If you see the word " Grandfather" in the title of an ebay auction...

lcoopie · March 9, 2008 9:18AM

and knowing nothing else,

What do you think are the chances that it may be a legitimate auction?

smokincoin · March 9, 2008 9:21AM

10%?

tmcsr69 · March 9, 2008 9:25AM

4 to 1

ahooka454 · March 9, 2008 9:25AM

2.5-3.7%. I see that phrase I start to giggle and then beging to laugh. I love those ones.

ambro51 · March 9, 2008 9:27AM

More often than you realize......grandad, age 75 or so gives a set of coins to disinterested teenage grandchild......hoping to spur a desire to collect...

soon as grandpop dies the coins hit ebay......kid wants an iPhone or something.

sorry but a lot of these coins end up that way (and you guys know it)

Coxe · March 9, 2008 9:32AM

<< <i>More often than you realize......grandad, age 75 or so gives a set of coins to disinterested teenage grandchild......hoping to spur a desire to collect...

soon as grandpop dies the coins hit ebay......kid wants an iPhone or something.

sorry but a lot of these coins end up that way (and you guys know it) >>

Doesn't have to die, just start to enter that forgetful time when the whippersnappers start bossing him around and he can only capitulate so they'll let him watch Matlock reruns and have some fruit for dessert. Respect for elders is so regrettably lost on too many selfish people today.

charley · March 9, 2008 9:55AM

From reviewing ebay from time to time, the number of times I see "grandfather" tells me that there are a rather large number of them that collected coins and have grandchildren. Respectfully, John Curlis

christopherking · March 9, 2008 10:24AM

Probably even less than that are for real. The only real one I know of for sure is Shigley's collection on eBay, where the grandson is slowly selling off everything he inherited from H.K. But he hasn't even started selling the coins yet and said it might be years before he gets to them

(
That's kind of sad considering he's sitting on one of the largest coin collections in the world.

Mercury10c · March 9, 2008 10:25AM

Close to zero.
Same as if you see "estate."

rgCoinGuy · March 9, 2008 10:31AM

I immediately call my credit card company to get the limit raised so I can bid 10 times sheet

lcoopie · March 9, 2008 12:39PM

thanks for all the imput

Some grandpa's do collect coins I suppose and they may be sold after he passes, but probably not frequently.

good night

AUandAG · March 9, 2008 12:41PM

If it was a coin from 1900 or before, then I'd say someones grandfather once owned it.

Yep, legit!

sumnom · March 9, 2008 12:41PM

I actually have some coins my grandfather gave me that were the start of my collection. Sometimes it's true.

FloridaBill · March 9, 2008 12:42PM

Run Forrest Run!

FloridaBill

messydesk · March 9, 2008 12:45PM

Depends if I'm looking for a clock.

sumnom · March 9, 2008 12:46PM

Or maybe looking for some claws.

options26 · March 9, 2008 12:53PM

I did a search in coins within titles and descriptions and found the following

751 - Auctions running with the key word grandfather
163 - Auctions running with the keyword grandpa
187 - Auctions running with the keyword grandmother
56 - Auctions running with the keyword grandma
379 - Auctions running with the keyword uncle
166 - Auctions running with the keyword aunt
133 - Auctions running with the keyword cousin
951 - Auctions running with the keyword brother
371 - Auctions running with the keyword sister

So we are looking at 2-3% of total auctions using the above keywords.

sumnom · March 9, 2008 12:56PM

Nice work, options!

droopyd · March 9, 2008 4:09PM

it better be a clock.

BECOKA · March 9, 2008 4:20PM

Depends on the day. Could be all, some or none.

direwolf1972 · March 9, 2008 4:27PM

<< <i>Depends if I'm looking for a clock. >>

ahooka454 · March 9, 2008 4:40PM

Or a new cane.

Note to self: Self I need a new one...

mr1931S · March 9, 2008 9:13PM

Run Forrest.....Run....

lope208 · March 9, 2008 10:04PM

I, too, got my start collecting from my grandfather. I've since sold a few of the coins on ebay
and mentioned they were part of my grandfather's collection.

I find it funny that people think less than 2% of auctions are legit. The way I read the question,
people are saying these auctions are not legitimate. I think what you're all meaning to say is
that the grandfather claim is not legit. The coins themselves are fine and the auctions
themselves likely have no problems. Not meaning to mince words, but JMO.

lcoopie · March 9, 2008 10:16PM

everyone had a grandfather at one point, I think

that may change in the future

ubercollector · March 9, 2008 11:31PM

Most certainly some of these sellers did get the coins from their grandfather, but it's generally hype and playing the key word game. eBay allows the seller 55 characters for their main title. So some sellers will latch on to "estate" , "grandfather", or other such words in an attempt to snag bidders who use "estate" or "grandfather" as part of their keywords.

It's meant to give bidders the impression that the seller isn't a dealer and may not be very knowledgable about coins, which plays to the greed of the bidder.

I don't look for these type of auctions, but I'm sure that there are a lot of people searching under these keywords in hopes that one might...... just might be real.

edited for clarity.

fastrudy · March 9, 2008 11:55PM

everyone had a grandfather at one point, I think

Everybody has two grandfathers and that will not change as long as humans reproduce.

dorkkarl · March 10, 2008 4:52AM

i've never understood who cares about who the he11 owned the coins before? does it matter???

if it's got a valid return policy, your buying sight-seen, so that's what matters.

when you get right down to it, all sellers could claim the coins were once owned by the u.s. gov't!

& the raw materials were once owned by GOD!!!

K S

Broadstruck · March 10, 2008 4:56AM

Oops posted under the wrong Grandfather thread...

lcoopie · March 10, 2008 2:32PM

<< <i>everyone had a grandfather at one point, I think

Everybody has two grandfathers and that will not change as long as humans reproduce. >>

Meaning absolutely no disrespect, it is possible to have only one grandfather, although unlikely in our society

Griv · March 10, 2008 3:32PM

I'm hoping to live long enough to have an eBay auction that says:

I am a grandfather and I am selling this before they put me in a home. Double the price once they put me away!

RichieURich · March 12, 2008 7:35AM

Dorkkarl has it right. It doesn't matter where the coins came from. But some people must be having success with the "grandpa" or "estate" listings, otherwise they wouldn't do them. BTW, there is an eBay seller with over 10,000 feedbacks that every coin he lists is "from estate". So my guess is that the "grandpa" or "estate" angle is true maybe 5% of the time. Not to say they aren't legitimate auctions, just that the "grandpa" or "estate" part is not accurate. Interestingly enough, I tested for "flea market" as a source of coins on eBay's U. S. Coins category: over 128,000 listings, 0 mention flea market in the title. Does anyone think that percentage is accurate either?

jdillane · March 12, 2008 8:09AM

My grandfather had a gold coin collection that was started by his great grandfather. Lived in Detroit and they were stolen in the mid 1960's. Cannot recall if before or after the riots. Apparently the thieves were leaving as he and my grandma were returning. Thankfully no one was physically hurt but in my youth, I often wondered what treasures may have been in that small box of gold! Of course, I concluded pristine DB eagles, halves and quarters!

(Had they not been stolen any that came my way would never have seen there way to the 'bay.)

Lakesammman · March 12, 2008 8:28AM

Only if a grandfather clock.

coolest · March 12, 2008 8:47AM

Sometimes it is true, but most often the gradpa collected junk silver and the person/s who inherited them assume them to be extremely rare and valuable. So they will ask $2,000 for an EF Franklin half.

robkool · March 12, 2008 9:09AM

Run away...

Tyler1924S · March 12, 2008 9:23AM

It is almost always a cheap ebay come-on, but I have had two situations where there really was a father or grandfather. Those were the only two times I bought from a seller making that claim. Both times, there were a number of signs that made me feel they were the real deal. That's the exception. Ninety-nine plus percent of the time, I view "grandfather" the same way I do "L@@K", "From An Estate", and all the others.

charley · March 12, 2008 9:57AM

fastrudy, there was the Egyptians and all that... Respectfully, John Curlis. PS: Adam and Eve? I don't know, I am just asking- don't yell...

If you see the word " Grandfather" in the title of an ebay auction...

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If you see the word &quot; Grandfather&quot; in the title of an ebay auction...

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If you see the word " Grandfather" in the title of an ebay auction...