Replica coins

Hussulo

An eBay seller has some 686 replica coins for sale. They are all marked replica, but they seem to be quite convincing. Just makes you wonder how many are about that haven't been marked replica.

Here's the link:

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British ones:
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I don't collect Russian, but this one seems like a particularly good copy:
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worldcoinguy

Quite disturbing. There are US pennys, nickels, halfs, dollars, etc. I would imagine he/she could drop the word replica if you ask, which makes it all the more dangerous. Do you really think the auctions are legit, or are they highjacked images with photoshop work? The dates/types are extensive.

lordmarcovan

Ahh, yes.

China.

You can bet your bottom dollar that there were plenty that did not get the REPLICA stamp.

lordmarcovan

Some of the "circulated" US Bust dollar replicas, with lettered edges and all, are quite scary.

They've gotten very skilled. I'm glad this seller is honest enough to use the REPLICA stamp on all his coins (we'll assume, to give him the benefit of the doubt), but for every one who does use it, there are probably dozens who don't.

Scavenger

I saw an 1895 Morgan dollar for sale in my local dealers display case a few months ago. It was marked $50.00, I was thinking that there is something wrong here, when I asked to see it the lady said "Oh you collect replicas?" I looked at it anyway, and I'm sure that this coin would have fooled a lot of people. The weight was close enough and what I saw next was really scary, it appeared as though this coin was stamped with worn dies to give it a realistic appearance. On a brighter note, if you've seen a few of these you can usually tell that they're counterfeit because of the type of metal that they use. There's no silver content and the coins have a strange greyish look.

BCNumismatics

Hus,
It's no surprise that replica 'coins' are being sold on FleaBay.FleaBay has now got a reputation that is lower than the toilet!

FleaBay = SCAMMERS' PARADISE!

PayPal = THIEVING SCUMBAGS!

Aidan.

wybrit

Hmm, an almost complete set of "No WW" halfcrowns, eh? Interesting "dates" include 1851 (none minted) and 1853 (no business strikes minted). The ones I looked at all had Davies Obverse 5 and Reverse D, so maybe cast from a date like 1880 or beyond.

What a bunch of garbage. I'm pleased to see that there are no bidders at least in the "British" section.

The casual and even experienced collectors have more reason to beware.

BCNumismatics

Tom,
You should think seriously about joining here after it opens up after the end of next week.

FleaBay's pissed off so many people with its unethical behaviour.

Why hasn't all 51 Attorneys-General in America taken action to take down FleaBay & PayPal?

Aidan.

wybrit

PayPal has its uses, even though the fees are too danged high. It's pretty tough to sell British coins to the British without it.

As for ebay, these days I buy things other than coins and sell only from my website for two reasons (i) I'm tired of the ever increasing fees and (ii) I'm not really in a big hurry to sell. Every once in a while, I expect to run an auction for a US coin or two.

rec78

I hate replicas -ALL REPLICAS- I think they should be illegal -every one of them. Contempory cointerfiets are one thing, and collectable in their own right. However Replicas do absolutely nothing for me.
I am tired of seeing more and more replica auctions on ebay-They even make them for common coins. They just waste my time. I would rather not have an example of a coin then a replica. You will never see any in my collection. Bob

BCNumismatics

<< <i>I hate replicas -ALL REPLICAS- I think they should be illegal -every one of them. Contempory cointerfiets are one thing, and collectable in their own right. However Replicas do absolutely nothing for me.
I am tired of seeing more and more replica auctions on ebay-They even make them for common coins. They just waste my time. I would rather not have an example of a coin then a replica. You will never see any in my collection. Bob >>



Bob,
I agree with you there.FleaBay's policies regarding replica 'coins' & forgeries are beyond a sick joke! It hasn't stopped those scammers from China & Indonesia posting their crap up on FleaBay!

FleaBay needs to be taken down alright - in a huge way! All 51 Attorneys-General in America should take action against FleaBay.

The only counterfeit coin that would be in my collection is that made at the same time,& circulated alongside,the proper coin as currency.This is very true in the British Isles & Canadian traders' currency token series.The barbarous radiates (ancient British copies of Roman coins) are also of interest,as they were struck for circulation as well.

Aidan.

wybrit

Perhaps a request to ebay to set up separate categories for replicas would be in order. One of the reasons I do not browse ebay for coins anymore is because of the endless parade of replicas on every page, whether they are those cruddy base metal slugs from China or the Edward VIII or "rare date" fantasy pieces from sellers in the UK.

coinpictures

<< <i>Perhaps a request to ebay to set up separate categories for replicas would be in order. One of the reasons I do not browse ebay for coins anymore is because of the endless parade of replicas on every page, whether they are those cruddy base metal slugs from China or the Edward VIII or "rare date" fantasy pieces from sellers in the UK. >>



The truly pathetic fact is that there ARE subcategories for "Reproductions" in most numismatic categories on eBay... but... eBay doesn't require that replicas be only listed in those categories.

WTF????!!!!

It's lipservice to the issue so that eBay can claim they are addressing the problem. They know damned well that the sellers of these fakes will, if given a choice, eschew the "Reproductions" categories for the legit categories where their wares will garner a larger audience.

eBay only cares about their fees. Period.

Unfortunately, even with all the coinzip, coinmonster, etc. sites around, the only one that gets any traffic around is good ole' eBay. Plus look at it from a seller's standpoint: do I want to list on THE site that gets all the eyeballs or spend all my time duplicating listings on a zillion little sites that get ZERO eyeballs, and then have to remember to update/relist/delist the same coin all over the darned place. There aren't enough hours in the day to track all the Mickey Mouse sites... sorry, but it's the truth.

wybrit

If ebay can enforce the "slab" rules, then they should be able to control the replicas as well. Of course, what you say is true - only the fees matter, so they won't do a thing about it unless they feel the pinch from the ebay community. That is unlikely to happen any time soon.

As for listing outside of ebay, if you are not in a hurry to sell items, it works fine. I get the prices I want and I don't have to concern myself about relisting, ebay fees, timing and the slab picture requirements. It's been almost a year since I've listed anything on ebay.

DoubleEagle59

You all talk about having these coins in the 'Replica' section of Ebay would solve the problem.

Absolutely not!!

The reason is when these coins are sold and delivered to you, most if not ALL of them DO NOT have the 'Replica' stamped on them.

The Chinese seller only lists these coins with a picture of a coin stamped 'Replica', to make it easy for him to sell on Ebay.

A complete crook that needs to be shut down. End of story.

rec78

That seller would probably make you any coin you want.

adamlaneus

<< <i>because my father is doing crafts, so I slowly understanding of the coin, a copy of a coin, he was very beautiful >>





<< <i>Coins is a very good collection, I hope to know every coin buyers, I also contribute to better enhance foreign language >>



I need an aspirin. I have a splitting headache.

Zoins

<< <i>You all talk about having these coins in the 'Replica' section of Ebay would solve the problem.

Absolutely not!!

The reason is when these coins are sold and delivered to you, most if not ALL of them DO NOT have the 'Replica' stamped on them.

The Chinese seller only lists these coins with a picture of a coin stamped 'Replica', to make it easy for him to sell on Ebay.

A complete crook that needs to be shut down. End of story. >>

The thing is that many buyers of these coins may know exactly what they are getting and want to sell them to the unsuspecting public. Having complicit buyers makes it less likely a separately category would help reduce imports, but it would help buyers that don't want them avoid seeing them on eBay.

lordmarcovan

A separate category for replicas would only help keep them from cluttering up searches, that's all.

It'll never stop the unscrupulous from trying to rip people off with the unmarked copies.

At least the seller linked to is selling marked replicas. It does indeed make one wonder how many don't get marked.

(We all know that answer: a lot. Maybe not by this particular seller, but certainly by many or most of the Chinese counterfeiting factories.)

wybrit

You all talk about having these coins in the 'Replica' section of Ebay would solve the problem.

Aw, c'mon. You triumphantly post this as if you think that anyone on this board is that naive (or should I just say "stupid").

Replicas and counterfeits are two separate problems. Replicas are just a form of annoyance, that, as LM has stated, clutters up searches and discourages people like me from even browsing ebay. Having a separate category and enforcing it (yes, a reach of an assumption) would deal with that problem.

There is no easy way to stop the bigger problem of fakes. I have little doubt that the seller from the OP could easily omit the replica stamp (although I haven't found the evidence to "convict" him of that yet). You shut down one crook and two will take his place. It's metastasizing rapidly and will cause a "crisis of confidence" in the coin market as these guys improve their still-crude processes. It's going to be a big challenge for us IMO.

BillyKingsley

I bet it would be possible to collect counterfeits by die state, there are so many of them!

lordmarcovan

Sheesh, try searching in Roman Imperial Coins sometime.

There is one seller in particular with a store who sells nothing but replicas. Now, the coins are legally marked, and he sells them as replicas, stating the fact in his description (but not always his titles).

He's the scourge of the entire category, because his replicas just totally crowd out the real coins.

I have complained to eBay of this. They need to make this guy USE the replica category.