Just snagged an extraordinary coin under some extraordinary circumstances...

seanq

I just won (ripped?) this auction for a very nice clipped 1803 large cent. I attributed it as an S-251, a common variety, and graded it at least choice VF to XF. It's rare that I find an (affordable) early clip in good enough shape to preserve the diagnostics of the error, so this coin had me bouncing in anticipation for five days. Here are the sellers pics:




Now here's the weird part... I wrote the seller two days ago with an offer of $125 if he'd close the auction early. For what it's worth, this seller has bought from me on eBay in the past, and I was sure to mention that when I wrote. He countered that he'd only end early for $150, and I wrote back late last night and agreed to that amount. I asked at the time how he wanted to handle it, if I should place a bid and he'd close early, or if he wanted to add a Buy It Now, or if he wanted to just cancel the auction outright. Said it was his call, just let me know how he wanted to proceed. And then I never heard from him again.

I wrote again about three hours before the close and asked him one last time how to proceed, adding that if he waited too long there could be another bidder to complicate things. With no reply and about half an hour left on the auction, I figured I'd just have to try and snipe it... which I did, for one bid increment over my initial offer. I guess the seller either got cold feet about an early close, or he thought he could get more from the snipers. Just to be sure there was no further confusion, I immediately paid him (based on my winning bid) via PayPal.

Despite the strange circumstances, I have to say I'm thrilled to win this coin, as it nearly completes my clipped cent type set from 1796 to date (I'm only missing a clipped 1859 Indian). I'll post more pictures when it arrives.


Sean Reynolds

Hoot

Great snag!

clipped cent type set from 1796 to date (I'm only missing a clipped 1859 Indian)

Must be a heck of an interesting set! Hope you take it to shows!

Hoot

greymars

always good to see a good deal

JrGMan2004

MAD4MORGANS

Hope everything works out for you!

Lately. I seem to be less trusting of the happenings on eBay so excuse me if I seem a little paranoid.

If you sent your Payal payment, did it go to the same seller as your other previous buys from him? You might want to check your Paypal transaction. Some seller's accounts have been hijacked lately and him not having any other items for sale and not responding back would concern me.

fivecents

One shot one kill....Great snipe.

LeeG

Nice focus, and discipline, with this collection! Lee

seanq

<< <i>
If you sent your Payal payment, did it go to the same seller as your other previous buys from him? You might want to check your Paypal transaction. Some seller's accounts have been hijacked lately and him not having any other items for sale and not responding back would concern me. >>




I'm sure this is the same guy. It's been a while, but I recall selling some off-center Lincoln Cents to him, and he had a bunch of nice type coin errors close last night. I doubt a hijacker would take the time to research prior buying habits when making fake auctions.

This was the first time I had the chance to use my Rasmussen and Robinson catalogs to attribute a large cent, I'm curious if one of the EACers in the house could confirm my attribution.


Sean Reynolds

Shamika

MajorDuty

What about the ethics, or rather the lack there of, about asking for the seller to end the auction early and make the sale that way? Isn't that basically considered not cool and not really fair to other interested parties? I understand the auction ended up closing as usual.

Russ

<< <i>What about the ethics, or rather the lack there of, about asking for the seller to end the auction early and make the sale that way? >>



There's nothing unethical about it.



<< <i>Isn't that basically considered not cool and not really fair to other interested parties? >>



Life ain't fair.

Russ, NCNE

seanq

I don't consider writing the seller with an offer to be unethical at all. Closing the auction early and selling to the current high bidder, or adding a Buy It Now with a single pre-approved bidder, are both valid means to end an auction by eBay's rules. Closing an auction early to make a private transaction is frowned upon just like any other lost income would be frowned upon. I asked the seler to choose one of the first two options, and mentioned that if he prefered the third I'd honor his wishes. If someone else wanted the coin more than I did, they had four days to write the seller or place a bid.


Sean Reynolds

MajorDuty

I understand the inquiry to add a buy it now option. I've won auctions that way, although it was after the original auction closed and I missed it, but it's the same idea. I was referring specifically the 'cancel the auction outright' part and sell it outside eBay, possibly. Maybe someone was waiting to snipe it as well, and maybe they were willing to pay even more, and maybe it's their loss. Just talkin' here. Pretty neat coin, btw.

And yes Russ, life aint fair. How eloquent.

Wolf359

Coin Ferengi

I just noticed Russ's new title. ROTFLMAO.

Wolf359

I've had a couple of major rips by convincing a seller to end early. It's no
different than buying from a coin shop. Give them the price they want, and you
get the coin. What's unfair is being forced to wait 9 days, 23 hours, and 56 minutes
after telling the seller you'll pay cash NOW for what they want for a coin.

Just failed to close one last week at $100 the day the coin opened. A week later I won
the auction for $105. Was it worth it to the seller?

Conder101

I'll be happy to confirm, but I won't be back on here until about 1AM Sunday

airplanenut

<< <i> I was referring specifically the 'cancel the auction outright' part and sell it outside eBay, possibly. >>

I personally don't feel too much sympathy if eBay doesn't get their $3... if it's going to happen anyway, might as well be me.



<< <i>Maybe someone was waiting to snipe it as well, and maybe they were willing to pay even more, and maybe it's their loss. >>

That's the seller's choice--I've offered and been declined... and I won for less than my offer; I've had it go the other way and I've won for more than my offer. Seller's choice.

That said, I've had a few auctions closed for me in the past few weeks... nothing like losing the competition.

Jeremy

Russ

<< <i>if it's going to happen anyway, might as well be me. >>



You would make an excellent Coin Ferengi!

Russ, NCNE

airplanenut

<< <i>

<< <i>if it's going to happen anyway, might as well be me. >>



You would make an excellent Coin Ferengi!

Russ, NCNE >>



Should my new title be Coin Ferengi, Jr.?

TWQG

Nice looking coin. I don't know these but it would seem worth the price without the clip.


<< <i>Just failed to close one last week at $100 the day the coin opened. A week later I won
the auction for $105. Was it worth it to the seller? >>

He netted $1.50 more and had the "protection" of ebay, so I would have to say yes it was worth it to the seller to let the auction run in this case.

What's a ferengi?

Russ

<< <i>What's a ferengi? >>



A much maligned and misunderstood race of people.

Russ, NCNE

MAD4MORGANS

<< What's a ferengi? >>

Coin Ferengi --->

pharmer

I had something happen to me a few weeks ago where I had placed a bid shortly after an item was listed by a seller I buy from frequently. I placed a strong bid expecting to take it with that, even though it was a 7 day auction. I checked daily, and was the high bidder at all times. About halfway through the listing, the item was not there. I emailed the seller, and he said he had received an offer and closed the auction. The seller did not know my max bid. When I said what I been prepared to bid if someone had exceeded my bid, his reply was the coin was only worth 1/3 of my original max. Not sure how to take this, I left it at that.

I received an email from the seller a couple days ago saying the person he sold it to had decided to sell at the amount I had said I was prepared to go to in the auction if I had to, and he assumed a done transaction with me. I'm not sure what to do, and apparently the coin is arriving no matter my current feelings about it.

Conder101

The 1803 IS an S-251. It is a little unusual though. The S-251 normally comes with the reverse heavily and severely cracked. The only trace of the cracks I see in your picture is the one inside the wreath just above the two leaf clusters above ONE. Usually there is a heavy crack from the rim between the D & S up through the left wreath and up to the rim to the left of the O. The crack in the wreath continues through the wreath to the rim to the left of the first A.

lordmarcovan

<< <i>it nearly completes my clipped cent type set from 1796 to date (I'm only missing a clipped 1859 Indian) >>



Wow.

That's an impressive undertaking.

errormaven

I'm curious, Sean. What persuaded you that this is a genuine clip? The pictures are too small and dark for me to detect any of the usual diagnostics with any degree of certainty.

seanq

<< <i>I'm curious, Sean. What persuaded you that this is a genuine clip? The pictures are too small and dark for me to detect any of the usual diagnostics with any degree of certainty. >>




Hi Mike,

The reverse image is the one that convinced me. Check out the rim under the 1 of the fraction and it seems weak right next to the rim. I've noticed that the older the coin is, the less the usual diagnostics like Blakesley effect can be relied on. I'll be sure to take better pics when the coin arrives.

Conder: thanks for adding to the attribution. Is the reverse a recognized die state of the S-251? I attributed it by the position of the leaf by the R of AMERICA and the short bar on the fraction, not by the die cracks. A rare die state would be a nice bit of icing on the cake.


Sean Reynolds

Conder101

I don't normally use die cracks for attribution either unless they are obvious. I identified it as 251 by small fraction, gap between ends of wreath under serif of S, and point of leaf below center of D. S-251

I'll check and see if I can learn anymore about the die states of this piece.