I want to take a detailed few minutes to write about the way that I offer coins and the impetus behind those decisions.

Above all else, I take specific actions to make sure that a few goals are realized. First, as a business, I aim to grow. Second, I endeavor to be fair in how I offer coins to clients. Third, I want to do all of this while creating a fun experience. Finally, when dealing in a public facing manner, I want to continue tooffer only the best coins, just as I always have. Let’s talk about each of those with some specificity and nuance.

Many of you who have been clients since the beginning in 2002 know that I started almost exclusively in the wholesale part of the business. I was still active duty at the time and my Navy job restricted the way the business could grow. Even today, the majority of my business remains in the wholesale dealer to dealer realm. But I would venture to say that my retail endeavors now encompass somewhere between 25-30% of sales.

The shift toward building a retail presence began with the Commander’s List. I wanted to establish a steady drumbeat, week after week, in a way that made people excited, and in turn, advertised and marketed the business. The list has been a major success. People love it.

The Commander’s List YouTube Video, on the Silicon Valley Coins channel, became my effort to establish a “preferred client” medium. Many dealers have special lists with passwords and pre-screens for customers that qualify. I went this route because I believe that technological and market forces are moving toward video in the selling of coins and because it is a fun way to grow while potentially profiting from the YouTube business model. I spend a lot of time on the videos and if I can eventually profit from content creation, I intend to do that.

As this growth has occurred, some that didn’t join on to the YouTube pathway have felt and expressed frustration. I appreciate those of you that talked about this with me. I also have received feedback questioning why have a separate list on Thursday via email as well as why the YouTube video never comes out at a set time.

Change happens and I have tried to ease into the YouTube channel giving well over a year notice before I started posting prices on the videos. No one is required to use YouTube, but if you want first shot, the best idea is to subscribe to the channel and set up notifications on your phone and computer. Many coins sell very quickly off the videos. The Thursday list remains because many like an email. It is funny that email is “old school” now, but I keep it for that reason as well as another medium to pass information in the written word that I don’t have time to talk about on the video. Finally, the YouTube video comes out on Wednesday with some variation in time for a specific reason. The variability ensures some degree of fairness that otherwise economic privilege might suppress. I don’t want my most wealthy clients, who are retired, to have an overwhelming advantage over those that work in the trades or the boardroom, where flexibility is largely reduced. I value all of you, no matter your background, and this variability is specifically meant to try and level the playing field. IF you have a formal want list with me, I try my hardest to give a head’s up the day before when a coin of interest is going to make the list, but I don’t tilt any scales more than that. Lastly, I am working on a technical solution to mark the coins that sold on the video before the list goes out. If I mark as sold in the normal manner, the link on the email doesn’t work. Thank you for the patience on this aspect.

For those that have taken the time to read this, thank you. I hope it helps clarify my intent and execution. Thank you so much for your attention and patronage. SVC exists because of YOU!

John

808.783.6230