Telesphere Numismatics was started by Chuck D'Ambra, who
personally handles most aspects of the business. Chuck has been a
coin collector since the
early 1960s and began
buying and selling coins and paper money over the Internet in 1993.
Debuting as Chuck D'Ambra Coins
in April 1995, Chuck created one of the first numismatic web sites,
which quickly became one of the most popular stops online for coin
collectors. In 2004 the business was incorporated as Telesphere
Numismatic Corporation.
We have multiple satisfied customers from each of the 50 U.S. states
and about two dozen other countries. We maintain an extremely
low
return rate and a high rate of repeat customers. How?
- Quality coins. Most coins and notes offered have been
purchased sight seen
from other dealers. We know collectors want attractive coins, not just
anything that makes the technical grade. All offerings on this site
have been personally selected by our President, Chuck D'Ambra, who
concentrates on purchasing quality collector coins and notes that will
appeal to our customers. Any problems are noted in our online listings
(and the price is discounted accordingly).
- Conservative grading. We know collectors want properly
graded material. ANA Grading Standards are applied conservatively to
all potential purchases. In addition to grading thousands of coins and
notes every year, Chuck has completed regular and advanced grading,
counterfeit detection, paper money and colonial money courses at the
annual ANA Summer
Seminar. You receive collectibles that meet or exceed requirements for
the grade.
- Low prices, at or near wholesale levels. Our low overhead
allows us to operate on a smaller margin than most other dealers, and
we buy coins that can be offered at reasonable prices.
- Prompt, personal service (see the next section).
Our Commitment to You:
Service, Satisfaction, and Privacy
It's no accident that Telesphere is a preferred source on the
Internet for quality numismatic collectibles. Our long track record of
providing
superior service, ensuring satisfaction and protecting the privacy of
our
customers plays a big role in bringing back collectors again and again.
Customer Service
All orders placed on our web site are confirmed by e-mail, usually
within
24 hours.
Merchandise is shipped promptly! Orders paid by credit card, PayPal,
Google Checkout,
money order or certified funds are normally shipped within 2 business
days
(including Saturdays). Personal checks require 5-7 business days to
clear,
not 3-4 weeks.
Ordering items that are no longer available can be frustrating (for
both
of us!). Our listings are normally updated several times daily, which
eliminates
most of those situations.
If you have a question about any item listed, please ask. Your want
list
is also welcome. We've helped many, many collectors obtain prized
additions
to their collections.
Customer Satisfaction
We realize you'll become a repeat customer only if you're pleased
with
your purchases. We concentrate on buying attractive collector coins
and notes, not just anything that makes a technical grade.
Although rarely exercised, our no quibble return
policy ensures you only need keep coins you are proud to include in
your collection.
Several comments from our customers our available on our feedback
page.
Privacy
We are strong advocates of protecting personal privacy online.
Please refer to our privacy policy for
details.
Answers to Some Frequent Questions
- Do you accept online payments?
- We accept online payments through PayPal and Google Checkout.
- Do you accept credit cards?
- Yes! We accept Visa, Mastercard and Discover cards directly. You
may charge
purchases to your American Express card through PayPal or
Google Checkout.
- I'm interested in the following items. Will you take $xx?
- Our best prices are listed in our online offerings to spare both
customers and ourselves the hassle of negotiating prices by e-mail (we
simply don't have the time) and to ensure that every customer is
treated fairly. We do pick up the shipping costs on orders of $400 or
more, excluding bullion coins. Non-bullion coin orders over $400
also receive a 2.5% cash discount, if paid by check or
money order.
- What if I'm not satisfied with the coins you send?
- All merchandise, except bullion coins, may be returned for any
reason within 30 days of receipt for a refund or credit. Shipping costs
in both directions are not refundable.
- Would you send me a catalog?
- Our catalog is right here.
Maintaining the catalog on our web site enables us to keep costs - and
therefore prices - down, plus it can be (and is) updated much more
frequently than is possible with hardcopy catalogs.
- Do you have a shop?
- No, we occassionally have a table at coin shows but otherwise do
all our business on this web site.
- How long does it take until I receive my order?
- Having waited far too long to receive merchandise from other
sources, we are very sensitive to this concern. Orders charged to a
credit card are normally sent within two business days of being placed,
and often on the same day. If you pay with a check or money order (and
send it promptly), it normally takes about 2 weeks from the time you
place your order until you receive it. We do reserve the right to hold
merchandise long enough for personal checks to clear.
- Can you tell me how much these coins/bills/etc. are worth?
- Information that will help you determine the value is provided in
the Coin Collecting FAQ. Without examining
numismatic items in person, it's usually not possible to quote reliable
values.
Chuck D'Ambra is a member in good standing of these
numismatic organizations:
American Numismatic
Association
(R-1164251)
The Denver
Coin
Club
Colorado-Wyoming Numismatic Association