I'm feeling guilty, so let's have a giveaway! Winners are posted!!

Stork · February 26, 2004 3:07PM

I was finally putting away some Japanese coins I'd been getting off ebay the last few months and I realized I had one coin twice--with identical labelling/handwriting. I vaguely remembered getting a coin awhile back with apologies for it's lateness, and being puzzled because I had already left feedback (which usually means I got the item!). I am sure it is this coin which means the seller sent it to me twice. Now it's about a $20 coin, though I don't remember exactly what I paid for it... I know that:

1. I should keep better records
2. I should be better organized and
3. It took me this long to get a binder and pages to put everything in order, but this is embarrasing!

The first thing I did was check any auctions that still had an active link. No luck. Next, I spammed almost everyone who had left me feedback since early September if I didn't recognize their names (so MadMarty, charon, cosmicdebris and a few others didn't get the mail), asking if anyone had sent me a Japanese coin. If any of the sellers say yes and can reasonably guess what coin it was, I will send the duplicate back.

The second thing to do is, obviously, HOLD A GIVEAWAY!!! It is not terribly fancy, but anyone who is interested please post. Comments on just how hard I should try to find the former owner of my duplicate are welcome. If I don't find the former owner then the duplicate will be featured in a future giveaway.

This giveaway will have two winners...random draws to win either:

a) three cupronickel commemeratives-- 2 100 yens (the expo '70 with Mt. Fuji, and the 50th year of the Emperor on the throne, plus a 500 yen Wedding commemorative) or

b) a 2003 Japanese mint set

If you have a preference, please let me know.

Cathy

hookedoncoins · February 26, 2004 3:11PM

Please enter me in your giveaway for the Japanese mint set.

Thanks for the chance.

historygeek · February 26, 2004 3:41PM

Please enter me in for prize a).

Thank you sir!

Bailathacl · February 26, 2004 4:00PM

Yay, a great giveaway! I'd be happy to acquire either, thanks for the chance....

SYRACUSIAN · February 26, 2004 4:27PM

<< <i>Comments on just how hard I should try to find the former owner of my duplicate are welcome. >>

You shouldn't try at all anymore. Maybe it was meant to be this way. Maybe the seller has another dozen of these with identical labelling/handwriting. You could however include it in this giveaway.

cosmicdebris · February 26, 2004 6:18PM

Great giveaway ( The mint set would be cool )

trozau · February 26, 2004 8:16PM

Don't feel guilty. If it was sent to you twice, it doesn't say much for their record keeping either.

I would be very happy to win either one of your giveaways. Thanks for the chance.

1957joe · February 26, 2004 8:42PM

Please enter me in your givaway! The only thing I could suggest is to "live and learn" to keep better records. I need to do a better job myself!
Thanks,
Joe

ccrdragon · February 26, 2004 9:55PM

Please enter me, Cathy. If I had a preference, it would be the commems (they are close to copper anyway...)

DBSTrader2 · February 26, 2004 10:34PM

Cathy:

Either prize would be graciously accepted by me! And having them labelled is a plus, as I STILL have the hardest time with coins from the Orient!!

Thanks for the giveaway!

- - Dave

Refrema · February 26, 2004 10:36PM

Please enter me. Either one would be nice, but I prefer the mint set.

Bob

0john0 · February 26, 2004 10:44PM

Sounds like some good luck, getting two coins for one price.
Please enter me in the giveaway. Thanks.
-john

tbirde56 · February 26, 2004 11:18PM

Either one is great! Please enter me Cathy.

satootoko · February 27, 2004 1:44AM

I would have done just what you did Cathy, and if it doesn't turn up a claimant, I wouldn't do anything more.

You have accomplished something unusual - posted a giveaway that I'm not entering (unless, of course, the mint set is in the Astro Boy box - #163 on the poster at the back of the JNDA catalog

)

Dennis88 · February 27, 2004 2:17AM

please count me in for the mint set.

dennis

Stork · February 27, 2004 3:04AM

Not the Astro Boy, just the regular one...

It's funny, I've already gotten about 10 responses from people saying they didn't send the coin...so we'll see what turns up.

I forgot to put an end time on this, so let's make this a leap year special (I hope we don't have any deliveries on Sunday!), and entries close at 23:59 on the 29th of February--I'll use California time though

danglen · February 27, 2004 3:24AM

Cathy,
Nice guilt giveaway. I would love to have the Japanese Mint set

indianabyron · February 27, 2004 5:58AM

OOOOOHHHHHHHHHH cool can i enter . If i won i would trake either one.

Byron

MadMarty · February 27, 2004 9:10AM

Count me in!!!

farthing · February 27, 2004 10:49AM

Please enter my name. Either item would be wonderful to win!

ColinCMR · February 27, 2004 4:43PM

Please enter me too!! thanks!

Stork · February 29, 2004 5:02AM

This is one of the about 15 responsed I got (out of about 20 emails...):

HELLO

I APPRECIATE YOUR HONESTY

I DID HAVE TO REIMBURSE ANOTHER BUYER FOR AN ITEM THAT I COULD NOT PLACE

I BELIEVE IT WAS A JAPONESE COIN- THIS WAS ABOUT 2-3 MONTHS AGO

TELL ME THE DESCRIPTION OF THE COIN AND I WILL LET YOU KNOW

AT THIS POINT YOU MAY AS WELL KEEP THE COIN BUT THANKS FOR YOUR HONESTY

Not exactly confidence inspiring, but I got the bright idea to check my paypal history (which is how I pay for about 90%+ of my ebay stuff) and there it was--the payment ($4!! a bit low!) with the item listed right in the title. So I found my seller, but

I should have checked paypal first and found it in 3 minutes!! Oh well, mystery solved, so if the guy sends me his address it goes back to him. So, this thread can now go TTT.

XpipedreamR · February 29, 2004 5:19AM

oldshep · February 29, 2004 5:22AM

Please enter me in your giveaway - either one would be just fine

Shep

Stork · March 1, 2004 6:40AM

Alright, everyone got a number and the random number selector (my son) has chosen....

Hookedoncoins (mintset) and
0John0

I think it was fixed as my son's name is John and my husband informed me that he is getting worried that I am 'hooked on coins' (nope not me, I only have one forum handle

)

Please pm your address and I will eventually get things mailed.

SYRACUSIAN · March 1, 2004 11:35AM

You know , it's funny to see that you've e-mailed all those people. Quite frankly I wouldn't have the patience to do this, over a small value item, that comes from a dealer. But I remembered a story from a friend of mine who specializes in Saints and gold US coins in general. One of his bidders had won a Saint and received a coin double its value by mistake, but my friend was able to trace it. So he e-mails the recipient and he receives an e-mail by a couple,with a crazy story that the coin was bought as a present for their son, that the son was studying far away (and probably pawned it, even if the story was true), that it's impossible to reach him etc. Of course, there was nothing that my friend could do, not even a negative, certainly not a negative , since he was building up his rep at the time.

Congrats to the winners.

0john0 · March 1, 2004 12:09PM

Alright!! Sounds great!!

Thanks for the giveaway, PM Sent.
-john

hookedoncoins2 · March 22, 2004 11:41AM

I received the mint set a week or so ago, but my laptop died, so I haven't been on the boards for a while. The mint set is very cool

. Thanks a lot

.