Conflict of Interest ?

As a collector I have spent most of my professional life in borderline violation of conflict of interest rules. While I worked for a coin auction firm I had to be very careful in my personal dealings with our competitors. While working for a hobby publisher almost everything I did could have been considered a conflict of interest ; buying at shows for my collection, going to conventions on my own and even writing and publishing on my own outside of the company. Apparently insurance agents do not have to worry about such things. Here for example are two 25 year service medals from two different insurance companies. The octagonal medal is from the Fidelity-Phenix Fire Insurance Company that was awarded in 1911. The other medal from the Continental Fire Insurance Co. also for 25 years is dated 1906. The reverses are engraved with the recipient’s name. Both are named to Ernest G. Cooper of Denton Maryland!!