Trust Should Be Visible. It Also Has to Be True.

“We were left with five safes and generations of collections.”

After both of our parents passed away within a relatively short period of time, our family was left with a large home full of belongings to sort through. There were five different safes containing two generations of coin collections and jewelry accumulated over three generations of our family. Pete helped us sort through everything. Much of it was fairly common, but mixed in were some beautiful and genuinely valuable pieces of jewelry and coins that we would not necessarily have recognized ourselves. We even discovered three sets of sterling silver flatware. What we appreciated most was that Pete was able to deal with the collection as a whole. He didn't just pick out the best pieces and leave us with boxes of lower-value coins and jewelry to deal with ourselves. After everything was sorted and evaluated, Pete purchased the entire collection. It turned what initially felt like an enormous project into something our family could actually get through.

“He could have paid about $70. Instead, he paid me more than $2,000.”

I met Pete while having a garage sale in Lebanon. I had a jewelry box out with everything priced at $2.50 per piece. Pete realized several pieces were actually unmarked gold. He could have simply paid my asking price, but instead he told me what I had and explained that some of the pieces were worth hundreds of dollars. At my asking price, he could have bought the entire box for around $70. Instead, we worked out a price and he paid me more than $2,000. I'll always remember that he could have walked away with a very good deal that day, but he chose to be fair with me instead.

“We were able to handle the entire collection privately in our own home.”

Over many years we accumulated a substantial collection of precious metals, mostly silver bullion along with some gold. As we got older and began downsizing, we decided it made more sense to turn the collection into money rather than leave our family with the responsibility of dealing with it later. Because of the sheer weight of the silver, selling it presented a practical problem. We could have packed and shipped everything to a large bullion dealer or transported it ourselves. Instead, Pete came directly to us in Northwest Arkansas and made an offer that was very comparable to what we could have received elsewhere without requiring us to pack, ship or transport such a large amount of precious metals. We were able to handle the entire collection privately and safely in our own home without all of the work and worry.

Sometimes the best outcome isn't selling to me.

After my husband passed away, I was left with his collection of silver coins, including a number of graded Morgan and Peace dollars. Pete went through the collection with me, explained what I had and helped me understand its value. He also made an offer to purchase it. Before I sold, however, a nephew expressed an interest in keeping my husband's collection in the family. Because Pete had already helped me understand what the coins were worth, I had a much better idea of a fair price. Pete ultimately didn't buy the collection, but his help gave me the information I needed to make a decision I felt comfortable with.

“When we find something we don't know, Pete is who we take it to.”

We buy storage units, so we never know what we're going to find. When we come across coins, jewelry or precious metals we're unsure about, Pete is who we take them to. He identifies what we have, explains what it's worth and makes us an offer when it's something he buys. We've done business with him many times and trust his evaluations.

“If we're better off selling something at auction, he'll tell us.”

We buy storage units throughout the region and have worked with Pete for years. He has taught us what to look for in precious metals and coins and, just as importantly, when something may be worth more sold through our auction rather than simply for its precious-metal value. If he thinks we're better off putting something in an auction, he'll tell us. That honesty is why we've continued working with him over the years.

A large diamond deserved a second opinion.

I had accumulated a large jewelry collection over the years, including pieces I had inherited. One piece contained a large diamond with no paperwork or grading information. Rather than simply making me a conservative offer, Pete explained that he thought the diamond deserved a closer look. With my permission, he sent it to a diamond buyer he works with for a professional evaluation. The amount the diamond buyer was willing to pay was considerably more than Pete would have been comfortable offering without that additional expertise, and Pete made sure I received the benefit of the higher value. I felt that Pete was more interested in making sure I received a fair value for what I had than simply buying something from me as cheaply as possible.

“We knew our options before deciding to sell.”

We had a large collection of older U.S. silver coins along with sterling silver. Pete checked the dates to make sure we weren't overlooking anything that might carry a premium and explained what we might receive if we sold the coins ourselves. He then made us an offer for everything. We knew we could potentially get more selling individually, but decided his offer was fair and well worth avoiding the time and hassle.

“After many years, we know what to expect.”

We've bought, sold and traded gold, silver and jewelry with Pete for many years. We each have areas where we know more than the other, and that has developed into a relationship based on trust and mutual respect. We know we can bring Pete something, talk openly about what it is and what it may be worth, and make a fair deal without pressure.

Making a major move a little easier.

When we were preparing to move into an assisted living community, we had many years of accumulated belongings to deal with, including a large collection of gold and silver coins and better pieces of jewelry. Pete worked with us over several visits to sort through the collection. In the end, we were able to sell everything to him in one transaction rather than finding different buyers or moving the collection with us. Being able to take care of the entire collection at once was a tremendous help during an already very busy time in our lives.

“We've done business together for years.”

Pete and I have worked together for many years on coins, jewelry and collectibles. I've always found him straightforward, knowledgeable and easy to work with. After doing business with someone for this long, you know what to expect. I trust Pete when we do business.