Retail Facilities

Rare Bird Coins maintains no retail facilities. All coins are stored in bank vaults.

Terms & Conditions of Sale

Placing an Order
We accept orders via this web site and welcome email and phone inquiries, anytime.  We fill orders in the sequence in which they are received. We ask our customers to please note, though, that all items on our list are one of a kind in our inventory, and once they are ordered by one customer they cannot be ordered by another. As such, and in fairness to all, we kindly request that you order an item only if you are reasonably serious about it, understand and accept our price, and have sufficient funds to pay for it.

Guarantee of Authenticity
Rare Bird Coins (referred to as RBC from here on) unconditionally guarantees that all uncertified coins that we offer are genuine (or ‘as described’, if the item is a collectable contemporary counterfeit). For coins certified by independent coin grading services, including the Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) or Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC), their guarantees of authenticity will apply.

Pricing
Our retail prices are set based on what we believe are appropriate levels given the rarity and quality of the items offered and our cost to replace them. We do reserve the right, though, to change our posted prices at any time due to market fluctuations or simply to correct typographical errors and misstatements. It does happen occasionally.

Shipping, Handling and Insurance
All RBC prices are exclusive of shipping. Shipping is free on orders of $500.00 and above (within the United States) unless otherwise specified (such as very heavy or large items).

Methods of Payment
We accept payment for purchases from RBC in cash, by bank check, postal money order, credit card, PayPal. Wire transfer coming soon.  We will take personal checks as well, but we will have to wait for them to clear before shipping merchandise unless you can provide suitable references or we have a history of successful transactions with you.

Taxes
Retail sales invoices of $1,000 and under delivered in Massachusetts to state residents are subject to 6.25% tax. Sales to customers in states which do NOT have numismatic or bullion exemptions are subject to tax at the rates specified in the Tax Information section of our website.

Trades
We will consider any serious proposal you wish to make to trade your numismatic item(s) for coins in our inventory, provided that you inform us of your desire to trade before placing an order.

Title to Merchandise
RBC retains title to all items until we receive payment in full for them.

Return Policy
Any item purchased from RBC may be returned for a full refund for any reason, provided that it has not been altered from the condition in which you received it. For the avoidance of any confusion, if you buy a certified coin from us and then remove it from the slab, it is no longer returnable. To make a return, you must notify us of your intent within 5 days of receiving the item from us. All returns must then be mailed back to us, per our specified shipping method, and at our expense, within 7 days of receipt. Any exceptions to this policy must be approved by RBC, in advance, in writing. Note that we also reserve the right to refuse orders from customers who have returned an unreasonably high percentage of items in the past.

Lay-a-Way Plans and Terms
We offer a lay-a-way service on purchases of $2,000 or more, provided that you inform us of your intent to pay over time when placing your order(phone and or e-mail communication recommended). Generally we would want to receive 1/3 of the purchase price at the time of your order, the second 1/3 in 30 days and the last 1/3 in 60 days, though we will consider alternative arrangements and terms on a case-by-case basis. On any lay-a-way, RBC will maintain possession of the coin until it is paid in full. Note that if you change your mind on any lay-a-way item and wish to return it either before or after we receive the final payment, we will have to charge you a restocking fee of 10% of the original purchase price.

Prompt Payment
When you make a purchase from RBC, you are personally guaranteeing that you will make prompt payment in full (including applicable taxes, if any) per agreed terms. If you make a purchase acting as an agent on behalf of another individual or corporation (in any capacity), the person signing for receipt of the goods personally guarantees prompt payment and agrees to be held personally liable for the consequences of the purchase.

Penalties for Late Payment
Although we sincerely do not wish to do so, RBC reserves the right to impose a late fee, or periodic charge, if a purchaser fails to remit full and immediate payment per agreed terms. The rate shall be calculated as 1.5% per month (18% per annum) of the unpaid balance due to CRO. Additionally, purchasers agree to pay RBC’s reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs required to collect on past due accounts. Note that we will refuse orders from any customers with sufficiently shaky payment history.

Purchasers Claiming Tax Exempt Status
Purchasers claiming exemption from any taxes due on the purchase of goods must submit resale or other exemption certificates to RBC.

Filing Requirements for Cash Transactions
Note that IRS regulations state that IRS form 8300 must be filed for cash transactions exceeding $10,000 within one calendar year.

Legal Disputes
Though rare, disputes or disagreements may sometimes arise in the normal course of any business. It is our strong preference to try to address any such issues personally and directly to find amicable resolution, and we commit to do so. But if all else fails, we reserve the right to pursue matters legally if necessary to protect our rights. In such case, any legal disputes with RBC will be adjudicated in Nashville TN.

Coin Market Risk Factors

1. The coin market is subject to substantial fluctuations including significant and rapid increases and decreases in value from time to time.
2. The coin market is largely unregulated.
3. Certification by a grading or verifying service does not guarantee protection against the normal risks associated with the coin market.
4. The degree of liquidity of a particular item will vary according to general market conditions, and there may be no active market at all for some items at certain points in time.