How do you search for + and * designations?

[physics-fan3.14]

When inputing terms into your favorite search engine (for now, lets use Ebay) - how do you search for + and * designated coins? These special characters are reserved for searches, * being a wildcard and + being a Boolean. Some sellers spell out Star and Plus, but not nearly all of them - browsing, I have found many + and * coins that were not returned in any searches I could think up.

 

So how do you do it? Any tricks, special phrases, etc? Any ways to fool the search engine into returning titles with those actual characters, instead of using it as a wildcard? And just because this thread needs pics - here is a gorgeous Seated Liberty half graded NGC MS-66 +* that I found while browsing:

 

[cpm9ball]

You've got me, Jason, but when you find out, please let me know. I'm really getting fed up with some of the eBay sellers who include everything but the kitchen sink in their title just to cover all possibilities.

 

By the way, that half is outstanding!

 

Chris

 

[robec1347]

I just tried an eBay search using PCGS/NGC plus and came up with several hits.

[physics-fan3.14]

I just tried an eBay search using PCGS/NGC plus and came up with several hits.

 

Yes, if you use the text "star" or "plus" you return many hits. But you don't get nearly all of them. For example, if you search "plus", you won't get the half dollar shown in my first post - with the title "1879 SEATED LIBERTY 50c MS66+* NGC Star Designation !!!"

 

But if I could search for the "+" symbol somehow, that result would show. You see what I mean?

[robec1347]

I just tried an eBay search using PCGS/NGC plus and came up with several hits.

 

Yes, if you use the text "star" or "plus" you return many hits. But you don't get nearly all of them. For example, if you search "plus", you won't get the half dollar shown in my first post - with the title "1879 SEATED LIBERTY 50c MS66+* NGC Star Designation !!!"

 

But if I could search for the "+" symbol somehow, that result would show. You see what I mean?

 

After further investigation, using "plus" wasn't that great after all. Back to the drawing boards.

[James_OldeTowne]

Funny thing is that I believe I have never used NGC or PCGS as search terms on eBay !

 

Back in the old days, enclosing an asterisk in double-quotes ("*") would have allowed a search for the literal string inside the double quotes, but I don't know if that will work on eBay.

 

But after all, doesn't eBay give you "best match" (ha)?

[cpm9ball]

But after all, doesn't eBay give you "best match" (ha)?

 

Yeah, I searched "Sleazebayer" and got 14,000 hits!

 

Chris

[swhuck]

We're working on ways to do both.

[physics-fan3.14]

We're working on ways to do both.

 

:thumbsup:

[AYA3]

I haven't figured out how to search for both yet, but I located a beautiful 1958-D NGC MS67+ *star* Washington at DLRC. It is quite a beautiful quarter.

 

Andy

 

http://www.davidlawrence.com/inventory/viewitem.cfm/inventory/311188/inm/1958-D-25c-NGC-MS67%2b-*Star*/snm/Washington-Quarters-%281932-98%29/gnm/Quarters/auc/504/lotid/823737