About LB Coins & Collectibles

I'm John Ksionska — most of the coin and bullion world has known me as "Chonch" on Facebook for the better part of two decades. The shop is named after my three-year-old son, Logan Book. "Book" is a family nickname, and I liked the idea of building something that carries his name before he's old enough to know what bullion is.

How I got here

I spent my career in business analytics and finance, and I've been buying and selling on the side for ten to fifteen years — long enough to learn what I'm good at and what I'm not. The categories I know best are bullion, watches, and bourbon (the last one I can't legally sell, so it stays a hobby). About four or five years ago I started moving more seriously into precious metals — partly because I genuinely enjoy holding the stuff, and partly because I trust physical assets in a way I don't trust most other things.

What started as a hobby turned into a steady side business, and earlier this year a layoff gave me the push to take it full-time. So this is the leap: doing what I've been doing on the side, but doing it as my actual job.

Why this should matter to you

If you're going to wire money to a stranger for a graded coin or a gold bar, you want to know who's on the other end. Here's what I can tell you: I've been active in Facebook buy/sell groups for years under my own name and face, and there's a long trail of transactions and references behind me. I'm public, I'm reachable, and the people I've dealt with will vouch for me. That reputation is the actual product here — the inventory rotates, the standards don't.

Questions before you buy?

Ask. I'd rather spend twenty minutes on the phone with someone who's deciding between two coins than have a buyer regret the order. The contact info is real, the phone number is mine, and I answer it.

— John