Realcent.org

I went to a LCS last week to pick up some silver bars and 90% and had an unpleasant experience. The owner opened a glass case to let me cherry pick silver rounds/bars, which I did without issue and then got very crabby when I asked about his supply of 90%. He told me the price and asked what I wanted. I told the guy I was only interested in halves that were in fine or better condition and wanted a few of each (Kennedy, Walkers, etc.). He did not allow me to see his inventory and instead he goes in the back storage room for a bit and comes back with some of the worst junk silver I've ever seen - all were bad cull. I looked them over and politely told him this isn't what I was looking for and that I'll just take the bullion. He got agitated and started to berate me thinking I was asking for uncirculated. I explained again that I just wanted fine or better, paid for the bullion, and left. I feel bad because I want to use this LCS for future purchases but this guy comes across as a real @sshole. The other LCS has awesome owners that are incredibly friendly and you can basically cherry pick all day long but they have a very limited inventory.

Anyway, what's the general thought behind cherry-picking junk silver. Do shops frown upon that? Is there a reason why some of them won't do it? I feel like if I'm paying their asking price, what's it matter if I pick the best of the lot? I don't get why this owner was so cranky about it and why he pushed the cull on me.

in the old days, before silver was an investment craze and it was more of a hobby, what you described would have been the norm and not considered unusual to "cherry pick." Nowadays, a lot of buyers are happy to find ANY junk silver and they are happy to take whatever he has culls and all. Who knows what's triggering his resentment, tho. He may have been burned on a price-drop post purchase, and your request is adding insult to injury. Who knows?

you don't treat customers like that tho, and expect them to come back.

What I do to solve this problem as a dealer at shows.

Morgans/Peace Example

1 coin $33 each
2-19 coins $30 each
20 Roll $580

A good dealer will let folks sort their hearts out.

BTW....the above is an example. I do not have any Silver dollars for sell at this time. Please do not PM me.

I only can speak to the one LCS I frequent. They let me cherry pick from the junk silver box which usually contains above average condition coins. Honestly, if I was running that store I would remove some of the nicer coins and sell them at a small premium. That aside I consider it good customer service for the owner to put the coins he/she is willing to sell at spot in one box and let the customers sift through it. Any cull coins should be sold at a discount or for melt. If you tried to sell your LCS owner those cull coins I'm sure he'd be quick to use the condition as an excuse to lower the price.

In case anyone was wondering, this LCS was charging 23x face for all of their 90% - including the cull.

Rodebaugh wrote:BTW....the above is an example. I do not have any Silver dollars for sell at this time. Please do not PM me.

It's been 4 hours. Do you have any for sale now? Can we PM you tomorrow?

Not yet.

I do have a few "better" dollars for sale....but they are hand picked expect full retail prices for above average coins.

I always ask them to pick me out some nice ones and I've always had very nice results. I guess showing trust and appealing to their sense of fairness somehow breaks down adversarial barriers.

Rodebaugh wrote:Morgans/Peace Example
1 coin $33 each
2-19 coins $30 each
20 Roll $580

My local shop - great friends - did almost EXACTLY this yesterday while I was in there. A guy looking at their silver offerings asked, "What's in that roll right there?" It was a roll of Morgans, and the dealer got it out and said, "You can pick the ones you want for $xx each. More than one at $xx each. The whole roll would be $xxx."

They also have a 90% box that is constantly being replenished. I am not the only one that digs through it for the better condition coins. In fact, they expect such behavior. When you ask for "the 90% box," you get the box and a little placemat so you can dump it out and sift through it.

It's just good business.

At my LCS I ask for junk silver and just pick through. Never ask to cherry pick.

wheeler_dealer wrote:At my LCS I ask for junk silver and just pick through. Never ask to cherry pick.

I don't ever use the term "cherry pick" at the LCS. I just used that here to describe the situation.