Original raw coins on Ebay

[dean1345]

What is your opinion on raw coins on ebay? What percent do you think have been cleaned, AT, whizzed, retooled or messed with? I have bought some nice coins on ebay that have been original but very few!

 

Dean

[nwcs]

I have no idea of the percentage but as the value of the individual coin goes up so does the likelihood that something is wrong with it. I do not buy raw from ebay. The last time I did was in 2002 and I got hosed.

[coinman1794]

You have to stick with sellers who actually know how to evaluate coins for grade and damage...those are few and far between. I have purchased raw coins on ebay labeled at "choice original" by dealers that were cleaned, altered, garbage.

[MarkFeld]

What is your opinion on raw coins on ebay? What percent do you think have been cleaned, AT, whizzed, retooled or messed with? I have bought some nice coins on ebay that have been original but very few!

 

Dean

Buying uncertified coins and/or sight-unseen and/or from dealers you don't know to be knowledgeable and honest, is going against huge odds. There are exceptions, but the odds are stacked very strongly against you AND there is no need to take such risks.

[Mark T]

Most are over graded, and many have been cleaned. There are only a select few who sell original coins. I sold silver coins earlier this year on EBAY , even though I sold the coins in lots I noted which coins I though were cleaned.

I had great luck with Saratoga Spring Coins. I bought a raw 1913 Indian Quarter Eagle from them that came back MS64 from PCGS. I had bad luck with another seller who sold me 4 over graded coins of which one was cleaned.

I try to stay away from buying on EBAY , only if I see a nice certified coin that I can get cheap will I bid.

 

 

[cpm9ball]

My opinion of buying raw coins on SleazeBay is that you should be prepared to SleazePay the consequences unless you know the seller.

 

Chris

[zrlevin]

What is your opinion on raw coins on ebay? What percent do you think have been cleaned, AT, whizzed, retooled or messed with? I have bought some nice coins on ebay that have been original but very few!

 

Dean

 

I have bought some very nice raw coins from eBay. I have also bought some losers. Never ever buy without a return policy

 

When I buy from eBay, the coin has to look much nicer in the image than a coin I would buy from one of our members on the BST. I automatically assume that the photo has been taken to show the coin in it's best light, so that photo has to be really stunning.

 

JMHO

[Oldtrader3]

Buying raw coins on Ebay is a really low odds investment, if you do not know the dealer that you are buying from. I have bought several few raw coins on Ebay, but while shopping and looking for coins, I would guess that 2/3'rds or more of the raw coin dealer's sites that I looked at were selling coins that were overgraded by 1-3+ points and/or were cleaned. This is even more true for dealers who sell coins that are not raw in NNC, SEGS, other third world slabs (not PCGS, NGC, ANACS or ICG) or self slabbers.

[James_OldeTowne]

What is your opinion on raw coins on ebay? What percent do you think have been cleaned, AT, whizzed, retooled or messed with? I have bought some nice coins on ebay that have been original but very few!

It depends on the value of the coin. Actually, if it's something cheap or common, I think the odds are outstanding that the coin will be original. But if it's something rare and not certified on eBay, and the seller is just some shmoe, then you can bet you face long odds.

 

I wouldn't hesitate to buy, for example, a 1935 what cent in "unc", or a 1948d quarter in "unc" off eBay if the seller seems competent. In fact, my success rate has been very good for coins of that caliber, and you can get surprising good deals that way.

[stgecko]

I have bought some very nice raw coins from eBay. I have also bought some losers. Never ever buy without a return policy

 

 

 

I dealt with a seller on eBay with a nice return policy and I ended up sending one coin back since I and my local coin dealer felt the coin had been cleaned. I informed the seller they said no problem send it back. I kept the other coin they sent, it was PCGS graded and was presented correctly. Now that they have given my my money back and they got their coin I have been banned from buying from them since I returned an item. HUH? I asked why he/she didn't want my money anymore and I never got a reply. Nice return policy!

 

Just chipping in my two cents and a little story.

 

Keep on coining.

[WinstonWare]

Be sure of the coin and you can find some. Here are a few that I've bought raw on the bay..

 

 

[relicsncoins]

I've bought many raw coins and probably about 80% are decent, and the other 20% have problems. Of course after buying many raw coins from ebay, you develop a knack for interpreting photos. This increases your odds of getting a decent coin.

 

JJ

[zrlevin]

I just looked, and I actually only bought 3 of 59 coins in my type set raw on eBay. One more was bought certified.

 

I really try to just avoid ebay.......

[TomB]

Over the last several years I have purchased very few coins at all off of ebay, but if one is careful one may be able to get some stunners from ebay.

[okbustchaser]

What is your opinion on raw coins on ebay? What percent do you think have been cleaned, AT, whizzed, retooled or messed with? I have bought some nice coins on ebay that have been original but very few!

 

Dean

 

Depends on the coins. The only coins I look on at Ebay are capped bust silver. Of those coins the ratio of messed with coins versus original is about 95 to 1--regardless of whether they are raw or slabbed--YES, EVEN THE ONES SLABBED BY SO-CALLED "FIRST-TIER" GRADING COMPANIES. Moderns may be different.

 

This is also the usual ratio at shows, in shops, or in auctions.

[Mark T]

Stgecko - who was that seller ?

[Mark T]

What is your opinion on raw coins on ebay? What percent do you think have been cleaned, AT, whizzed, retooled or messed with? I have bought some nice coins on ebay that have been original but very few!

 

Dean

 

Depends on the coins. The only coins I look on at Ebay are capped bust silver. Of those coins the ratio of messed with coins versus original is about 95 to 1--regardless of whether they are raw or slabbed--YES, EVEN THE ONES SLABBED BY SO-CALLED "FIRST-TIER" GRADING COMPANIES. Moderns may be different.

 

This is also the usual ratio at shows, in shops, or in auctions.

 

I have purchased a few Certified Busties on EBAY – all were original.

As for the Raw Busts on EBAY – most of the ones I have seen have been cleaned or artificially toned. Sure a doctored one can slip into a Top Tier slab , but that is not a common occurrence.

 

[stgecko]

Stgecko - who was that seller ?

bestcrystal is the name.

Have you had something similiar happen to you?

 

[Mark T]

I have purchased some bad coins and sent them back. I have never been banned from buying from a seller.

[WinstonWare]

Over the last several years I have purchased very few coins at all off of ebay, but if one is careful one may be able to get some stunners from ebay.

 

Tom, do you still have that write-up of the 1803 DBH you ripped off the bay and sold before you could sell it to me That was a neat example of some worthwile coins that are sold on ebay...IMHO

[okbustchaser]

I have purchased a few Certified Busties on EBAY – all were original.

 

What makes you think so? Have you owned them since the 1830s? If not, you have no idea whether they were cleaned and polished prior to the mid1970s or not. However, since they were basically unsalable during that time period UNLESS they were shinny and bright the odds are very high that they were dipped the first (and every subsequent time) a dealer got his hands on them. There is a reason that EZ-est coin polish was sold in gallon buckets.

[Mark T]

I have purchased a few Certified Busties on EBAY – all were original.

 

What makes you think so? Have you owned them since the 1830s? If not, you have no idea whether they were cleaned and polished prior to the mid1970s or not. However, since they were basically unsalable during that time period UNLESS they were shinny and bright the odds are very high that they were dipped the first (and every subsequent time) a dealer got his hands on them. There is a reason that EZ-est coin polish was sold in gallon buckets.

 

You never saw my coins so how would you know they are not original ?? Are going to tell me that you are one of those who thinks they can grade and authenticate coins better then PCGS or NGC ?? So according to you almost all Bust Halves have been cleaned at some point in their life cycle ? I have been collecting long enough to have a pretty good idea if a coin has been doctored if it is raw. I have a lot more confidence that a top tier TPG would know how to spot one also.

[stgecko]

I have purchased some bad coins and sent them back. I have never been banned from buying from a seller.

 

This is my first time for being banned. I don't like it.

[TomB]

I have purchased a few Certified Busties on EBAY – all were original.

 

What makes you think so? Have you owned them since the 1830s? If not, you have no idea whether they were cleaned and polished prior to the mid1970s or not. However, since they were basically unsalable during that time period UNLESS they were shinny and bright the odds are very high that they were dipped the first (and every subsequent time) a dealer got his hands on them. There is a reason that EZ-est coin polish was sold in gallon buckets.

 

You never saw my coins so how would you know they are not original ?? Are going to tell me that you are one of those who thinks they can grade and authenticate coins better then PCGS or NGC ?? So according to you almost all Bust Halves have been cleaned at some point in their life cycle ? I have been collecting long enough to have a pretty good idea if a coin has been doctored if it is raw. I have a lot more confidence that a top tier TPG would know how to spot one also.

Having not seen any of the coins that MarkT owns, I cannot comment on whether or not MarkT has been able to buy apparently original CBHs off of ebay or another venue. However, OKBC might simply be playing the odds by mentioning that most likely MarkT's coins are not original. This is because both PCGS and NGC routinely grade and certify wildly manipulated coinage. The coins that we see in PCGS and NGC holders are market acceptable, which is not the same standard as original.

 

I wrote a WYNTK thread on these boards about original and altered surfaces and the approach of PCGS and NGC previously and the thread is here. The fact of the matter is that the majority of PCGS and NGC certified CBHs have been previously cleaned, dipped or otherwise intentionally altered, but that these alterations have not crossed the undefined line that these companies employ for certification. This has nothing to do with the knowledge that PCGS and NGC have within the grading room, but has everything to do with their market standards employed in order to maximize grading submissions and be consistent with what the market wants within the niche.

[murty]

As far as Raw coins on E-Bay my experience is you get what you pay for. Occasionally after much searching you can do ok with some coins when you are particularly knowledgeable in that series. Once you get out of your specific area of expertise you are taking a risk. Knowledge is power and the fruits of studying and viewing many coins can lead to SOME decent acquisitions.

[jgrinz]

I have purchased some bad coins and sent them back. I have never been banned from buying from a seller.

 

This is my first time for being banned. I don't like it.

 

How did you leave his feedback - Probably good You can make an addition to that called "Followup feedback"

Make sure to say "If you send a coin back under hos warranty he WILL BAN YOU"

 

At least you can try to protect someone else

 

Regards,

[jgrinz]

As far as the topic goes ... Its all in the picture. I would say the percentage is very high on coins that have been fooled with. My Guess would be in the 90% area and if you are good enough the, 10% that is left ... woooohoooo if you have a good eye!

Souns like in some of the responses we have some good eyes on NGC 's Boards

[MarkFeld]

I have purchased a few Certified Busties on EBAY – all were original.

 

What makes you think so? Have you owned them since the 1830s? If not, you have no idea whether they were cleaned and polished prior to the mid1970s or not. However, since they were basically unsalable during that time period UNLESS they were shinny and bright the odds are very high that they were dipped the first (and every subsequent time) a dealer got his hands on them. There is a reason that EZ-est coin polish was sold in gallon buckets.

 

You never saw my coins so how would you know they are not original ?? Are going to tell me that you are one of those who thinks they can grade and authenticate coins better then PCGS or NGC ?? So according to you almost all Bust Halves have been cleaned at some point in their life cycle ? I have been collecting long enough to have a pretty good idea if a coin has been doctored if it is raw. I have a lot more confidence that a top tier TPG would know how to spot one also.

Because so many coins of that type have been messed with, simply as a matter of statistics, sight-unseen, the odds are that yours are not fully original. And the fact that they might have been graded/encapsulated by NGC or PCGS doesn't necessarily indicate that they are fully original, either. If you believe that, you are under a serious misapprehension.

[dean1345]

I know I have seen many CBH's that were encapsulated either by PCGS & NGC that had been wiped or dipped long ago. I think if the CBH retoned nicely and without harsh hairlines PCGS & NGC gave them the nod. I do not think PCGS & NGC are quite so lenient with other (Morgan's, Lincolns, etc.). Like someone stated before as "market acceptable". Am I off base on this one?

 

Dean

[WinstonWare]

Am I off base on this one?

No. That's true