Post your bad coin shop expierence's!

I have been to one other coin shop and they are really great, big store, friendly people, didn't take advantage. I do have some family in the valley so hopefully one day I can see what the shops over there are like.

 

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Here's a flea market coin shop story.

This coin shop is actually located inside a building at our major flea market. He always has cases filled with coins and paper money from junk to gems. One day my father (aged 64) asked to see a Confederate note with no problems and they decided on a price. Next my dad asked to see a raw Morgan, but after hesitation, the guy handed it over but said "don't breath on it". What?....So anyway, my dad asked to see another that was inside a plastic capsule and the guy actually said "No, I don't think you can afford that one." Are you ****ing kidding me? You gotta know my dad....the most laid back guy you'll ever meet and has never met a stranger. My dad flipped and told the guy he could buy any and every damn coin he had, but would never come back to his crappy little shop. Since then, my dad has bought well over 20K worth of coins, paper money, and bullion at a shop less than 1/4 mile from this place.

Same shop several weeks later (we go to that flea market a LOT). I was looking in his display case when a kid (maybe 12 y.o.) walked up with his grandparents wanting to sell a quarter album. The kid makes a huge mistake and says I'll take whatever you can give me for them. The guy goes "hmmmph", not interested....you've breathed all over them..... What is it with this guy and breathing? Anyway, the kid says "you're not interested in any of them?" Guy snatches the album back, plucks out the silver quarters and says I'll give you $2 each for these.......kid takes it and walks away.

I was amazed, but also wanted to see a few Eisenhower's he had in the case. He pulled them out and I asked what he wanted for them. They were "OK" looking 1974-P, 1971-D, and 1976-D coins. I was looking for errors & varieties, but anyway, he gives me the price of $12 each. I immediately asked "how much?", not believing what he said. That's when he told me they were Silver dollars and that each had at least $10 worth of silver in them. "Oh really?" I said....."I didn't realize that." So I continued to look through them and finally said "I thought all the Eisenhower's with silver in them had an "S" mint mark?" He exploded......grabbed the coins back..."you don't know what you're talking about.....go read a coin book, then come back."......Oh my.........It was all I could do to contain myself, but I surprised even myself and simply walked away........and have spent plenty of money at the same shop my dad has right down the road.

 

I've never had a bad experience at a coin shop, been lucky I guess.

 

I live in a small town but we still have two shops. The first one has always been my go to shop but it is kinda outta my way since I never go that way. The other one is less than a half mile from my house. So I needed a coin tube or something small. I stop in with my daughter. She is eighteen keep in mind. I make my whoppping big purchase under a dollar then continue shopping. My daughter collects pennies from wheaties to present. She found a few things that she would like to purchase takes them to the counter. Then the guy treats her like it was a bother for her $10 purchase. So we walked out and both vowed to never buy from that guy again. The part that gets me is when I paid him for my stuff I even joked about how I was his big sale of the day and it was under a buck then turn around and treat her like that just rubbed me.

Now when I drive home from the other shop I hold up my purchase just so he can see. Although its a busy road and he would never see me it just makes me feel better.

 

Most shops I have been at are well run.

I would post not a "bad" experience but an interesting one. I don't know if anyone met the military veteran who ran the shop in Andrews, NC, since deceased, I met him around '04 via a friend in Andrews. He was not in great health when I met him but very interesting and courageous. You hear stories from shop owners that you will not hear anywhere in the media.

 

Yes, I am aware that most dealers dont want to pay for the diamonds, infact this guy told me that if I brought it back, to have the diamonds removed. The dealer I go to now, always gives me something for them. Now If I buy something with a big stone, then he actually measures it and check clarity and give me a bid on it.

 

Sure makes you wonder how certain dealers made it that far in a successful business treating their customers like that.

 

i walked into a store the first month that i started roll searching. had no idea what a dd looked like. found a 53 wheat cent that had hub doubling i believe it was called. i asked him to take a look at it so i could learn and he said him and his father don't waste their time looking at peoples coins unless they are selling them. i never went back and i almost stopped my new found hobby from that one "jerk" to be nice. then i found you guys and it has been a great learning experience and i am glad i stuck with it.

 

Here in the Baltimore area there is one shop that is known throughout the city for their professionalism and customer service. They are listed as a pawnshop but deal only in jewelery, coins and precious metals. If your from Baltimore you would know right away the store I am refering too. They have always offered the most when buying coins, gold or silver and will tell you in detail what you have, the history behind it and what it is worth. They also have a very friendly enviroment where people will come in and hang out and talk about coins, the precious metals markets, politics. It's a very nice shop just to be in, even if your not doing any business with them. That being said about 5 minutes down the street is a coin shop that is crooked-er then a dogs hind legs. About 3 years ago I took a common ungraded ASE to trade towards some other coins. At this time silver was right about $20 an oz. So, this guy offers me $12 and I without hesitation announce infront of all his other customers that the day before the place up the street offered me $18. He retorts that the price of silver fluctuates and that silver had gone up this morning. BS!. I'm always following metals prices and I KNEW that the price didn't go up. I left it at that and let him have the last word and departed with my coin. This guy was a shister. I later heard stories from a few other numismatists that this guy is not one who you should do business with and I haven't since.

 

When dealing with people like that the best thing to do is to leave the store and let them be miserable and alone by themselves.

 

on a personal level...i have PTSD and if i feel i am being talked down to or disrespected in any way i will tell you where to go and how to get there. heck might even draw you a map. i have read 2 of these and i am so infuriated about those peoples ignorance i want to punch my computer. hate is a bad word, but i HATE! ignorant people. hats off to those of you that manage to keep your cool

 

I've had similar experiences with proprietors that seem to not care at all if you buy anything. I've been in shops were it seems like they don't do any business from the store front. I think some shops make the large majority of their money from some other type of coin sales or auctions and just have the store front as part of an overall coin business. If anyone on this thread has inside knowledge please enlighten us.

 

there is a gun shop/pawnshop about 30 miles from me who always has an incredible collection but apparently they will tell you to leave if you even try to haggle a little bit. i think trying to get a little off the asking price is normal when buying any secondhand goods. they apparently make most of their sales on gunbroker since nobody wants to deal with them

 

My local coin shop is great. I'm usually in there once a week to see if I won anything on the bid board auction and to make bids. If I strike out a couple weeks in a row I might buy some silver out of a junk bin. There are 5-6 guys typically that work different shifts with 3 on at a time. A couple of them you could call "anti-social" or "just not a people person." They seem to have vast knowledge, just not the best in people skills and could care less if you bought anything or came back.

Once you just accept that they aren't trying to be a jerk, its just who they are, the better off you'll be.

 

I have lots of good coin shop memories as the 2 closest to me growing up were owned by saints (they had to be to put up with me then)

The worst one though has to go to my 1st and last e-bay coin purchase from and unknown dealer (i know several sellers/coin shops i can trust there)

I bought a set of 20 NGC slabbed IH pennys.
dealer disapears from ebay
every slab was opened with what i asume are much crappier pennies then the ones that started in there.
so I would have to say $50 lost on a set of bad pennys is a cheap but memorable lesson to be very wary of any purchases that are not "in person"