COIN SHOP COMPETITION PROPOSED

I think should be a competition to encourage coin shops to be more welcoming. Why not a prize for best shopfront, most helpful assistant and most informative dealer website? I recently travelled abroad and went to a coin dealer in a large city which came up first on an online site. Credit where credit is due. At least there were some coin dealers. Many cities in this country do not have any at dealers all.

However the shop was not attractive from the outside. The shop assistant did her best to be helpful but did not understand what historical medallions were and I was shown some worn tokens. There was little evidence of what they did in fact sell or anything to encourage collectors.

I realise there is a need for security and a camera controlled lock on the door is needed as well as internal CCTV, but jewellers and banks probably have higher levels of security and manage to be welcoming and informative. Even lawyers and dentists try to put people at their ease. You can still have good security systems and be welcoming.

I do not know but callers must include people buying presents for others, collectors who are knowledgeable with a specific interest, the idle curious, the general public who think they have found buried treasure and people who have acquired someone else's collection. It must be difficult catering for all tastes but any if you went to a shop linked to any other hobby you would see information and displays on the subject, magazines and notices about events and local clubs. At least there would be a chair to sit on.

	NBS (coinbooks.org) Web