Coin dealer's nightmares...

[Count_Erfit]

I retired from my coin/pawnshop this Jan 3.

 

As a public service, here are the coins that will NOT excite a coin dealer.

..........................................................................................................

Any Franklin Mint "coin"

 

WW2 and Vietnam "bringback" coins.

 

Wheat pennies

 

Any coins in cardboard "historic" sets (usually polished to a high shine)

 

Slabbed MS69 and 70 modern eagles (gold or silver)

 

Coins that aren't YOURS.

 

MIXED coins dated after 1930

 

Coins that are JUST LIKE the ones in "the book"

 

gotta be more, but can't remember em right now.

 

 

 

[braddick]

How about processed steel pennies?

 

Stained (cull) 1921 Morgans?

 

FOREIGN COINS in bulk?!

[paigow_johnny]

I have these nickels with an indian and a buffalo on it. Doesn't have a date though...is it a rare mint screw up ??

 

Whaddaya mean you don't want to buy my proof sets ??!! These are TOP quality coins, you swine !!!

[lclugza]

And of course the RARE Standing Liberty quarter that got printed without a date!

 

And the SUPER RARE 1943 zinc coated steel penny ("Hey, Mr. Coin Dealer, the ones that aren't made of copper are the rare ones, aren't they?")

 

And any colonial/Bust dollar/private gold replica.

 

And any 1922D cent with the "D" tooled off and and D mint cent dated 19 14.(I think I saw one of the latter coins at a flea market one day).

 

 

[lclugza]

And of course the well worn 1893S dime ("I heard an 1894S dime sold for hundreds of thousands of dollars! Well, my 1893S dime must be worth even more than that because it's even older!") It think Bowers and Ruddy (of Bowers and Ruddy Galleries) had that problem several years ago; after they had sold an 1894S dime, people came in trying to sell them 1893S dimes, thinking it was even more valuable.

[MikeKing]

Does anyone remember the 'Kennedy looks at Lincoln' pennies?

I think I still have one of those...

[gmarguli]

Those rare proof/mint sets that have some coins dates 1975 and some 1976. Those have got to be worth a fortune.

[lclugza]

How about the ultra rare Peace dollar error with TRVST instead of TRUST in IN GOD WE TRUST? And the 1913 Liberty nickel in VG condition that used to be a 1903 or 1910? And of course the collector that insists his G-VG coins are actually Proofs worth hundreds of dollars?

[lclugza]

And I forgot about those beautiful colorized silver eagles. And those rare gold plated 1883 "No Cents" nickels and Ike dollars.

[davefperry]

How about this 1943 copper penny? Yeah, it's magnetic but that doesn't prove anything. It must be worth a fortune.

[EZ_E]

Wow, Cornholio must be worth a fortune since he always peddles such valuable rarities as mentioned!

[BillJones]

Does anyone remember the 'Kennedy looks at Lincoln' pennies?

 

Ditto for Lincoln with the liberty bell and Lincoln smoking a cigar. Of course the dealer does not have much to complain about if he sold that trash to the collector to start with.

 

One other line that gets under a dealer's skin is, "Let me show the coin that I just bought for less money that YOU were asking." Quite often the collector wants to show you his prize when you are very busy or working with a special customer. Also more often than not there is a very good reason why his coin was cheaper. It usually has something to do with preservation or the variety.