In Defence Of Littleton Coins

I was surprised by the abundance of fakes when I re-entered the hobby about ten years ago. I asked the same question. Why go to the trouble of creating counterfeit common coins? It was explained to me that common coins do not receive the scrutiny that highly desired coins receive. In other words it is far easier to pass off a hundred fake 1909-VDB’s rather than try to pass off one 1909,S-VDB. Same reason counterfeit bills are usually smaller denominations. Makes sense when you think about it.

 

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Randy- I see your point, but coin dealers- especially those 10+ years in business (I do not mean Littleton) can easily discern a fake coin. In fact, one coin shop I went to employed someone who formerly worked at PCGS. So, I doubt that someone can come in and swindle the store, pawning off a counterfeit piece of coinage. Also, I don't always buy loose coins in general, regardless whether Littleton, or someone else sells them. For example, I considered purchasing 2 P&D 1963 Franklins, or a 1963 mint set, and ended up purchasing the mint set.
As for eBay, I think that many sellers know what they are selling, unless they are purposeful scammers. It is a rare occasion for someone "not to know" they sold a counterfeit. So, for eBay, it is also good to buy graded coins.

 

It is unwise to buy ancient coins from Littleton -- they are typically low-grade, overpriced and sometimes misattributed. This one, for example, was misidentified as being a coin of Nero, rather than the much-less-valuable Domitian, despite the rather obvious "DOMITI" inscription visible on the obverse from the 7:00 to 10:00 position:


In their defense, when they were notified of the error, they repriced it quite reasonably and i decided to buy it. This was many years ago; I haven't purchased from them in years.

 

messydesk
The first return, they will cover. However, if you do not call, or email and cancel your "coins on approval", then you will have to pay the cost of future returns.

 

Yes, Littleton is usually VERY over-priced. All I ever get are the specials, and not all of them.

 

I have a bunch of those.

 

Pre-paid mailer.

 

Yeah, I once made the error of putting on the request sheet that I had an interest in ancients. I got some on-approvals that were almost blank disks.

 

Perhaps it is just me, but I get the special, return the samples, and only hear from them with new advertising not more approvals.

 

At least Littleton's prices aren't as bad as Shop at Home's Coin Vault.

 

Just as I was leaving the house yesterday, I checked the mail and there was an envelope from LCC. Got my Kook, and the approval was a 2018 ASE for only $31.99 I decided to pass on it and stuck it back in the prepaid mailer and stuck it in the mail.