Saturday, June 16, 2012

Blanchard Gold

Before you venture forth and buy gold from Blanchard, read this write up to find out who you are buying from and how good their customer service is.

Who are Blanchard
Blanchard online is one of the larger gold dealers in the US and has a comprehensive website, blanchardonline.com. Blanchard and Company, Inc. is one of the largest and most respected retail dealer in rare coins and precious metals in the United States.

Founded in 1975 Blanchard has grown over 25 or so years to become a large corporation with 85 employees and over40 account executives sitting on the phone waiting to take your order for gold coins and silver coins. With a multi million dollar turnover and a very impressive corporate headquarters in downtown New Orleans, Blanchard claim to have helped over 350,000 people buy gold and silver during its life.

The current CEO and Chairman is Donald W. Doyle, Jr., with Michael E. McGoey being the President and COO.

Blanchard Customer Service

Blanchard heavily lean towards customer service with over 40 account executives waiting to take calls.

All shipping is through United States Post Office Registered and Insured. Blanchard asks that one allows up to 6 weeks for delivery. Non-coin products ship separately in 5-7 working days by USPS.

Blanchard encourages people to call by phone and talk to an account representative all of which are available by phone.

How to Buy Blanchard Gold
You can call Blanchard and advise what you are looking for, They will advise if they have it and what the current market price is. If you want to buy that particular gold coin or silver coin you advise the Blanchard account executive and a price is locked in.

Credit cards are accepted. Other methods if contacted by phone. For either online or phone purchases, you can choose a “Bill me” option. This allows you the flexibility of paying by personal check, cashier’s check, money order or bank wire transfer.

If you want to pay by bank wire transfer the account executive will advise you of the information you need.

You can also order online but an account executive will still call and confirm your order before shipment. Once Blanchard have confirmed your order and funds they will ship your gold or silver by registered insured mail requiring a delivery signature upon receipt.

What Kind of Gold Can I Buy at Blanchard's?

Blanchard and Company, Inc., are mainly a dealer that deals in numismatic and collectors gold and silver coins, primarily selling Pre-1933 U.S. rare gold coins and gold bullion. This is the upper end of the market in gold coins.

Blanchard list their products even when they have been sold. So you have to look through each one individually to find something not sold. If you know what you are looking for and have a gold coin already in mind you can use the search facility to find out if they have it.

Most of their products are American gold and silver coins, early rare through to the little bit more up to date issues. There is a little information about each type of coin with some history, mint issues and strikes etc. But, as I say, you have to click on a coin and then it will show if it is available or sold. So you can end up clicking on a number of coins you want to find one available.

Blanchard and Company, Inc. also offer a comprehensive range of the standard gold and silver bullion bars, accepted in all major markets around the world. There is a choice from the 400 ounce bars through to various kilo bars, 1 oz bars, 100 gram bars and various sizes in between. However there are not many details on Blanchard's site so you have to call one of their account executives to find out more information.

Interestingly Blanchard's also has some early gold coins – $10 Liberty Eagle and Type I $20 Liberty Double Eagles, obtained from the S.S. Republic Shipwreck. The wreck of the S.S. Republic was discovered 1,700 feet below the surface of the Atlantic Ocean approximately 100 miles off the Georgia coast. 140 years later, the Republic's cargo of rare coins was recovered. The S.S. Republic Shipwreck Coins have also been featured on the National Geographic Special on PBS. The first allocation Blanchard’s had of U.S. Gold coins recovered from the S.S. Republic included 135 gold coins, valued at more than $1,000,000.

Blanchard Returns Policy
Blanchard and Company, Inc. also offers a 10-day customer satisfaction policy after receipt of numismatic coins. Quote, "If you are displeased with your purchase for any reason whatsoever, you may return your coins to Blanchard and Company, Inc. within 10 days of receipt, in the same condition in which you received them, for a full refund, including shipping costs."

There are some conditions depending on the types of Blanchard coins, an example of which states, "If your order consists of the coins set forth below (hereinafter referred to as "Exchangeable Common Date Coins"), the 10-day customer satisfaction policy permits you to exchange your coins for other coins of the same denomination and grade but does not allow you to return the coins for a refund. Exchangeable Common Date Coins are $1.00, $2.50, $3.00, $5.00, $10.00 and $20.00 gold coins certified as Mint State 66 or lower by PCGS or NGC, as well as uncertified circulated coins. Bullion coins, those that trade at a premium of less than 15% over the value of their underlying precious metals content, are not subject to return or exchange. Sales of all such coins shall be final."

How to Sell Blanchard Gold
Blanchard and Company, Inc. is a major buyer of rare coins. If you wish to sell your coins in the future, Blanchard and Company, Inc. encourages you to offer them to Blanchard and Company, Inc. first, although Blanchard and Company, Inc. cannot guarantee to make a bid on every coin or that Blanchard and Company, Inc.'s bid will equal or exceed those from other coin dealers.

The Blanchard and Company, Inc. state they make a promise they will buy back the gold and silver coins they sell you!

They will, "buy any actively traded gold bullion product in any quantity required – and you don't need to have an active account with us in order to sell to us."

To do this you simply ring them for a bid indication. The quotes for gold and silver bullion are offers to buy and have no hidden commissions, charges or fees of any type. A Blanchard and Company, Inc. Account Executive will give you the information you need to sell them the gold coins including how to do so. A price is fixed at the time of the call.

Blanchard Security
Blanchard and Company, Inc., utilize Secure Socket Layer (SSL) technology, for transferring sensitive information over the Internet. All information is encrypted including credit card number, name and address, so that it cannot be read as the information travels over the Internet.

When you go to the shopping cart, look for the https instead of the http as the start of the link in the url field. Blanchard online accepts all the major credit cards.

Blanchard also have a Standard Privacy Policy, terms and conditions as well as a returns policy which we have covered above.

Comments on Blanchard
In addition, Blanchard also deal in the rare and, perhaps could even be considered antique, early American gold and silver coins. Blanchard operate in the higher value collectors market where many rare coins sell for considerably more than the value of gold in the gold coin. They sell many of the higher priced gold coins, running into the many thousands, which other dealers do not deal in.

If you have bought gold or any other precious metal from Blanchard online please feel free to leave your feedback on the quality of service and products including any Blanchard on line complaints and special attention or service given by Blanchard on line.