from in the vast arena of dealers. I have seen ads for many in Coin World, and they all seem to have the coins I am looking for since I'm not looking for exceptionally rare coins. I hope it would be easier to list dealers to avoid. If it's not good forum etiquette to give names of disreputable dealers, anyone could PM me.

Thanks again.

 

http://maps.google.com/maps?oe=utf-...A&sa=X&ei=c_zGTtaGFqqw2wXtqNXTDw&ved=0CAUQyBM Good luck!