Advice regarding "unsearched" coins on Ebay

Cryptomaniac

Hey guys,

I'm a long time lurker and first time poster.......I've actually found many of you guys to be quite helpful without even asking any questions. I've learned a good deal while just browsing this board from time to time.

On with the question:

I don't have a lot of money to spend on coins but I was looking for a good idea for a Christmas present for my dad. I was looking on Ebay for a while and came across a number of "unsearched" hordes of different coins (Standing Liberty Quarters, V nickels, etc.). My question is, does anyone here actually pay any attention to things like that? Have any of you ever taken the plunge and come up with anything that made you think, "this was worth it"? I'm not really foolish enough to think that the coins are really unsearched but wanted to know if anyone here had any good experiences with something similar.

Most of the coins are generally G to VF grade and I'm not really looking at them from an investment standpoint (which goes without saying). I just wanted something fun that I could give as a gift. I have the most fun sorting through coins and being surprised with interesting finds (as does my dad).

Any thoughts?

Thanks!

Darkmane

"unsearched" generally means searched over junk. everything has been searched over by someone.... just buy something nice that you pick out yourself. it will mean more and you wont be ripped off (or at least, not GUARANTEED to be ripped off)


edit: if you want to look through something for fun, buy 100.00 (or however much) worth of 5c wheat pennies from a local dealer..... that'd be fun

2bucks

Hey RUSS - Fresh Meat™ !

BTW Welcome - Prepare yourself, it's a wild ride!!

100proof1957

™

majorbigtime

"unsearched' means they have been picked-over so many times that the seller didn't even bother to look.

Russ

Cryptomaniac,

Welcome to the forum. We are pleased that you have joined us.

Russ, NCNE

LucyBop

Hey buddy, can you spare a half?

Cryptomaniac

Thanks guys,

I figured as much. I guess it isn't good for business if they were up front and said, "Bag of complete crap for sale" - however amusing it would be to see.

Perhaps I'll look into some nice Franklins or something like that. He is also a big fan of Morgans, but I'd be hard pressed to get something he didn't have in the grades he is looking for without breaking a law or two.

By the way, thanks for the welcome........Hopefully I'll be able to contribute from time to time!

morgannut2

I have a constructive suggestion--WELCOME by the way. Because it's holiday season you could try getting a bag or a pile or raw uncirculated rolls of coins (pennys, dimes, etc) that the banks will have for holiday sales by merchants--If they don't cooperate you should know a business friend who gets change in rolls right??. The you and your dad can have a competition searching out the most perfect uncirculated modern coin in the lot. A side benifit is one or both of you may learn to grade better and who knows, you guys might find a really high grade coin of real value. The downside is zero since dad can cash in the rest of the coins and buy a second coin he's always wanted anyway--JUST AN IDEA!

Barberman55

It would be less costly (actually face value), to just order a box of halves $500.00, from your bank. You and your dad will probably get more fun from seaching thru the rolls of halves, than seaching thru a bunch of picked over, high priced, junk coins.

pharmer

HiIf you're always going to wonder, pull the trigger on something cheap, but as stated, they are not unsearched.

TwoSides2aCoin

Always good advice here , once you get past the sarcasm.
Welcome Crypto.

As for ebay "unsearched" coins..., well it is a crap shoot. I try to avoid those auctions that are on the front of the search...there are seasoned professionals who pay big bucks to show up on the front page of ebay's coin auctions. Hundreds selling JUNK....

New ebay users selling grandpa's estate usually are 18 pages in and don't show up til you search through pages of CRAP. These sellers usually have under 200 feedbacks and don't always deal in coins.

I have found, with a little luck and a lot of persistence, fair auctions with a good mix of wheats, mercs, buffs...etc.... but be careful of the "dutch" type , this is the one where you get a "grab bag of junk" to search through..... the guy says: "look what others have said about me", then they show you pages of past feedback of buyers who got 1909 S VDB's, etc.... if ya know what I mean. Those are what I call " the promise of the garden of eden and get a handful of dirt AUCTIONS".

Joe

LastExitInNY

welcome to the board

atarian

what do you get when you buy unsearched well with pennies sometimes you get a silver penny (1943 ) which is really Zinc but youd be surprise how many people will list it in an "unsearched" pile of coins and STILL call it Silver. that guy in clifton by me did that once. but the woman working there told me it was really zinc. 100 wheats for 8.95 i think looking back i got screwed. be warned unsearched only referes to the money you are paying them, thats the only money that they are gonna have that hasnt been searched through.

UncleWiggly

There's a big difference between unsearched and unsearched looked through. People due luck out on these eBay grab bag type unsearched auctions. But not because something slipped through. But usually because the lot just happened to be the one the seller threw in a 1909-S or G-4 1914-D or even cheaper a 09 VDB. And that then will pop up in the seller's feedback. I don't look at it as a scam though. More like a lotto game. I buy about 1 or 2 unsearched something every year. So far...zip.



Jerry

291fifth

Avoid so-called "unsearched" lots.

robertpr

I would advise you to check the buy/sell/trade board here before going to the bay of E. Lots of good stuff there, with lots of honest and up-front people.

BOOK

I bought "unsearched" twice on the bay. It was fun but a waste of $$$

cartwheel

Welcome!

(ok, who hijacked Russ' account???)

Cartwheel

Deadhorse

Every now and then you can come across a true unsearched batch. It's quite rare though.

Several years ago I was looking at antique radios on eBay Canada and found an antique store selling a batch of odds and ends. One lot was 75 Morgan dollars found in a false bottom of an old chest. I actually called the guy, he spoke French for the most part. Anyway, I paid $7 each for them and gave him my CC# over the phone. Back then, US dollars were worth quite a bit more than Canadian dollars, so he was happy with it.

Believe it or not, in that lot was an 89 CC and a 90 CC in very circulated condition. Needless to say, I sold those to a dealer at a show a few weeks later and came out with the rest of the batch cost free plus a couple hundred dollars in my pocket.

So, it's possible, but it's extremely unlikely. Also, that was a few years ago and I think the chances of it happening today is even more unlikely.

xbob

Welcome.!!

I tried a few lots on ebay before and for the most part you get circulated common coins. Worth just around price paid (+/-) if you could actually get full retail on such coins based on book value. I refuse to believe any of the lots sold are un-searched (with minor exceptions like Deadhorse's example). I think they are occasionally seeded so sellers can boost their feedback a little with great "wins". Pay close attention to feedback if you are considering it. The can be fun to look through but usually not very satisfying for the money spent.

This link helps since many of them are "power" sellers (cough..scammers...cough) with a lot of feedback to sift through:
Toolhaus.org: Link
http://www.toolhaus.org/
Let's you see negative and neutral feedback (left and received) on an ebay member.

All things considered, you are probably better off taking your budget and picking out one or a few nice coins that you think your Dad would enjoy owning and keeping to remind him of you.

Cryptomaniac

Terrific advice everyone! I certainly do appreciate it. It is good to get an idea of what you guys think since you seem to know your coins!

I will probably look for something that I can at least be somewhat confident in as far as "bang for my buck". I'll be posting again soon!

Cheers!

JadeRareCoin

Just avoid auctions with titles such as:

"Guaranteed unsearched lot of 1000 wheat cents....ALL DATED 1919 OR EARLIER!!!!!"

or....

"unsearched lot of coins, includes gold, silver dollars, s-mint wheats, Ikes, etc."

or.....

"bag of 1000 steel pennies.....guaranteed unsearched"

mozin

<< <i>"unsearched' means they have been picked-over so many times that the seller didn't even bother to look. >>