• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Which dealer(s) would you buy form based only on a description?

Started by AnkurJ,

68 posts in this topic

AnkurJ

AnkurJ

Posted
Posted

Rephrased.

 

For me one is definetly Legend Numismatics, Mark Feld, and my main contact which will remain secret :grin: While most of the time they have images of their coins, I am confident in buying from either of them based solely on a description and knowing that they wont steer me wrong. Of course there would a return policy though. How about you?

 

Ankur

Link to comment
Share on other sites
physics-fan3.14

physics-fan3.14

Posted
Posted

Nobody. NEVER. I would absolutely never buy sight unseen, even from dealers who I know and trust, such as Mark Feld.

 

His tastes and mine differ on a lot of things - many coins he likes and lists do not fit in with my collection. He could give a verbal description of a coin, and the actual coin looks very different. Sight unseen also implies no return policy - even if I see a picture of a coin, that coin might look very different in hand. The picture and the description are intended to show the coin in a positive light, in hand it might not meet the criteria for my collection.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Oldtrader3

Oldtrader3

Posted
Posted

Tough question, I do not think that I have ever bought any coin other than contemporary mint or proof sets, that were truly "sight unseen". Although one could argue that before digital imaging, there was a much larger unknown quotient in the pictures posted by many dealers even some who I did business with.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
physics-fan3.14

physics-fan3.14

Posted
Posted
Nobody. NEVER. I would absolutely never buy sight unseen, even from dealers who I know and trust, such as Mark Feld.

 

His tastes and mine differ on a lot of things - many coins he likes and lists do not fit in with my collection. He could give a verbal description of a coin, and the actual coin looks very different. Sight unseen also implies no return policy - even if I see a picture of a coin, that coin might look very different in hand. The picture and the description are intended to show the coin in a positive light, in hand it might not meet the criteria for my collection.

 

Let me clarify - I am not saying Mark's descriptions are inaccurate - far from it! He usually describes coins very well. I'm saying that in general, reading a description of a coin gives an incomplete picture of the coin. Not just Mark's descriptions, any description! You cannot adequately describe a coin in a couple of sentences, and I don't feel you could ever adequately describe the appearance of a coin in words. My interpretation of the words could appear quite different from what the coin looks like in hand - this is simply what I meant by my post above.

 

Sorry for the confusion Mark, I didn't intend to convey the wrong idea.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
MarkFeld

MarkFeld

Posted
Posted
Nobody. NEVER. I would absolutely never buy sight unseen, even from dealers who I know and trust, such as Mark Feld.

 

His tastes and mine differ on a lot of things - many coins he likes and lists do not fit in with my collection. He could give a verbal description of a coin, and the actual coin looks very different. Sight unseen also implies no return policy - even if I see a picture of a coin, that coin might look very different in hand. The picture and the description are intended to show the coin in a positive light, in hand it might not meet the criteria for my collection.

 

Let me clarify - I am not saying Mark's descriptions are inaccurate - far from it! He usually describes coins very well. I'm saying that in general, reading a description of a coin gives an incomplete picture of the coin. Not just Mark's descriptions, any description! You cannot adequately describe a coin in a couple of sentences, and I don't feel you could ever adequately describe the appearance of a coin in words. My interpretation of the words could appear quite different from what the coin looks like in hand - this is simply what I meant by my post above.

 

Sorry for the confusion Mark, I didn't intend to convey the wrong idea.

 

Thanks Jason, much appreciated. And that certainly sounds reasonable ro me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
jom

jom

Posted
Posted
Who said there isn't a return policy?

 

Sight unseen means there is no return policy. If you can return it after you see it, then that is sight seen.

 

That's what I assumed as well.

 

Any dealer (or any other person) just can't describe or take a picture well enough to see what I see. It's impossible. Many do the best they can (others don't care) but it isn't enough. If there is no return policy I don't buy....

 

jom

Link to comment
Share on other sites
cpm9ball

cpm9ball

Posted
Posted
Nobody. NEVER. I would absolutely never buy sight unseen, even from dealers who I know and trust, such as Mark Feld.

 

His tastes and mine differ on a lot of things - many coins he likes and lists do not fit in with my collection. He could give a verbal description of a coin, and the actual coin looks very different. Sight unseen also implies no return policy - even if I see a picture of a coin, that coin might look very different in hand. The picture and the description are intended to show the coin in a positive light, in hand it might not meet the criteria for my collection.

 

Let me clarify - I am not saying Mark's descriptions are inaccurate - far from it! He usually describes coins very well. I'm saying that in general, reading a description of a coin gives an incomplete picture of the coin. Not just Mark's descriptions, any description! You cannot adequately describe a coin in a couple of sentences, and I don't feel you could ever adequately describe the appearance of a coin in words. My interpretation of the words could appear quite different from what the coin looks like in hand - this is simply what I meant by my post above.

 

Sorry for the confusion Mark, I didn't intend to convey the wrong idea.

 

Thanks Jason, much appreciated. And that certainly sounds reasonable ro me.

 

I would buy from Dark Flem any day because I know that he would send it to me on approval if I asked.

 

Chris

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Walkerfan

Walkerfan

Posted
Posted

Also, returns are a pain in the neck, so I don't want to bother with that, if I don't have to. Not being able to see the coin means that, statistically, I will not like it, since there is alot out there that I pass on even when I can see the images first. And even images can hide alot as already mentioned.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Keigwin

Keigwin

Posted
Posted

Andy Skrabalak (Angel Dee's). I don't buy sight unseen...everything is on approval. But if he says I'll love it I'm ready to write a check. Never been disappointed.

Lance.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
AnkurJ

AnkurJ

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Thanks for the insignt Lance!

 

I guess what I should ask is this. Would you pull the trigger to potentially buy a coin from a dealer without seeing images and only based on a description?

 

For example, CRO, and Legend put out their nuewps and many times dont have images. Needless to say these coins can be very pricey. Would you feel comfortable enough saying i'll take it (with a return policy) based solely on a description?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Keigwin

Keigwin

Posted
Posted
Thanks for the insignt Lance!

 

I guess what I should ask is this. Would you pull the trigger to potentially buy a coin from a dealer without seeing images and only based on a description?

 

For example, CRO, and Legend put out their nuewps and many times dont have images. Needless to say these coins can be very pricey. Would you feel comfortable enough saying i'll take it (with a return policy) based solely on a description?

Yup. They're on my list.

Lance.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
TomB

TomB

Posted
Posted

Others have already stated it, but sight-unseen generally is accepted to mean that there is no return policy. The idea of newps being sent out via email with no images is something my own clients have complained about so in my last email update to my volunteer client list I embedded images of every new coin as well as the traditional text and price.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
physics-fan3.14

physics-fan3.14

Posted
Posted

I guess what I should ask is this. Would you pull the trigger to potentially buy a coin from a dealer without seeing images and only based on a description?

 

Well, that's a different question, but my answer is the same. Absolutely not, never. Even from CRO, Legend, Mark Feld, etc.... words just cannot adequately describe a coin, no matter how much they try. I trust them as dealers and numismatists, but I simply must have some visual indication of the coin before I commit to it. That means I have missed out on some very nice coins that I may have wanted, but I won't do it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
MarkFeld

MarkFeld

Posted
Posted

I guess what I should ask is this. Would you pull the trigger to potentially buy a coin from a dealer without seeing images and only based on a description?

 

Well, that's a different question, but my answer is the same. Absolutely not, never. Even from CRO, Legend, Mark Feld, etc.... words just cannot adequately describe a coin, no matter how much they try. I trust them as dealers and numismatists, but I simply must have some visual indication of the coin before I commit to it. That means I have missed out on some very nice coins that I may have wanted, but I won't do it.

 

If a collector or dealer who knew my taste in coins, contacted me and said that they thought I would like a coin, I would gladly buy it, without images. That is, as long as there was a return privilege.

 

I don't like going to the post office to ship/return packages, but that can be a very small price to pay, in the event that I end up not liking the coin. To me, missing out on a great coin would be a much larger price to pay.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
EXOJUNKIE

EXOJUNKIE

Posted
Posted
With dealers who update inventory but don't have images yet, you have to act fast.

 

Truer words were never spoken. For some, collecting is a leisurely activity, but for others it is downright obsessively competitive. :headbang: If you're in it to make money it is even more so. Some coins are so rare that when they become available "he that hesistates it lost" as they say! Buying "on approval" and taking occasional risks to get the best material is part of the game IMHO. :grin:

Link to comment
Share on other sites
BillJones

BillJones

Posted
Posted

For me the closest dealer who make this cut would be Steve Hayden, the token and medal dealer. His grading is as conservative or more conservative than mine, and you can pretty well bank on his descriptions.

 

But having said that, my tastes are in perfect harmony with everyone else's tastes, so I really like to see things in person before I buy them with returns.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Buffalo Head

Buffalo Head

Posted
Posted
Andy Skrabalak (Angel Dee's). I don't buy sight unseen...everything is on approval. But if he says I'll love it I'm ready to write a check. Never been disappointed.

Lance.

 

I like Andy also. He's so easy to get along with and everything you buy from him he'll refund ya if your not happy. Just wish he would list with images it would really help his business....Joe

Link to comment
Share on other sites
JStull

JStull

Posted
Posted

I actually have only one dealer I would buy from sight unseen. However, that dealer also allows me to examine the coin in hand, usually 3-5 days after receiving the coin, before making a final decision to keep the coin.

 

But I should also mention, that I have arranged with him that should I decide not to keep something he's sent me, that I receive a store credit from him to be applied towards something else, rather than him issuing a refund.

 

It's a win/win for both of us. It also helps to have a dealer who knows what I collect mainly and is always on the look out for something to add to my collection too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Go to topic listing