What was the worst time you have had in a coin shop

Worst shop I've ever been in for any type of collectible, not just coins.

I know of a place like that in downtown Harrisburg. He only has hours by appointment and you can't walk in without looking into a camera and being buzzed in. Then you get buzzed in from the second door. He basically just buys and doesn't sell. Only been there once.

 

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When it took an hour to explain to some thickhead that his t.v. plated buffalo proof was not a real U.S. Mint gold buffalo.

 

Wow it's amazing to read your story. Those people were my grand parents. My mother was suppose to be working that day but luckily she went with her granny shopping. She dropped my mom off then headed to the coin shop where the robbers still were.... she was the fourth victim. It was my mom's dad, mom, their family friend and her granny.

 

Wow it's amazing to read your story. Those people were my grand parents. My mother was suppose to be working that day but luckily she went with her granny shopping. She dropped my mom off then headed to the coin shop where the robbers still were.... she was the fourth victim. It was my mom's dad, mom, their family friend and her granny.

 

Wow Talk about a small world. Did you and your mother come to terms with your loss?

 

The last few coin shops I've been in, only to buy some supplies, were empty of customers with the owner sitting there doing nothing but looking bored. I think most coin shops these days are run by those buying silver and gold, perhaps other things as well such as jewelry, and also with their dream of a naïve little old lady coming in with her deceased husband's magnificent coin collection which the coin shop owner hopes to buy dirt cheap.

 

10 year old thread of posts by folks who haven't been around in years.

interesting.

 

Midas's experience bordered on the "never do business in someone else's business" rule. I take umbrage to being painted with the broad brush of deceit. That is like saying all mechanics are crooks and thieves because of experience with one or two dishonest ones.

And Speedy? I would like to believe that you would put the merchandise back in the order you found it just as you would when rooting around in a department store or hardware. It's just a matter of courtesy and respect.

 

Well I guess my story isn't much compared to some other ones but it's something. Sometime in May 2014 I rode my bike down to my local coin store. I can't remember the exact date but I know it was a Thursday because the were two owners and the nice one I knew for sure worked on Thursday. Anyway this was my third or fourth time being there, and I guess I didn't exactly know the educate being 14. When I walked in two guys were talking with the not so nice owner. From the sounds of it one of the guys had just bought a new safe and wanted to buy some gold and silver to put in it. If I remember correctly he had something around $500 to spend. I looked around the wheat cents while the owner went in the back to get some bullion coins. So the guy picked out a few gold coins and wanted to know how much. He picked out about $2,500 worth of coins. When he heard the price and the owner showed him what he could get, he got disappointed because he bought this brand new safe and he could only put 2-3 coins in it. The owner suggested Silver Eagles, but again he was disappointed because he could only get about 20 or so. Trying to be helpful I said that he might want to try 90% junk. He asked the dealer if he had any "90% junk". The dealer said "This is a premium coin shop, we don't sell any junk coins." He said like I was offending him by suggesting he may sell junk silver. The two guys left not buying anything. Just as they were leaving the nice owner walk out from the back and came over to me, and asked me if I needed anything. The other owner had walked into the back. Just out of curiosity, I asked if the had any junk silver. He said the had lots and what type I wanted. I told him and he came back with a tub full of silver half dollars.

 

Interesting topic from CT archives! My worst experience in a coin shop was when dealer Charles Monson at Anoka MN Coin, Stamp, & Watch had bizarre tendencies to deliberately short change some of us customers when paying cash for coins. He thought it was funny, but if we customers didn't notice it, he would have gotten away with it.

 

"Charles Monson" - He is serving a life sentence in prison, perhaps partly because of this.

 

I know it's funny how similar their last names are. Some of us customers would make fun of his name, and they are both a similar age, too.

 

Uncanny that two generations of the victims' family would find this thread and respond. Very profound IMO.

 

I went into a coin shop in the 80s had a 1840 silver dollar he offered me 20.00 but the worst part he wanted to inspect it in a different room said he had a better magnifier flat out told him it stays within my eye sight he got made and said I don't think its real anyway well in 2008 or so sent to pcg its the real deal glad I got mad and walked out with the coin in hand

 

I am back in Florida after 5 years I had hoped things had changed because that was exactly the things I experienced..it is like you are intruding by coming into the shop...fortunately, there are a lot of shows of all sizes and those dealers are wonderful...

 

There is a bad one where I live and the owner thinks His sh** doesn't stink so I normally drive to Redlands, Ca where there is a bid board and the place is very clean and the people are great to work with. I told one person that I just wanted to look through some "filler" type Jefferson nickels and he got a box out for me to look through. Another gentleman came in and wanted certain dates of some Morgan dollars and the worker told them he would help them in a minute because he was with a customer. I told him to go ahead that I was just looking for a few nickels and he asked if I was okay with that and I said sure. He left me with that box of nickels and when he finished with the dollar guy I had picked out about 10-12 nickels. He thanked me for my consideration and even gave me a 10% discount. I am a happy camper. Sorry to go off post

 

My story is short. I was looking at a really nice Lincoln cent set. The dealer told me he thought it was sold. I pointed out that there were several matte proofs in the set. He already knew that. While I was there the guy that looked at it first came in and laid down the cash. I was sad but glad to know that the dealer kept his word and held the set for the other guy.
That dealer passed away a while back. We were friends for about 45 years.

 

Those last two seem like they belong in the 'good experience' thread.

 

Mine was at a local coin show. In search of Morgan and Peace dollars, I noticed one dealer had them coming out the wazoo. Unfortunately, none were slabbed and had his grades on them. I asked if he had any slabbed dollars. His response: "I only deal with real collectors."

I wound up buying $500 worth of graded slabbed coins from the dealers I usually do business with. Mr. Real Collector gave me the nastiest look as I departed the show.

 

I've always said that "gun stores and coin shops are two places were you can walk in looking to spend a pocket full of cash and expect to be treated poorly..even after you spend the cash."
Not always true. But, for the most part yes.