Beware: eBay seller listing coins from "an old family collection"

[gpnyc]

I guess "old" now equates to coins purchased in 2009, cracked from NCS problem holders and sold raw on eBay.

 

I was watching these 2 coins and decided to do a little research on them and here's what I found:

 

1822 Bust Half on Ebay

1822 Bust Half on Heritage

 

1872-CC Seated Half on eBay

1872-CC Half on Heritage

 

These are the only ones I've researched of the 12 coins this seller has listed. I'm sure researching the others would yield similar results.

[MarkFeld]

I wrote to the seller asking how the coins can be from an old family collection, when they appeared in auction this year in NCS cleaned holders. If I receive a reply, I will post it here.

[tenacious]

Good pickup gpnyc! Thanks for the heads up!

 

Posting it on other coin forums would be a good idea and a good deed.

[Mark T]

I will post this to the EBAY coin fraud group. They will be all over this guys listing and will report the violations to EBAY . They do a great job reporting violations the problem is EBAY will drag their a-- on this .

[physics-fan3.14]

I think "old" in this context refers to senile old grandpa got on the computer and bought some stuff he shouldn't have and now they have to try and sell it.

[Mark T]

Did anyone take a look at that 1795 FH and 1801 Bust Dollar??

 

Possible counterfeit ?

 

That 1798 looks like altered surfaces .

 

The 1911-D Quarter Eagle looks cleaned or maybe polished , the cheek is way to smooth looking .

 

[MarkFeld]

Did anyone take a look at that 1795 FH and 1801 Bust Dollar??

 

Possible counterfeit ?

 

That 1798 looks like altered surfaces .

 

The 1911-D Quarter Eagle looks cleaned or maybe polished , the cheek is way to smooth looking .

I think the 1795 Draped Bust and the 1801 dollars look very suspicious and that the 1911-D $2.50 has been polished. I would certainly not buy anything from that seller, not even a certified coin that I was certain was genuine.

[RockMyAmadeus]

Sent to seller:

 

"Wouldn't that just suck if the 1872-CC half you bought at Heritage in March of this year sold for LESS than you paid for it, even with you "neglecting" to mention that "old family collection" to you = 7 months, and "forgetting" to mention that it has been improperly cleaned and broken out of an NCS holder....?

 

Wouldn't that just be a kick in the pants...?"

[Mark T]

Sent to seller:

 

"Wouldn't that just suck if the 1872-CC half you bought at Heritage in March of this year sold for LESS than you paid for it, even with you "neglecting" to mention that "old family collection" to you = 7 months, and "forgetting" to mention that it has been improperly cleaned and broken out of an NCS holder....?

 

Wouldn't that just be a kick in the pants...?"

 

I can't wait to see this guys response.

[WoodenJefferson]

There probably will be no responses, the seller knows they are putting on a ruse in order to dupe a buyer into thinking these coins have never seen the current market. One can only hope they get burned by eating a loss.

[SkyMan]

What? Fraud on eBay? I find that very hard to believe. Why look, the seller has 100% POSITIVE feedback...

[murty]

gpnyc,

Excellent find. I will also look into some of the other completed sales he made.

Thanks for the heads up.

[murty]

Watch out for this sooner or later!!

 

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110445418520#ht_2660wt_955

[prudden]

Great job!! Did anyone notice at the bottom of this seller's page of lofty high dollar coins is a 1964 Proof Washington quarter? I just though it was strange

[bsshog40]

Great job. There are soo many swindlers on ebay. No more conscience about ripping off your fellow collectors anymore. At least for some.

[ant]

maybe a link to the pcgs helped bust will make him think. maybe hint that his coins are questionable and that maybe they should look him over also

[gpnyc]

I went at him from a different angle and asked an innocent question regarding how long these coins have been in the "family." The not-so-honest reply is below. I haven't called him out yet but based on the response from you guys, I probably don't need to anymore.

 

 

Dear gapnyc,

 

Hello

Thank you for your question and interest. This and the other coins have been with our extended family for at least three generation. We are reluctantly selling them off to relieve pressing financial concerns. We will likely continue selling through the next few months as the proceeds really help. All coins and medals that we sell are guaranteed authentic. Satisfaction is also guaranteed with full return and refund privilege. Regards, Jane

 

- janejameson7266

[MarkFeld]

I went at him from a different angle and asked an innocent question regarding how long these coins have been in the "family." The not-so-honest reply is below. I haven't called him out yet but based on the response from you guys, I probably don't need to anymore.

 

 

Dear gapnyc,

 

Hello

Thank you for your question and interest. This and the other coins have been with our extended family for at least three generation. We are reluctantly selling them off to relieve pressing financial concerns. We will likely continue selling through the next few months as the proceeds really help. All coins and medals that we sell are guaranteed authentic. Satisfaction is also guaranteed with full return and refund privilege. Regards, Jane

 

- janejameson7266

I'm hurt that I didn't receive a reply from the liar.

 

Are you going to let her (or him) know that you know, now? Maybe tell her/him that you will report the lies to Ebay?

[DWLange]

When I've sold duplicate coin boards and albums from my collection, I sometimes see the same pieces offered a couple weeks later, now filled with coins, as "old family collections."

[gpnyc]

 

Are you going to let her (or him) know that you know, now? Maybe tell her/him that you will report the lies to Ebay?

 

 

I will let them know that I know they are full of....

 

Anyway, apart from their dishonest little background story, have they really violated any listing rules? They are not claiming the coins are problem free and aren't even claiming a particular grade. I really don't see eBay caring too much about this when all is said and done.

[MarkFeld]

 

Are you going to let her (or him) know that you know, now? Maybe tell her/him that you will report the lies to Ebay?

 

 

I will let them know that I know they are full of....

 

Anyway, apart from their dishonest little background story, have they really violated any listing rules? They are not claiming the coins are problem free and aren't even claiming a particular grade. I really don't see eBay caring too much about this when all is said and done.

Unfortunately, I agree with you. I guess you could report the listing under "stolen property", since you have proof that the seller is lying about where the item was obtained. Then let Ebay and the seller hash it out.

[RockMyAmadeus]

I went at him from a different angle and asked an innocent question regarding how long these coins have been in the "family." The not-so-honest reply is below. I haven't called him out yet but based on the response from you guys, I probably don't need to anymore.

 

 

Dear gapnyc,

 

Hello

Thank you for your question and interest. This and the other coins have been with our extended family for at least three generation. We are reluctantly selling them off to relieve pressing financial concerns. We will likely continue selling through the next few months as the proceeds really help. All coins and medals that we sell are guaranteed authentic. Satisfaction is also guaranteed with full return and refund privilege. Regards, Jane

 

- janejameson7266

I'm hurt that I didn't receive a reply from the liar.

 

Are you going to let her (or him) know that you know, now? Maybe tell her/him that you will report the lies to Ebay?

 

As expected, I got no reply, either.

[shirohniichan]

There are lots of ways sellers try to justify these claims.

 

Years ago I found on eBay a coin a Collectors Universe forum member had previously offered to me in a dead-husband's collection. What caught my attention was that within a few months the harshly-cleaned coin had been restored, and offered as "possibly cleaned at one time" and supposedly found by a widow in her husband's old collection.

 

For the claim to have been true, the husband would have been collecting from the grave as it appeared in his collection long after he died. A defender of the supposed widow said she traded in some of her dead husband's collection to get the coin, so it could properly have been called part of his collection. To me it was linguistic gymnastics to avoid admitting being caught red-handed. I guess it's also possible her husband had a time machine, came into the present to buy the coin, and then took it back with him to the past. How the CU forum member got ahold of it would still need to be explained.

 

When I read "old time collection" or "estate" I find myself thinking "fraud".

[Dene]

Nice catch. Unfortuntely this happenes all to offen of E-Bay. I bought from this person before and sent it back as it wasn't as described and got my money back. I just received a E-mail for someone claiming that they shipped me $500.00 for a TV and haven't received it yet and they were going to get the FBI on me. I sent it to E-Bay along with a message and they said it was a spoof. Come on the BFI!!!!!!

[James_OldeTowne]

Years ago I found on eBay a coin a Collectors Universe forum member had previously offered to me in a dead-husband's collection. What caught my attention was that within a few months the harshly-cleaned coin had been restored, and offered as "possibly cleaned at one time" and supposedly found by a widow in her husband's old collection.

 

For the claim to have been true, the husband would have been collecting from the grave as it appeared in his collection long after he died. A defender of the supposed widow said she traded in some of her dead husband's collection to get the coin, so it could properly have been called part of his collection. To me it was linguistic gymnastics to avoid admitting being caught red-handed.

Naturally, you are speaking of the "husband's estate" that I was involved with several years ago. Sadly, most of the coins from so-called "estate sales" on eBay have nothing to do with actual estates, but some are legitimate. When I used to do eBay sales, I am sure I sold coins from at least thirty legitimate estates over the years, and have thank you notes from several satisfied consignors. But without a doubt, most "estate sales" are nonsense.

 

To my recollection, the specific "harshly cleaned coin" you refer to was purchased by a dealer who subsequently left positive feedback regarding the eBay transaction, as he was pleased with the low cost of the coin despite its shortcomings, apparent in the accompanying image. And when I contacted the buyer to refund his purchase price (since the repair was not explicitly disclosed in the description, just shown in the image), he declined, because he had already assumed there was a repair and he liked the coin nonetheless.

[Bruceswar]

I remember back about 4 or 5 years ago there was a true estate sale going on on Ebay. Soo many killer coins from an old time collection. At the time I was strapped as I had just bought some others. Some nice coins got away! An old lady and a man named Harold. She listed for about 3 or 4 weeks then all were gone..

[shirohniichan]

I remember back about 4 or 5 years ago there was a true estate sale going on on Ebay. Soo many killer coins from an old time collection. At the time I was strapped as I had just bought some others. Some nice coins got away! An old lady and a man named Harold. She listed for about 3 or 4 weeks then all were gone..

 

Harold was the collector who continued collecting from beyond the grave! His wife Deb kept finding things that he purchased after he died, and even after she fretted about selling the last coin in his collection (I believe it was an early 20th century gold eagle) more stuff turned up. Now THAT is dedication to collecting!

[TomB]

I remember back about 4 or 5 years ago there was a true estate sale going on on Ebay. Soo many killer coins from an old time collection. At the time I was strapped as I had just bought some others. Some nice coins got away! An old lady and a man named Harold. She listed for about 3 or 4 weeks then all were gone..

If I recall correctly, Harold and his wife were a huge scam.

[shirohniichan]

I remember back about 4 or 5 years ago there was a true estate sale going on on Ebay. Soo many killer coins from an old time collection. At the time I was strapped as I had just bought some others. Some nice coins got away! An old lady and a man named Harold. She listed for about 3 or 4 weeks then all were gone..

If I recall correctly, Harold and his wife were a huge scam.

 

Do you remember Miss Haversham? At about the same time as the Harold/Deb collection hit eBay, Miss Haversham's hoard of Buffalo nickels also made the rounds. She was the mysterious little old lady who buried 50-gallon drums of old nickels in her back yard. They don't make little old ladies like they used to!

[RockMyAmadeus]

Miss Haversham? Well, with a name like that, I wouldn't have any great expectations about what I would find buried in the yard....

 

(yes, yes, the spelling's not quite right. Close enough. )