Need help with an ebay dilemma

BadBinky · August 21, 2007 5:56AM

Hi all,

Looking for your collective wisdom on what I should do in this scenario.

I purchased a 1999 silver proof set off of ebay, but received clad coins in silver set packaging. I confronted the seller on this and miraculously obtained a full refund. In hindsight, I made a fatal error in not reviewing this seller's buying feedback where I would have noticed him purchasing clad sets and empty silver cases. He continues to sell silver proof sets using a stock picture, and has recent feedback from satisfied buyers.

Now I'm in a pickle, I feel the need to let some authority know about this, but what can I say? I only have my personal experience as proof, and I have been refunded my money. There's nothing wrong with the listing, so I doubt notifying ebay would be of any use. Do I send something to the seller's local police department?

Do I just let it go? Can I still place a negative feedback if my money's been refunded, or does the ebay system not view this as a completed transaction?

Thanks!

ONETHREE · August 21, 2007 5:58AM

I think you should inform ebay first. You should also post a link to this sellers current auctions.

AnkurJ · August 21, 2007 5:58AM

I would inform ebay at once about this.

FLBuffaloHunter · August 21, 2007 6:01AM

The right thing to do would have been to at least leve him a neutral stating the coins you received were not silver as described but mearly clad in silver packaging. This would have allerted potential bidders to the fact he may be running a scam.

foundinrolls · August 21, 2007 6:13AM

There is a problem with the listing and it should be reported. report all items offered using stock photos, it is against eBays rules to do so.

Coinlearner · August 21, 2007 6:14AM

If seller has given your feedback,{you risk neg.from seller} I would first block-give a neutral w/ reason why, so others will see . Chance a mistake was made.

foundinrolls · August 21, 2007 6:18AM

From Ebays rules on selling Coins. Note, the third one....

Guidelines for coins and paper money sellers:

Read the Code of Conduct for Selling Coins & Paper Money on eBay.

Include all relevant information that is known about the coins or paper money; for example their origin, date of issue, and condition.

Include a clear picture of the actual coin or paper money item that is being offered for sale.

Include all information concerning any alterations that may have been made to the coins or paper money.

Specifically identify every individual coin or paper money item listed to avoid misunderstandings about the nature of the items.

If unsure of the origin or authenticity of the coins or paper money, please state this clearly in the listing.

If members would like advice or information from other coins or paper money enthusiasts, visit eBay's Coins & Paper Money Chat Board.

08HALA20 · August 21, 2007 6:19AM

<< <i>The right thing to do would have been to at least leve him a neutral stating the coins you received were not silver as described but mearly clad in silver packaging. This would have allerted potential bidders to the fact he may be running a scam. >>

Bingo!!!

You can't sell sets like that by accident.

Joe

Russ · August 21, 2007 6:54AM

Auction link?

Russ, NCNE

Hugegut · August 21, 2007 8:49AM

That's a pretty sneaky scam. I wonder how many he's sold.

FLBuffaloHunter · August 21, 2007 12:44PM

There is an article in this weeks Coin World regarding this scam. The large discrepancy in price between the two sets, $70 to $90 for the clad - $275 to $350 for the silver, and the ease with which the Mint packaging can be opened, is causing it to be rather prevalent. Evidently online auctions are the main source. The easiest way to be able to tell the composition of the coin is to look at the edge. The 90% silver coins will display a solid white edge while the clads will exhibit the 3 layers with copper core. Some scammers are even painting the edges with a silver color to disguise this and they are also placing super glue on the corners of the packaging to make them harder to open to discourage inspection. Another way to check the composition is to weigh the coins. A 90% silver quarter weighs 6.25 grams, the clad 5.67, making this test a conclusive one. With a half dollar, the weights are 12.5 grams for the silver coin and 11.34 for the clad version.

Amigo · August 21, 2007 1:55PM

Good luck getting ebay to give a rats' a$$

When the wisconsin xtra leafs were being sold 2005 thur 2006, I was selling them raw. Sammydogsleeping bought several from me over a few mths before I realized what he was doing. He was buying them raw, fraudulentley putting them at the end of wisconsin rolls and selling them for ridicuous prices as unsearched rolls. I suspect he did well over a hundred times. I blocked him from buying more and notified ebay several times, They did nothing but threaten me with expulsion if I didn't quit notifying his buyers that they were being scammed. The scum bag is still on ebay with a high feedback rating with only 4 negs. It's so disgusting - That's was pretty much the last straw for me, it took the enthusiasm out of me for collecting coins, now I collect paper money.

Let me point out some benefits of collecting paper money.

1. Most types of paper money comes with Serial numbers for tracking. Impossible to swap a note once you've seen the picture. Much harder to be scammed.
2. There are some Census (s) that have been around tracking the SN's of Lge size notes for decades. This allows checking the history of the note for prior grade/sales price
3. We don't have the mint churning out dozen's of modern crap that interfers with the collecting of the 'classics'
4. PCGS and PMG (NGC) now slabs paper money. Has created a lot of confidence in the market.
5. The pop reports won't be growing daily like coins. Notes with SN's can't be cut out and re-submitted to skew the pop report, can only be re-submitted to the other TPG one other time, and then it will never have another effect on the pop report.
6. Many times larger and many times more intricate in detail. Has multiple colors.
7. Paper money is easier to grade in my opinion. They don't come back from the TPG's body bagged, they're still slabbed, but obviously not in a premier grade.

These are just some of the benefits off the top of my head. For those of you with an interest, ck out the Currency forum. It is usually slow, but most everyone is anxious to help a beginner.

Edited to Add ------------ I forgot to answer your question. I doubt if there is much you can do other than leaving a negative feedback so that it stands out with the explanation. Other than that, just pray that he gets ran over by a truck on the way to the bank.

Texast · August 21, 2007 1:56PM

The only user I have found that has been buying up empty silver sets, buying clad sets and selling 1999 Silver Proof sets is 49ersrocks

May not be him but I would not buy a Silver Set from him.

As far as Sammydogsleeping, I remember bidding against him for years to get Sealed in the Box Buffalo Coin And Currency sets, he still buys every one he can and sell "Mint Sealed Sets" that are supposedly still sealed in the "Plastic" he must keep his impulse sealer busy...

BadBinky · August 21, 2007 10:54PM

Thanks all,

Sounds like the best I can do is leave feedback to warn others. Sellerid is goochwholesale, though I suspect a 2nd account for buying has been setup. The feedback as buyer that I saw purchases of empty cases has rolled off the 90 day ticker, the ones from vernon.coin
20 sets sold in the past 30 days... around $150-$200 "profit" on each, not bad. Grrrr.

thebeav · August 21, 2007 11:18PM

<< <i>The easiest way to be able to tell the composition of the coin is ... >>

These are a great candidate for the 'paper towel' or 'tissue paper' trick. When placed over the holder, the silver coins appear 'white'
while the clad coins just have a dull shine. Put a silver set next to a clad and try it. You'll never be fooled.

Russ · August 22, 2007 2:31AM

http://cgi.ebay.com/1999-S-SILVER-PROOF-SET-9-coin-set_W0QQitemZ330158460746

Russ, NCNE

Need help with an ebay dilemma

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