What a difference a picture makes.

[RGT]

I was browsing the Heritage auction archives and came across this coin that sold just a week ago.. The final price looked cheap so I took a look at the image to see what was wrong. The coin is slabbed as MS62 but it looks like it has wear on the high points and would grade no better than AU.

 

I skimmed on down the list of other MS62s and saw a similar one here that sold three years ago for almost five times the price of the first one. This coin looks much better and doesn't appear to have any wear.

 

Then I compared the serial numbers on the slabs.

 

I should have been paying better attention to Heritage auctions a week or so ago.

[EVillageProwler]

That's a pretty big difference!!!

[cpm9ball]

You'd think that Heritage would try to produce a better picture for an internet auction. I'm sure it cost them money, too! Do you think it would only grade AU through NGC? I can't tell from the lousy picture.

 

Chris

[Hoot]

I feel sorry for the consigner. They got ripped because of Heritage's lousy (but "World Class" ) photos.

 

Heritage is running such an enormous volume of coins now, I think they probably can't keep up with the needs for good imaging. They are all about volume and not about quality. Recently, it seems that Heritage is on a rampage to sell everything and the dog too. It diminishes their respectability in my eyes.

 

Hoot

[Techno_mike-migration]

Heritage's image problems have probably saved me money lately ...I have been on the good side of the image "game" in all the coins I have gotten, but Hoot is absolutely correct in his contention that this is costing their consignors (and them) money.

Just on their inflated shipping and handling charges it would seem they could afford some decent equipment and a few staff ...out source the work if you have to. On the consignment page they say "State-of-the-art digital photography" ...most of the posters on this site are better at it!

 

Mike

[pawnee101]

Last one looks like a 65 in a 62 holder was a good buy for the person that bought it, no bad marks and have to give it a point for good looks

[bigd5]

Even if you were paying more attention, the recently sold coin has such a dark picture, who would even bid?

 

Heritage's images have been nothing short of TERRIBLE as of late, and they are so dark, I stopped looking. They did have that "lightening" feature where you could brighten the image enough to actually see the design on the coin, but that seems to be gone now.

 

I started to look at some lots in the upcoming auctions, and saw nothing but a brown disk when I looked at copper lots.........I don't know how ANYONE could bid on those coins, online, by the images only. It's not much better in other series either, and a great example is the half dime you posted.

 

I haven't bought/won a coin from Heritage in months because of this.

 

I would also say that their "continuous" auction is too repetitive in comparison to their weekly auctions. Seems to be the same type of coins being listed but with the long wait times I imagine most bidders simply browse, maybe place some bids, and then completely forget about the whole thing. Hence, the "rip" someone made on the subject coin.

[Architecht]

Wow, quite a rep you've got going there, Hoot, when your name is officially changed to "Hoot "

 

[RGT]

These two coins are, in fact, the same coin. The older image makes the coin look quite nice while the newer image makes it look like a dog. The sales prices reflect the images.

 

Before I bid I usually check previous sales. If I had checked this one I'm sure I would have noticed the earlier one and the better image. I would have bid on the coin much higher than it sold for. Someone got a great bargain and someone got screwed by Heritage's new images.

[jom]

Someone getting screwed with Heritage's wonderful photo's? Never happen...NEVER!

 

It's a typical problem. If they have BILLIONS of lots to photograph they'll never do a good job on any of them. Especially the NGC coins, which can make the coin look very dark because of their white slab...ANACS too.

 

I bought my pretty 36-D Buffalo in a Heritage auction and probably got it cheap because of the poor internet photo.

 

Chances of me consigning to Heritage anytime soon: ZERO.

 

jom

[Hoot]

Wow, quite a rep you've got going there, Hoot, when your name is officially changed to "Hoot "

 

 

Sorry Archie, you missed it. It was the "is absolutely correct" part that received the praises. (A kind gesture, nonetheless.) Rare, but in this case, how could I miss? Seems like Heritage photos have taken aback quite a few people.

 

Hoot

[Oldtrader3]

I have just sold approximately 2/3 (300 slabs) of my coin collection and Registry Sets to a dealer, other than Heritage. Mine is not a World Class collection and my name will never grace a slab. However, Heritage was not even considered for this sale because I was that sure I would realize a reasonably high return, based on their photos. I wondered that: if they do not care about their own presentation, will they care about my collection?

 

My recent buying history with Heritage has been ok, but I have not bought any expensive coins from them recently, and I screen their pictures very carefully. Additionally, they have been getting some bad press from very active collectors (i.e. this site!) and do not seem to be at all responsive to customer need. They have always been astute marketers and must be aware that something is happening to their business?