TONY HETHERINGTON: READERS' CHAMPION
Golden's cheat's worthless promises
Public eye, Mail on Sunday
24 November 2002
Mrs S. B. writes: I ordered and paid for a sovereign and a half sovereign from the Gold & Silver Bureau in Ilford, Essex, in July. When they did not arrive in August I phoned and was told that a delivery from the Royal Mint was damaged, but I would get my coins shortly.
I have phoned many times since and asked for a refund, but now the bureau's phone has stopped working. I even went to its offices, but found that it had moved out.
YOU are not the only reader who has had problems with the Gold & Silver Bureau, a disreputable outfit run by an experienced cheat.
You were told that the Royal Mint had delivered sovereigns in a damaged condition. The Royal Mint itself told me: 'This is quite untrue. We do not supply the Gold & Silver Bureau. It is as simple as that.'
Moreover, the Gold & Silver Bureau uses the members' logo of the entirely respectable American Numismatic Association. But records at the association's headquarters in Denver, Colorado, contain no mention of it.
Spokesman Steve Bobbitt said: 'We have individual members. We do not have corporate or business members.'
The man behind the Gold & Silver Bureau is John William Coppin, alias Jonathan Glover, alias Joanne Glover. And very well he has done too, if his luxury home in the 'Millionaires' Row' district of Chigwell in Essex is anything to go by.
I first came across Coppin about 15 years ago when he was a director of West Star Commodities Limited, a scam investment company whose corrupt salesmen popped up regularly in later years at fraudulent offshore broking firms.
When he was one of the West Star frontmen, Coppin claimed to have spent no less than 12 years researching the futures markets - which deals in commodities such as coffee - in London and the US. However, when I interviewed him, I found precious little evidence that he knew his platinum from his pork bellies.
After West Star vanished following complaints to Interpol, there was an interlude and then Coppin re-emerged as a coin dealer, sometimes using the name Glover.
In 1995, I warned against Gold & Silver Bureau advertisements that offered Austrian silver coins dated 1780. The truth was, they might have been minted as recently as 1985 and come from Birmingham.
And in 1996, Coppin was fined £600 for false advertising when he used my name in his advertisements, suggesting I had written an approving article about his firm in Financial Mail when in fact we had warned against him. In 1999, I warned against Coppin again when he was peddling what appeared to be Chinese coins carrying a picture of a cartoon rabbit. It turned out that the coins were minted in Britain, were not legal tender in China, and were just novelty items.
More recently, customers might have thought they were safe in ordering gold sovereigns. At least they are genuine and have a real value. But this time, instead of making false claims, Coppin simply has not delivered the goods. Trading standards officials in the London borough of Redbridge have had at least 20 complaints.
And interestingly, when they investigated, they were told the Gold & Silver Bureau was in liquidation. But you have told me that you were not even aware you were dealing with a limited company in the first place. Well, I can tell you that there is a company called the Gold & Silver Bureau (Modern Collections) Limited, and it was put into liquidation last Wednesday. The liquidator is Alan Clark of a firm called Carter Clark, 62 Station Road, London E4 7BA. I am sure he will investigate the liquidation thoroughly and report appropriately to the Department of Trade and Industry.
However, when I spoke to you a few days ago, you had never heard of this company. Legally, a limited company must declare its status so customers are aware that there is a risk that it could go bust. If Coppin's company failed to do so, this would be an offence and you should ask your local trading standards department to pass your complaint to their colleagues in Redbridge for possible prosecution.
On the other hand, if it can be shown that Coppin was using the Gold & Silver Bureau as a mere trading name, without the magic word 'limited', then he is personally liable for its debts, and you can address your claim to him at Four Oaks, 37 Stradbroke Drive, Chigwell, Essex IG7 5RB.
And since I am sure John Coppin will bounce back sooner rather than later, let me warn now that his advertisements should really carry a wealth hazard warning. Don't trust him.

Going, Going, Gone!
Out of idle curiousity, we wondered whether Coppin still lived at the same address. UpMyStreet reports that 37 Stradbroke Drive sold for £1.400,000 on 16th October 2003, having been bought on 12th May 2001 for £1,250,000.
We wonder where he moved to?

Gold & Silver Bureau Price Comparison
One of our previous pages.

Why Gold?
Many of the scams listed above could involve shares, cash, bank accounts, or other commodities other than gold. The reason that they may include gold is because it is a highly portable and liquid form of wealth, and many people are aware of gold's reputation as a safe haven investment.