Once I wanted to get some fine metal pieces appraised. I went to a place in my area that claimed to be expert gold buyers but that wasn’t the case. Later on, I found coin buyers who are members of the American Numismatic Association (ANA). And I am so glad to have found these people.
A friend of mine was not so lucky. He needed some money before he was to receive his last unemployment check so he could start his new job. Normally a sharp thinker, he waited until the last minute to find a real buyer and he found himself at the pawn shop at the last hour.
Not only did he have to cough up money for an appraisal but we later found that had he gone to an ANA member, he would have received almost three times the amount. If there is ever a next time, he will remember this moment.