Best PM Dealers

I’m curious to know which PM dealers folks here like the best - mainly for U.S. bullion.

I deal mostly with APMEX and some with Gainesville Coins. I don’t have any problems with these two but I’d like to know if there are other major dealers I should be looking at as well.

If I’m looking at them on the web then I want to be able to order off the web. I don’t deal with any them that just have a fancy web site only to then make me call them. I know I’ll just get a high pressure salesman at those places.

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Richard Easterday on March 1, 2009 at 3:55pm

Have a look at www.silvertowne.com for comparison

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by BRYAN on March 1, 2009 at 5:05pm

Hi Dave. I spread my buys around and make the dealers work for my business. I like APMEX pretty high on the list but I also recommend you check into Northwest Mint, Golden Eagle Coin, Eastern Numismatics, Millenium Metals, Panda USA, MONEX, and Littleton Coin. The PERTH MINT in Australia is good too for stuff down-under. And there is always EBAY and the US Mint BUT you can do better than these last 2!! DON"T--I REPEAT- DON"T even think about GOLDLINE!! They are a strict commission sales department and expect a minimum 1st time buy of $2000 and they will BS you into a deal!! I know--I fell for it several years ago! If you want to buy 50 Peace dollars in VG to VF condition for $1500, just let me know---that's what I got expecting AU-BU as promised. Oh, and 2- 20 Franc Helvetias in AU for the other $500!! You can get good prices from ALL the other places if you start mentioning that so and so has the same thing for x amount BUT don't lie about it--DO THE FOOTWORK checking prices at each site and then make the calls. GOOD LUCK, BRYAN

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Dave on March 2, 2009 at 7:12pm

Thanks for the input guys. Insightful as always.

APMEX is a bit high on shipping I will admit and they are slow to ship (ten “extra” day hold unless you pay the credit card penalty). I don’t like that penalty for using a credit card but it almost seems like the industry norm. I do like the ease of navigation at their site and the selection they have.

The first time I ordered from Gainesville Coins they short-changed me 40 silver eagles. I thought “Oh boy… here we go…”. But they made good on it. They reviewed the video tape of the packaging process and the weight of the package to confirm the short. I do like using places that record both package weight and video.

I’ve dropped a ton of money on coins at EBay. I hate to say it… but I’m afraid to weigh all of the “real” Morgans I have. I wonder how many of them were “Made in China” - hopefully none. I say “real” because I do intentionally buy some fake Morgans from China to use in craft projects that I do. It is scary how accurately they are reproduced.

Thanks again for the input – who to use and also who to stay away from. I’ll definitely look into some of these places.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Brian D on March 29, 2009 at 4:21pm

Try The Mint Products. com. They have some decent coin prices there. No problems from me.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Dave on March 29, 2009 at 10:39pm

Thanks for the info guys. I appreciate the suggestions.

Bob – I see that you’re a new member. Welcome aboard. I’m relatively new here myself. Seems we share some other interests - pistols and target shooting. I’ll be heading over to the range within the next couple days to break in a new Sig. ;-)

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Lyn on March 30, 2009 at 10:39am

Has anyoone done internet business with Coast to Coast coins in Maryland? Not so much for bullion, but for rare and collectable US coins and notes. I have bought a lot of stuff from them and until recently have been very satisfied. I had to return some notes that were not as advertised. They used to respond quickly to email questions, but lately they don't respond at all. Thanks for any comments/feedback.
I have bought coins from Gainsville and Paradise and had good experience, but their stocks seem limited compared to Coast. I had one unpeasant experience with Mint Products with my only order from them.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Gary on March 30, 2009 at 4:09pm

Bob are you from the Georgia area?

BOB PAGINI said:

Hi Dave!!! I have looked at a lot of dealers out their and you have chosen probably 2 of the very best their is. Gainesville has the best prices on their website and on Ebay. If you want to consider other's I would recomend Modern Coin Mart.com (they tend to be a bit pricey on some stuff). and Chattanooga Coin, Inc, 1000 Bailey Ave, Rossville, Georgia 30741....1-800-444-2646 (they don't have a website that I know of but they do advertise in Coin World a lot). Hope this helps?? If you need anything else please give me a shout?? Have a great day....Bob Pagini

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by CraigL on March 31, 2009 at 8:06am

Do you guys find that these on-line dealers give you better prices than your local dealers do for bullion. I have not yet bought bullion off a local dealer in my area (Rhode Island) so am not sure what type of prices local dealers may have. Most of my purchases are through the mail.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Dave on April 4, 2009 at 9:52pm

Hi Bob. Well I finally got to shoot the Sig. It’s a P229 - .40 mag. It’s a sweet gun… feels good in the hand, groups well, quick recovery… Yeah these Sigs can wind up costing more than a St. Gaudens UHR. (There… I mentioned a coin… now this qualifies as a coin discussion. lol ) I’m still thinking about picking up a Glock… maybe someday… Might depend on how many of these new pennies I can sell for the remainder of the year (At the incredible prices they’ve been selling for).

You use a .22 for home protection??? Is that so you don’t worry about wall penetration? One of the reasons I got the .40 mag is I wanted more knock-down power than my S&W 9 mm can provide. Yeah... we’re gonna scare some folks here. lol

BOB PAGINI said:

Hi Dave!!! Yes...I also own a Sig...P220s......Paid $1,500.00 for it. Quite pricey but and excellent gun....one has to use 2 hands handling this baby but an awesome 45 cal pistol. I also have a Glock model 17 9mm and a Walter P22....22 cal pistol with a laser sight mounted underneath the barrel. It is really a nice home protection gun and the barrel is only 3 1/2" long. Tiny but fun to shoot!!! Send me a note when you get achance and we can talk pistols and coins??? LOL But we don't want to make the rest of them nervous on here??? LOL Later.....Bob
Dave said:
Thanks for the info guys. I appreciate the suggestions.

Bob – I see that you’re a new member. Welcome aboard. I’m relatively new here myself. Seems we share some other interests - pistols and target shooting. I’ll be heading over to the range within the next couple days to break in a new Sig. ;-)

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Dave on April 4, 2009 at 9:58pm

Awww Ike… I kinda wish you hadn’t posted that link. Too many nice looking coins there. ;-) Now I’m gonna drop some serious “coin” at that site. lol I like the one-stop shopping for the various mints from around the world. I’ll have fun exploring.

Ike said:

This site- ( https://www.downies.com/northamerica/store/products.asp?id=30 ) is listed on the Perth mint site as one of their dealers in the US. It has a lot of coins from a few other mints from around the world. Some of the prices are about the same (a few cents + or -) as the @ respective mint. The shipping charges, for the most part, are less expensive. Also some coins that are sold out @ the main mints are available @ this web site. I have not used it yet, but will today. I will be buying a coin that the Perth mint has a "sold out listing". Has anyone used this site & if so, do they recommend it? This link is for their Australia Perth Mint products, but after clicking on it you can go to others. You can also type in the country you want to buy from (like Austria) and it will list a lot of their coins. Anyway you can play with the site & see what you think.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Devendra on August 13, 2009 at 9:06pm

I've never bought anything online because I have one local dealer who's very good- never seen anything online that can beat him. Add that there's no shipping charges or waiting and I have no reason to buy online.

If my local guy shut down I don't know what I'd do- it would be hard to replace him. I think it's possible that I could buy stuff from him and sell it to other people at a markup and make some money. Also with the online dealers often they want you to buy large amounts at once- my local dealer is happy to sell me small quantities. If you want to buy some bullion let me know and I'll quote you a price from my local guy- all I would ask would be for one ounce of silver to do the footwork. You'd have to pay shipping, though. I don't know if this would be worth anyone's while- I'm running it up the flagpole to see if anyone salutes!

For the record, I bought a beautiful 1897 Melbourne gold Sovereign from the guy today for $237. I defy anyone to beat that! And don't ask me who he is or where he is! ;-)