he doesn't affect me at all. there is a solution if he bothers you so much: stop trying to save the World by playing eBay cop, take care of yourself and just avoid his auctions.
I doubt among the millions of people and businesses selling on ebay, that he has any impact at all, other than on people who will die early due to self imposed stress.
Block him from your searches, go outside, listen to the birds and watch the clouds.
@MFeld said:
Have you contacted PCGS about him and provided documentation? If not, it would be great if you could do so.
PCGS has known about him for quite a while and they have seen evidence. They have invalidated cert. numbers for at'ed coins from this seller in the past.
It is well known he AT's his stuff. He used to not sell PCGS graded stuff, but has now started gassing his coins in holder, then resubmitting to get trueviews. It has been documented where a coin is blast white when he buys it already graded, then it is toned when it is resold by him. When I search for toned gold, I have a saved search that has his stuff blocked.
@MFeld said:
Have you contacted PCGS about him and provided documentation? If not, it would be great if you could do so.
PCGS has known about him for quite a while and they have seen evidence. They have invalidated cert. numbers for at'ed coins from this seller in the past.
Thank you.
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.
And the money just keeps on rollin' in....Someone should write a song with those lyrics..... Oh wait... they did....The ebay con artists sing the song every day...but they get none of my $$$... Cheers, RickO
Yep, to anyone with experience his stuff look atrocious. That's part of the problem the people supporting him don't know any better so he is targeting newer collectors who think "any color is good!"
I don't know the solution other than finding out who he is and sending some goons after him. We have goons right?
This is an area when numismatic organizations that say they represent the interests of numismatists could help. Perhaps the ANA, PNG, TPG's, or some consumer protection agency could contact Ebay and quickly terminate this seller.
Hey the guy is trying to make a living - I wouldn't do what he is doing, but life goes on as I have better things to do.
Looks to me that he got a hold of a roll of inexpensive and high mintage 1000 peso coins (500,000 mintage) from Uruguay. Put 'em in a holder and possibly a little doctoring. Take a high mintage coin with less than 40 graded by PCGS and call them whatever it takes for some poor collector to take the bait. He has the right to ask for moon money for a $60 coin.
“In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock." - Thomas Jefferson
Cameonut, if the OP is correct, then the seller’s practice constitutes fraud, in which case I respectfully disagree with you, as no one “has the right” to commit fraud.
@jwitten said:
It is well known he AT's his stuff. He used to not sell PCGS graded stuff, but has now started gassing his coins in holder, then resubmitting to get trueviews. It has been documented where a coin is blast white when he buys it already graded, then it is toned when it is resold by him. When I search for toned gold, I have a saved search that has his stuff blocked.
Great idea @jwitten. I'm never going to buy anything from that outfit, so I need to go back and add the block into my various country searches. Try searching eBay for "Panama PCGS" right now... he has 90% of the listings and they are all awful AT eyesores. Liberia too.
You guys say altered but his pic on ebay is the same pic from PCGS certification. SO???? what am I missing?
you're not reading the thread.
here's what he does: he buys an already graded PCGS coin, tones the coin in the holder most likely with a small vacuum chamber, resubmits it to PCGS for the TrueView and then sells it as legitimate. forum members have proved this with before and after pictures of coins with easily identified diagnostics. before --- brilliant white. after --- toned.
the best thing is to just avoid his auctions. sometimes when I'm searching coins one of his listings comes up. more often than not it is easy to tell the color is artificial. on the occasions when it looks right you just need to accept that it isn't. the sellers reputation is what needs to be pre-eminent, not the coin/color.
Its not just the blatant AT jobs but the sheer number of them. If one of those chemicals is at a minimum slightly hazardous this guy is going to drop to the floor sometime soon.
@Shop54 said:
You guys say altered but his pic on ebay is the same pic from PCGS certification. SO???? what am I missing?
He is known to buy coins already straight graded, gas them while they are in their holder (to add the fake tone to them while they are still in the pcgs holder), then resubmit them still in the holder for a re-holder and trueviews. Since they are alreay in a straight grade holder, PCGS has been honoring his request and taking trueviews of them. They SHOULD make a note of who it is, and suspend his account, and remove all those cert numbers. It's making them look like they are straight grading AT coins.
@lava said:
Cameonut, if the OP is correct, then the seller’s practice constitutes fraud, in which case I respectfully disagree with you, as no one “has the right” to commit fraud.
Anyone know who this is?
If toned in the holder after certification, it constitutes fraud. Otherwise, it's no different than gold-plated state quarters.
I agree with the OP. This guy is a wrecking ball for eBay and the coin community in general. There not a single thing wrong with putting the word out on this guy every week so everyone is informed on what he does. I personally think he should pay a penalty for these crimes he commits with out even blinking an eye.
The bitterness of "Poor Quality" is remembered long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten.
Really? I didn’t even know of his existence until now.
eBay was ruined from the very beginning by all the unscrupulous sellers peddling knocked off products and eBay stores peddling all the made in China crap. They have done far more damage than this piddly-assed seller.
@jmlanzaf said:
If toned in the holder after certification, it constitutes fraud. Otherwise, it's no different than gold-plated state quarters.
That's not true. They were toned in the holder and then resubmitted - which may be fraud against PCGS - or not, I don't recall there's anything you sign that says you DIDN'T mess with the coins you are submitting.
To the end customer, The coins ARE toned. They ARE certified by PCGS. All true...
From the legal dictionary...
Fraud. A false representation of a matter of fact—whether by words or by conduct, by false or misleading allegations, or by concealment of what should have been disclosed—that deceives and is intended to deceive another so that the individual will act upon it to her or his legal injury.
-----Burton ANA 50 year/Life Member (now "Emeritus")
@jmlanzaf said:
If toned in the holder after certification, it constitutes fraud. Otherwise, it's no different than gold-plated state quarters.
That's not true. They were toned in the holder and then resubmitted - which may be fraud against PCGS - or not, I don't recall there's anything you sign that says you DIDN'T mess with the coins you are submitting.
To the end customer, The coins ARE toned. They ARE certified by PCGS. All true...
From the legal dictionary...
Fraud. A false representation of a matter of fact—whether by words or by conduct, by false or misleading allegations, or by concealment of what should have been disclosed—that deceives and is intended to deceive another so that the individual will act upon it to her or his legal injury.
Sounds to me he is guilty to me by that definition.
I will be closing this thread as it violates our rules and guidelines regarding accusations. However, if anyone is in possession of evidence to prove that these coins have been artificially toned (before and after pictures) please send them our way.
Comments
His store has a lot of PCGS Secure / TrueView coins that are either Top Pop or near Top Pop, including the coin linked here.
1969-So Uruguay Silver 1000 Pesos PCGS MS66 Pop 7/1, Pedigree: eDynamicMarketing
This coin is also a PCGS ValueView Top 3 plate coin:
I would say Ebay is doing that all by itself. Sam
Oh come on... People were griping about eBay well before he ever came on to the market. With that said, he needs to be stopped.
What am I missing?
Have you contacted PCGS about him and provided documentation? If not, it would be great if you could do so.
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.
he doesn't affect me at all. there is a solution if he bothers you so much: stop trying to save the World by playing eBay cop, take care of yourself and just avoid his auctions.
Just go look at the poorly AT'd coins he is selling on ebay.
AT and holdered are you saying?
I doubt among the millions of people and businesses selling on ebay, that he has any impact at all, other than on people who will die early due to self imposed stress.
Block him from your searches, go outside, listen to the birds and watch the clouds.
His coins = excessive hype = OTP post titles
To me his stuff looks terrible.
PCGS has known about him for quite a while and they have seen evidence. They have invalidated cert. numbers for at'ed coins from this seller in the past.
It is well known he AT's his stuff. He used to not sell PCGS graded stuff, but has now started gassing his coins in holder, then resubmitting to get trueviews. It has been documented where a coin is blast white when he buys it already graded, then it is toned when it is resold by him. When I search for toned gold, I have a saved search that has his stuff blocked.
Thank you.
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.
And the money just keeps on rollin' in....Someone should write a song with those lyrics..... Oh wait... they did....The ebay con artists sing the song every day...but they get none of my $$$...
Cheers, RickO
Yep, to anyone with experience his stuff look atrocious. That's part of the problem the people supporting him don't know any better so he is targeting newer collectors who think "any color is good!"
I don't know the solution other than finding out who he is and sending some goons after him. We have goons right?
He has certainly made this forgery an art form.
Where do the coins end up?
Eventually back on ebay or some other dealers stock via his customers.
Unabated, he will crash the market for toners either by sheer numbers or drive away those attracted to legit toners via his deception.
I would think the TPG's could easily thwart his backdoor attempt at legitimacy by scanning every slab.
What is needed is Operation Bullpen 2.0
BST: KindaNewish (3/21/21), WQuarterFreddie (3/30/21), Meltdown (4/6/21), DBSTrader2 (5/5/21) AKA- unclemonkey on Blow Out
This is an area when numismatic organizations that say they represent the interests of numismatists could help. Perhaps the ANA, PNG, TPG's, or some consumer protection agency could contact Ebay and quickly terminate this seller.
Hey the guy is trying to make a living - I wouldn't do what he is doing, but life goes on as I have better things to do.
Looks to me that he got a hold of a roll of inexpensive and high mintage 1000 peso coins (500,000 mintage) from Uruguay. Put 'em in a holder and possibly a little doctoring. Take a high mintage coin with less than 40 graded by PCGS and call them whatever it takes for some poor collector to take the bait. He has the right to ask for moon money for a $60 coin.
“In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock." - Thomas Jefferson
My digital cameo album 1950-64 Cameos - take a look!
DOWN WITH RIGHTS!!!
To the gallows!
You guys say altered but his pic on ebay is the same pic from PCGS certification. SO???? what am I missing?
Cameonut, if the OP is correct, then the seller’s practice constitutes fraud, in which case I respectfully disagree with you, as no one “has the right” to commit fraud.
Anyone know who this is?
" This guy is single-handedly ruining eBay "
Hey now, that is not fair to all the Chinese counterfeiters that work hard every day.
Great idea @jwitten. I'm never going to buy anything from that outfit, so I need to go back and add the block into my various country searches. Try searching eBay for "Panama PCGS" right now... he has 90% of the listings and they are all awful AT eyesores. Liberia too.
You guys say altered but his pic on ebay is the same pic from PCGS certification. SO???? what am I missing?
you're not reading the thread.
here's what he does: he buys an already graded PCGS coin, tones the coin in the holder most likely with a small vacuum chamber, resubmits it to PCGS for the TrueView and then sells it as legitimate. forum members have proved this with before and after pictures of coins with easily identified diagnostics. before --- brilliant white. after --- toned.
the best thing is to just avoid his auctions. sometimes when I'm searching coins one of his listings comes up. more often than not it is easy to tell the color is artificial. on the occasions when it looks right you just need to accept that it isn't. the sellers reputation is what needs to be pre-eminent, not the coin/color.
Its not just the blatant AT jobs but the sheer number of them. If one of those chemicals is at a minimum slightly hazardous this guy is going to drop to the floor sometime soon.
He is known to buy coins already straight graded, gas them while they are in their holder (to add the fake tone to them while they are still in the pcgs holder), then resubmit them still in the holder for a re-holder and trueviews. Since they are alreay in a straight grade holder, PCGS has been honoring his request and taking trueviews of them. They SHOULD make a note of who it is, and suspend his account, and remove all those cert numbers. It's making them look like they are straight grading AT coins.
You mean PCGS doesn't examine EVERY coin coming in? Reholder or True View?
Invitation to scam.
This is where PCGS taking a picture of every graded coin IN the holder (like ngc does) would be super helpful.
It seems like their (PCGS) sniffer could detect the gas that was used when they come in for reholder.
Not to mention, all the other categories?
It seems that a tendency toward unbounded hyperbole is Ruining the whole Milky Way galaxy.
Liberty: Parent of Science & Industry
If toned in the holder after certification, it constitutes fraud. Otherwise, it's no different than gold-plated state quarters.
I agree with the OP. This guy is a wrecking ball for eBay and the coin community in general. There not a single thing wrong with putting the word out on this guy every week so everyone is informed on what he does. I personally think he should pay a penalty for these crimes he commits with out even blinking an eye.
Really? I didn’t even know of his existence until now.
eBay was ruined from the very beginning by all the unscrupulous sellers peddling knocked off products and eBay stores peddling all the made in China crap. They have done far more damage than this piddly-assed seller.
Cheers
Bob
From what I have heard the sniffer is no longer being used.
- Bob -

MPL's - Lincolns of Color
Central Valley Roosevelts
That's not true. They were toned in the holder and then resubmitted - which may be fraud against PCGS - or not, I don't recall there's anything you sign that says you DIDN'T mess with the coins you are submitting.
To the end customer, The coins ARE toned. They ARE certified by PCGS. All true...
From the legal dictionary...
ANA 50 year/Life Member (now "Emeritus")
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/283402398734
He’s peddling this as a straight graded gem.
He shows the full slab - which denotes artificial toning. in a lot of his posts, they dont denote AT - but this one does. poor example to use.
Minor Variety Trade dollar's with chop marks set:
More Than It's Chopped Up To Be
Sounds to me he is guilty to me by that definition.
I will be closing this thread as it violates our rules and guidelines regarding accusations. However, if anyone is in possession of evidence to prove that these coins have been artificially toned (before and after pictures) please send them our way.
Thank you
Heather Boyd
PCGS Senior Director of Marketing