The International Coin Collectors Association is hosting an event in Myrtle Beach this week, a show that a Grand Strand coin dealer says is a ripoff.
Collectors at the show will make offers to buy items from people who bring in what they think are rare coins and paper currency.
The owner of the Myrtle Beach Coin Exchange said the offers made at these shows are drastically below he would offer for the same items. David Quante told NewsChannel 15 the shows prey on people who don't know what they have.
"They go in there and they're offered a price and they think it's a reasonable price because of the way they run their advertising, so they accept that offer and they're being taken for a ride," Quante said.
But a representative of the association said the collectors just make an offer. People don't have to accept it.
"If you just want to find out what they're worth you can bring them in, we'll make you an offer. If you don't like it, you can always keep them," said Jeff Joyce of the ICCA.
NewsChannel 15 took a couple of older silver half-dollars to the show and got them appraised at $9 per coin. That's the same value as offered by the Quante at the Myrtle Beach Coin Exchange.
But Quante said he's had customers who have gone to the ICCA show and were offered a fraction of what he would pay.
