What percentage of coin collectors shop eBay for coins?

Manorcourtman · February 5, 2016 10:59AM

I am unaware of any research regarding this topic but have always pondered what percentage of the coin buying public shops eBay for coins. Anyone care to make an educated guess? I would guess far less than 50%. Fire away peeps!!

Justacommeman · February 5, 2016 11:00AM

Put me down as a no.

Actually no EBay for anything.

mark

ctf_error_coins · February 5, 2016 11:13AM

Depends on they're age I suppose ....

Under 30 100%

31 - 50 90%

50 - 60 80%

60 - 65 70%

over 65 .01%

Barndog · February 5, 2016 11:18AM

no clue, but I do use ebay sometimes. Some of my ebay finds (two of these were raw, others came slabbed):

Justacommeman · February 5, 2016 11:30AM

Originally posted by: ErrorsOnCoins

Depends on they're age I suppose ....

Under 30 100%

31 - 50 90%

50 - 60 80%

60 - 65 70%

over 65 .01%

For me it's time. I'd rather spend it elsewhere.

mark

Lakesammman · February 5, 2016 11:34AM

It depends.

If I'm buying pioneer gold or Stella's, no.

If I'm looking for plastic, yes.

Walkerfan · February 5, 2016 11:36AM

Heritage is too crazy these days, as everything halfway decent seems to go for moon money.

I've been finding some nice coins in dealers' inventories and many of them list on eBay.

TopographicOceans · February 5, 2016 11:37AM

You can still vote here

CircOnly · February 5, 2016 11:43AM

I sure do. Yeah, I may waste a lot of time there, but I have found some really killer coins for my set that otherwise would have cost me a fortune through a dealer. YMMV.

I'm a player in the 3 figure coins, so I am sure I have more chances to find something nice compared to those that play in the 4 figure and higher range.

Edit: Love those busts, Barndog.

TigersFan2 · February 5, 2016 12:05PM

I expect the percentage is very high.

Justacommeman · February 5, 2016 12:28PM

Originally posted by: TigersFan2

I expect the percentage is very high.

I suspect you are correct

mark

Sonorandesertrat · February 5, 2016 12:37PM

I troll Ebay for numismatic literature.

ksuscott · February 5, 2016 2:12PM

I think it depends on what the collector is collecting. I imagine the majority of collectors at least peruse eBay from time to time, however, I’m sure there are some that never do.

Overdate · February 5, 2016 2:16PM

Depends on one's definition of collector. If it includes those casually assembling sets of state/atb quarters from circulation, the percentage is probably pretty low.

Boosibri · February 5, 2016 8:04PM

There are diamonds in the rough still.... I recently bought a 61-C $5 from ebay for $4,000 less than I will be able to sell it for once crossed and CAC'd. Some gems if you can wade through the junk.

lunytune2 · February 5, 2016 8:06PM

Since I got into gold , none ... But I do look just to see , not buy . I have bought many less expensive coins in the past though.

oih82w8 · February 5, 2016 8:09PM

There are still good things to be found on eBay, it's all about timing and the quality of the images.

coinkat · February 5, 2016 8:18PM

Fair question but it would have greater meaning based on demographics- My hunch is collectors under 40 are more likely to ebay and those over 60 are less likely. I say this in part because older collectors just have a different approach that involves shows and seeing the coins in hand first. The battleground is in the 40-60 age group where the trend is likely starting to favor ebay- I would like to be wrong.

Manorcourtman · February 5, 2016 8:45PM

Some very good and well thought out guesses!

amwldcoin · February 5, 2016 8:51PM

There is no doubt much of the coin business has shifted to online sales. We were talking about that yesterday at the show. About the only people I know that are against online buying are 65+. My sales ration in the last 5 years has shifted from 2/3 sales at shows 1/3 online vrs. to 2/3 online to 1/3 shows now.

VanHalen · February 5, 2016 9:46PM

Oh for the days of Bing Cashback while PMs were soaring. Just search for "gold coins" on Bing, click on the ebay link and slam bam thank you ma'am.

My eBay percentage has gone from ~70% in 2007-08 to ~20% these days. I do sell on ebay more now though.

pocketpiececommems · February 5, 2016 9:55PM

You can shop on eBay for coins 24-7. If there is one coin shop within 50 miles of you how many times can you stop buy to see the same ole coins?

Broadstruck · February 5, 2016 10:53PM

I buy quite a bit on ebay.

I especially like when the sellers make listing errors.

Wrong category, wrong images, or misspelling the name of what they are selling in the title have been some of my best purchases.

WingedLiberty1957 · February 5, 2016 10:56PM

For me it must be 95% from eBay.

shorecoll · February 5, 2016 11:14PM

In our area the average collector is buying junk, and it trades through low-end stealth junk dealers. It would be interesting to know the % of items vs. the % of $. I'd bet a high % of $ trades online, but does lots of the low-end stuff on ebay actually sell, it seems like it just sits there.

shorecoll · February 5, 2016 11:17PM

Oh, and sweet half-dimes Barndog!!!

TwoSides2aCoin · February 5, 2016 11:18PM

Nearly all the coins I purchase for collectors that are not in inventory, come from ebay. This is primarily due to the fact that most of the regional dealers cannot fill orders for "modern stuff", barring bullion , of course.

C'est la vie. Most of those collectors are over 65, too. Just an observation, more than any guessing of percentages.

grip · February 5, 2016 11:31PM

Originally posted by: pocketpiececommems
You can shop on eBay for coins 24-7. If there is one coin shop within 50 miles of you how many times can you stop buy to see the same ole coins?

+1

DollarAfterDollar · February 5, 2016 11:35PM

There are many regions of the country where the only place to buy is on the internet. Additionally, there are many who can't travel or have no time. Buying plastic with a decent return policy makes enormous sense to these people. When pricing is fair, it's a win win.

I agree with them.

Brol · February 6, 2016 12:19AM

on ebay I'm following only few coins by keywords. It means if something new show up with my description only then I will get notification to my phone. I'm lucky to get 1 or 2 notifications a month. This year I bought only 1 coin from ebay and I hope to buy at least 1 or 2 coins more this year. For now I'm sticking only with quality and rarity over quantity.

ricko · February 6, 2016 12:48AM

I do not....although in the late nineties I did. Now, if I am looking for something,

I may peruse ebay to see availability/pricing, but will not buy there. Cheers, RickO

johnny9434 · February 6, 2016 1:05AM

Originally posted by: Sonorandesertrat
I troll Ebay for numismatic literature.

so do i

hickoryridge · February 6, 2016 1:13AM

Originally posted by: pocketpiececommems
You can shop on eBay for coins 24-7. If there is one coin shop within 50 miles of you how many times can you stop buy to see the same ole coins?

this, I've purchased 2 coins in the last 10 months

LindeDad · February 6, 2016 1:30AM

Don't know the percentage but I would say about 99% more than hang out here. Data taken from my sales there.

TwoSides2aCoin · February 6, 2016 1:38AM

Let me think

:

I've met pastors, chemists, teachers , police, paupers, musicians, doctors lawyers, students, politicians, kings (of the hobby), authors, truckers, bikers, soldiers and princesses on and through Ebay,… Almost none of them on Facebook.

ProofArtworkonCircs · February 6, 2016 1:39AM

Oops, I posted to the other thread.

Anyhow, recent purchases have all been ebay. I look for decent feedback first. Incidentally, my age is over 80.

DeliaBug · February 6, 2016 1:41AM

Originally posted by: Sonorandesertrat

I troll Ebay for numismatic literature.

An extreme example of E-Bay and literature was a lot sold in the last Kolbe & Fanning sale. Someone very lucky found a manuscript sale of Edward Cogan's Foote sale from 1859. Being E-Bay I can't imagine it was up there for more than a few hundred, if even that. The lot hammered for $11,000 and ~$13,000 all in.

I've scored books on E-Bay but nothing remotely close in comparison to that.

Broadstruck · February 6, 2016 1:45AM

Originally posted by: TwoSides2aCoin

Let me think

:

I've met pastors, chemists, teachers , police, paupers, musicians, doctors lawyers, students, politicians, kings (of the hobby), authors, truckers, bikers, soldiers and princesses on and through Ebay,… Almost none of them on Facebook.

Hmm... No butcher, baker, or candlestick maker

Justacommeman · February 6, 2016 1:49AM

Originally posted by: amwldcoin

There is no doubt much of the coin business has shifted to online sales. We were talking about that yesterday at the show. About the only people I know that are against online buying are 65+. My sales ration in the last 5 years has shifted from 2/3 sales at shows 1/3 online vrs. to 2/3 online to 1/3 shows now.

Far from the 65+ and I don't use EBay. However, I suppose when I retire and have more downtime it maybe an option.

mark

TwoSides2aCoin · February 6, 2016 1:59AM

Broadstruck, I thought you were the candlestick maker

thebeav · February 6, 2016 2:28AM

Probably a very high percentage. I would guess a majority of collectors do not live near a dealer or a show. Just too many people involved in the hobby.

Barndog, those are some fab bust nickels !!

joeykoins · February 6, 2016 3:52AM

Mark me down as a NO.

Cougar1978 · February 6, 2016 4:28AM

I shop ebay and shows I set up at.

ebaybuyer · February 6, 2016 7:10AM

I believe there is no better marketplace for buying... on the selling side, there is no easier place for buyers to rip you off

What percentage of coin collectors shop eBay for coins?

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