Hatton Garden Metals

[doctorgolden]

Hi folks

Does anyone have any experience of buying from HGM? 

If so, what is your experience please and would you recommend?

Thank you

 

Note to admin: apologies if this is in the wrong forum. 

[AppleZippoandMetronome]

Yes placed a number of orders with them. Some of the best prices for what I bought online with incredibly efficient service. Can't fault them.

Though I'll note I've not placed an order since the pandemic started so not sure how thats affecting things. I wouldn't have thought much at all now that it seems special delivery is back to actually being delivered next day.

[sovereignsteve]

yes they're fine, other than their numismatic knowledge is limited and you occasionally get counterfeit coins from them. They are real gold but not what they appear to be. Usually 1887 £5 and £2

[dicker]

I have been a buyer from HGM for the last two years.  I used them to buy almost exclusively Gillick's.

Never had a problem, decent quality Sovs (for Bullion) and good customer care.

One of the Gillicks is good enough send for grading - really nice condition.

Best

Dicker

[DBCooper]

I have been buying regularly from them for years. Faultless service IMHO .

In fact I brought from them last weekend  and the items were dispatched overnight special delivery and arrived Monday morning.  Not bad considering today's postal situation.

always found them easy to deal with and good Bullion grade coins. 

Regards 

DB 

   

[doctorgolden]

Thank you all, very much appreciated.

@DBCooper @dicker @sovereignsteve @AppleZippoandMetronome

[Xander]

7 hours ago, doctorgolden said:

buying from HGM? 

Been buying/ selling from them for e few years, easy to deal with.

[silenceissilver]

Stay away! They are scammers.

I once ordered a young queen Elisabeth Sovereign and got a 2019 Sovereign. I complained a few times, they never responded. A...oles!

Never, ever again!

 

[ChrisSilver]

They are a legitimate company that has been in business since 2007 I believe. But they do sell all of their coins as purely bullion (they may arrive with finger prints on!) this was the case a several years ago, they may or may not have changed that.

Their business model works by them buying directly from the public and then HGM sells these items on quickly for a lower mark up than can typically be found elsewhere from other dealers selling new stock. When they first started all gold had a mark up of 3% I believe, irrespective of what the item was, if it was a collectible coin item or not. I believe they then increase the % to 4% on sovereigns, I am unsure what it currently is.

They have some good prices, but items go very quickly, I believe some members even have designed tools to notify themselves when items are for sale to catch them. Just be aware of the quality of some items and that they may arrive with finger prints on or other damage (if they have changed/improved this then please can other members clarify)

[ChrisSilver]

I noticed there wasn’t an entry for them in the Dealer Directory, so I have made one here:

Hopefully those who have experience with them can leave a review (Note that only Premium Members can leave reviews to help increase the likelihood of genuine reviews)

[sovereignsteve]

12 hours ago, silenceissilver said:

Stay away! They are scammers.

I once ordered a young queen Elisabeth Sovereign and got a 2019 Sovereign. I complained a few times, they never responded. A...oles!

Never, ever again!

 

I truly find that hard to believe. I have had several problems with purchases from them and they always put them right with no issues. How did you complain, did you try phoning them?

[AppleZippoandMetronome]

10 hours ago, ChrisSilver said:

Just be aware of the quality of some items and that they may arrive with finger prints on or other damage (if they have changed/improved this then please can other members clarify)

One thing I've noticed with my own orders with them is that they err on the side of caution in their descriptions of the coins. They take a 4 tiered approach to describing condition from "Mint Condition" at the top to "Bullion Grade" at the bottom. I purchase a number of 2017 privy bullion Sovs earlier this year which were listed as "Bullion Grade" but arrived with me in selead RM blister packs. Even my other orders with them the coins arrived in a better condition than I expected from the description. Not saying one should expect this with every purchase but this has been my experience with the few orders I've placed.

[dicker]

@AppleZippoandMetronomeI agree as per my previous post.  To add to the detail, I also purchased a couple of Sovereigns that were described as 'Loose Proofs' (or very similar) and were sold as bullion (or very similar) that were in absolutely mint condition.

Best 

Dicker

[silenceissilver]

11 hours ago, sovereignsteve said:

I truly find that hard to believe. I have had several problems with purchases from them and they always put them right with no issues. How did you complain, did you try phoning them?

I wrote to them by email, several times. The first time straight after the wrong order confirmation had come through. I can only assume I and someone else klicked at their last young Queen at the same time or it was set up in the wrong way in the first place. So when I had gotten the confirmation I wrote to them, don't send the 2019 Sovereign to me, they didn't respond but sent it anyway. I wrote a few more emails after that complaining and demanding my data to be taken off their system, the only response I ever got was an advertising email, at some point later.

I want to be honest, I was very rude from the second email on. So what? They made a mistake, the first time I complained politely, they ignored it. I consider this very rude, it's called passive aggressiveness. And it was ME who sent them money but they didn't fullfil THEIR PART. If you do that AND ignore the complaints and think being confronted with rudeness is inappropriate, it's your problem. You have to fix it. They didn't so that means they don't want my money. They will never again get it. I sold the 2019 Sovereign to a friend and I can't remember for sure but I think it was Chards where I bought what I wanted.

[Melon]

6 hours ago, silenceissilver said:

I wrote to them by email, several times. The first time straight after the wrong order confirmation had come through. I can only assume I and someone else klicked at their last young Queen at the same time or it was set up in the wrong way in the first place. So when I had gotten the confirmation I wrote to them, don't send the 2019 Sovereign to me, they didn't respond but sent it anyway. I wrote a few more emails after that complaining and demanding my data to be taken off their system, the only response I ever got was an advertising email, at some point later.

I want to be honest, I was very rude from the second email on. So what? They made a mistake, the first time I complained politely, they ignored it. I consider this very rude, it's called passive aggressiveness. And it was ME who sent them money but they didn't fullfil THEIR PART. If you do that AND ignore the complaints and think being confronted with rudeness is inappropriate, it's your problem. You have to fix it. They didn't so that means they don't want my money. They will never again get it. I sold the 2019 Sovereign to a friend and I can't remember for sure but I think it was Chards where I bought what I wanted.

Are you sure your emails were going to the right place? If you call them they're actually a nice bunch to deal with. 

[StackerCollector]

Never ordered online from them, but went to their shop and bought a sovereign and a half sovereign. Both bullion. No complaints whatsoever.

[silenceissilver]

On 06/06/2020 at 03:29, Melon said:

Are you sure your emails were going to the right place? If you call them they're actually a nice bunch to deal with. 

That's where I sent my emails to:

contactus@hattongardenmetals.com

This is the second email, I wrote to them. The first one was still very polite.

Thanks for not answering my first email a few days ago and sending me exactly what I told you not to send me. Your customer service is really great. I have NOT ordered a 2019 sovereign but an Elizabeth Pre-Decimal one. I have klicked on Elizabeth Pre-Decimal, your webpage showed Elizabeth Pre-Decimal in the shoping basked, yet the only one available at that time was still showing as available after my order plus the order confirmation below said 2019 sovereign, thus my immediate response, see below, which you choose to ignore. Send me what I have ordered without delay.

[Arganto]

For my two pennies I'd second calling them, I've found that in the last few months many companies either have big delays in answering emails or they don't reply at all. I suppose if you have a burgeoning inbox and a lesser percentage of staff it's going to happen. I get the point about customer service but they probably have a list of priorities such as processing orders/procuring stock and I guess answering emails is low down on that list maybe. However when I've called a company where this has happened I've had the phone picked up and had a pleasant conversation. Bullion By Post, Baird & Co and Hatton Garden have all had very nice people answer the phone and deal with my queries and requests, even when in one case I could tell the guy was a bit distracted and probably doing a few things at once! I'd be willing to be bet if you had a chat with someone they'd likely be apologetic and get it sorted for you. The only time I've found calling hasn't helped and email more successful is with some Euro dealers, and to be fair the ones I've had dealings with have explicitly posted that they are preferencing email over telephone calls.

It's often the same with a lot of companies, especially if they do not have contracts with big customer service companies to answer their correspondence. My ol' man has been trying to source some parts for a Japanese import Toyota for a while by emailing and filling out web forms. I made three short phone calls yesterday and spoke to people directly, we got the parts ordered from what turned out to be a great supplier we'd never heard of. Took about ten minutes and now he has a hook up for his unhealthy love affair with his van...😁 

I hope you get it resolved bud 👍

[Shep]

@silenceissilver They’re not scammers they’ve just made a mistake.

As @Liam84 highlights, monitoring the inbox is probably lower down the list of priorities at the moment.

I spoke to them on the phone yesterday and have dealt with them in the past on many occasions. As many people attest to, they have always provided a satisfactory service.

If you’re feeling so aggrieved about it surely speaking to someone over the phone to have it resolved would be preferable to waiting for emails. Clearly I can’t speak for them but going by my past dealings, I have no doubt they would put this right for you one way or the other.

[5huggy]

Just checkout ALL the different dealers that @ChrisSilver and team have put together here - - > >

https://www.thesilverforum.com/dealerdirectory/

[Roy]

Mistakes happen and it's a difficult time for dealers I guess.

The forum, collectively, must have put £100ks of orders through them.

And it works both ways!

I once bought 4 dos pesos from them and when I received the goods, there were only 3 inside.

I called them and they said they would check their video and get back to me. They duly did and informed me that they were satisfied 4 coins had been sent.

The lady noted that they were very small and were easy to drop, misplace etc. and asked if I could look around and check my package!

I got the wife down on her hands and knees...

 

It was under my chair 🙄

[silenceissilver]

55 minutes ago, Shep said:

@silenceissilver They’re not scammers they’ve just made a mistake.

As @Liam84 highlights, monitoring the inbox is probably lower down the list of priorities at the moment.

I spoke to them on the phone yesterday and have dealt with them in the past on many occasions. As many people attest to, they have always provided a satisfactory service.

If you’re feeling so aggrieved about it surely speaking to someone over the phone to have it resolved would be preferable to waiting for emails. Clearly I can’t speak for them but going by my past dealings, I have no doubt they would put this right for you one way or the other.

If you don't own your mistake, you become a scammer. And regardless of you having no doubts they would fix it they didn't. 

[sovereignsteve]

Are you deliberately being a little suggestive there, Roy😉

Or is it just my mind?

[richatthecroft]

3 minutes ago, sovereignsteve said:

Are you deliberately being a little suggestive there, Roy😉

Or is it just my mind?

I think your mind Steve! 

[richatthecroft]

42 minutes ago, Roy said:

I got the wife down on her hands and knees...

 

It was under my chair 🙄

After being married for 30 years I can safely say that 99 times out of 100 any item I have ‘lost’ after me searching extensively, is usually found by my wife. 

This Leads me to believe that ladies have far better eyesight than us males! 😃