Affordable Rare Coins — Attraction in Town of Grand Chute

Not great, not bad. Got to take the owners personality and attitude with a grain of salt. Not a bad guy, but I got the impression he's tired of dealing with the brick and mortar aspect of the business. Not really sure. Very condescending and opinionated, for example unless you are a certain type of collector then your not really a collector. Was told how anyone who coin roll hunts for coins to sell/collect isn't a real collector...

Won't offer even melt value to buy silver. Offers about 35% under silver melt value. Won't tell you the real value of coins or currency except he'll look at notes regardless of condition and say the majority are only worth face value. Any person with actual integrity and honesty would let people know the actual value of things, even from a dealers perspective. Rather than lie or undervalue just so they can get the best deal. Overall the problem with this location is the owner and his ethics. A dishonest shark attitude.

Selection and variety, quite good for the area. Many things are overall priced fairly and even cheaper than I thought. Most of the stuff I bought would have cost 2x online. He told me Jefferson nickels (minus the silver ones) are worth only face value to him. That's his opinion but the fact and reality is they are worth more. I was about to get a variety of items at a deal which some I can resell for 500%+ profit because he thinks there is no market on certain aspects. Such as toning on coins, which is funny because their site says they buy/sell based on how a coin looks. Any real collector and lover of coins knows that toning can mean everything. Natural aging patina on silver, or proofs especially the ones that create that beautiful rainbow luster, get them graded and you can sell for a major premium. But nope, this guy says there is no market for that, probably too cheap to get things graded and be a honest dealer.

So I guess I will stop back someday, buy the things he says there is no market for, keep some for my collection, resell the rest for major profit. Was able to even buy some things under face value, already sold a dollar coin he had with unique toning, sold it for $80 online.

I guess my advice is, expect to be ripped off for your collections of actual valuable items, especially silver (regardless of your stock levels or need for silver, silver doesn't magically change in value, whatever spot price is its actual value) but you will easily find an awesome selection of many affordable things. You'll also find plenty of overpriced items too. I saw a set of older silver coins, morgan, peace, some barbers, all heavily circulated, polished and cleaned at which point worth their silver melt + a small premium and they were being sold as high market value prices of coins that are not cleaned.

Very conflicting place to shop. You don't have to like the owner, his views, opinions, ethics, but either way you can find some good things and some great prices.

Edit for owners response. It's just my opinions. I think you have a great shop overall. I simply don't agree with some of your opinions and views. Just as you don't agree with most customers opinions and views that don't line up with yours.

I didn't buy a toned ike It was a different type of dollar coin and I'n a set. You say there no market for certain things, I have been lucky to experience otherwise. Selling errors, toned coins, varieties & more in person & online. Which I was correct you had no interest and I didn't care. The only parts that bother me about you is your business ethics and your demeanor towards anyone who doesn't have the same thoughts views and opinions as yourself.

I didn't show you my Ikes. I said that you probably have a bunch and as I sat them off to the side you said you had no interest.

I hope you find the passion again thay you probably had many years ago. I collect and sell for enjoyment to make people happy and I've never had anyone disappointed and I use the profits for my kids future and coin collecting. I'm not that young, but I have passion honesty...

In response to some of the negative comments.. I am from out of state but come to the Fox valley every year to visit family. While here I visit local coin shops looking for odds and ends for my collection and my brother visits this store every so often and converses with the owner about coins antiques or whatever. So they have some kind of ongoing business relationship.

My impression of the place was that the prices seemed a little high and the selection was average. Floor space was unwisely used and lighting could be better. I attributed the higher prices to it being a brick and mortar store and not eBay. So the turn around on selling coins can be quite long due to limited exposure I collect silver coins, particularly pre1600 german saxony thalers which he had none of but that was expected since they are hard to find.

As other Comments stated he seemed uppity and kind of short when questions were asked. I experienced this too when asking questions but I asked them any way. This only lead me to think he either he has very little knowledge of coins and my questions intimidated him or he was having a bad day. I am 46 years old but have over 40 years of experience and knowledge dealing with coin specifics so when I ask a question, they are quite technical and the terminology I use can make some feel uneasy. But either way I didn't let it affect the shopping experience because I have met 100s of coin dealers who were uppity or condescending when I asked excellent knowledgeable questions regarding their highest priced items all because when I bum around coin shopping, I usually wear rags and I do not look the part of a person who can drop a few thousand dollars on a coin purchase.

Regarding the other posters comments about selling to him, that I cannot. Though I know my brother occasionally does and my brother I one cheap bastard and knows exactly what the value is before he sells and would not do business with someone if he didn't trust their business practices. Maybe the complainers are expecting red book value for their coins and are unaware that these price guides are created 2-5 years before the publish date which makes them absolutely useless. And if they are selling scrap gold/silver maybe they expect spot price which is ridiculous.

But my overall impression was that the place was average...not the worst nor the best. I have been to unscrupulous coin dealers who would intentionally try to rip you off if they thought they could and these types of places suck. I on e was going to sell a very rare very worn silver double thaler for vacation cash. The coin was easily worth $800 retail and if auctioned on the right day could probably bring in $1200-1500. The guy pulled out one of his world coin guides found my coin in it and proceeded to subtly berate the coin as worthless and only worth scrap silver price. But he was willing to give me 1.5x silver value. To all the readers , that is a ripoff artist.

But no I didn't get that impression from this place. yes he could be more cordial to the customers and if not sure of something don't BS just say so. If people are calling for quotes and think their being mislead, then be explicit and state during these types of calls that prices vary so greatly that he does not feel comfortable talking numbers sight unseen but that he is interested in their items. Inexperience in the business I probably the reason for the negatives being said

There are a lot of people out their who expect full value for their junk and will complain to high heaven when they are told differently. so all comments posted should be taken with a...

I have really no idea why the negative reviews are so prevalent here.

I have never been talked down to from the owner or have had any rudeness. We normally have a conversation and chit chat whenever I would go there.

The selection is incredible and he is a very knowledgeable guy.

I’m not sure a lot of people know how business work that resell used items.

You buy them for lower. And sell them for higher!! Crazy!!

At the cost of having a convenient location to get coins at, knowledgeable staff, and tons of other little cliche items. Don’t have to pay shipping when you ship local!

And honestly a lot of coin collectors in general, mostly ones with no experience or knowledge about coins, as well as well as the “my great grandpa gave these to me” folks overvalue their coins from looking the coins up on google and just see the highest price or price of extremely fine or uncirculated coins. and think that’s what their good or mint coins are worth.

Like any business surrounding reselling collectibles or used products. They aren’t going to buy what they don’t need if the inventory is full on them!

Think of it as a car lot, you have ten 2015 Ford rangers on the lot. You bought those for (for example) let’s say 2500 bucks. They aren’t selling even though they are reasonably priced. Even if it’s a little lower you can always adjust the price to meet supply and demand right?

But if you lower it to the point you make 0 profit and they still sell slow. Would you buy another one as an owner? And in the off chance you did want to, you would probably point to the F150s and say “inventory on those is pretty full, can’t offer much. $1200.” If people think they are getting lowballed so bad why not just sell it themselves.

Just food for thought.

I’m not going to pretend like I’m a business owner myself, and I don’t mean to come off condescending, but for how many times I’ve chit chatted with the owner, and a few times in person. Everything was more than okay, friendly guy. I could NOT see him getting rude or giving a cold shoulder unless someone is over persistent about their coin prices to a man who’s entire business is coins.

In my opinion hands down this is 100% the best coin shop I have ever personally been too. Some people might mistake him being upfront for rudeness. It’s a business, not just a place have coins come and go for what you paid for them.

Either way though I can’t wait to go back there when I get a chance to again. I love making my money at face value into a lesser face value!

I can’t vouch for silver prices but that isn’t my niche anyways. But as far as everything else I love this place.

Knowledgeable, Honest, Clean, Upfront, Friendly, and many more...