I recently purchased a lot of dimes and half dimes from Hunt Auctions. It was a low grade lot that I paid what I viewed as fair based upon the description. http://www.huntauctions.com/phone/imageviewer.cfm?auction_num=129&lot_num=1653 When the coins arrived, a few (four or five) were bent (a couple of the bent coins also have flat edges, which makes me wonder if they were in jewelry or something similar) and a couple had scratches (not just cleaning, but literally a scratch, as though someone did a silver scratch test), but the worst of the bunch was an 1823 (over-2) dime that has environmental damage in the form of corrosion. Initially, I wasn't upset, but I figured the collective damage made the entire lot ungrade-able and likely worth (considering the defects) about 50% of the hammer. When I contacted Hunt about it, their representative was nice enough to email me back with a copy/paste description of the lot. She later responded that she spoke with the company President, who felt the lot was accurately described. I already emailed them that I guess that's that, since I'm not going to hire an attorney over a lot that cost $170 or so, but I felt this might be a good reminder for others to be aware of the pitfalls of purchasing coins from a sports memorabilia (or other non-coin) auction house.
Buyer beware if it seems to good to be true.... it's not true ! That lot should of went for melt. Those coins as pictured are not worth $145 usd.
What was too good to be true about it? The hammer was pretty close to what one would expect to pay for the lot in the conditions stated.
Did you examine the lot? No way would I have bid that amount on the images posted. Not trying to make you feel bad... I my self don't buy damage, cleaned or coins below vf. For any amount of money other than spot.
I did see the photo and even asked for clearer photos. The photos they provided were low resolution, so I went according to the description. I, myself, don't mind buying AG coins for higher than spot, if they're not cleaned/scratched/corroded/etc. The 1823/2 coin looked dirty in the photo they posted. I didn't mind that. When I got it in hand, it was pitted, which I did mind, as it made me think it was either corroded due to ocean damage or possibly even a counterfeit. Again, if the coins were in the conditions stated and otherwise undamaged, I wouldn't have been upset with the outcome. My issue is that the coins have undisclosed damage, and the auction house owner claimed that the damage falls within the guidelines of grading that they represented.
