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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;kaparthy, post: 681588, member: 57463&quot;]<b>All politics is local.</b></p><p><br /></p><p>I started this thread in response to the posts by <b>Goldstone.</b>&nbsp; An active collector of US, he wants &quot;just one&quot; ancient to add to his collection.&nbsp; But ancients are not certified for authenticity.&nbsp; So, how do you find a reputable dealer?&nbsp; I am not an active collector.&nbsp; I gave it up almost ten years ago after just under a decade as an acquirer, but this is my experience.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Think globally. Act locally.</b></p><p>Most of my ancients came from mail order purchases.&nbsp; The first of those was <b>recommended locally</b>.&nbsp; I took a sales list to my local dealer.&nbsp; He had only a few stray ancients himself, but he knew the dealer because he traveled.&nbsp; So, I bought.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p><b>&quot;It&#039;s not personal, Michael.&nbsp; It&#039;s just business.&quot; -- The Godfather.</b></p><p>As it so happens, I have some experience writing feature articles for business and computer magazines.&nbsp; I am comfortable interviewing people on the phone and <b>listening</b>.&nbsp; I wrote for price lists, compared and contrasted, and then called the dealer.&nbsp; My experience as a technical writer taught me the importance of admitting ignorance.&nbsp; (When you are 30 years old and you meet someone who has 30 years of experience on the shop floor, you learn your place in the world.)&nbsp; &quot;I&quot;m new to this.&nbsp; What is special about ...&quot;&nbsp; I learned <b>which dealers spoke of ancient history</b>, because without history, the coin is just a melted rock.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Finally, I made a point of learning the ancient dealers in my area.</b>&nbsp; The Michigan State Numismatic Society has two semi-annual conventions.&nbsp; Central States also meets here.&nbsp; The ANA came through a few times (Detroit, Cleveland, Cincinnati).&nbsp; If you want to get cheated, you have to try a little harder face-to-face with your neighbors than you do with eBay.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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