bad experience at coin shop

[truthteller]

One of the most amazing displays of an elderly person’s courage was displayed to me while serving our country in the Pacific Island of Okinawa. The base gym hosted a martial arts fair and had various demonstrations by talented servicemen and from individuals of the local populace.

 

During the course of the demonstration an elderly, frail, short Okinawain dressed in a simple robe was accompanied by 4 of his students to the center of the gym. He looked like he was 100 years old but he was only 80...only 80! The announcer told us this elderly man’s name along with the students names and during the introduction, 4 stalks of bundled bamboo were quickly erected on the four corners of a small square. A short wooden bench was brought out along with a single watermelon. As the students worked silently and with purpose, the bench was carefully placed between two of the stalks of bamboo. The stage was set.

 

The announcer asked the interpreter what degree belt the teacher was and you could see the interpreter asking the old gentlemen about a belt. The old man just looked perplexed and smiled. He thought about if for a second, said something and the interpreter replied, “No belt, all in the mind and body.”

 

While one student was putting a blindfold onto the old man, another of the students picked up the melon, laid down on the bench and put the melon on his bared abdomen. The blindfolded old man was centered into the imaginary square, handed a samurai sword and then lead through the paces. With one student behind the elderly man, they went from one bamboo stalk to the next stalk, touching each one with the tip of the sword. After touching all 4 bundled stalks, the student led the blindfolded old man to the watermelon on the young students chest. He then took him to the very first stalk and quickly departed the ring of death.

 

The old man nodded.

 

Everyone stepped back and in a flurry of speed and flashing steel, the old man spun in a circle. He wielded the sword with both hands as he turned and slashed at the stalks of green bamboo. Instantly, the sword came down along with a guttural yell and the melon hit the floor in two pieces before the 4 severed stalks of bamboo eventually tumbled over.

 

There was an audible gasp and the audience roared to a standing ovation! I was impressed beyond belief that this 105 lb 80 year old man was capable of such a feat, but I did see it with my own eyes. Needless to say it opened them from then on about age and competency via a demonstration of skill and devotion.

 

We all posses these skills whether it be with brains or brawn, so don’t ever sell one short because of looks alone, you just may be surprised.

 

 

This gets the best post of the month award. :thumbsup:

 

 

TRUTH

[rrantique]

Good grief, I am tired of this conversation. I have dealt with good coin dealers like Mark, and with scum bags that I would wish would get what is coming to them. So have all of you. I can not believe that this conversation is happening. Some of you have lost sight of the fact that it is not "Professional" (with a capital "P") to be a crook, unless you are a professional crook! Then I guess it is fine with some of you.

 

All of you complain about scum bag dealers who try to take advantage of you but then you de facto say it is allowed for people to behave this way, because you have to know how to protect yourselves. Get real, do you really enjoy dealing with scumbags who try to cheat you every time. Do you really want to live in a world run by crooked used car dealers?

 

Actually, the reality is that none of us should have to put up with this cheating nonsense. I happen to remember the time when you could do a deal on a handshake and actually some businesses (i.e. stock trading, commodities trading) are still run this way, as is much of the high end coin business. Do you think that Jack Lee always had a contract for every coin that he bought? Also, in those not-to-distant times, most people operated by the Golden Rule. Do some of you, who are justifying this nonsense, remember the Golden Rule?

 

I tried a couple of posts to get you people to think about the position that many seniors are in and was totally ignored. Just wait! Most of you are going to be in that position someday because most people live long enough now become elderly and senile. If you think cheating people just because they are old and/or not able to protect themselves in this crappy modern world that we live in, should be allowed, just wait, you will have wonderful Golden Years in a world of no ethics!

 

I would have jumped that scum-bag dealer, in a minute, in public. He had it coming, period, no brainer! I do not care what modern "Political Correctness" is or what that scum bag dealer thinks of me as long as it contains a good measure of fear and respect! I would consider it an honor to be kicked out of this scum's store and I would tell him on the way out what a weasel he was.

 

Well I guess that is my sermon for the month!

 

 

Well put Charlie. (thumbs u

[PrezErrors]

Way To Go!!! Tell Em Brother, Yea!!!

[cpm9ball]

Good grief, I am tired of this conversation. I have dealt with good coin dealers like Mark, and with scum bags that I would wish would get what is coming to them. So have all of you. I can not believe that this conversation is happening. Some of you have lost sight of the fact that it is not "Professional" (with a capital "P") to be a crook, unless you are a professional crook! Then I guess it is fine with some of you.

 

All of you complain about scum bag dealers who try to take advantage of you but then you de facto say it is allowed for people to behave this way, because you have to know how to protect yourselves. Get real, do you really enjoy dealing with scumbags who try to cheat you every time. Do you really want to live in a world run by crooked used car dealers?

 

Actually, the reality is that none of us should have to put up with this cheating nonsense. I happen to remember the time when you could do a deal on a handshake and actually some businesses (i.e. stock trading, commodities trading) are still run this way, as is much of the high end coin business. Do you think that Jack Lee always had a contract for every coin that he bought? Also, in those not-to-distant times, most people operated by the Golden Rule. Do some of you, who are justifying this nonsense, remember the Golden Rule?

 

I tried a couple of posts to get you people to think about the position that many seniors are in and was totally ignored. Just wait! Most of you are going to be in that position someday because most people live long enough now become elderly and senile. If you think cheating people just because they are old and/or not able to protect themselves in this crappy modern world that we live in, should be allowed, just wait, you will have wonderful Golden Years in a world of no ethics!

 

I would have jumped that scum-bag dealer, in a minute, in public. He had it coming, period, no brainer! I do not care what modern "Political Correctness" is or what that scum bag dealer thinks of me as long as it contains a good measure of fear and respect! I would consider it an honor to be kicked out of this scum's store and I would tell him on the way out what a weasel he was.

 

Well I guess that is my sermon for the month!

 

I'm with you, Charlie! I gave up on this thread a while back because of the wishy-washy remarks from people with no guts to stand up for anything but the urinal. Excuse me, ladies! Yet, these same people would be screaming bloody murder if it happened to them. Maybe we should post a reminder for them, that when they get old, they should talk to their priest because it won't do any good here.

 

Chris

[CHABSENTIA]

not to change the topic but it would be interesting to see what the price spreads would be for the same coin taken to multiple dealers.Say a NGC silver eagle or silver proof state quarter or a common ms63 Morgan if everybody used the same coin it would be interesting.

Say pick a day in OCT pick something everybody has some of and the same grade and company take it to a local BM sell it post price realized/ what would be the spread??

 

This would be possible if you lived in an area where there was a number of choices.I live in Jacksonville Florida and you would think that there would be a large number of Coin dealers in an area this size.There is one in Jacksonville anf if you drive to St Augustine which is about 20 miles away then there is one.

[Oldtrader3]

Where I live, there is one jewelry/precious metals/coin store 25 miles away in Bellingham. Plus there are a few Canadian stores nearby, but they don't buy/sell any US stuff.

[tenacious]

It seems this thread is dying down so I better get my say in.

 

It alway disturbs and angers me when someone takes advantage of the naive and trusting. Especially when it's the elderly.

 

But in business, to a point, it will come back to you.

 

For example, I would buy from a seller with a sterling reputation like MarkFeld all day long. But a seller that conducts business, in the way that SeatedCoinage condones, would not only lose me but also all the others that I could tell.

 

 

Who would continue to deal with a seller that they know would take advantage of them if the opportunity came up? Raise your hands.

 

 

I would think, and hope, that the money that a black hat dealer makes in taking advantage of customers would be a fraction of what they would lose from gaining a bad reputation.

 

Even if these dealers have little in the way of a conscience, you would think they would realize this simple business principle. It's just very basic common sense. But apparently their intelligence and ethics are at the same low level.

 

I'm glad to see that jesbroken posted the dealer's name. It's important to share with other collectors your experiences with dealers, good or bad. By promoting trustworthy dealers and exposing untrustworthy ones to fellow collectors, we have an effect on the seller landscape and coin collecting as a whole.

 

 

But in short and to sum up - dealers like those mentioned in the first post are scum and their ethics are the equivalent of a backed up toilet.

 

[just-john]

good advise waiting to see a priest until one older lord knows that if your under 12yrs old you should only see one if you go in groups or with a parent .