Can I trust ebay

+1 No returns.... why give the buyer a reason to have buyer's remorse? You go to an auction house, and lift your paddle, and win the auction... you can't just say "just kidding, I didn't want it".

Everyone knows if the coins is shenanigans, they will open a case with eBay regardless if the silly return options is on or not.

Typically, once I put my block requirements in, 99% of the buyers are professionals to deal with.

 

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If I hadn't had the tolerance to bid on this one (no seller record, no returns, quasi-"too good to be true"), I probably also wouldn't have had the tolerance to bid on this one (seller with no history of selling coins, no returns, even more "too good to be true").

As a result, I wouldn't have been out of pocket $480 for a couple of weeks on the bad auction, but I also wouldn't be looking at a multi-hundreds profit on the good one.

I can't recommend my approach for everyone. In fact, I'd strongly discourage ANYONE else from trying it -- because the less competition I have, the better.

 

Yeah, I've settled on a few eBay sellers I usually look up by seller, rather than by item for sale. Works for me.

 

I have an acquaintance that purchased a used crimping machine from a bank. I can't say if he sells as "unsearched" or not, however, I never buy from him.

 

95% of what i buy comes from Ebay (and i mean all things, sneakers, coins, fountain pens, glass, art, computers, and office supplies).

Only once have i been ripped off and it was 7 years ago buying a PS2, the seller never shipped and i couldn't do a thing cause he was in Canada.

Might have been shipping though for all i know, i was too young to track my packages.

I trust the bay.

 

The one time I ever had anything lost in the mail was when I was shipping to Canada. International shipping can be flaky sometimes.

The problem with coins isn't typically that you don't get the thing represented in the listing; it's that the thing can be cleaned, fake, or otherwise a problem coin, but the pictures and description don't accurately convey the defects. I can grade, and I'm somewhat capable at authentication, but neither of those things can I do nearly as well through just a picture than with a coin in hand and some basic tools (loupe, scale, caliper, possibly stereo microscope).

That's the real problem with eBay.

 

True, i did buy a set of 11 Mercury dimes a couple weeks ago and payed a bit of a premium on them because one was nicely rainbow toned. Turns out the seller decided to clean them all before shipping however; with something so seemingly abrasive it very well might've been a brillo pad.

 

As a buyer you may be OK, if you read feedback and descriptions. Ebay does have Buyer Protection if coins didn't end being as it was described. Unfortunately there are risks as a seller though. I just closed out all my auctions. Starting getting people asking for tracking numbers on dimes they paid $3-$4 dollars on and claiming they didn't received them which is questionable. What if I had a tracking number? Would they close the case or go away? Anyhow I think I am done with Ebay as a seller. I think I would rather buy for myself in person unless I see a deal on Ebay. Just a hassle to return if they send you something completely different than listed. There is a different mind set at a show then on Ebay too. Dealers at shows avoid problem coins and can't sell them. On Ebay there is a market for them on the cheap. You'll get those that don't want to pay in that market though.

 

Funny I thought there was just a market for the "problem coins" on Ebay. I have sold some complete crap. I listed one coin as "Low Ball! The Worst!" and it sold. Someone described this 1863 Indian head as the worst they ever saw, almost completely slick with a date.

 

There are those folks who purposely try to complete a set of something in the worst condition they can find.
I've considered taking ebay up on one of their selling offers ($50 Bonus on any sales over $25) and taking my trusty drill to some slick and/or damaged problems and offer a desirable group of holed type coins. Some buyers are actually paying full price, and more, for coins with holes.

 

I have a few very rare Italian silver coins that have holes, that I bought at deep discounts, I use them as fillers for coins that I could not afford otherwise.

And back in Italy many years ago silver crown and half crown coins were used as watch fobs.

 

I know what you mean. This one seller lists "Civil War era cull lots". They have holes, no date, corroded, damaged, etc and alot of people bid on them. I bought one and sold of most and I sold out. Then bought another. I got sick of looking at coins with no date. I did keep some like 1917 Walker in good shape but low grade or a damaged Classic head half cent. People buy dateless shield nickels a lot for some reason. People at shows are like "you are able to sell problem coins?"

 

Well, there's a big difference between an honest PO-01 / FR-02 coin and a "problem" coin. Since lowball registries became a thing, PO-01 frequently sell for more than slightly higher grades. IIRC, I've even seen a PO-01 list for almost as much as a VF in the PCGS price guide.

 

Huh, maybe I should have listed the PO-1 1863 Indian head cent for more than I did or auctioned it off.