Did I screw the teller?

[TooManyHobbies]

Last week one of my dump tellers said she had an old half dollar (that she found in the reject tray). She showed me a 1897 Barber, somewhat smooth, but can easily read the date, and good outline of head. The reverse is even smoother. She asked if it was worth anything. I told her, off the top of my head, three to three-fifty. I was thinking silver value. She asked me today where she could sell it. I said I was interested, how much. "Well, you said it was worth three-fifty." So, I gave her a ten and asked for change. She looked at me strangely and said, "you meant $3.50?" YEAH. Not $350.00. She sold it to me anyway. When I got home I looked it up in redbook, in G condition it's around $13. This one may be G or just a little less. It fits in my collection.

 

[jim4silver]

Last week one of my dump tellers said she had an old half dollar (that she found in the reject tray). She showed me a 1897 Barber, somewhat smooth, but can easily read the date, and good outline of head. The reverse is even smoother. She asked if it was worth anything. I told her, off the top of my head, three to three-fifty. I was thinking silver value. She asked me today where she could sell it. I said I was interested, how much. "Well, you said it was worth three-fifty." So, I gave her a ten and asked for change. She looked at me strangely and said, "you meant $3.50?" YEAH. Not $350.00. She sold it to me anyway. When I got home I looked it up in redbook, in G condition it's around $13. This one may be G or just a little less. It fits in my collection.

Since she got it at face value, she still made a profit. Silver value would probably be closer to 5.50, but who's counting.

I probably would have instead said "it looks pretty smoothed out and is not in great shape, I will pay you 3.50 for it". That way, you were not misleading with the facts.

Are you sure it would be graded G. I have an gold 1882 cc $20 Liberty double eagle that was only graded Fair by PCGS and it sounds like it is in similar condition to your Barber.

Anyway, if she willingly accepted your offer I would not say you screwed her, at least not too badly.

Jim

 

[TxTim]

If she was happy, no problem!
Nice pickup!

 

[jrf30]

At my bank they are not ALLOWED to keep ANYTHING fromt eh reject box. They must either 1) throw it away, even if it is money or 2) give it to a customer for free. Not even face value.

I hvae gotten numerous foreign coins and a few wheats that way. PLus 1 silver dime that was rejected probably because of the silver. All from the reject box, and they would not even allow me to pay fae value for it. :-)

 

[Trezurehunter]

I dont see a problem. It was a worn coin - not a tough date or mintmark. Now if it were worth $ 1000.00 & you gave her $ 3.50, thats a screwin !!

 

[cyberdan]

change. She looked at me strangely and said, "you meant $3.50?"

That is just doing business. Did the gas station give you a discount to go CRHing?

Actually that is what I always offer for junk silver, but I make it sound better. I offer $70 for ten dollars face value on 90%.

 

[Lucky Jack]

Only you can really know if you screwed the teller. Think hard, try to remember. Maybe you could ask her.

 

[Silver_Fox]

Only you can really know if you screwed the teller. Think hard, try to remember. Maybe you could ask her.

.......LOL..............

 

[TooManyHobbies]

Only you can really know if you screwed the teller. Think hard, try to remember. Maybe you could ask her.

Uhhhhhhhh.........NOPE. LMAO.

 

[XX]

The fact is, based on OP's description of the coin, a typical dealer is only going to pay melt for that coin. Many dealers refuse to budge from their 7 to 8 times face. Therefore, the teller got a decent deal considering she didn't have to expend any time/gas to sell just one coin.

PS. Still laughing from Lucky Jack's post.

 

[ringding]

Things are worth what people are willing to pay for them. If you look in a book it can say a coin is worth %50, but if no one is willing to pay that, then it is worth less.

 

[Roadquest]

She would have took more if she could have got it.
She took what she could get.
You did not screw her, ,,,unless there is more to this story