Piggybank

Time for another update. The first batch of units has been dispatched from America estimated delivery is apprently Thursday. Will start contacting people in the middle of next week regarding payment and delivery etc. Second batch is going to be dispatched around the end of the month so should be here at the start of March. Appolgise for the delay this is how Sigma describe themselves
"
Sigma Metalytics is a family owned and operated business based in Chico, California, founded in 2013. We take pride in the fact that our components are sourced from the U.S.A. and each of our units is hand-built to order right here in our Chico factory.
We’re not a big tech company that can always overnight your order, but our engineers take the time to build, calibrate, and test each Precious Metal Verifier by hand to ensure they are the finest quality and have the highest accuracy.  "

This company cancelled their Official Sponsorship and advertising on TSF around the same time that another member which I will not name asked for their account and all information about them to be deleted when I called them out for directly trying to damage TSF and actively suggesting to members via PM to cancel their membership and go to his FB group instead, all while TSF was sponsoring their YT channel. 
I had felt that CC had used TSF to get awareness of their auctions and then cancelled their paid membership once enough TSF members were aware of them and also were possibly persuaded by the aforementioned member, I was aware that they had a business relationship. The reason they gave was that not enough members of TSF are interested in Gold. However, I had put up a public statement at the time (which has since been removed) and a member private messaged me at the time and said that the commission on his item alone would have been enough to cover several years of their membership fee. And of course, as many of you are aware there are many members of TSF who purchase gold and some exclusively gold.
Recently they actually emailed trying to buy TSF or offer me a job. Of course TSF is not for sale nor do I wish to work for them. 
Unfortunately @Silverman2U I am unable to help but as I was tagged in this post I just wanted to make my relationship with this company clear, and that TSF has no business relationship with CC. Hopefully if you reach out again via email they are able to help. 

The thing with using a card all the time is that the money is constantly depreciating. If you buy something for £20 and pay cash, that £20 note is still £20. If you paid by card, the shop or ‘seller’ is likely paying something around 2% ish in fees. So if at 2% fees, that £20 you’ve just spent by card has just become £19.96. This is just an example of course.
The banks and card payment processing companies are the ones really benefiting.

Just off to get a sovereign. I'm still buying at £400

I won't use self service checkouts either, last time I did I make a right fuss and insisted I needed help. In the end they had to do it for me! 😁
I'm sure I could have worked it out, if I'd really wanted to. But as you say, if we accept them, then it's putting people out of work.

January not quite over yet and so far I've walked out of 2 shops and taken my trade else where and made one cashier take cash, Having refused to pay with a card.
The first shop was the local co-op. Not that busy a morning I grabbed a jug of milk, got to the till. only the new self-service tills operating. On my way back to the chiller to replace the milk The only member of staff asked if I was ok. Perfectly, I said. I'm just putting this milk back. With a puzzled look she asked why. I don't use the self-service tills. Oh she said, they are very easy to use. do you need me to show you. No thanks, I'll get it from the Spar across the road. Still with a puzzled look she asked me why. So I said. Two weeks ago when these were being fitted. Every one was told they were to help out at peak times. Today, your here on your own. Unable to man the tills. Its quite early and nowhere near a peak time. So there are reducing hours now for the staff here. Not only that but dear Mrs Jones that lives on her own can't have a chat now whilst being served. It may have been the only person she got to speak to today. Also I prefer to use cash. The Spar are quite happy to keep two members of staff on at all times and they don't continue to thrust the card machine in my face. I think I'll support them from now on.
Use cash at every opportunity you can and expect to be served. Use it or loose it.

With the general herd mentality of the masses doing their usual thing with these influencer driven PRIME drinks launching in the UK this past month, what you mentioned above has gone through my head.
Just think of Elon Musk tweeting something very controversial like " Dump $$$'s - Buy Gold "
or KSI Logan Paul doing a viral 100million vid on YouTube video related Gold 
or MrBeast giving 1oz gold coins to x1000 different random folk 
 
It may be some strange random catalyst event that sends gold back in to mainstream masses consciousness again 
None of this is anything modern or new it was written about in the 1840s "Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds" by Charles Mackay 
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Extraordinary-Popular-Delusions-Madness-Crowds/dp/1420961012/

You know this type of post is the reason I like this forum. It seems people here are realistic about gold and what it can achieve, see it as a hedge/savings account and a bit of fun to collect. It's such a pleasant contrast to the crypto landscape which is just so grasping, desperate and convinced everything will go 100x and replace fiat.
 

Further to my "rant" on another topic😉
https://www.thesilverforum.com/topic/71932-how-many-forum-members-as-percentage-have-been-scammed-by-new-sellers/page/8/#comment-791386
Members who possibly have too much time on their hands or just don't value the time other members have to spend researching current prices and photographing the coins in question. Couple this with being cheapskate and wanting to buy coins on here for knockdown prices.
This usually manifests as a wanted ad for xxxxx "at a reasonable price".
I've started ignoring these now as by the time I take pictures and work out what I would consider a fair and reasonable price, they've either changed their mind or really wanted a firesale price. If that is the case, whay not just say so up front?
If someone wants to sell a coin, they will be listing it. If a buyer puts up a wanted ad they are trying to entice someone who is not actively looking to sell, to sell. They are asking for a favour and consequently should treat the seller with a little respect.
Regarding haggling, I hate low-ball offers. I think it shows disrespect, certainly for a seller who obviously knows the value of things. It is also timewasting.
If a seller is desperate to sell and might consider a low offer, it is generally obvious from the listing.
I know often the seller might make an allowance for offers in their original price, but this will be minor.

I did find it strange after the Truss and Kwasi fiasco That the Americans were saying " golds dropping, come on guys, back your trucks up, fill your boots" Whilst for us here in the UK it was overall level but had a few small increases. I suppose it's instances such as these that remind us of the impact the currency exchange has on things.

I could have screwed people down on a Sov that is priced close to spot, but I suspect I wouldn’t then have the same people coming to sell unusual Sovs, rare Kooks etc.
Reputation and the goodwill it buys is worth immeasurably more than saving a couple of quid here and there.

As anyone I have dealt with knows, I don’t ask for offers, discounts, mates rates.
I buy what is attractively and sensibly priced, and leave items that are attractive but priced to highly.
I am aware that some members have been pee’d off with silly offers in the past.  I probably would be too.

You offered approximately £21 an oz for government minted coins, not to mention you had very undesirable coins to begin with ( to the masses at least) That's akin to me putting up a wanted post for a one oz gold britannia with an asking price of £1480 ( I won't get as much as a post card)
1oz coins are selling on average for £26 each currently, so when someone tries to reinvent the going rate,they tend to be ignored. Nothing personal, just simple economics,.

We are talking about you, you started the conversation therefore you are front and centre. Your question would not have arose if your sales past smoothly.
The forum has a very low percentage of "scams" because between the active moderation team ( you won't see them but there watching 😂) and the integrity and effort of its members, stranger danger is often caught quickly and effectively!! It's nothing personal but we all had some hoops to jump through. It's what makes the place so successful and if you follow the sound advice already given, you will be the one handing out similar advice in the near future 😊

this is a good little example of how you can begin to grow rep and forum presence. myself and others have explained in detail and provided proof to answer your questions to reassure. 
Not a reply of "thanks"
or a "like or thanks" click reaction to the time they've taken. 
it is these small things that folk will remember and build yours and other forum rep

As a new member on the forum, it can be intimidating to engage in discussions and transactions with more established members who may have a higher reputation or a longer history on the forum.
It is important to remember that trust is a two-way street, and both parties should be willing to make an effort to build trust in any relationship, whether it be on a forum or in real life.
One of the ways that you can build trust with other members on the forum is by being transparent and honest in your interactions.
This means being open and upfront about your intentions, and being willing to share information about yourself and your experiences on the forum.
It is also important to remember that a member's reputation and contributions on the forum are not the only factors to consider when building trust. While it can be helpful to see an established feedback history or to see how long someone has been a member, it is important to keep an open mind and not make assumptions about someone based solely on these factors.
Ultimately, building trust on a forum or in any relationship takes time and effort from both parties.
By being open, honest, and willing to communicate, you can work towards building a strong foundation of trust with other members on the forum.
Personally ive had no bad dealing at all 

Being an active member in the forum without buying or selling would be a great start. For eg there are long standing members here with very few feedback but they have been here a while and regularly contribute in threads, whilst they have no sales feedback many would buy from them without hesitation.
Some members have started with smaller items and built up from there.
Others have done the pay on receipt option. 
Some have used intermediary services or met in person
 Not a conclusive list but some ideas to start. 


 

It's just wrong!! I'm sorry but imagine you/your business was on the flip side of this?
Last comment I will make on it,as it's not my circus, but the purpose of this thread was to help those being messed around with royal mail.. not highlight wrongdoing from Tsf members.
It's morally wrong on so many levels.

Slower progress now after a busy first month

Little slice of how I'm getting on 😁
2022-10-22-163824027.mp4

Hi one and all. a few things have been bothering me recently so thought I'd air them 🙂 
This is in noway an attack on any specific member, but simply an expression that hopefully unites and improves the workings of the trade section in the forum. Obviously I'm opening myself up to an outcry of backstabbing from those who find offence in my geniune attempt to improve things for both myself and every single member who makes transactions, either incoming or outgoing 😆 
Can I please make a few simple suggestions to sellers firstly.
1) describe items carefully and considerately but most importantly honestly, so buyers can make an informed decision whether to purchase or not. Stop hiding behind the "bullion bollocks" if an item is marked/toned/scratched then say so. It will save our feelings of joy being swapped for anger when we open your parcel. I can assure you and so can other fine members who list this way ( your items will still sell if priced accordingly)
2) whilst it's each individuals perogative to price how they see fit, take a second to look round the forum and gauge a realistic average? Otherwise the only thing you will be selling is "Bumps" 
3) packaging, take a second to think about the item's journey, will your coin/bar or whatever the contents survive a 5 a side at the local sorting office? I can't fathom some of the careless decisions made by sellers I've purchased from on here. Thankfully its a small number but it has cost you a repeat buyer! Can we all agree not to stick item's directly to cardboard with brown ****ing tape?? Wrap in bubble wrap or even a clean sock first, the amount of capsules I've had to replace is uncalled for.
4) feedback!! Ohh the elephant in the room has awoke, see the feedback option? Yeah maybe try using it then 🤔 the amount of people recently complaining about not receiving is quite substantial, yes we can all forget now and again, but it's what keeps us all safe at the end of the day. Also newcomers need it to get any kind of standing on the forum. ( if I owe anyone feedback that has left some for me,then just shoot a message please)
5) messages, you know the words in a box type thing, that I know you read? Respond to them out of decency if nothing else, even if it's to tell me to f#ck off.
6) have you got what your selling? Sounds obvious but apparently not. I'm not overly keen on buying items you think/hope you may be getting in. Makes you look both incompetent and risky.
7) keep buyers in the loop, do not take my/their money and ignore for days, I understand fully that postage isn't an exact science and life can kick us in the proverbial, but at least tell me if its been posted and upload tracking if ive/we've paid for it. I'm not keen on guesswork or trying to read between the lines. Most importantly tell me if my payment has been received, think how nervous a newcomer is sending money to "Jack the ripper" on the Internet?
Now I will try and see it from a sellers perspective 😆 
1) buyers ( of which I am) hopefully I've treated you with decency and respect, kept you updated with tracking/payment received etc and dispatched as fast as my timeline allows on any given day, advised in a "honest" manner whether buying from me or not. Although please realise just because you have money, you don't own me. Treat me with the same decency i afford you.
2) Be clear and concise when messaging a seller, your tying up their time ( again referring to no1) all you see is an item for sale. Well try and remember there's a human being selling it. Be polite ( thankfully 95% of buyers/seller's are) and you will find the seller might just go that extra mile 😉
3) Be a man/woman of your word?? Yes this goes without saying in life in general, but here I am feeling the need to remind people "do/mean what you say"!! Please don't tell me you will do something and then ghost me, at the very least put me out of my misery!!
4) research what you are buying and " ask yourself "can you afford it? Don't get caught up in what other people are buying, do not feel obliged to buy today out of FOMO and then have to sell tomorrow at a loss. Please for the benefit of yourself and your family have a semi coherent plan ( I know this is rich coming from someone, with the attention span of a goldfish) but I've heard/witnessed a fair few newcomers get caught out by this. Do what's right for you and you only. Otherwise you will end up bitter/in trouble financially. 
5) feedback, ohh here he goes again lol. If a seller has taken the time to ( hopefully from now on) carefully package and efficiently deliver your item safely and satisfactory, then "Yes you guessed it" then please leave feedback 😊 for me personally, it's an indication of deal complete and I can now dispose of your postage receipt, that otherwise I have to safely keep for up to a month, in fear you may tell me in a week or two you haven't received yet. 
6) be realistic/sincere with offers, I love £10/£20 off for buying in bulk as much as anyone, but being offered £350 on a item that could be scrapped for £400 minimum is an insult, yep it actually happens. 
7) pay on time or at the very least give a rough time frame for payment. Do not drag out payment for hours and hours ( unless agreed with seller in advance) then expect the seller to run to the post office as soon as the money hits their bank.
( THIS PART IS FOR THE NOISY BANTER BRIGADE ) Which I hold my hands up to being a part of 😆 
Its come to my attention that a few members have stopped/or at least thought twice about continuing to sell on the forum. I as much as anyone likes light hearted fun,  but sometimes this spills over onto sales posts, random comments can cause unfair bumping of posts and can especially lead to prospective buyers walking away. This is especially true during auctions, usually 6 pages of noise and only 2 bids, people could be excused for not knowing the current high bid or find it too exhausting to find. If we can help a sale which many of us has done ( and I will continue to do) then by all means work away, but if there's no intention to buy or cannot add value to the post, we should take our juvenile noise to the aptly named NAUGHTY BOY STEP 😉 
Anyway enough negativity, there's some amazing sellers and buyers on here, people whom I'm proud to transact with on a regular basis, people who I trust unequivocally, and whilst I've yet to experience an issue with those people/members, if I did, I just know deep down I'd be looked after. Let's all strive to be like them? 
 
 
 
 
 
 

I'd say all of the UK's current issues can be laid at the doorstep of three eras.
1) The Atlee government came to power after WWII. The country was broken and close to bankruptcy (but then so was Germany - who took a different path to us).
A bold vision was taken by the new Labour Government - wholesale nationalisation. Their ideals were genuine and sincere, to improve the lot of the working classes (and everyone else too - trickle up if you like). The NHS etc. 
But as good as it might have started out, it had an unintended consequence.
The complete nationalisation of all those industries left them in a position where they could rely on Government funding and assistance to survive rather that having to innovate and stay competitive.
Megoliths like British Leyland became zombie companies relying on state aid.
The other consequence was that bringing politicians into running companies brought in opportunities for them to either make a mint on the side or call in the bean counters and cut, cut, cut. See Dr Beeching, Ernest Marples or the fact that Harold Macmillan became known as Mack the knife.
2) The 1970s saw loss after loss, so then came Thatcher in the 1980s and decided to sell off all our industries and utilities to foreign investors. It was cheaper, quicker and easier to cut the dead wood and just buy it from abroad. Rather than actually identify areas for growth, support and invest in those and build new industries.
Unfortunately, closing down or selling off all these companies, also meant that we became a service sector economy - a nation of bankers, shopkeepers and middlemen - buy from abroad, whack on a profit and sell on. You can't run an economy long term like that. Any issues in the country you're buying from and you are directly affected with little control to stop it. See Germany's current problems with buying all their gas from Russia.
3) 2007-2008 saw the banking crisis and the creation of quantitative easing and vast currency creation. Turning the UK into a zombie economy.
The other day on the TV there was a politician saying, "we need to make credit easier for people to get, so they can pay the bills". Now if you can't see what's wrong with that, then there's no hope really is there?
So everything these days is based on debt and obtaining credit - so no real growth or assets then? No actual wealth creation?
This is before we get to uncontrolled immigration and housing/NHS pressures (another unintended consequence of the Atlee government making the welfare state and NHS so appealing).
I don't really see any answers to these problems and the politicians are the greatest instrument in all of this.

Happy 2nd Anniversary to me! Nice to see it all together again (if only for a brief photo op)
Added just over 4.2oz of bullions to last years 7.5oz plus a proof 1/2 2022 Sov so happy with that.
Still need to work on getting my first 1oz coin thou!! 
Onward and upwards!! 

Having the bulk of my wee stack in one place is rare so I took the opportunity to take a few pics before they went on their merry way again.