Was it ethical to scoop the dealer...?

jamese · 05-02-2003, 07:05 AM

The tables can flip the other way too!

I'm a little embarrassed to share this story, but I will so others don't fall into the same trap.

I visit a pawn shop every 3 or 4 weeks and found a 1900 AE in about 70% to 80% marked with a tag attached for $800.

(mind you, I've known this pawn shop owner for over 2 years and he knows that I always inquire about lugers)

anyway, he shows me the gun and he allowed me to inspect it. Everything appears to be matching from my quick look,(removed grips and receiver). I tell him that IÃ¢??ll take it and ask him if he'll take one of my checks.

After what I thought, was a deal (I bought the gun), he starts asking me about it. I tell him that itÃ¢??s a 1900 AE and when he looks up the ser # in the blue book, he grabs the gun from my hands and says it not for sale.

It turns out that it was one of the test American eagles ser# 7055. Two days later he calls me back up and asked me if I wanted the gun for $5000 or help him sell it. I told him to kiss my #?@

I talked to the previous owner, the guy that the pawn shop bought it from and its turns out that the pawn shop only paid the old man $300 for the thing.

Valuable lesson learned

And please don't rub in how stupid I was for sharing my knowledge with someone who I thought was
interested in learning about lugers

Jim

05-02-2003, 07:05 AM	#15
jamese User Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: South Florida Posts: 792 Thanks: 0 Thanked 86 Times in 36 Posts	The tables can flip the other way too! I'm a little embarrassed to share this story, but I will so others don't fall into the same trap. I visit a pawn shop every 3 or 4 weeks and found a 1900 AE in about 70% to 80% marked with a tag attached for $800. (mind you, I've known this pawn shop owner for over 2 years and he knows that I always inquire about lugers) anyway, he shows me the gun and he allowed me to inspect it. Everything appears to be matching from my quick look,(removed grips and receiver). I tell him that IÃ¢??ll take it and ask him if he'll take one of my checks. After what I thought, was a deal (I bought the gun), he starts asking me about it. I tell him that itÃ¢??s a 1900 AE and when he looks up the ser # in the blue book, he grabs the gun from my hands and says it not for sale. It turns out that it was one of the test American eagles ser# 7055. Two days later he calls me back up and asked me if I wanted the gun for $5000 or help him sell it. I told him to kiss my #?@ I talked to the previous owner, the guy that the pawn shop bought it from and its turns out that the pawn shop only paid the old man $300 for the thing. Valuable lesson learned And please don't rub in how stupid I was for sharing my knowledge with someone who I thought was interested in learning about lugers Jim __________________ The "truth" is a matter of Perception