Auction canceled by eBay. What did I do wrong?
Weiss
Posts: 9,942 ✭✭✭✭✭
I posted a few months back that I'd happened upon a rare matching set of early slabbed Morgans by the International Numismatic Society (INS).
I listed them on eBay a few days back, with huge obverse and reverse images of each coin in the set, and used eBay's new video feature as well. I was painfully careful to select their status as "Ungraded", and never gave their numismatic grade either as a designation or in the listing other than to call them "uncirculated"--which I felt couldn't be disputed.
eBay pulled the auction just now for not adhering to their replica, counterfeit, or altered coins and currency policy.
I know I've sold non approved slabs before by following the same protocols. Did I just get lucky before, or does someone have it in for me?
--Severian the Lame
Comments
I bet tlhoy reported you.
Can't show the MS grade, even in a picture. You need to cover them up.
Must not include a non-approved grading company, numeric grade or estimated value anywhere in the listing and can't show an image of the item in a graded holder if the image shows a grade
https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/prohibited-restricted-items/stamps-currency-coins-policy?id=4337
Ahh. That last part of the last sentence. So I must have just gotten lucky in the past, or they've stepped up enforcement (or someone else got mad theirs got pulled).
Though it would have made a lot more sense if they'd simply called it "prohibited" rather than "counterfeit".
--Severian the Lame
Can you contact eBay and ask them the specifics?
If not go with @MasonG's reply.
Wayne
Kennedys are my quest...
I seriously doubt they look through listings to find violations. You almost certainly were reported by somebody. If you read the other threads posted here, searching for listing violations is not an uncommon thing.
edited to add... Put a sticker over the numerical grade, take another picture and relist- you should be fine.
>
Correct - I listed a PCI graded SD with the whole picture of the case and sure enough, it was pulled too........... you can picture the case but not the TPG or a grade.
"When they can't find anything wrong with you, they create it!"
The problem eBay has with their grade/slab policy is that they don't differentiate between garbage grading companies (the reason for the policy) and collectible holders (whose grades may be quite accurate and/or don't matter because the slab is what's for sale). Either way, showing the grade is an eBay no-no, and you can either cover the grade before taking the picture or draw a little black box over the number (or get creative and cover just the 6 and see if they notice... I've snuck some by that way before where I didn't "show the grade" but I showed enough of it). Here's my most recent example of actual compliance:
You need to cover the grade with tape. Had the same thing happen to me with an Accugrade coin.
Ironically, I actually agree with eBay's policy of not allowing garbage slab companies. But collectible early slabs are what I called these. I doubt there is another surviving set of INS-slabbed consecutive date, matching mintmark, matching grade, AND matching designation Morgans out there.
I guess it's better to protect the susceptible and gullible at the expense of the informed. Glad PCGS and the other TPGs have embraced their early slab history.
--Severian the Lame
Those look really nice!
Tom
This is the problem when you're dealing with a big company that has to make sweeping rules. I totally agree with you, but without a trained staff that can really go through everything, there's no way they could enforce a policy that allows for collectible slabs in this manner. Heck, they can barely get things right for basic authenticity... and sometimes they can't even get it right.
Maybe you could just use a non-standard grading scale?
Thanks for the offers. I'd listed these because I committed to buying a piece of art Wednesday. The entirely unexpected funds appeared as if by magic this afternoon, so I'm no longer looking to sell the set. I would probably have canceled the auction tonight anyway
--Severian the Lame
All that sucks how much do you want for them.🙂 really.
Hoard the keys.
It took a combined effort over nearly ten years from eBay's founding before token sellers were able to list good luck swastika tokens (almost all of which are pre-1933). There were a number of very dedicated self-appointed auction inspectors that would report anything and everything that had a swastika on it no matter what the date. Even medieval Indian Native States coins were turned in. There were some indications by eBay personnel that it was an organized effort by well meaning but woefully ill informed individuals.
Poor old Aunt Jemima's vintage items listings are canceled and receive a banned threat at the site now also.