ccarroll Posted February 12, 2016 Report Share Posted February 12, 2016 I'd posted previously about my unsuccessful efforts to sell a 1900 Austrian 4-ducat gold coin. I went to my first show last year, the big annual international show at the Waldorf Astoria, but I'd been led astray by a couple of dealers (I think Heritage and/or Stacks) who were implying that they might be interested to the tune of $1000-$1200, but when I returned, they immediately were saying, oh, no, that wasn't what they'd meant at all. They were saying they weren't offering to buy, only hazarding theoretical prices if I wanted to consign it for auction. So I missed my chance at the show, and though I shopped around in NYC over the next several months, the prices I was being offered kept getting lower and lower - $560, $550, $520, $510, $490, $470... People were implying that the margin was so low that they wouldn't sell it for much more than that, which I didn't believe, and I also had the impression that some were claiming that the condition was worse than it was. I was finding, too, that although there are a lot of local dealers claiming an interest and expertise in international coins, that just wasn't true. I finally got so irritated that I decided to stubbornly wait until this January again. I went to the show this second time, and this time I was smart enough to make a beeline for the foreign dealers, sure I could get at least $600. I immediately got an offer for $650 - but then a better one for $700. So I think there's a double moral. First, that stubbornness can pay off. Second, that nothing takes the place of persistent legwork. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccg Posted February 14, 2016 Report Share Posted February 14, 2016 Congrats on making a satisfactory sale. I should note that in the US, there are few dealers who actively deal in world coins - many that deal in them do it as a side thing and often sell at a "wholesale" rate to other dealers, so offers on items with collectible value will generally be very conservative. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccarroll Posted February 21, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2016 It probably wouldn't bother me that they didn't deal in world coins, if it weren't that they claim to be dealing in the. I would much prefer if instead they'd said, "I'm not really buying that sort of thing, but I'd be happy to take a look" or "I'm mostly dealing with American coins, but you could try asking so-and-so downtown." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedeadpoint Posted February 23, 2016 Report Share Posted February 23, 2016 Glad it all worked out in the end! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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