What would you do?
TigersFan2
Posts: 1,442 ✭✭
I purchased a PCGS coin I really wanted for $95. The seller did a horrible packaging job and just put the PCGS slab into a small cardboard mailer without any kind of padding or protection around the coin. The coin arrived with a small chip on the reverse raised part used for stacking PCGS slabs. The chip is just aesthetic and doesn't impact the integrity of the coin in the PCGS slab. The seller is a reasonably large and experienced Ebay seller of coins with a feedback number in 4 digits. This was the first time I've ever purchased from this seller. It was a coin recently slabbed with the new holder type. Also, the seller put a sticker on the back of the slab (over the hologram) of which the sticky substance wasn't completely able to be removed even with using rubbing alcohol.
I wrote the seller and explained I wasn't happy with the horrible shipping method and explained the chip, sticker residue, etc.
The seller wrote back that customer service is very important to them and they would be happy to accept a return of the coin and pay return shipping. They also ask what they can do to make me happy.
What would you do?
I really like the coin and want to keep the coin, so returning it is not a real option. I'm really just ticked at the stupidity of the seller packaging the coin so poorly as common sense should have dictated the probability of damage would be high.
I wrote the seller and explained I wasn't happy with the horrible shipping method and explained the chip, sticker residue, etc.
The seller wrote back that customer service is very important to them and they would be happy to accept a return of the coin and pay return shipping. They also ask what they can do to make me happy.
What would you do?
I really like the coin and want to keep the coin, so returning it is not a real option. I'm really just ticked at the stupidity of the seller packaging the coin so poorly as common sense should have dictated the probability of damage would be high.
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Request seller to pay reholder fee and round trip postage.
Given that option for a $95 coin, he'd probably prefer a return than pay that expense.
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
The chip would be a bigger issue but as you say
The chip is just aesthetic and doesn't impact the integrity of the coin in the PCGS slab.
I'd tell the seller it would benefit him to pack better and IF the seller was going to pay return shipping....he could probably kick you the $10 he would spend getting it back.
I would not hold the seller to anything IF your going to keep the coin though, chalk it up to lesson learned.
I picked up an older 10 ounce Engelhard silver bar with a price/inventory sticky tag on the back
(fair price spot + a bit) when I got home and removed the sticky tag someone had acid checked the bar under the tag.......I just shook my head & thought out loud, Thanks for that.
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"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
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I wish eBay would have a DSR for packaging.
You can remove the sticker residue with Goo Gone without damaging the slab.
When I ship, I wrap the slab in bubble wrap and put it in a bubble mailer so I have double bubble protection. But I've seen slabs shattered to pieces with similar shipping. Nothing can protect it from having a post office truck door slammed down on it.
I've received slabs from PCGS in Safe-T-Mailers inside a cardboard envelope without any issue. 99% of the time that is sufficient. It does take a lot of force to chip a slab.
There's not much you can do - Either keep it as is or return it.
It costs a lot of money to reholder a coin. It would cost ~$40 plus shipping to PCGS which is not worth it for a $95 coin IMO.
I damaged this one by cramming it in my SDB. I added TrueView for another $10, brining the total cost to $52.95 - and I only put a declared value of $1,000 to save $8 on return shipping.
$12.00 - reholdering fee
$10.00 - TrueView
$10.00 - Processing Fee
$20.95 - Return S/H USPS
--------
$52.95 - Total - plus postage to PCGS.
I bought this 1796 $1 off eBay. The seller had a picture from HA where he bought it (on the left - mine on the right) and when I got it, there was thick sticker residue when he removed the Heritage sticker.
Long story short, I did some damage to the slab when trying to remove it so I sent it in for a regrade with a TrueView to fix it. With my shipping it cost $100 - and I only insured it for the $3k max on the return shipping. It came back a 35.
Coin Type: U.S. Coins
Submission Type: Regrade
Service Level: Regular 15 days $3,000.00 Max Value Per Coin
Service Level Fee: 1 coins(s) X $32.00 $32.00
TrueView Imaging: 1 coins(s) X $10.00 $10.00
Handling Fee: $10.00
USPS: $28.95
Packaging Fee: $0.00
Estimated Premium Fee: $0.00
Estimated Total Charges: $80.95
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If it is all too much for you to overlook, it's reasonable for you to accept their offer to return.
I would not try to take any advantage when they say "what can we do to make you happy?".
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I really like the coin ...
That's all that's important. Accept the seller's apology and move on.
Life's too short to sweat the small stuff.
P.S. If it had a CAC sticker, scrape it off and sell it on eBay.
P.S. If it had a CAC sticker, scrape it off and sell it on eBay.
How much do used CAC stickers sell for?
peacockcoins
And I couldn't care less about a little tape residue on the slab. Most would agree.
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Super glue the chip back on. Use WD40 to get the sticky stuff off. Photograph the coin and show it here.
I had already thrown away the packaging when I noticed the chip, so not possible to locate the chip.
I purchased a PCGS coin I really wanted for $95. The seller did a horrible packaging job and just put the PCGS slab into a small cardboard mailer without any kind of padding or protection around the coin. The coin arrived with a small chip on the reverse raised part used for stacking PCGS slabs. The chip is just aesthetic and doesn't impact the integrity of the coin in the PCGS slab. The seller is a reasonably large and experienced Ebay seller of coins with a feedback number in 4 digits. This was the first time I've ever purchased from this seller. It was a coin recently slabbed with the new holder type. Also, the seller put a sticker on the back of the slab (over the hologram) of which the sticky substance wasn't completely able to be removed even with using rubbing alcohol.
I wrote the seller and explained I wasn't happy with the horrible shipping method and explained the chip, sticker residue, etc.
The seller wrote back that customer service is very important to them and they would be happy to accept a return of the coin and pay return shipping. They also ask what they can do to make me happy.
What would you do?
I really like the coin and want to keep the coin, so returning it is not a real option. I'm really just ticked at the stupidity of the seller packaging the coin so poorly as common sense should have dictated the probability of damage would be high.
Was the chip inside the envelope. You spoke your piece to the seller and likely should probably just live with it. OTOH it's amazing the callous flippant attitude many have about slabbed coins and the way they handle them.
I would either take the return offer or live with it. It's hard to expect the dealer to go beyond that. I might mention to him that damage occurred due to the shipping method, but only to try to help the next guy.
Already did that.
I would keep it.
If it is all too much for you to overlook, it's reasonable for you to accept their offer to return.
I would not try to take any advantage when they say "what can we do to make you happy?".
I agree with your last sentence. Accept and move on seems to be the only solution. But I'll probably leave a neutral feedback with stating something like "Poor packaging, damaged in shipment, return offered but refuesd." It's honest. And if they block me in the future, so be it. And if I must buy a coin from them in the future (unlikely), I can just use my wife's rarely-used Ebay account.
The super glue technique never works and it only creates a mess and looks even worse after you're done.
The only other option is re-holder but being mindful of the cost---it's likely not feasible for a $95 coin.
A lot of holders have minor chips---it's not really a big deal.
I wouldn't neg someone over that, either.
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The sticker residue can be removed (wd40 or 409) easy enough.
The chip would be a bigger issue but as you say
The chip is just aesthetic and doesn't impact the integrity of the coin in the PCGS slab.
I'd tell the seller it would benefit him to pack better and IF the seller was going to pay return shipping....he could probably kick you the $10 he would spend getting it back.
I would not hold the seller to anything IF your going to keep the coin though, chalk it up to lesson learned.
I picked up an older 10 ounce Engelhard silver bar with a price/inventory sticky tag on the back
(fair price spot + a bit) when I got home and removed the sticky tag someone had acid checked the bar under the tag.......I just shook my head & thought out loud, Thanks for that.
A really convenient place to put the price tag, huh?
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Goo Gone is the best method for removing glue residue. I buy it at Advance Auto Parts.
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The seller wrote back that they appreciate the feedback concerning the packaging and offered to have the $95 coin reholdered. (I wrote back that that's not necessary.) They added in their response that the plastic in the newest PCGS slabs is more prone to chipping and that of the 100 or so of PCGS slabs they recently got back from PCGS, many had chips with the reverse stacking ridge when they received them back from PCGS.
So is PCGS's new slabs have a less durable plastic?
If the chip was on the slab when they received it back from PCGS, they didn't disclose it on their auction description or pictures. They didn't include a picture of the slab reverse, just the obverse slab and both sides of the coin.
Anyway, I'm dropping it and moving on. Lesson for everyone reading this thread... When shipping a coin, make an intelligent effort to package it up securely.
ebaybuyers slab looks to have been run thru an automatic sorting machine and got caught and broke the slab.
Jim
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Thanks for everyone's responses. Great responses. It's sort of being stuck between a rock and a hard place. The transgression is very small, yet it's there. But it's not the first chipped slab in my collection. I have a couple of others with similar, minor aesthetic chips that were like that way when I bought them. It's just the, "what a stupid seller" reaction.
I think one of our illustrious members here collects chipped slabs.
Please identify the seller. Sounds like a very reputable and fair dealer to me whom I would like to know. I would buy from them just based on what you have said. I cannot imagine any seller offering any better recourse for buyer satisfaction. I am glad you elected to keep the coin. The offer they have made you is in itself enough without actually accepting it. If you have the chip, try gorilla glue. Best of luck to you.
Jim
I'm not identifying the seller. No idea whether they'd appreciate the attention on here and besides, different people can interpret the situation differently and whereas it's positive for your, it might give a negative impression to someone else.
Lance.
I had an experienced dealer well known on the circuit send me an ebay purchase of 4 coins in similar packaging = about $100 MV total I got for less than $40. There was no cushioning material except something like plastic wrapping. The coins arrived undamaged.
However, he did not even tape the 8x10 cardboard envelope shut but relied on its own natural adhesive (how dumb!). When I pulled it out of the POB as a matter fact it was open as the sealing had either been compromised or expired during shipment. The coins were flat, wrapped in some plastic material. They were in their slabs and no damage. I listed them at retail in my store and then some as one was pedigreed and another quite nicely toned. It is unbelievable they were not stolen. Maybe too cheap to steal? I got them less than $10 apiece......these were common date silver dimes in 64-66.
A guy in the coin club received a banknote purchased in Europe where the PMG holder was bent by the USPS clerk fitting it in his POB. The note, an AU was not damaged but he had to deal with the hassle of a return to Europe. When shipping currency it should be in a box and marked "do not bend."
I simply would return the coin for a refund. As far as FB that is up to you.
I had an experienced dealer well known on the circuit send me an ebay purchase of 4 coins in similar packaging = about $100 MV total I got for less than $40. There was no cushioning material except something like plastic wrapping. The coins arrived undamaged.
However, he did not even tape the 8x10 cardboard envelope shut but relied on its own natural adhesive (how dumb!). When I pulled it out of the POB as a matter fact it was open as the sealing had either been compromised or expired during shipment. The coins were flat, wrapped in some plastic material. They were in their slabs and no damage. I listed them at retail in my store and then some as one was pedigreed and another quite nicely toned. It is unbelievable they were not stolen. Maybe too cheap to steal? I got them less than $10 apiece......these were common date silver dimes in 64-66.
A guy in the coin club received a banknote purchased in Europe where the PMG holder was bent by the USPS clerk fitting it in his POB. The note, an AU was not damaged but he had to deal with the hassle of a return to Europe. When shipping currency it should be in a box and marked "do not bend."
Currency should be shipped sandwiched between rigid cardboard that makes it pretty darn difficult to bend.
I would let the seller know I was disappointed with their shipping methods and explain the damage. Since you already did that and received a positive response, I'd thank him for his concern and leave positive feedback. Then move on since it's barely an issue anyways. Plastic gets chipped.
And I couldn't care less about a little tape residue on the slab. Most would agree.
x2. Those stacking tabs break off all the time. I bet 1 out of 4 PCGS holders I've ever owned had a chipped tab. The residue can be removed. Just let the seller know and move on. Don't sweat the petty stuff.
Mistakes happen...I love PCGS