On all non-bullion items, GreatCollections offers a generous return policy (unless otherwise marked on the item information page) as a courtesy to Buyers, providing the item is paid for within seven days of the auction date (or in the case of a Buy Now item, when you confirmed to purchase the item) and no request to delay shipment is made by Buyer. Certified coins/banknotes must be in the original sealed grading service holders. To return an item, the Buyer must notify GreatCollections within 24 hours of receipt and receive a return confirmation number. Please mail the coin or banknote via Insured Mail to GreatCollections within 72 hours of receipt of coin. Original and return shipping costs are not refunded. Returns will not be accepted without the return confirmation number. Registered bidders are allowed one free return each month. For more than one return in a calendar month, a 5% fee will apply, based on the total purchase price of the item. Clients found to be abusing our return policy will be notified in writing that they will no longer have any return policy privileges whatsoever. If you viewed the item prior to winning the auction or offered the coin for sale to any dealer, collector and/or marketplace, there is no return privilege.
simple summary: Please don't flap your gums here and post incorrect information simply because you have a negative opinion about something(and learn how to edit a post, it's been almost two days).
@Realone said:
Ian,
you told me I couldn't return it for my money back. I was told I could only send it back and you would auction it on my behalf. I declined that since it isn't what I wanted or expected, I thought I was able to return it if I wasn't happy with it. There was no return policy for me.
And I did call up immediately after winning and spoke to a young lady who told me no problem with paying by check when I get back from vacation. If she were to have told me no exceptions then I would have put it on my credit card, although that wasn't what I wanted to do since I pay by check for all my coin purchases.
This was rather simple.
We have had multiple conversations re this subject matter, I have never been satisfied with the outcome.
If it were me I would have oked the return, but you chose not to do so, I can not understand why to this day. And I have not made any more purchases either.
I also highly recommend your company and have so in the past to other collectors and right here on the forum. I still have one problem with you guys and that is only your inconsistent return policy. My only problem has never been resolved to my satisfaction.
EOM
No offense, but this seems odd to me. I have never recommended a company or individual whom I refuse to do business with.
And if the only problem was the misunderstanding of the terms here, why isn't it safe to buy from them now that you understand the terms?
All comments reflect the opinion of the author, even when irrefutably accurate.
@Realone said:
I won a coin while on vacation
I contacted them that I will pay in a few days upon returning
I picked up coin when returned and saw it had obvious cleaning even though holder didn't say so
I called to return it and said that I am not allowed to because it waited too long, even though I contacted them a moment after winning it to inform that I was out of town and will return within a week
I have never bought from them again, prior to that I liked them and never returned anything or even wanted to return anything
Truly disappointed with their inconsistent policy, since they never warned me that my delay would void any return policy /:
My original gut feeling is not respond on here about this, but since there's some misinformation, I feel it's important.
The coin was a details-graded PCGS coin, with 0.98 (meaning "damage").
@Realone did not pay within 7 days. He didn't ask anyone here about paying after 7 days and still having a return privilege. (we've never allowed something like this). He could have asked if he could pay after 7 days, which we would have allowed, but nothing about wanting to still have the ability to return the coin.
But more importantly:
@Realone - since your post is misleading, please confirm to everyone that we agreed to take the return back in 2017 when we spoke (in fact, I was going to carry the return as GC, so it didn't affect the consignor's account), even though it was against our policy and that your issue was that you didn't want special treatment or for us to bend our rules. We left that phone call that you were going to return it to us. Two days later, you called back and said you didn't think GC should give you special treatment or accept the return past our policy. I thanked you, and I thought that was the end of it. This is confirmed by the e-mails you sent me confirming you didn't want special treatment. So, when I heard 8 months later you were unhappy, I was quite surprised.
Ian
You bought a details graded coin (which you failed to mention in your original post) and were surprised it had problems?
Then you come on here and insinuate that GC doesn't take returns which in fact they do if you follow their policy.
And then you say they wouldn't allow the return but we find out they tried to resolve the situation with you but you refused.
I'm a bit late to the "Let's Bash This Coin" game, but my impression from GC's pictures is that it's a coin I'd want to see in hand before bidding on because it looks very flat and not at all like a wholesome AU I'd want. Add the "not sold" from the B&M LaRiviere sale, where people did see it in person, despite it being cataloged as Highly Important™, and my opinion drops further, but I still haven't seen the coin yet. Then add the picture I have in mind of the gold I often see in NGC 55 holders and my opinion isn't helped, but I still haven't seen the coin yet. If I compare with the only 55 shown on CoinFacts, it doesn't compare favorably, but photos can make a coin look better or worse than it does in hand. Heritage's photos of the same coin look brighter, but still nicer than this coin. It looks like it sold as a low-end 55. If someone's looking to flip it for another few hundred, they'll have to do all the work to net $8,000 or already have a quality-indifferent date collector in mind they can place it with. The AU55 58-S $10 that RYK would be caught dead with and most of us would like so much better would have sold for north of $10K.
@Justacommeman said:
I was going to jump on this right away but I bit my tongue. I hate the coin. Some people will dismiss this or it will rub people the wrong way.
1) there is a reason this isn’t stickered
2) there is a reason why it’s in that slab
3) it’s the opposite of a CRO coin. Someone had to say it ; )
You have to remember that all auction sites are littered with problem coins sort of like landmines. The seller is trying to make their problem your problem. GC is great for a lot of things and reasons but when you are relying on buying off of those types of images Only it’s a crapshoot if you don’t dig in. It’s a discount auction site so you give up some things.
Do your due diligence
m
Irrespective of the coin, is "discount auction site" the right evaluation criteria of GC here, or is this really an issue with all auction sites?
For example, would Heritage or Stack's would reject this coin?
People have even taken issue with the following Legend Auctions headline PCGS CAC coin:
Heritage or Stack's would not reject the coin, but they would probably describe it if there are issues. [Which we can't be sure there are.]
This is conjecture on my part, but if either of those auction houses were fairly certain the coin had been puttied, I believe they would likely refuse to auction it.
I respectfully disagree. There are problem coins in every auction which are never noted as such.
@Justacommeman said:
I was going to jump on this right away but I bit my tongue. I hate the coin. Some people will dismiss this or it will rub people the wrong way.
1) there is a reason this isn’t stickered
2) there is a reason why it’s in that slab
3) it’s the opposite of a CRO coin. Someone had to say it ; )
You have to remember that all auction sites are littered with problem coins sort of like landmines. The seller is trying to make their problem your problem. GC is great for a lot of things and reasons but when you are relying on buying off of those types of images Only it’s a crapshoot if you don’t dig in. It’s a discount auction site so you give up some things.
Do your due diligence
m
Irrespective of the coin, is "discount auction site" the right evaluation criteria of GC here, or is this really an issue with all auction sites?
For example, would Heritage or Stack's would reject this coin?
People have even taken issue with the following Legend Auctions headline PCGS CAC coin:
Heritage or Stack's would not reject the coin, but they would probably describe it if there are issues. [Which we can't be sure there are.]
This is conjecture on my part, but if either of those auction houses were fairly certain the coin had been puttied, I believe they would likely refuse to auction it.
I respectfully disagree. There are problem coins in every auction which are never noted as such.
That's an unsettling fact, if universally true. Especially for new collectors who may be unaware of what to look for in problem coins. Sometimes this "tuition" that is spoken here can act as a detriment for new collectors to stay in the hobby.
Successful transactions:Tookybandit. "Everyone is equal, some are more equal than others".
@Justacommeman said:
I was going to jump on this right away but I bit my tongue. I hate the coin. Some people will dismiss this or it will rub people the wrong way.
1) there is a reason this isn’t stickered
2) there is a reason why it’s in that slab
3) it’s the opposite of a CRO coin. Someone had to say it ; )
You have to remember that all auction sites are littered with problem coins sort of like landmines. The seller is trying to make their problem your problem. GC is great for a lot of things and reasons but when you are relying on buying off of those types of images Only it’s a crapshoot if you don’t dig in. It’s a discount auction site so you give up some things.
Do your due diligence
m
Irrespective of the coin, is "discount auction site" the right evaluation criteria of GC here, or is this really an issue with all auction sites?
For example, would Heritage or Stack's would reject this coin?
People have even taken issue with the following Legend Auctions headline PCGS CAC coin:
Heritage or Stack's would not reject the coin, but they would probably describe it if there are issues. [Which we can't be sure there are.]
This is conjecture on my part, but if either of those auction houses were fairly certain the coin had been puttied, I believe they would likely refuse to auction it.
I respectfully disagree. There are problem coins in every auction which are never noted as such.
That's an unsettling fact, if universally true. Especially for new collectors who may be unaware of what to look for in problem coins. Sometimes this "tuition" that is spoken here can act as a detriment for new collectors to stay in the hobby.
@Justacommeman said:
I was going to jump on this right away but I bit my tongue. I hate the coin. Some people will dismiss this or it will rub people the wrong way.
1) there is a reason this isn’t stickered
2) there is a reason why it’s in that slab
3) it’s the opposite of a CRO coin. Someone had to say it ; )
You have to remember that all auction sites are littered with problem coins sort of like landmines. The seller is trying to make their problem your problem. GC is great for a lot of things and reasons but when you are relying on buying off of those types of images Only it’s a crapshoot if you don’t dig in. It’s a discount auction site so you give up some things.
Do your due diligence
m
Irrespective of the coin, is "discount auction site" the right evaluation criteria of GC here, or is this really an issue with all auction sites?
For example, would Heritage or Stack's would reject this coin?
People have even taken issue with the following Legend Auctions headline PCGS CAC coin:
Heritage or Stack's would not reject the coin, but they would probably describe it if there are issues. [Which we can't be sure there are.]
This is conjecture on my part, but if either of those auction houses were fairly certain the coin had been puttied, I believe they would likely refuse to auction it.
I respectfully disagree. There are problem coins in every auction which are never noted as such.
That's an unsettling fact, if universally true. Especially for new collectors who may be unaware of what to look for in problem coins. Sometimes this "tuition" that is spoken here can act as a detriment for new collectors to stay in the hobby.
That's what CAC is for.
Not being argumentative, just curious. In your opinion is CAC always correct in their analysis?
Successful transactions:Tookybandit. "Everyone is equal, some are more equal than others".
@Justacommeman said:
I was going to jump on this right away but I bit my tongue. I hate the coin. Some people will dismiss this or it will rub people the wrong way.
1) there is a reason this isn’t stickered
2) there is a reason why it’s in that slab
3) it’s the opposite of a CRO coin. Someone had to say it ; )
You have to remember that all auction sites are littered with problem coins sort of like landmines. The seller is trying to make their problem your problem. GC is great for a lot of things and reasons but when you are relying on buying off of those types of images Only it’s a crapshoot if you don’t dig in. It’s a discount auction site so you give up some things.
Do your due diligence
m
Irrespective of the coin, is "discount auction site" the right evaluation criteria of GC here, or is this really an issue with all auction sites?
For example, would Heritage or Stack's would reject this coin?
People have even taken issue with the following Legend Auctions headline PCGS CAC coin:
Heritage or Stack's would not reject the coin, but they would probably describe it if there are issues. [Which we can't be sure there are.]
This is conjecture on my part, but if either of those auction houses were fairly certain the coin had been puttied, I believe they would likely refuse to auction it.
I respectfully disagree. There are problem coins in every auction which are never noted as such.
That's an unsettling fact, if universally true. Especially for new collectors who may be unaware of what to look for in problem coins. Sometimes this "tuition" that is spoken here can act as a detriment for new collectors to stay in the hobby.
That's what CAC is for.
Not being argumentative, just curious. In your opinion is CAC always correct in their analysis?
It's another opinion. I don't think opinions really have a right or wrong, but it's one more set of eyes someone can count on. And regardless of correct or incorrect, they seem to have strong market results.
@Justacommeman said:
I was going to jump on this right away but I bit my tongue. I hate the coin. Some people will dismiss this or it will rub people the wrong way.
1) there is a reason this isn’t stickered
2) there is a reason why it’s in that slab
3) it’s the opposite of a CRO coin. Someone had to say it ; )
You have to remember that all auction sites are littered with problem coins sort of like landmines. The seller is trying to make their problem your problem. GC is great for a lot of things and reasons but when you are relying on buying off of those types of images Only it’s a crapshoot if you don’t dig in. It’s a discount auction site so you give up some things.
Do your due diligence
m
Irrespective of the coin, is "discount auction site" the right evaluation criteria of GC here, or is this really an issue with all auction sites?
For example, would Heritage or Stack's would reject this coin?
People have even taken issue with the following Legend Auctions headline PCGS CAC coin:
Heritage or Stack's would not reject the coin, but they would probably describe it if there are issues. [Which we can't be sure there are.]
This is conjecture on my part, but if either of those auction houses were fairly certain the coin had been puttied, I believe they would likely refuse to auction it.
I respectfully disagree. There are problem coins in every auction which are never noted as such.
That's an unsettling fact, if universally true. Especially for new collectors who may be unaware of what to look for in problem coins. Sometimes this "tuition" that is spoken here can act as a detriment for new collectors to stay in the hobby.
That's what CAC is for.
Not being argumentative, just curious. In your opinion is CAC always correct in their analysis?
It's another opinion. I don't think opinions really have a right or wrong, but it's one more set of eyes someone can count on. And regardless of correct or incorrect, they seem to have strong market results.
I understand. As in many things in life, and coins, there are no absolutes.
Successful transactions:Tookybandit. "Everyone is equal, some are more equal than others".
@Justacommeman said:
I was going to jump on this right away but I bit my tongue. I hate the coin. Some people will dismiss this or it will rub people the wrong way.
1) there is a reason this isn’t stickered
2) there is a reason why it’s in that slab
3) it’s the opposite of a CRO coin. Someone had to say it ; )
You have to remember that all auction sites are littered with problem coins sort of like landmines. The seller is trying to make their problem your problem. GC is great for a lot of things and reasons but when you are relying on buying off of those types of images Only it’s a crapshoot if you don’t dig in. It’s a discount auction site so you give up some things.
Do your due diligence
m
Irrespective of the coin, is "discount auction site" the right evaluation criteria of GC here, or is this really an issue with all auction sites?
For example, would Heritage or Stack's would reject this coin?
People have even taken issue with the following Legend Auctions headline PCGS CAC coin:
Heritage or Stack's would not reject the coin, but they would probably describe it if there are issues. [Which we can't be sure there are.]
This is conjecture on my part, but if either of those auction houses were fairly certain the coin had been puttied, I believe they would likely refuse to auction it.
I respectfully disagree. There are problem coins in every auction which are never noted as such.
That's an unsettling fact, if universally true. Especially for new collectors who may be unaware of what to look for in problem coins. Sometimes this "tuition" that is spoken here can act as a detriment for new collectors to stay in the hobby.
That's what CAC is for.
Not being argumentative, just curious. In your opinion is CAC always correct in their analysis?
No one can meet a standard of "always" being correct. The real value of CAC in avoiding problem coins is that your risk of purchasing a problem coin is far lower if the coin you purchase in auction is stickered.
Comments
They have a no returns policy --- Realone.
On all non-bullion items, GreatCollections offers a generous return policy (unless otherwise marked on the item information page) as a courtesy to Buyers, providing the item is paid for within seven days of the auction date (or in the case of a Buy Now item, when you confirmed to purchase the item) and no request to delay shipment is made by Buyer. Certified coins/banknotes must be in the original sealed grading service holders. To return an item, the Buyer must notify GreatCollections within 24 hours of receipt and receive a return confirmation number. Please mail the coin or banknote via Insured Mail to GreatCollections within 72 hours of receipt of coin. Original and return shipping costs are not refunded. Returns will not be accepted without the return confirmation number. Registered bidders are allowed one free return each month. For more than one return in a calendar month, a 5% fee will apply, based on the total purchase price of the item. Clients found to be abusing our return policy will be notified in writing that they will no longer have any return policy privileges whatsoever. If you viewed the item prior to winning the auction or offered the coin for sale to any dealer, collector and/or marketplace, there is no return privilege.
simple summary: Please don't flap your gums here and post incorrect information simply because you have a negative opinion about something(and learn how to edit a post, it's been almost two days).
No offense, but this seems odd to me. I have never recommended a company or individual whom I refuse to do business with.
And if the only problem was the misunderstanding of the terms here, why isn't it safe to buy from them now that you understand the terms?
All comments reflect the opinion of the author, even when irrefutably accurate.
You bought a details graded coin (which you failed to mention in your original post) and were surprised it had problems?
Then you come on here and insinuate that GC doesn't take returns which in fact they do if you follow their policy.
And then you say they wouldn't allow the return but we find out they tried to resolve the situation with you but you refused.
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.
I'm a bit late to the "Let's Bash This Coin" game, but my impression from GC's pictures is that it's a coin I'd want to see in hand before bidding on because it looks very flat and not at all like a wholesome AU I'd want. Add the "not sold" from the B&M LaRiviere sale, where people did see it in person, despite it being cataloged as Highly Important™, and my opinion drops further, but I still haven't seen the coin yet. Then add the picture I have in mind of the gold I often see in NGC 55 holders and my opinion isn't helped, but I still haven't seen the coin yet. If I compare with the only 55 shown on CoinFacts, it doesn't compare favorably, but photos can make a coin look better or worse than it does in hand. Heritage's photos of the same coin look brighter, but still nicer than this coin. It looks like it sold as a low-end 55. If someone's looking to flip it for another few hundred, they'll have to do all the work to net $8,000 or already have a quality-indifferent date collector in mind they can place it with. The AU55 58-S $10 that RYK would be caught dead with and most of us would like so much better would have sold for north of $10K.
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars • Variety Attribution
I take 2 things from this on-going "discussion." No new "truths" though.
Some coins are just not particularly nice for the assigned grade.
Some buyers are higher maintenance.
.
RE: Some buyers are higher maintenance.
Well said.
That's never encouraging.> @Boosibri said:
That's an unsettling fact, if universally true. Especially for new collectors who may be unaware of what to look for in problem coins. Sometimes this "tuition" that is spoken here can act as a detriment for new collectors to stay in the hobby.
That's what CAC is for.
Not being argumentative, just curious. In your opinion is CAC always correct in their analysis?
It's another opinion. I don't think opinions really have a right or wrong, but it's one more set of eyes someone can count on. And regardless of correct or incorrect, they seem to have strong market results.
I understand. As in many things in life, and coins, there are no absolutes.
No one can meet a standard of "always" being correct. The real value of CAC in avoiding problem coins is that your risk of purchasing a problem coin is far lower if the coin you purchase in auction is stickered.