How can one eBay seller have so many sketchy coins?

Bikergeek

Now, I'm not trying to cast aspersions here... but what do you all think about these?

1873 half dollar: https://www.ebay.com/itm/275884939369

1834 half dime (and look at the nose on this poor gal!): https://www.ebay.com/itm/285314313879

1838 half dollar: https://www.ebay.com/itm/275884937657

2windy2fish

Not sure what your point is?
They are what they are and they all appear to be no reserve, so folks will only bid what they are comfy with. And they appear genuine…
All looks legit and above board to me

Davidk7

Look real, just have various problems.

Bikergeek

I hear two votes for "legit" but I'm not 100% convinced. But I remain teachable. There are a lot of experts on this forum and if that's the consensus then I'll bow to it. But I've never seen such a nose on an 1834 LM-4 half dime. And the sharpness around the rims, with the wear patterns, don't look like the thousands of other culls/low-grade coins that appear on the 'bay.

Maybe my spidey sense is all wrong here...

And just because someone will buy it, doesn't make it real.

PerryHall

They all look harshly cleaned. Pass.

ricko

They appear cleaned, but look authentic. Cheers, RickO

Greenstang

With 1.6 thousand items sold and 100% feedback, I would say that the seller would be reliable.
Possibly cleaned but genuine.

DoubleEagle59

Looks good to me.

DelawareDoons

Weird lighting is playing tricks on your eyes. The coins are real but harshly cleaned.

rec78

Lots of coins from the early 1800's are like these. Nothing wrong here.

logger7

There are plenty of flea market sellers and coin shops that have similar merchandise. Some years ago problem coins were a lot more common. And when unknowledgeable inexperienced buyers got fleeced by buying the material, sellers would use all kinds of bullying rhetoric. These days I'm glad that buyers have a lot more power and can return material even if questionable sellers claim "no returns", they just can't get away with that anymore. So problem coins like that are culls that will be worth less in time.

JWP

This may be a seller that has circulated coins and has decided to sell them. Collecting and selling low end coins is not a negative. The cost is getting the coins graded may not be what the seller wants to do, and has decided to just sell the coin in their current condition. I would consider buying these for album/folders.

slider23

The seller plays games with the photos most likely to hid the cleaning or problems. Most of the photos are at an angle, some taken through plastic, orientation not consistent of coin position in photo, soft focus, and glare on coin from lighting. I typically do not buy from sellers with these type of photos unless I see something that I willing to take a chance on. I agree the nose looks weird, but most likely from a hit and wear and photo quality. Pass

johnny9434

Pass

Bikergeek

@slider23 said:
The seller plays games with the photos most likely to hid the cleaning or problems. Most of the photos are at an angle, some taken through plastic, orientation not consistent of coin position in photo, soft focus, and glare on coin from lighting. I typically do not buy from sellers with these type of photos unless I see something that I willing to take a chance on. I agree the nose looks weird, but most likely from a hit and wear and photo quality. Pass

Well summed up, and the orientation of the photos was what grabbed my eye and made me think these were sketchy in the first place (as in "suspect.") But the consensus here - and you guys have convinced me - that these aren't "sketchy," just "fugly."

Another friend, who actually wrote a book on Bad Money said, "The nose of Liberty on the half-dime could be 'big' because of the angle of the photo, wear, and possibly an added ding at one time flattening it out a little and making it looks large."

coinpalice

this is a want to be coin collector who can't afford nice coins in his collection, so he just buys junk

UncleDano

1834 H10c has never had an attractive nose.

Lazybones

Not without their problems, but all pass the "GENUINE" sniff test.

Just my 2¢

Bikergeek

@UncleDano said:
1834 H10c has never had an attractive nose.

This cracks me up - but you're spot on! When i first started talking to one of the "elder statesmen" of the capped bust series-es (plural), I remember him saying that the nose got big with the 1833s. I guess it stayed that way through '34 too.

If you click on my registry set (link in my sig line) and see the 1832 LM-10.3, it's proportional - kind of a ski slope. Then, the 1833 LM-1 is pretty sizeable (looking at distance from the pupil to the bridge of the nose). Then in 1835, LM-2 looks like a petite button nose by comparison.

Someone should commission a study!

Manifest_Destiny

They look genuine cleaned/problems

Cougar1978

Pass - not something would bid on raw.

Omegaraptor

They are genuine but unattractive and unoriginal