How often do you find yourself returning coins?

braddick

With your experience on eBay, or even here on the Buy/Sell/Trade board, how often do you find yourself returning a coin? What is usually your reason for doing so?
Is it ever simply because you changed your mind?

Mikey

It has always been poor quality and overgrading. I've been successful getting a refund and it's a hassle. Plus I've learned who to stay away from.

Russ

One out of five. Because they don't meet the grade on the holder. It is never because I've simply changed my mind. I don't "shop" sellers.

Russ, NCNE

goose3

I've returned only a few coins on ebay and only one to a fellow member.

Never had a problem getting a refund except from one sleazebag on ebay. It came pretty quick when I told him that I had some vacation time built up and would be more than happy to pick my dough up in person.

pontiacinf

I find it funny all your answers, as Ive never had to return 1 single coin. Its not because I dont buy as much, if anything I probably buy more than most. I deal with reputable people in a timly and adult fashion, and have NEVER had a problem. And before most of you throw stones at this, Ive bought from alot of ya

Clankeye

Why would anyone throw stones at that? On the contrary, my congratulations for your discipline and good judgement.

Spooly

I returned 4 coin is the last 2 weeks, seems to run in waves.

ARCO

I have come to realize (at least on Ebay) that if a photo is small or is lacking, it is for a good reason. If the coin for sale is not accompanied by a large scan and honest description I refrain from bidding. Secondly I always research the seller by reading feedback, looking at other auctions to determine their ability to grade correctly etc...

I return very few coins as I don't waste my time bidding or buying if the coin is problematic or if the seller is a piece of cow dung!

Tyler

braddick

I would have no problem either returning a coin but I haven't had to either. Not one single return either here or off eBay or off Teletrade.
Maybe it's just the stuff I buy, I don't know.
I do know I'm picky and haven't always totally dug the coin once it's received, but if I end up not liking it I usually just sell it down the road and have not lost money yet doing so.
I guess part of that too is not wanting to send the coin back and have the seller tell me he never received it nor do I like the idea of being stuck with two way postage charges.
If I question the coin I will do so in advance on not bid on it.

Clankeye

I have returned two coins. And I don't like the idea of returning coins. I too, think you should do your homework and have a pretty good idea what you will be receiving. In both cases they were Lincoln commems. One from teletrade that looked great in the scan, but had a light tan hazing that was not visible in the photo, and the other one was the only raw coin I have purchased on eBay. Looked nice in the photo, knew I was taking a risk, and the coin had PVC that was not apparent from the scan. To it's credit the company took it back no questions. To their dis-credit, they knew what they were sending in the first place and probably weren't surprized to have it come back.
These are two coins out of many, many transactions.

wingedliberty

I don't remember the last time I returned a coin.

Why?
Ebay: Look for quality scans.
Limit yourself to PCGS/NGC
Keep a list of quality sellers and buy from them again.
Look at their feedback. Sellers with alot of neutrals worry me more than someone with a
few negatives.


Shows: Sight seen is great, no excuses.


Personal contacts:
A group of numismatists that have similar tastes and eye appeal criteria.
You can take them at their word and also be satisfied. Sight unseen is no problem.

Follow these and you should be satisfied 9 times out of 10.

Brian.

a2labmom

In 2 years of buying off eBay, I have not yet had to return a coin. Maybe it is because I don't set my expectations too high on the coins I bid on. I have bought many raw coins and a few slabbed coins. On the raw coins, I take the grade the seller assigns it and go backwards at least 2 - 3 grades for my high start point. Then I scrutinize the coin as best I can with the scan provided. If the scan is no good, I bid real low if I want the coin or do not bid at all. Once I determine a grade from the scan, I subtract one grade and place my bid based on that. This has worked for me so far and I have not yet been disappointed in 2 years.

As for buying from here, I have had nothing but positive experiences. Everybody is very honest with their descriptions and I have been very pleased with all my purchases from board members.

Don't know if I've just been lucky or if I am too harsh in my grading standards, but whatever it is, I don't plan on changing a thing.

morganbarber

I've only returned one coin in my life. It was a type 1 SLQ. I think it was supposed to be in VF. The coin was nice, but the date was almost gone. The seller admitted that the date was "mushy" and promptly refunded.

berylcoin

I've only returned one coin. I bought it raw from a dealer that I had asked about on the board and received only praise. I thought it was cleaned and overgraded. No problems on the return, though.

I'm usually quite picky about who I buy from, and most of the coins I've bought sight-unseen are hardly worth the trouble, dollarwise, to return. I also try to price in some dissapointment when I buy/bid.

BC

fcloud

I have had to return one coin becuse it didn't meet my expectations. I sent it back for an exchange and the replacement coin was fine. Also, I had one PR69DCAM coin I felt didn't live up to the grade on the holder. The seller and I reached an agreement, and I kept the coin but I receive a settlement back from him. Everything else I purchased I have agreed with the grade or the description of the coin.

Tony

Veep

I don't hesitate to return a coin. It feels like I do it about half of the time. Its probably less.

I usually know within seconds of tearing the package open whether I'm keeping it. If I have to think about it, its not solid enough for the grade or doesn't have "Wow power." I want to be swpt off my feet; not have to talk myself into keeping it.

Veep

silverandvinyl

I never returned any.But,I had 20 64 Kennedys I sure wanted to. They were listed Gem/Bu/MS 64-68 easy. They were the worst coins I ever purchased.I decided not to send them back and put them in my silver junk jug.Actually I can't remember ever sending anything back.I hate giving neg.feedback and running back and forth to the post office.It's just not worth the time and money.

IrishMike

I have only returned one coin, this is it. This seller had some nice looking IHC's, one in particular a 1873 Closed 3, which I got off the bidding when it got too salty. Later I purchased this 1836 Bust Half from them.

Nice looking coin eh. Well look at my next post for the picture of it taken by me.

IrishMike

Coin was harshly cleaned and photgraphed messed with. My picture accurately depicts the coin.

JJacks

Never had to return one, because:

1. Know what you want, don't change your mind about the type of coin you want.
2. Only buy coins with a good picture, or a good description from a person you trust.
3. Only buy PCGS or another company that you trust graded coins.
4. Don't buy just about anything you find that looks like it may be good. Be selective.



JJacks

jom

I agree (somewhat) with JJacks. The hardest part is buying without actually SEEING the coin. A picture is most important. I've had trouble with the auction houses in that their pics are not very good in general. I've had my best results from Ebay where the "small" dealer puts out a good effort in their pics. If the pic is questionable I usually don't bother bidding on Ebay. I'll use that same tact with the big auction houses from now on...unless I've seen the coin beforehand. Like the Kingswood auction coming up and the Heritage Bullet sale on Monday.

jom

airplanenut

Never returned one coin

leothelyon

I return coins all the time. Whether they be PCGS, NGC or ANACS or what ever else is out there, if I don't like the coin and it's usually because the sellers descript is way off, it gets sent back. I don't like getting stuck with someone else's crap. I always make sure what the return policy involves. I will always try to ask the most important questions to get the best relevant answers.
And I have been told many times not to bid in a sellers auction and I have thanked them because I don't want to be wasting their time or mine. If there is a coin I really want to know about, I'll have that seller on the phone. From there I will learn if the guy is giving me straight answers and if that coin is all there or if he's a screwball. There was a time when I bought just about everything that came my way. But after awhile when I started to upgrade and if that next coin is to look better then what you have, then you need to get real precise with the questions your asking to locate that coin. I believe every grade level coin will eventually find a home but it won't be mine. I'm not buying coins that I was buying 2 or 4 or 8 years ago. It's simply not a realistic thing to do. But yet I will buy MS64 and MS 65 coins along with the 66's and 67's, raw or certified, as long as I like the coin. Forget what the grading services say. The numbers mean little to me. The numbers are only good for someone who has placed too much faith in them, who will buy the numbers and not the coin. The numbers only get me in that ballpark where I might locate a high quality coin.
Good communications and developing good relations with the seller will locate decent coins for your
collection.

Leo

wallstreetman

Lately Ive been returning half the coins the Mint sends me, I didnt use to! Im not going to buy from them if it keeps up!

prooflike

Only had to return one. The images looked good, but it was an ACG slab and ended up being cleaned and PVC damage.

I typically require a decent image, some description and a PCGS slab to buy something these days.

It is just a waste of my time otherwise.

I used to buy ANACS and NGC coins, but some of these just haven't been up to snuff, but every PCGS purchase I have been very happy with.

This may sound like a rah rah rah for PCGS, but I haven't been disappointed to date yet with their grading or the quality of coin in their slabs.

Dog97

Not much lately but I'm really picky about what I buy in the first place. Several years ago I returned a $150 coin to an error dealer because I bought it sight unseen and it didn't look like I expected it to. I also returned a coin to TeleTrade about 4 years ago. Nothing was wrong with the coin but I did my research AFTER I bid and found out the Washington Penny really wasn't minted in 1783 but was a backdated 1820 model.

goyankeez

I haven't returned any yet. Although, looking back, there were two coins I was unhappy with.

I only buy PCGS slabbed coins from well respected dealers/individuals on ebay. I make sure there's a good representation of the coin via a photo. If something isn't right I move on.

Some may disagree, but I like auctions that have a high initial price and a higher BIN. That way you know what kind of quality you're getting. There may be two coins that look the same, with the same grade, and from the same dealer; but one starting at $100, and the other $90. Usually the $100 coin is the better quality piece, even when you can't see the difference in the pictures. If a $500 coin is selling for $300 BIN, there must be a reason. Obviously it's low quality or something is wrong with it. You can tell a lot about a coin from its listed price.

A $1 NR auction doesn't tell you anything about the quality of the coin, even with good pictures. Is it overgraded? Maybe. There are things you have to see first hand. This is just my opinion on ebay auctions.