Lesson Learned (the hard way)

dfontalbert

Well, just received news from PCGS which we all fear: two submissions were COUNTERFEIT! I was VERY mad.. but not at PCGS of course; actually was thankful that they identified the coins as such, so that I might have a chance to recover my costs. I SHALL NOT purchase raw coins again from low feedback individuals on ebay, and maybe not at all online. For higher value coins, I'd say to stick with certified examples, unfortunately. Definitely a "gut punch" lol.

sparky64

Sorry that your coins were found to be counterfeit.
Can you tell us what type of coins they were or any other details about them?

ChrisH821

Unfortunate. What were they?

Coinstartled

Hope that you can recover your costs from the sellers.

BillDugan1959

We have all had expensive lessons in this hobby, from time-to-time, and I hope that yours wasn't too pricey.

People tend to learn a lot more from their failures than from their successes.

RYK

Any links available to the ebay listings so that others might learn?

dfontalbert

Thanks everyone for your kind comments - I needed to have them. These were Lincoln cents - one a 1909s vdb presumably a MS64 or so, and a 1955 DDO sold as an AU58 in a PCGS holder which, at my first inspection, did appear to have been tampered with. I'll try and post links for the sellers. I'm hopeful to recover from eBay if nothing else. Thanks again!

ctf_error_coins

Ebay is the best place to buy coins, IMO.

You chose to buy two heavily counterfeited coins, please do not blame ebay.

You must know WHAT you are buying on ebay or any other venue for that matter.

oldabeintx

Raw coins that are worth more if slabbed + low feedback = unnecessary risk
Throw in an "estate story" and/or bad photos and/or foreign source = doom

Hemispherical

@dfontalbert said:
I'll try and post links for the sellers. I'm hopeful to recover from eBay if nothing else. Thanks again!

Sorry to hear about this. I hope you are able to recover costs and that the tuition was not that high. If not the links then maybe pics of the coins. They would make good educational material.

Connecticoin

@dfontalbert said:
Thanks everyone for your kind comments - I needed to have them. These were Lincoln cents - one a 1909s vdb presumably a MS64 or so, and a 1955 DDO sold as an AU58 in a PCGS holder which, at my first inspection, did appear to have been tampered with. I'll try and post links for the sellers. I'm hopeful to recover from eBay if nothing else. Thanks again!

Can you link the auctions? Would be useful to see the coins. Also, you should be able to easily return them via Ebay, especially if you post clear pictures of the coins received and the PCGS bodybags when you initiate the return request. And be cordial in your communication - the seller may not know they are counterfeit.

ricko

Sorry to hear of your misfortune.... and also to hear of a tampered slab..... Links would be appreciated.... Cheers, RickO

gtstang

Lessons learned the hard way are the most memorable

AUandAG

Useless thread to the rest of us, without pics or links to ebay auctions. Sorry for your problem @dfontalbert but we would like to help if we can. Just need some data to go on.

bob

astrorat

Dang ... sorry to hear about the counterfeits. Use the experience to learn and growth your education and skills. Don't let this early hiccough dissuade you from continuing in the hobby. Continue to ask questions here ... there is a lot of expertise on the Board.

david3142

@dfontalbert said:
Thanks everyone for your kind comments - I needed to have them. These were Lincoln cents - one a 1909s vdb presumably a MS64 or so, and a 1955 DDO sold as an AU58 in a PCGS holder which, at my first inspection, did appear to have been tampered with. I'll try and post links for the sellers. I'm hopeful to recover from eBay if nothing else. Thanks again!

If it was in a PCGS holder why did you have it graded again? And if you suspected the holder might be counterfeit, that would have been a big red flag.

BlindedByEgo

Many members here have scored on eBay, but it is also a dumping ground targeting the less-informed. Sorry that you took a haircut; I prefer to think of it as an Educational Downpayment™

ARCO

Sorry to hear. Once burned, you get skeptical really fast. Raw coins are the biggest pitfall of this hobby now IMO. in most cases, if a coin is worth more than a couple hundred bucks and it is not holdered, there is a reason why.

If the coin costs as much as a burger, drink and fry, I might take a chance. Otherwise, please keep the raw coin for yourself. I am not a buyer.

dfontalbert

Update:

Thanks everyone for your support!

eBay stood by my purchase of the 1909 S VDB and, with no communication from the seller, refunded my money in full - thanks eBay!

This is that seller:

I have since left negative feedback for him, as well as the most thorough explanation/warning possible...

The timeframe had expired on the second seller (1955 DD), but I reported him to as many authorities as possible - seller number two:

I would DEFINITELY avoid both.

Dave

ChrisH821

Wow, an account from 1999... must be compromised if they are selling fakes. 64/3 is not a good 12mo. average.

BillDugan1959

First feedback number is too low to consider, second feedback percentage is a very big red flag.

EBay has a kabillion sellers with perfect feedback records and has very many sellers whose good name/business is well known in the hobby/industry. Why deal with somebody with no record?

Since it is timely, I'll throw in "There is NO SANTA CLAUS in Numismatics!".

AlexinPA

Tough break; a lot of us have been there.

bestday

This thread is not useless,, with or without pics,,,, nice reminder to be on guard ,when dealing money

derryb

I find that claims on ebay purchases are handled better if filed with paypal over the phone.

Hemispherical

@dfontalbert said:
Update:

Thanks everyone for your support!

eBay stood by my purchase of the 1909 S VDB and, with no communication from the seller, refunded my money in full - thanks eBay!

This is that seller:

I have since left negative feedback for him, as well as the most thorough explanation/warning possible...

The timeframe had expired on the second seller (1955 DD), but I reported him to as many authorities as possible - seller number two:

I would DEFINITELY avoid both.

Dave

What state or country where the items shipped from? Just wondering if they used a drop-ship or something.

dfontalbert

The 1909 S VDB came from Los Angeles and the 1955 DDO came from Dobbs Ferry, NY. The "gentleman" in NY (fosworld) even tried to tell me he refunded my money and prepared a fake PayPal return notficiation! lol Pure fraud.

Timbuk3

Sorry for what occurred, but thank you for sharing your experience !!! :'(