Newbie Question about HSN, CoinVault, etc...

Kind of new at this so I apologize if these seem like stupid questions, but would like to get your much more knowledgable opinions on the following...

I enjoy watching the coin shows on DirectTV - HSN, CoinVault, Chappell?, ect, but almost for more of a comedic value (still learn a bit, though). It appears to me that what little I know about - ASE, AGE, APE, Buffalos, - always seem to be MUCH higher priced than mint or even eBay in many cases.

So my questions are:
1. Does anyone ever believe they sell products at a good price?
2. If so, what typically seems to go at better or fairer prices?
3. Of the shows, what ones do you have more respect or give more credence to, if any? And which ones seem like complete jokes, if any?

My intent is not to "bash" any show or person, but to have a thread with honest, open opinions. Just trying to learn from folks who have been doing this much longer than me.

Thanks,
Bob

PS> I was one of the lucky ones who got in after trying off-and-on for 4 hrs and ordered a few sets of the 25th Aniv ASEs...I think they look spectacular.

 

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1. No
2. N/A (see answer above).
3. (a) None. (b) All of them.

Comedic value is the best reason to watch them, IMO. And I will (rarely) watch them for just that reason. The Coin Vault is more amusing/entertaining to me.

On the other hand, these shows DO promote coin collecting. And I think that is good. So for that and for the entertainment, I hope they never vanish.

I would like to think that most smart folks would have enough sense to do some due diligence and check prices elsewhere before buying anything from these shows. And if not . . . caveat emptor.

 

Warning! For entertainment purposes only.

 

The only thing I ever bought off of the tv was the Slap Chop. My life hasn't been the same since. I highly recommend it.

As far as the HSN and CoinVault, I do watch them if I catch them while flipping through channels. Mostly just to annoy my wife, kids, and the dog.

 

Sorry for copying Virginian here, but I'd have to agree:


1. No
2. N/A (see answer above).
3. (a) None. (b) All of them.

 

I am sooooooooooooooooo with Virginian - who put it so succinctly!

 

i agree with Virginian also and half the time the people on there have no idea what they're talking about. I like to call them the used car sales men of numismatics

 

The one show I really enjoy comes on every other Tuesday on Art and Coin TV. Rick Tomaska hosts it. The coins he presents are the cream of the crop per grade in my opinion. He specializes in Franklins and Kennedys. He's obsessed with quality and often shows where all PR67 Franklins for example, are not necessarily equal. Eye appeal can make all the difference in the world. The pricing is premium even to Ebay for the most part(though some searches show Ebay higher) but I just might go ahead and order from him over Ebay because of his insistence on quality. If you buy for short term profit though you'll never realize it. The coins he sells are low population for the grade and they will, I believe in the long run be demanded by niche collectors and they will pay big premiums for them.

I bought once from him, a set of SMS (65, 66, and 67) Kenendy's and they were reasonably priced. I don't have the budget for the stuff I really like but I get my fix just watching them presented. They do a good job at that.

 

I have to agree with everything except Virginian's comment about these shows promoting the hobby. The merchandise they sell is not only overpriced, but in the case of raw coins, many of them are problems coins rendering them ungradable. People who fall for their spiel will end up with coins that aren't worth what they paid for them, and many of these people will just end up pawning them off to the next uneducated person on eBay. So, the only thing they are promoting is how to cheat the next sucker.

If you expect that the buyers of this garbage on the tv shows will use due diligence, then all you have to do is look at the number of uninformed buyers that we have come here on a regular basis with their coins only to learn that they aren't all they were cracked up to be. These shows are counting on the fact that most of the people watching are uninformed impulse buyers.

Chris

 

I agree with Virginian

They all rip people off; they are getting some nice premiums for EVERYTHING they sell
I watch for comedic value or to find something new to go elsewhere to start collecting.

 

Is that internet or cable or broadcast (TV)?

@gbroke.......what? No Sham Wow?

 

Well, I found the exact same product at my local hardware store. But how can you not want to by a product from this guy?

 

Well Art and Coin TV( artandcointv.com ) is on directv channel 95 and 323 every Tuesday live at 8Pm Eastern. The shows hosted are by Barry Chappel every other week and Rick Tomaska hosts the show on the alternate weeks. If you don't have dirctv, the show is streamed live on their site. Barry's show is ok and he's pretty smart but the pricing is above market. He's generally right about whats hot etc. and I trust their integrity. They have a liberal and fair return policy. If you watch him though you can see the salesman in him where as Rick Tomaska obviously isn't used to being a pitch man.

I like the shows because I'm in an area where I don't get to see many coins. These shows are also good for impatient collectors that want what they want now and and are willing to pay extra for that convenience. Some shows though will deceive and over-sell to anyone prone to it. I've learned to verify any claims they make and find many are just full of ****.

 

As you can see. All the HSN coin shows are a joke. I know I bought my son the complete set of statehood quarters once and returned the junk. GEM BU to them is AU to us. Many coins with huge bag marks and dings with barely any luster...lol I did it simply because I was in a rush to get him something but I learned never to do that again.

Sham Wow Rules!

 

I watch Coin Vault just for fun and that Davis guy ( on AVC? I think). The other night he showed the 1976 bicentennial 3 -coin sets in the original packaging, which I have to admit, I'd never seen before, so you can learn things from these shows, even if you don't buy anything.

 

All the TV shows are pretty much jokes. HSN is a huge joke followed up by the Coin Vault, and finally Fine Coins with Barry Chappell. I find Barry and Rick Tomaska to probably be the more decent ones but, there again, they are still over-priced. I like Rick in that he sells high quality coins because I myself, am a half-dollar collector.

All these places have overhead they have to pay for though, and as such, they have to sell things at a higher price. Ebay doesn't really have that- stuff just goes for whatever the market determines it to be worth plus a little shipping charge.

Its funny to listen to the guys on Coin Vault selling something and then saying "shop us, you have thirty days and I challenge you to find a lower price." Funny thing is almost every time I can find what they are selling significantly lower right on ebay in a simple search. These shows, I fear, prey mainly on the elderly since they may not be able to readily use a computer, or be computer savy. Thus ordering from t.v. is just more quick and simple for them.

 

This is oh, so sad, and oh, so true.

 

Those aren't coin shows. They are practical training sessions in how to be a huckster. It's not real funny to tell the truth, but I am mesmerized by such 'shows'.

 

I guess I am in a minority. I understand the prices on these shows are high, but so are their costs. Do you know what? Most stuff you buy in stores or on tv can be bought cheaper. Name any single thing you buy at a department store, or on the tv and I can point out how you are overpaying. I do not see a ton of difference with coins.

Now, SHOULD someone who knows better buy from them? No. However, I know for a fact that there are collectors today in our hobby who got into it from HSN, Coin Vault, etc. They paid for their lack of knowledge, but these shows DID show them that it can be fun to collect coins. I do not view these programs much differently than the dealers who sold most of us cleaned, overgraded coins when we began. Anyone who claims they never made a bad purchase when they started I simply would not believe.

Just my opinion.

Chris

 

You know, if the prices were still selling without the outlandish and demonstrably false claims made by some of these programs, well, then I'm with you Chris. Not before that though.