Littleton Coin Company's Prices I recently ordered some silver eagles from Littleton Coin Co. for a really great price, which required me to sign up for their monthly shipments for me to choose from. Problem is- their prices are about the highest I've ever seen for almost everything! I could understand if they were say Redbook retail, as I don't expect Greysheet prices; but some of Littleton's prices are literally 2 to 3 times Redbook retail. How can they justify this? Are they preying on a lack of knowledge by new coin collectors, or are their coins really that much of a higher grade than most other retail coin dealers? I sure can't complain about the eagles ($6.95 ea.); but everything else is out of sight! Anyone else know what I mean?
Well Littleton is in a very unique position. As one of the major dealers in this country they have three different price systems. One is mail order, where their prices are a bit much. Second is their major numismatic advertising like CoinWorld, prices very competitive, third is their show prices. As competitive as anyone on the floor. All companies that use mail order are going to be high priced to offset their costs. When dealing with Littleton, you just have to know how they work. With that, you can pick up very nice coins at fair prices.
Thanks, ND. I sincerely appreciate your advice as always. So, looks like it might be a good idea to look for bargains from Littleton only in Coin World and other magazine ads and at shows, and leave their mail order offerings alone. Would it be in violation of site ethics to ask for your shop's home page address? You seem very knowledgable about coin collecting. If appropriate, I'd like to check out YOUR prices and/or join your mailing list, if any.
Just hit my www sign under my post. You can currently view everything but our inventory. We shut down that part of the site while we are on the road doing major coin shows.
Nd is a bit more diplomatic than I am. I wouldn't buy from Littleton - for any reason at any time. It has been my experience that their coins are way overpriced and of extremely poor quality. There are much better places to buy coins.
Well, maybe I am a little too close to the dealer in question. I have never bought from them, but sell a ton. When they are at the shows, their coins will rival any on the floor for quality and price. Next large show you attend, check it out. Now I would certainly recommend that no one orders from their catalog or mail order. I have their latest catalog here. 2004 Silver Eagles $19.95 plus shipping (Catalog) 2004 Silver Eagles $9.45 Plus shipping (CoinWorld) That is but one example.
I'm glad Littleton does a good job at shows. After visiting their location in N.H. and seeing the unprofessional way that operation is run, I most certainly would not do businees with them.
Littleton redefines the word "comprehensive" This is an old thread, but very topical. I have been dumbfounded by the Littleton catalog prices. However, this listing seems downright deceptive. It lists a "Comprehensive Proof Set Collection spanning 30 years" from 1968 to 1998. The price of $498 seems reasonable until you realize that the fine print near the end of the ad says that you will receive only 20 proof sets, with dates chosen by the vendor. That, of course, isn't worth anywhere near $498. There are, of course, 38 proof sets spanning those years if you include the 92-98 silver sets and the 1976 bicentennial 40% silver set. I can see that "spanning 30 years" is technically correct (and could be true with only 2 proof sets if they were a 1968 and a 1998 set). But "comprehensive" has a pretty well accepted meaning and 20 randomly selected sets is not it. Who falls for this nonsense?
In a previous thread discussing Littleton one poster stated that the "Leading numismatic catalog "price Often quoted on Shop at Home's coin vault show is actually from the Littleton catalog. Which would explain a lot about the absurdly inflated prices given by both companies. I also fell for the cheap silver eagle deal from Littleton and started receiving overpriced junk from them. ie:like a 1957 Franklin in Fine which they wanted something like $18 for.
They do occasionally have very good deals. I recently saw a Littleton ad in our local paper (the part with all the coupon inserts) for sets of Westward Journey Nickels consisting of 20 coins; for each of the 5 Westward Journey nickels, they included 1 each P&D uncirculated, 1 each gold plated and 1 each colorized. Each set was only $9.99 with no need to sign up for anything. I realize that colorized and gold-plated coins are the numismatic equivalent of velvet clown paintings, but my kids really like them. One does have to watch out for the loss-leaders. I was particularly struck by their subscription offer for proof sets which didn't say ANYWHERE how much future issues would cost.
I did their deal last year, something along the lines of 5 ASE's for like $8 each. They did sign me up for their approval deal, but all I had to do was mail back the first offering & say no thanks & they haven't bugged me since. I'd deal with them again for the right price.
I will agree. When you have to ship their overpriced, overgraded stuff back at your own expense it does not fly.
I won't deal with them. I get their catalogs all the time, even though I've never bought anything from them. Their catalog is nothing more than an advertisement to rip off uneducated collectors. It makes me mad every time someone shows me something they bought from them at 3 times its value. I tell them just to chalk it up to experience and never get burned again without researching.
I responded to the discount silver eagle offer several years ago. However, I didn't like the selection of coins they sent and cancelled the program without any difficulty. I might have "enrolled" in their automatic morgan dollar program at the time if the prices were lower. I guess they can't really do that since the overhead is probably fairly high in that sort of distribution model.
You should see the offer I got in the mail the other day. Maybe some of you got it too. I believe it was form the Post Commemorative Society of Norwalk Ct. "Now you can own every U.S. uncirculated coin mint set issued since 1965 combined with U.S. stamps and commemorative postmarks." You get this colorful page that has some event pictured from that year with a 29 cent stamp with a cancelation mark of 2006 and a P and D mint set in cello pressed between the panels with little windows for each coin. They even give you a 3-ring binder to collect them in. All for the low price of 39.95 plus 4.50 shipping and service per panel. Small print: Doesn't contain 1982 and 1983 since none were issued. Panels shipped one per month and billed month for a total of $1,778.00 over 40 months. Any takers?
I sent back the first "approval coins" with clear instructions to cancel any further shipments and a month or so later, you guessed it more coins and a charge already processed on my MasterCard. Had to call their 800# and bark at the phone rep (or whatever their called) to get them to stop. Really @$#%^%$ me off. On the same note, I sent for the free silver eagle advertised in the most resent edition of the Red Book. Now at least once a month I get woken by a phone call from Universal coins & bullion (in Texas) pitching more overpriced coins. I never learn
I bought from Littletons one time and will never again. I joined their Silver Dollar Club and recieved one shipment. I got one 1992 ASE and a few junk coins and they charged me I think it was $39.00. Way too much in my opinion. I would'nt recommend that dealer to anyone. They may be fine out on the bourse but their mail order rips alot of people off.
