Buying a bargain just because or not? Guilty pleasure
Aspie_Rocco
Posts: 3,691 ✭✭✭✭✭
One of my semi regular eBay searches is the following with refinements;
“PCGS” under US Coins-auction-ending soonest.
It give me a sort of pulse on what is selling, for how much, and exposes me to new and random coins. Sometimes I see stupid low prices about to end and sometimes I bid on totally unexpected and impulse coins.
Yesterday I regretfully did not bid on a 1937 MS65 buffalo, it ended for $24! I don’t need one of those but it would have been nice since I can’t even get one graded for that price after all the fees.
I have snapped up several random coins this way, usually a variety. I feel like most attributed varieties are a deal at $30 or less
To name a few I have picked up over the years, all Pcgs slabs,
Minnesota DDR ms qtr for $4
Xf45 peace dollar for $18
1964 ddr dime for AU $18
1963 ddr dime MS $23
SP70 enhanced qtrs for $2-3 each
SP70 sac dollar $12
1994 currency set included slab sp68fs nickel, $2 bill and ungraded silver dollar $23
Many nickels 64fs and 65fs around $3 each
And some coins at less than 1/4 list price
Am I the only one dumb enough to blow my cash on “too good deals”?
I have flipped a great many of these items and kept some nice ones for myself. It’s a guilty pleasure...
Comments
Nothing wrong with picking up a bargain!
My YouTube Channel
I understand what you are doing. It makes sense to me, especially if you are flipping them. I plan on getting an eBay account later this week-I have never bought or sold there, so I have a question about this. When you bid on these, did you have a feeling they were going to end up being good deals? Or do you bid on a lot of different items, and just hope that some end up that way? So my question I guess is how to identify, or can you identify, what auctions will likely result in a final price which is below actual value.
Any input is helpful. Thanks!
Edit to add: The reason I am getting an eBay account is to try to raise some funds by selling some of my coins that do not fit into my collection. I am not really looking to buy now, but what you are doing seems like a good way to acquire flippable items.
You called it a guilty pleasure ........
A sin with a good return? Too much potential to pass for less than $200 ..... go for it and have fun!
@thisistheshow
To identify Coins that might meet my criteria When I do this I usually just run the search as previously described and see things with seconds or minutes left. Look at the prices and I just keep scrolling till I see something I like or something with attribution or pedigree at a lower than general market price. You can customize your search to only include specific coin series/ min-max price range, and much more.
I keep an eye on everything Jefferson “buy it now” and auctions. But also look at the General PCGS us coin search. Sometimes I’ll dabble into looking at Ngc, but I personally don’t like the holder and would only crossover or crack it out to submit raw.
With a maximum price setting of $40-50, I have found some wild deals. I avoid anything with “details” or no grade. Also in some series there can be a HUGE price point difference between Pcgs list price and actual market prices. There are more than a few coins that sell for fractions of their list price. This is sometimes, but not always, a good deal for a buyer.
As for bids. If I see something I want I either “watch” it early or bid in the last 5 seconds. No harm with making long shot low bids early on, if you get outbid no big deal.
Do not ever get frenzied and overbid, or win something just to win after losing a different auction. I also ALWAYS check an item I might bid on against the lowest price “buy it now “ options for an identical coin. For common problem free coins, I am at times shocked how much people over pay at auction when buy it now prices are lower.
Be warned. When starting as a new seller people may be reluctant to buy from you if you are new and have little to no feedback. Not always but caution is always key for any date. Also paypal usually makes new members wait as much as 30 days or more to give you funds after your first few sales, until you establish a pattern of flawless transactions with fast shipping.
This is just how I play the Pcgs search game. And after watching tons of auctions and seeing average prices at the end I got a very general sophomoric idea of some “common dreck” values.
If you want to start on eBay open an account soon and start observing a lot. “Watch” items you want to sell on both auction and buy it now. Feel out what you can get, and if it’s worth selling after the 10% eBay takes 3% ? PayPal takes and after your shipping and packaging costs.
Lots of people here have way more auction and eBay experience than I, but if you have any other questions feel free to ask.
https://www.autismforums.com/media/albums/acrylic-colors-by-rocco.291/
Terrific information @Aspie_Rocco thank you.
It is never a bad day when a coin arrives in the mail.
there is no downside with buying a slabbed silver dollar for 18 bucks. Some inexpensive coins can be awesome. the coin in the clip just a widget half that I love about 20 bucks shipped.
I believe we all enjoy doing this. A plus on the FS nickels, is some of them are really tough with the full steps, and can sometimes be really low priced-sometimes in the 'wild.
When it comes to pleasure, I never feel guilty...
Be it coins or other interests.... 
Cheers, RickO