An Orange County coin dealer who has been accused by frustrated customers nationwide of delaying numerous gold- and silver-coin shipments has closed shop, according to a posting on the company's Costa Mesa office window.

“The Tulving Company has closed. More information the week of March 10th,” reads the sign, which was seen Thursday at the firm's headquarters.

It appears a flood of complaints against The Tulving Company and owner Hannes Tulving Jr. led to a state investigation.

During at least the past year, a surge of customers as far away as Maryland have complained to his company and the Better Business Bureau about late or missing orders of rare, precious-metals coins. The BBB has fielded more than 150 complaints since last summer and received 5,600-plus inquiries since 2010.

Some customers have reported losing tens of thousands of dollars in investments, leading many to complain at online coin forums and to California authorities. A few have filed lawsuits.

Kevin Pyle, a military veteran in Eldersburg, Md., says he's out more than $24,000 for 20, 1-ounce Canadian Maple Leaf gold coins that never made it from Tulving's office to his home.

Pyle, 45, placed the order in December and was promised it would arrive within three weeks, he said. Once five weeks passed, he ramped up his calls to the company but got nowhere.

“When you call there, you talk to shipping,” Pyle said. “She always had the same story, ‘I don't know where your coins are. … (Tulving) tells me on a daily basis who will get their coins and what will be shipped.'”