Fake coins on eBay

[Larry Dreher]

There have been quite a few Panda "replica" coins showing up on ebay and many new collectors are getting suckered into them. Some sellers describe them as "plated" or "no value" while others don't say anything. This can only hurt the market for real pandas.

 

This auction is one of the worst. The seller led the bidders to believe there were bidding on the first year issue panda with a price that is typically in the 500-600 range. The bidding on this went up to $300+ for a something worth under $1.

 

I filled out a form on ebay indicating that these weren't real coins but I have no idea if they act on that info or not. Is there anything else I can or should do?

 

Ebay Auction #8384027096

[Jazzy]

Wow. This is a good example of researching coins before you buy them.

 

Fake Panda:

 

 

Real Panda:

 

[Bruceswar]

for me the dead givaway is no letters or numbers.... all real issues have some somewhere

[Stanley]

Edited: Reply was meant for Larry

 

 

If I knew this to be true I would email the buyer and let them check it out.

I have done this before.

[Larry Dreher]

I did contact the buyer. I haven't heard back. I also contacted the guy who sold them right after it was posted. I was looking for a 1983 Panda so the post caught my eye. I gave the seller the benefit of the doubt that he might not know the coin he was selling wasn't real so I sent him a message. I never heard back from him.

 

I'm uncomfortable being the ebay police but I like the panda series and it tends to attract many new collectors. If they get ripped off and give up collecting it doesn't help any of us.

[EZ_E]

I also contacted the buyer but never heard back.

 

But, then again, usually no good deed ever goes unpunished!