"Avoid eBay"

Barndog · June 23, 2015 3:22AM

people throw that advice around to tell others (typically, as hindsight) that eBay is a great place to get scammed or purchase overgraded, cleaned, and other problem coins. OK, thank you for the advice.

Here are smoe coins I got from ebay. There are more...

The first three were purchased raw. What do you have?

I no longer own this next one, but it's an R6 that found its way to another collection:

Unknown · June 23, 2015 3:26AM

This content has been removed.

TopographicOceans · June 23, 2015 3:39AM

Right now there are 772,963 coins listed on eBay.
97% are either overpriced, junk or fake leaving 23,188 needles in that haystack.

AUandAG · June 23, 2015 3:40AM

If I were you I'd leave ebay alone....you take all the good stuff.

bob

ms70 · June 23, 2015 3:41AM

Currently my entire collection (about 57 coins) with the exception of probably 2 or 3 pieces is off eBay. I never have the time to get to a show.

lkeigwin · June 23, 2015 3:41AM

Impressive, Barndog! I really like them.

I have picked up many nice coins on eBay. Doesn't trouble me a bit if collectors look elsewhere.
Lance.

guitarwes · June 23, 2015 3:46AM

<< Impressive, Barndog! I really like them. >>

Yeah, but they're still those teeny tiny 1/2 Dimes........

AMRC · June 23, 2015 3:47AM

<< Right now there are 772,963 coins listed on eBay.
97% are either overpriced, junk or fake leaving 23,188 needles in that haystack. >>

That's not a lot of needles? So are ou saying that is not enough for you to use eBay?

ctf_error_coins · June 23, 2015 3:57AM

I really don't like telling people just how fantastic eBay is for buying.

But I also sell there, so I always defend eBay

roadrunner · June 23, 2015 4:08AM

I've bought some good coins off Ebay. I've also been ripped off 4X and scammed 2X. I had 144 transactions that were acceptable and 6 that were big losers. I probably made $4K to $5K off the positive transactions and lost $4K on the scam jobs ($2K off one of them that was an outright theft). One of the nation's "leading" dealers got me for $1,000. After the last hit in 2008 I figured I'd quit while I was a little bid ahead.

The sellers I dealt with were generally random. A 96% success rate might seem good on paper...but cash-wise it wasn't far from 50-50.

silverpop · June 23, 2015 4:14AM

that is why I avoid e-bay too risky

DIMEMAN · June 23, 2015 4:18AM

There are a lot of nice coins on ebay........and even more junk.

But to not go there and look is stupid, but that leaves more for me!

TopographicOceans · June 23, 2015 4:19AM

Sing along

amwldcoin · June 23, 2015 4:25AM

Well! Since I do well over 100K buying and more than that selling I guess you know where I stand.

I have never had near the problems I see many complain about here! Sure I have to occasionally return a coin and have a few selling transaction issues that really make ya scratch your head. All in all I think ebay is a much better venue than it was when I stopped at the turn of the last century! Does that make anyone here feel old?

I started back 3 years ago.

mbogoman · June 23, 2015 4:58AM

So far, here are my 2015 Ebay picks and scores with subsequent PCGS grades in parens:

1875 S/CC Trade $1, NGC AU Details unattributed - $285 (PCGS XF Details cleaned)
1876 P Trade $1 Type II/II raw - $316 (PCGS XF Details cleaned)
1894 P Morgan $1 VF Details raw - $27 (in a lot of 11 Morgans won in auction for $295)
1901 Morgan $1 DDR, raw unattributed - $196 (PCGS AU55)
1916 DDO Buffalo 5c, raw in roll of dateless Buffs – $19.99 (PCGS FR02)
1901 Morgan $1 DDR, raw unattributed - $33 (PCGS F12)

LindeDad · June 23, 2015 5:00AM

Yeah take the summer off and please avoid all us scammers.

Stuart · June 23, 2015 5:08AM

Barndog,

Those are beautiful Half Dimes.

My favorites in that grouping are the 1832 (which appears to be an EDS), and the 1829 in that order of preference.

Connecticoin · June 23, 2015 5:32AM

$510 for the 5 of them, off eBay:

Grades:

14 2 32463982 7378 1935 $1 USA MS64
14 3 32463983 7378 1935 $1 USA MS64
14 4 32463984 7378 1935 $1 USA MS64+
14 5 32463985 7378 1935 $1 USA MS65
14 6 32463986 7378 1935 $1 USA MS65

Boosibri · June 23, 2015 6:24AM

Bought this wonderful 1859-S $5 in an ICG holder with poor pics. Now P53 CAC. A real rare coin.

Also bought this 1860-S $5 in an undergraded N45 holder, upgraded and CAC'd

BillJones · June 23, 2015 6:24AM

You bought certifed coins, probably from dealers you trust. That makes for a big difference.

marmac · June 23, 2015 6:39AM

Having returned recently to more active involvement in the hobby, I've found that eBay seems to be much less ripe to me for chasing coins. It seems like the casual seller's have dwindled, while the permanent store front sellers have increased. I still find myself using eBay, but I do find the return on time investment is much less, meaning, I find far less coins that interests me these days than five years ago on eBay. Be it price, volume of decent coins,...not like it once was. That said, I have had some fantastic finds on eBay over the years... come to think of it, I had a great find on eBay just recently. The great finds just seem fewer and farther between these days.

Connecticoin · June 23, 2015 9:56AM

<< Right now there are 772,963 coins listed on eBay.
97% are either overpriced, junk or fake leaving 23,188 needles in that haystack. >>

3% is pretty good. On average only 1 in 100 is worth bidding on for me, and that's within a specific search and "auction only". Of course I am looking for cherrypicks though.

Barndog · June 23, 2015 10:21AM

<< You bought certifed coins, probably from dealers you trust. That makes for a big difference. >>

maybe others did, but none of the coins I posted came from dealers I had done business with before. They were (and still are, to me) totally random ebay coin sellers.

OPA · June 23, 2015 11:41AM

<< Well! Since I do well over 100K buying and more than that selling I guess you know where I stand.

I have never had near the problems I see many complain about here! Sure I have to occasionally return a coin and have a few selling transaction issues that really make ya scratch your head. All in all I think ebay is a much better venue than it was when I stopped at the turn of the last century! Does that make anyone here feel old?

I started back 3 years ago. >>

Not so sure by your statement...."many complain." It appears to be the same small group that keeps "crying wolf".

amwldcoin · June 23, 2015 11:44AM

<< 

<< Well! Since I do well over 100K buying and more than that selling I guess you know where I stand.

I have never had near the problems I see many complain about here! Sure I have to occasionally return a coin and have a few selling transaction issues that really make ya scratch your head. All in all I think ebay is a much better venue than it was when I stopped at the turn of the last century! Does that make anyone here feel old?

I started back 3 years ago. >>

Not so sure by your statement...."many complain." It appears to be the same small group that keeps "crying wolf". >>

Maybe you have a good point there...never really thought about it!

Mercury · June 23, 2015 11:59AM

eBay, like the rest of the world, has it's good people and it's bad people.
I read every post about people being scammed on eBay, and use the information to avoid it happening to me.
Lean the series you are buying. Take pictures of lots of coins so you can learn how good and bad coins look in a photograph. I also look at lots of pictures of my series on dealers web site, this helps you learn the differences between what a nice coin looks compared to a junk coin.
No matter where you buy from, a dealer, at auction, or on eBay, education is important in learning how to not be taken advantage of.

Mercury

Mercury · June 23, 2015 12:03PM

Sorry, double post.

Mercury

ricko · June 23, 2015 10:24PM

Years ago (90's) I bought a lot of coins off ebay..... then the counterfeits and scams became prolific. I would still buy from trusted dealers or people I have dealt with in the past. Just not a frequent ebay buyer anymore.... Cheers, RickO

DollarAfterDollar · June 24, 2015 5:30AM

Deal with Sellers with 100% positive feedback and that take returns with no questions asked.

Anyone who thinks E-Bay Sellers are all crooks is mis-informed.

Go to a Dealer and pay double for the same coin and grade.

AMRC · June 24, 2015 5:36AM

I think the sentiment is that it for seller's eBay has degraded, for buyers, it is very worthwhile. Where else can you "buy" an item and not pay for it for three days, always be able to return it, and have control over what the sellers fees will by giving them undeserved feedback.

mbogoman · June 24, 2015 6:16AM

Keep avoiding Ebay. I just picked up this in a lot of 13 Type 1 SLQs. It will probably grade P01, but its definitely a 1916.

WildIdea · June 24, 2015 6:24AM

<< eBay, like the rest of the world, has it's good people and it's bad people.
I read every post about people being scammed on eBay, and use the information to avoid it happening to me.
Lean the series you are buying. Take pictures of lots of coins so you can learn how good and bad coins look in a photograph. I also look at lots of pictures of my series on dealers web site, this helps you learn the differences between what a nice coin looks compared to a junk coin.
No matter where you buy from, a dealer, at auction, or on eBay, education is important in learning how to not be taken advantage of.

Mercury >>

Yes, taking pictures of your own coins helps a ton. Really helps to be able to read a photograph for what is seen and not seen on online offerings. Some coins are impossible to shoot and some are very photogenic.

So, I back up this previous statement wholeheartedly.

bestday · June 24, 2015 6:55AM

<< I've bought some good coins off Ebay. I've also been ripped off 4X and scammed 2X. I had 144 transactions that were acceptable and 6 that were big losers. I probably made $4K to $5K off the positive transactions and lost $4K on the scam jobs ($2K off one of them that was an outright theft). One of the nation's "leading" dealers got me for $1,000. After the last hit in 2008 I figured I'd quit while I was a little bid ahead.

The sellers I dealt with were generally random. A 96% success rate might seem good on paper...but cash-wise it wasn't far from 50-50. >>

Are you talking over graded raw coins as losers ?

Connecticoin · June 24, 2015 7:50PM

<< Deal with Sellers with 100% positive feedback and that take returns with no questions asked.

Anyone who thinks E-Bay Sellers are all crooks is mis-informed.

Go to a Dealer and pay double for the same coin and grade. >>

Some of my best cherrypicks are from sellers with crappy photos, high shipping costs, and no returns offered. However, if I get a $300 coin for $50, they get 5-Star feedback!

roadrunner · June 24, 2015 11:27PM

All of my negative transactions on ebay were with sellers with 100% feedback. Of course if you have less than 99.8% +FB on ebay you are already in the bottom 10% of all sellers.

brg5658 · June 25, 2015 3:32AM

<< There are a lot of nice coins on ebay........and even more junk.

But to not go there and look is stupid, but that leaves more for me!

>>

Almost as stupid as only collecting coins in one magical brand of plastic.

Coinsponge · June 25, 2015 3:42AM

I say you are safe if you bid on the auctions with blurry pictures. You know you will get them cheap since no one else will bid.

Oh, by the way

MsMorrisine · June 25, 2015 3:46AM

<< It seems like the casual seller's have dwindled, while the permanent store front sellers have increased. >>

The fee structure favors bigger sellers over smaller sellers.

AUandAG · June 25, 2015 5:15AM

Hmmmm, just picked up an 1883 and a 1881 both CC Morgans for under $300 on ebay. No pics yet.

bob

Michael4692 · June 25, 2015 6:12AM

I still comb ebay for dealss. There are still steals there every day.

"Avoid eBay"

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&quot;Avoid eBay&quot;

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"Avoid eBay"