eBay no longer allowing replica coins.

TwoKopeiki

Received this a few minutes ago from eBay:



<< <i>Dear rvm.numis.photo:

The eBay marketplace for coin collecting is vibrant. Buyers and sellers alike enjoy access to both a great selection and a highly engaged community. Customers within the Coins & Paper Money category have told us that the ability to shop and sell confidently on eBay is an important factor for them.

Based on this feedback, and after closely reviewing the coin experience on eBay, we have decided to update eBay's Stamps, currency, and coins policy to disallow replica coin listings on eBay.com, effective February 20. Any replica coin listings on eBay on February 20 will be allowed to end normally.

This update reflects standards across the coin industry and helps ensure compliance with applicable laws that require replica coins to be permanently marked with the word "copy." We also expect that this update will increase marketplace confidence by letting our community know that coin listings on eBay are authentic, so they'll receive the most positive eBay experience possible.

As always, thank you for selling on eBay.

Sincerely,

The eBay Seller Team >>



I'm not sure how this will help the community, since listings clearly marked as "copy" or "replica" are not the reason why eBay people don't have a lot of confidence with regards to authenticity. It's the other listings that omit that information and try to sell counterfeits as authentic coins that's are the issue here.

If anything this will affect people selling contemporary counterfeits (properly described), since I can see these fall under the replica category.

ormandh

I am actually in agreement with Ebay on this action. However, I do agree with you, Roman, on the fact that it does not solve the problem of selling fakes on Ebay. I am actually okay with not allowing contemporary counterfeits on Ebay considering that the average person does not know the difference between a counterfeit, whether contemporary or new. Besides, Ebay is not in the business of discerning between the two. It makes perfect business sense to just cut out entirely the sale of non-genuine coins. JMHO. -Dan

SaorAlba

Now the underground backshop economy of China will go down the crapper.

JamesMurray

It's a good move , i believe a little late though.The Chinese fakes will be around for a very long time thanks to domestic buyers.The Chinese have still got the fake raybans and rolexes to fall back on along with every other luxery item imaginable.

olmanjon

It's a good move, however the sellers get around fakes by sayin"I am not a coin collector and I don't know what condition this is in. I think it is Chinese. " I bought it for $20 and it turned out to be a fake Japanese coin. I question them on it and there reply was that they had posted "they didn't know what it was"... so my lost. Pretty cheap lession I suppose for buying off ebay.
Olmanjon

ajaan

I don't see how they can enforce this policy. eBay says you can't sell replica coins. Is eBay going to check every coin auction? When you now list a coin they ask if it's authentic. All you have to do is hit Yes and you're on your way. I don't see how this policy is anything new and I don't predict it'll stop any of the Chinese fakes being sold. Hopefully I'm wrong, but I'm not holding my breath.

SaorAlba

<< <i>I don't see how they can enforce this policy. eBay says you can't sell replica coins. Is eBay going to check every coin auction? When you now list a coin they ask if it's authentic. All you have to do is hit Yes and you're on your way. I don't see how this policy is anything new and I don't predict it'll stop any of the Chinese fakes being sold. Hopefully I'm wrong, but I'm not holding my breath. >>



Remember, eBay likes to hide behind their "we're only a venue" curtain.

JamesMurray

I also got the email and just read it , from what i see i'd agree with ajaan , it isn't going to stop the people listing fakes knowingly.All i see is there will no longer be a section for listing replicas.

Aethelred

Just got that same e-mail. I think the move by eBay is a good one (for a change). However, I echo Ajann's comment above, I see no way to enforce this in any meaningful manner.

wybrit

It's good lip service and probably the best ebay can do. This is certainly better news than the imbecilic "exciting news" (as they put it) from ATS.

YQQ

and the onus of proof will still be with the buyer....
seller just will re-word his offering to be more careful and will use different wording to circum-describe the coins.
I recently had an experience in Europe where a auctioneer told me to proof that the coin was a fake, after I made him aware of it.
My reply to him: if you will auction off this coin, I will lay charges against you, as I must have reasonable doubt provided for you.
he removed the 1948 dollar and we got to chat. interesting... is all I have to say.... they all know the fakes... but they hope the single buyer needing this one coin does NOT.
they rely on the buyer not being able to say that it is a fake, because most collectors have little or no opportunity to proof it. Usually a good way to proof it woul be to have either solid photographic evidence or have a real coin also in hand.
so, Feebay wants to play ball... on the surface only.
as long as it brings $$$$$ they do not give a rats a.......s
H

SYRACUSIAN

I'm not sure how this will help the community, since listings clearly marked as "copy" or "replica" are not the reason why eBay people don't have a lot of confidence with regards to authenticity. It's the other listings that omit that information and try to sell counterfeits as authentic coins that's are the issue here.


A small bit of info here: several listings where the sellers were supposedly selling REPLICA marked coins, they were simply selling fakes, with the word REPLICA photoshopped on them. The coins arrived with a discreet message from their Chinese sellers to keep quiet about it.

In that sense, the new ebay policy is probably helping ,as there is absolutely no way to find out what happens to these coins after they are purchased from the original Chinese sellers. I bought a few Greek 19th century ones for comparison purposes, and I even ordered a couple of silver copies of the crowns (@ $50 incl.), instead of the cheap white metal ones that were sold instead.

syl

SYRACUSIAN ... You are so right about coins actually marked "copy" or "replica" for real, or just for the benefit of the Ebay auction via photoshop or a "representative" photo.. In Canada, it is against the law to sell, or even possess, a counterfeit coin or bill ... counterfeit charges can be brought against you. Now, to sell a coin that you know is fake .. that comes under the fraud laws. With the work of Mike Marshal, among others, pressure was put on Ebay to stop selling Chinese fakes of Canadian coins on Ebay this last year. Ebay is just expanding the policy to include the others. The US Congress is in the process of rewriting the counterfeiting and federal fraud laws, as they apply to coinage & currency. I think that consumer products, antiquities, or collectibles will still be fair game for the crooks and Ebay(another crook) because they don't deal with Federal funding ... stamps will still be a no-no.

rec78

Believe me-I am one of the biggest haters of replicas on the planet. I wish that none would exist.
However - there is a market for contemporary counterfeits,electrotypes, and using the British term-- "non-regal" for contemporary coppers and such which i find to be perfectly acceptable.
This new ebay policy will not stop the problem. You will still get the "I know nothing about coins, i am selling them for a friend-i inherited it from my father so it must be real", etc., etc,. etc., type auctions, among others that will just try to rip you off with fake or replica items despite the policy.
Bob