Universal Coin & Bullion: Is This Business a Scam?

If you are looking for a brick-and-mortar store or an online resource to purchase your precious metals and rare coins, then you can be sure Universal Coin & Bullion can handle your needs. 

Universal Coin & Bullion has been in business for approximately 31 years and has been Accredited Business through the BBB since October of 1995.

Dr. Mike Fuljenz is the CEO of Universal Coin & Bullion and has been in the business of rare coins and numismatics for several decades. His love of finding rare coins and valuing precious metals started when his grandfather gave him his first coin for getting good grades in school.

Dr. Mike started off as an educator working his way through school districts but his love of coins, education in the industry, and knowledge eventually got him recognized and a job offer to value numismatics in Colorado. 

That offer led him to become a recognized expert in the field and eventually, he opened up Universal Coin & Bullion in Texas.  

Universal Coin & Bullion is a full-service precious metals company that, while they have access to newer gold and silver coins and bars, predominantly deals in the rare coin and numismatics of the precious metals industry.  

Certified and authorized dealer:

• NGC (Numismatic Guaranty Corporation) Authorized Dealer
• National Coin and Bullion Association Member
• Official Red Book Contributor 71st Edition
• P.N.G / APMD Accredited Precious Metals Dealer
• Royal Canadian Mint Dealer

Dr. Fuljenz has received numerous awards and is known as "America's Gold Expert" and in 2021 was recognized as the Dealer of the Year by the American Numismatic Association (ANA).

Having extensive knowledge and expertise Dr. Fuljenz and his staff have been able to provide novice and expert coin collectors and investors with detailed knowledge and information to make informed decisions. 

Universal Coin & Bullion Has A Large Selection of Gold and Silver Coins to Choose From

When you head over to the Universalcoin.com website you will find a LARGE selection of coins and Numismatics to choose from. 

The benefit of shopping online is you have the price for the product right in front of you when you add the gold or silver to your checkout. 

Here are a few options currently being offered. Check out the website to get all the current offerings available. 

What Other Products Does Universal Coin & Bullion Carry?

Silver Bullet - 1 oz and 2 oz Silver Bullets 

Common-date coins - Rare Key Dated Coins  

• Hand Picked
• These are High-Grade mint-state Coins

What Payment Methods Does UCB Accept?

• Paper Check - Personal Checks, Business Checks, Cashiers Checks, and Money Orders are acceptable means of payment. Checks are held between 10 and 15 days prior to release of the product. 
• Credit Card - UCB accepts all major credit cards for online orders less than $1,000
• Bank Wire / Bank-to-Bank Transfer Payment - Minimum order requirement is $1,000 or more for Bank Wire. Prices are locked in when an order is placed.

What Other Services Does Universal Coin & Bullion Provide?

UCB and Dr. Mike Fuljenz are highly recognized as numismatic and rare coin experts. You can find a list of the accolades for Dr. Mike on their website but his information can be found in various books, television, video, and professional organizations. If you need to value a coin or sell your rare coins Universal Coin & Bullion is a reasonable choice. 

Buy Gold or Silver - large selection of offerings from coins to bars, and junk silver

Sell Gold or Silver - UCB offers information for purchasing coins along with educational flyers for understanding the valuing process of rare coins and Numismatics. 

Is Universal Coin & Bullion a Scam?

No, UCB (Universal Coin & Bullion) is not a scam. They are a retail precious metal company that operates both online and in a location in Texas. They specialize in rare coins and Numismatics while offering a variety of gold and silver rounds and bars in varying levels of condition. Universal Coin & Bullion certify using the NGC and PCGS grading guidelines. The Sheldon Grading Scale is used based on a 70-point numerical scale when determining a coin's proper rating and value. 

The reviews are in and Universal Coin & Bullion is a viable business to purchase your gold and silver bullion. While all companies have issues and sometimes complaints, it appears that UCB too has mixed of very popular and happy customers along with those who were not as happy with their experience. 

Should you consider UCB for your next purchase consider they have an A+ Rating by the BBB with 5 reviews and 24 reviews on Universal Coin & Bullion Facebook Page.   

We typically look at two to four different sites with reviews and information to provide our readers with a clear understanding of how others feel about the companies we are reviewing. Here is the information we found from the BBB and Facebook. We looked for more information on Trustpilot and TrustLink and weren't able to find the company listed. A Yelp listing was found and information was presented below. 

The Trustpilot website recognizes the company name but mentions that you cannot leave a review as the website has been closed. In the Wayback Machine Archives, we found the website universalcoin.com has been in existence since May of 2001. Therefore we cannot determine why the Trustpilot site states the website is closed. 

Trustlink recognizes the company in its system out of Beaumont, Texas. However, there are no reviews and no comments about the company. 

Yelp has Universal Coin & Bullion rated as 2.5 out of 5 Stars with 3 Reviews. With Yelp businesses cannot pay to alter or remove their reviews. Therefore if a business is not satisfied it cannot alter or remove any negative comments. 

Google Business Profile - Google provides businesses the opportunity to list their business in a local directory. This gives the business a chance to attract local customers. The Universal Coin & Bullion page shows 39 Google Reviews and a 3.9 out of 5-star rating. 

Please check out the information we have provided. It is not all-inclusive and you, as the buyer, should complete your own due diligence before purchasing with any gold or silver seller online. 

The Better Business Bureau has Universal Coin & Bullion rated as an A+ and Accredited Since 10/1/1995

They have a 3.4 out 5 rating

They have 5 Customer Reviews

6 Customer Complaints closed in the last 3 years

0 Complaints closed in the last 12 months

Complaints Found on BBB Website

Complaint Type: Delivery Issues

Status: Resolved

04/05/2021

On Mar 18, 2021 I order 2 1oz **** gold bar for $3,580 with Mr. ****** ******** of Universal Coin & Bullion. I sent a check #2101 and it was cleared 3/26. I call the company with the status of my order on 3/22, 3/25, 3/28 but no response at all. When I notice on the website that my transactions history disappear and I call the company back on 4/1 and on phone waiting for over 30 minutes and the rep still can not tell me the status of my order, and she told me that someone will contact me back, but also said maybe until Monday (because tomorrow is a holiday). I bought gold at many stores, but this is the first time I do business with Universal and already have a bad experience. *** ****** **********

Business Response

04/09/2021

Dear Ms. ****,

We are in receipt of the April 5, 2021 complaint filed by *** ******.  Our computer records indicate Mr. ****** made a purchase from our company during a phone conversation with one of our senior representatives on March 18, 2021.  During the recorded phone conversation, our representative communicated to Mr. ****** that there are currently delays in shipping products because demand is so high and the products may not be shipped for 3 to 4 weeks.  The current delays are attributable to extreme demand and Mint shipping delays for gold and silver coins and bullion this year which is well documented in the media.  The representative informed Mr. ****** he would receive an email when the products shipped.  The gold bars ordered by Mr. ****** arrived at our office on April 6, 2021 and were shipped via UPS  on April 7, 2021, within the 3 to 4 week shipping time disclosure.  An email was sent to Mr. ****** with tracking information.  In a separate shipment, we are sending a gift of two (2) 2021 1-ounce American Silver Eagle coins at no charge to Mr. ******.

Our computer records indicate Mr. ****** called our office on March 22^nd, March 30^th and April 1^st.  Unfortunately, due to extreme call volume, the assigned representative did not timely return the first two phone calls.  We apologize for the lack of a timely response to these messages.  The last phone call to our company by Mr. ****** occurred on Thursday, April 1, 2021 at 3:20 p.m.  The phone call was passed to our call center as most employees had already departed the office for the Easter holiday weekend.  The records from the call center indicate hold times of 12 to 13 minutes at the time Mr. ****** called due to a spike in calls during that time period.  Again, we apologize for the long hold time and are working with the call center to address this issue.  As Mr. ****** indicated in his complaint, the call center representative informed him that he may not receive a return phone call until Monday, April 5^th due to the holiday weekend.  The policy and procedure in place at the call center is to contact one of our company managers immediately if a caller is upset or complains during the call.

The call center agent that spoke to Mr. ****** didn’t contact company management because the agent didn’t believe Mr. ****** was upset or complaining.  Obviously given the fact Mr. ****** filed a complaint with the BBB early on the morning of Monday, April 5^th, the agent misread Mr. ******’s demeanor on the phone call.

The final point made by Mr. ****** relates to the transaction history for the online account he created on the company website.  As the website is currently designed, the transaction history that appears on the website is limited to purchases made in the online store.  Whereas Mr. ******’s purchase was made over the phone with a representative.  Our company is working towards integration of the online store accounts with purchases made by phone.  We apologize for any confusion.

Mr. ****** has certainly brought valid concerns to our attention.  If he decides to transact business with our company in the future and has any concerns, we urge him to call our Customer Service hotline number (************) which is prominently displayed at the top of the website homepage.  By contacting the Customer Service Department directly, his concerns will be addressed more promptly.

As stated previously, we are sending Mr. ****** two (2) 2021 1-ounce Silver American Eagle coins at no charge as a token of our apology for failing to timely meet his needs as a valued customer.  If you need any further information regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,

**** *******

President, Universal Coin & Bullion

Customer Response

04/09/2021

Better Business Bureau:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID 15341749, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

Sincerely,

*** ******

Complaint Type: Problems with Product/Service

Status: Resolved

03/17/2021

Ordered precious metals on 1/18/2021. Check in amount of $296.30 cleared bank 1/26/2021. Package shows it departed Beaumont on 1/28/2021. No other scans on package, never received. On 2/23/2021 they were going to file a claim and either reship or refund. Have left numerous messages as to status and have not received any response.

Business Response

03/19/2021

We are in receipt of the March 17, 2021 complaint filed by ******* *******.  Upon receipt of the complaint our company immediately processed a refund of the order and sent the refund check to Ms. ******* along with a copy of the book “Proud To Be An American”, two (2) 2020 1-oz. NRA Silver Rounds and two (2) 2020 $1 Silver American Eagle coins at no charge to ******* as a token of our regret for failing to quickly address her issues.  The package was sent via FedEx overnight delivery.  Delivery was attempted on March 18, 2021 at 1:21 p.m.  However, Ms. ******* was not home to receive the package.  The FedEx tracking number is 773189276962.  FedEx will make another delivery attempt by 4:30 p.m. on March 19, 2021.

Unfortunately, our company has experienced a large number of lost packages in transit with the United States Postal Service including Ms. *******’s order.  We apologize for not timely refunding or replacing her order which was one of the large number of USPS packages that were lost in transit earlier this year.

We are hopeful the refund, as well as the free book, Silver Rounds and Silver coins we sent to Ms. ******* will assist in resolving this matter.

If you have any further questions, please let us know.  Thank you for your assistance.

Sincerely,
**** *******, President, Universal Coin & Bullion

Customer Response

03/20/2021

Better Business Bureau:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID 15290911, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

Sincerely,

******* *******

Complaint Type: Problems with Product/Service

Status: Answered

12/30/2020

They sold my father numerous coins over the years and overcharged him by as much as 400% !!! I am my fathers POA and I have been attempting to deal with them for 2 months now to sell back some coins at a significant loss. They don't take calls, they give out false or misleading information. From my experience they appear to be completely dishonest and are taking advantage of the gullible and senior citizens. It has been infuriating attempting to deal with this "business". ******.

Business Response

01/06/2021

Dear Ms. ****,

We are in receipt of the December 30, 2020 complaint filed by ******* ******* on behalf of his father, ****** *******.  Due to the closure of our office for the New Year holiday, the complaint was not received until Monday, January 4, 2021.  Our computer phone records indicate ******* ******* initially contacted our office on December 3, 2020.  Mr. ******* stated he wanted to sell some of his father’s coins.  In a second conversation on December 8, 2020, Mr. ******* was asked to send our company a copy of the document establishing him as Power of Attorney for his father.  Mr. ******* sent the Power of Attorney.  On December 17, 2020, our company emailed current pricing for the coins ****** ******* purchased.  Another phone call was made to Mr. ******* on December 18, 2020 to go over the price indications and to explain how to ship the coins to us.  Mr. ******* was told final pricing for the coins would be determined after receipt and inspection by **** *******.  It appears Mr. ******* called on December 30, 2020 at 2:20 p.m. and left a message.  Unfortunately, our offices were closed on the afternoon of December 30, 2020 for the New Year holiday.

We certainly apologize for any delay in responding to Mr. *******’s requests and any confusion regarding the process to sell the coins to our company.  However, Mr. ******* is misinformed regarding the pricing of coins by UCB.  The profit margin on the coins sold to Mr. ******* ranged from 1% to 28%.  We further disagree with Mr. *******’s characterization of our company’s business practices.

Despite these disagreements, we are prepared to purchase the coins from Mr. ******* as part of an amicable resolution of his issues.  Currently we would pay about 70% of what Mr. ******* paid for the total of all his coins we show we sold him.  That percentage can move up or down with the market for individual coins.

Sincerely,
**** *******
President, Universal Coin & Bullion

Reviews Found on BBB Website

Thomas A - 1 star

08/04/2022

I ordered silver on 7/22/22 have not received my order sent 3-4 emails no response Not happy

Universal Coin & Bullion, Ltd. Response

08/08/2022

We are in receipt of Mr. ********* customer review. A review of our transaction records show Mr. ******* placed on online order with our company on Friday, July 22, 2022. He sent an email to the company on Saturday, July 23rd regarding the processing of his order. On the morning of Tuesday, July 26th, he spoke to one of our representatives who explained there would be a delay in shipping the product partially due to a COVID outbreak in our shipping department. On Thursday, August 4th, Mr. ******* sent an email regarding the status of his order. Unfortunately, there was not a reply to the email prior to Mr. ******* submitting his review on the same day. Upon receiving a copy of the review, a company manager called Mr. ******* to notify him his product was being shipped along with a 1-ounce silver round at no charge as a token of our apology for not providing the level of service we strive for with all customers. Mr. ******* was satisfied with the response by our manager. **** ******* President, Universal Coin & Bullion

Danny N - 5 stars

05/25/2022

I purchased for the first time and received excellent service from ****. Great knowledge of the coins in question. Thank you for a job well done. Will order again.

Steven F - 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

03/07/2022

Handled order exceptionally well, called me and corrected a mistake I made. Talked to one of their reps who was very knowledgeable on coins. As I am also a collector, we enjoyed a conversation on coins and I also bought 2 collector coins at a reasonable price to me. I will order again. Thank you Universal Coin & Bullion.

Robert G - 1 star ⭐️

12/29/2020

Over the last month I left messages for my salesperson to call me so I could purchase 15 gold Indian Buffalo coins. I was told he would return my call within the hour. To this day no phone call. I will never use this company and went with another company, BGASC, who responded immediately.

24 Reviews on Facebook

4.7 out of 5 Stars

Note: Facebook appears to have several bogus-style recommended posts regarding Bitcoin and using an email address for WhatsApp. We didn't count the total of these types of reviews, but you should consider all information before making a purchase. 

Reviews Found on Facebook Business Page

Jeremy Nudo Salter

March 19, 2020  · 

January 8, 2019  · 

Great prices, quick and anonymous shipping.

Final Thoughts on Universal Coin & Bullion

If you are a rare coin and Numismatic bullion investor then Universal Coin & Bullion is an excellent choice to increase your education and get your hands on some unique and rare rounds. 

If you are an investor looking to diversify your portfolio with gold and silver coins or bars and would like the ability to compare prices with other gold and silver investment websites then UCB may not be your best option.

It is our belief that UCB is an excellent location for rare coins but not for those novice investors just looking to buy IRA qualify precious metals. 

If you are looking at purchasing with Universal Coin & Bullion make sure your knowledge of prices for rare coins is up to the current price of gold melt. Buying rare coins is a collector's investment and not for those with minimal information and budget. 

We have a selection for investors looking to roll over their 401(k) or transfer funds from one IRA to a self-directed IRA for investment purposes. If you click the link below you will be redirected to The Plugs #1 choice for gold IRA companies.

As with all our reviews, we cannot recommend enough that you, as the investor, educate yourself and take the time to research all companies and investments. We provide information to help you understand the company, but you need to understand the investments and make informed decisions.