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Why hide the certification number?

[I originally posted in the BST forum but it was recommended to post here]

Why do a lot of sellers hide the certification number when they post pictures of their certified coins on eBay and elsewhere?

Is there some way to trace the number back to personal information?

Comments

  • robertprrobertpr Posts: 6,862 ✭✭✭
    They're doing it to prevent folks who have registry sets from taking the cert numbers and registering the coin in their set, not having the coin itself, OR if they have a bunch of the same coin in the same grade and they're using a generic image.
  • I have had people to steal a certification number off a coin I was selling to fill a hole in their PCGS Set Registry.
    After I sold the coin my buyer had problems getting the coin listed in their PSGE Set Registry.
    If it had been hidden that would not have happened.

    I don't think the #s are traceable.
  • Maybe they want to use the same picture for many listings. For instance, if you had 20 MS69 Silver Eagles and wanted to list them all at different times without taking 20 pictures, you may take a picture of just one and use it 20 times. If you include the number in all those listings, bidders might expect to get that exact coin.
  • Ok, why in the world would someone list someone else's coin as their own in a public place? It's not like they won't get caught.

    I'm not very familiar with the registry set game, so I guess I'm missing something.
  • RussRuss Posts: 48,514 ✭✭✭


    << <i>Ok, why in the world would someone list someone else's coin as their own in a public place? It's not like they won't get caught.

    I'm not very familiar with the registry set game, so I guess I'm missing something >>



    The cert numbers are not visible in the registry sets, so they only get caught if somebody else tries to register the coin.

    Russ, NCNE
  • ZoinsZoins Posts: 34,445 ✭✭✭✭✭
    What do you gain by registering someone else's number? Is collecting registry slots more important than collecting coins?
  • I usually show the numbers in my auctions so the buyer can be sure he is getting the exact same coin in the pictures, but I have never really had an item that would be sought after enough that people would go as far as stealing the numbers to put in their registry sets. Sometimes I will also wait until the person has confirmed that they have received the coin before I will remove it from my regisrty set so they can place it into theirs unless they ask in advance for me to remove them before they have received them (after they have already paid)
    image
  • flaminioflaminio Posts: 5,664 ✭✭✭


    << <i>Is collecting registry slots more important than collecting coins? >>

    Wow, Zoins. Only 62 posts and you've already figured out PCGS's business model. Congrats!
  • This content has been removed.
  • airplanenutairplanenut Posts: 22,699 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>Here is what I believe is the #1 reason. Lets say they just bought it at an auction like Heritage. A prospective buyer may now access those records and spot that very coin that just sold on ebay last month and not only see what it sold for, find out how many bidders, find out an exact probably more factual description listing the flaws and lastly get giant photos that would possibly show the flaws. So when a typical ebay seller doesn't show the cert numbers they also at times take a different photo possibly altered or possibly blurry and then possibly give their own distorted description leaving out the negs. How is that for imaginative salemanship. Just happened to me BTW! >>



    I think the primary reason is to keep from registry theft--I typically only see it on (near) pop-top coins.
    JK Coin Photography - eBay Consignments | High Quality Photos | LOW Prices | 20% of Consignment Proceeds Go to Pancreatic Cancer Research
  • TwoSides2aCoinTwoSides2aCoin Posts: 45,009 ✭✭✭✭✭
    same reason some women wear pasties image
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    image
  • Sometimes theives do this. They grab a photo from someone else's auction and cross out the cert number so it isn't recognized. You send money and they send you nothing. Think twice before you buy from someone who hides things from you unless you know the dealer is ok.
  • notwilightnotwilight Posts: 12,864 ✭✭✭


    << <i>Sometimes theives do this. They grab a photo from someone else's auction and cross out the cert number so it isn't recognized. You send money and they send you nothing. Think twice before you buy from someone who hides things from you unless you know the dealer is ok. >>



    Do you know this for a fact or are you speculating and creating distrust needlessly? I've hidden the numbers on all the 70's I've sold but revealed them via message to buyers who asked. Generally most poeple place a trimmed stickey over the number rather than blanking it in photoshop which is some eveidence that they have them in person.

    --Jerry
  • Here's an example :
    original auction is here Original
    Questionable auction is here Questionable

    Clearly the same coin with the cert crossed out.
    Does he really own one of these coins? Maybe... Cut him a check and find out.

    To me a crossed out cert is a red flag that maybe the photo was grabbed off the internet and who knows what the seller is up to. But that's just me.
  • airplanenutairplanenut Posts: 22,699 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>Here's an example :
    original auction is here Original
    Questionable auction is here Questionable

    Clearly the same coin with the cert crossed out.
    Does he really own one of these coins? Maybe... Cut him a check and find out.

    To me a crossed out cert is a red flag that maybe the photo was grabbed off the internet and who knows what the seller is up to. But that's just me. >>

    My guess is he has the coin, but likes your picture. That said, you should report him to eBay (and while you're at it, send him a bill for stealing the image... I did that once and got a nice chunk of change after some arguing... and a letter from an attorney friend image)
    JK Coin Photography - eBay Consignments | High Quality Photos | LOW Prices | 20% of Consignment Proceeds Go to Pancreatic Cancer Research
  • Naw... I don't want his scalp. Just wanted to provide an example of why some people cross out the cert number. It's just one reason. Most are legit. Just something to watch out for.
  • notwilightnotwilight Posts: 12,864 ✭✭✭
    At least they don't appear to be a scammer but they shouldn't steal your photo.

    --Jerry

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