2-first time events....

I am still active in my collecting, for those wondering where IU've gotten to...just working on my Barber Half raw set and keeping my eyes open for any additions to my Walker Mid-date set (really nice 1936-S CBC, by the way). Nothing has really come up for auction that has jumped out at me so I am being patient. I did find a 1945-S MS66 that was really nice so now my entire 20 coin set from 1941 through 1947 is now MS66 or MS67.....

Okay, enough of the boring stuff....two unusual events...

First: My daughter graduated college about 2 weeks ago and I was out oof town for 3-4 days to attend her graduation. I never even went near a computer even though I had 5 or 6 things selling on ebay. One item was a double of a Walker half that I had upgraded and I was selling the old one. I had listed the coin and put a modest reserve, --I expected the reserve to be met but was still protecting myself from the coin going too cheap. When I left to go away the reserve still wasn't met. However when I got home that Sunday night--the coin had sold. What really was amazing though was that my email had 4 messages from the buyer. It turns out that after he had bought the coin ( and paid via paypal) he tried to register it. Being out of town I had not even had time to un-register the coin after it had sold. Each email was progressively more angry and offensive !! Away from town from Friday to Sunday and this guy was blowing a gasket and using profanity because he couldn't register it?? I understand being upset if you have the coin in hand and it has been days or weeks ..but 3 days? And he didn't even have possesion of the coin..... Anyhow, I ignored the rudeness, unregistered the coin and went ahead and mailed the coin to him without any retalitory words...life's too short to let people like that get under my skin.....

And the second weird "first": I recently bought a nicely detailed ( by the photo) 1913 Barber Half. I got the coin at only about $60 for a VG+ worth $100 or more...so when the coin arrives the front is great, original and problem-free. When I flip it over and look at it with my X20 loupe--well the coin was a 1913-S and the S had been rubbed off and a convenient small scratch was there to try and hide the deed. A 1913-S is worth about $10 and the 1913 over a hundred. I had not even considered that coins of this level of value would be doctored--but here it was !!

So I give the seller the benefit of the doubt, assuming that maybe he hadn't seen it or noticed it. I sent him an email and mailed the coin back for a refund. I never got a response from him. I sent another email--unanswered and finally contacted ebay/paypal resolution center to get my money back. He finally responded to ebay that he would refund the money, but never has--2 weeks ago. So now I re-contacted ebay myself and told them to give me my money !! Still waiting--but in the meantime, I have left my first Negative Feedback for a seller. Maybe I've just been lucky all of these years--when I've not liked a coin, I've never had an issue with a return and refund until this guy..

So, a few "firsts" for me.

Finally, as of today ( friday) my coins at NGC have finally been graded and reached quality control. Grades should be posted soon. Does anyone know if NGC gives partial refunds for very long service? What I mean is, I mailed them away for EarlyBird grading and now they have had them longer than the economy grading scale. I'm not being flippant--I wonder if NGC offers partial reimbursement for when you pay extra to have them graded quicker and they still take the length of time of had I sent them economy and saved $12 per coin.....hmmm..maybe I should call..

here's a nice new pick-up I made for my album. A 1912-S which looks to border on VF30/35