Superstition or Not - I was right!

Damn, Bing, sorry to hear about that. I've had some issues with Agora in the past (the usual chasing for response and updates) but nothing like that. I hope you'll be able to score a replacement sooner rather than later.

 

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I had almost the exact same issue as you @Roman Collector with Agora a while ago and likewise, I will not be doing business with them again. Though I had gotten some real beauties from them previously, it only takes one negative incident to make me doubt credit and ethics. But now it appears to be more than a lone negative experience.
Sorry to read about you losing out @Bing . I'm a big fan of your legionary collection! And really like how you looked on the bright side...

 

Sorry to read that @Bing

More than superstition, it's my lack of confidence towards postal services that leads me to not post anything about coins before I have them in hand

Q

 

I feel for ya. I just got into the office this morning to see an envelope for a recent purchase of a Hadrian dupondius, but picking up the envelope it was very light... too light.

The coin somehow escaped it's flip and relocated itself to the bottom of the envelope until the coast was clear and abandoned ship while in transit.

 

That should NEVER happen if a coin is properly packaged for shipment.

 

Just to save time would it be easier to post times when we did jump the gun and posted photos too early and did not regret it? I am not defending any postal system having had trouble with four different countries but it is not always their fault. I have also had similar experiences with several coin sellers about half of which are still in business (no thanks to me!). We have said it before. Don't count your chickens until they are hatched!

I do wish there were a way to keep me from knowing when a coin I want is being offered by a seller on my blacklist. Friends write me with leads which I appreciate but not when they are from 'those' sources. I do not need temptation.

 

Agreed.

 

More Bong than Bing, this time. I reckon Dame Fortune will be catching up with you soon !!!

 

I recently posted a thread using the seller's photos before the coin had arrived. Luckily the coin showed up in 2 days in fine fiddle.

The only problem I had was when Jamesicus sent me a freebie follis that got lost in the mail. For some reason it never showed up. He then graciously sent another that did show up. So one loss in a couple of hundred purchases. Not bad.

I feel for you @Bing !

I do think that dealers need to manage their inventory more closely. In the past few days I have been searching for drachms of Alexandria under Antoninus Pius and Hadrian. The weird thing is that I see the same coin being sold by different shops. How can that be? For one thing one drachm was on Amazon, Ebay, and Vcoins at the same time, three different outlets, too.

Is it the case that individuals are selling under different handles? Or is there something more nefarious going on?

 

Many dealers sell at shows, sell on eBay, VCoins and on their own site. This only becomes a problem when they neglect to keep each venue updated with sales from the others. I see no solution when you go on VCoins and buy a coin that the dealer has carried to a show. VCoins software will charge your PayPal for the coin when I bought it in person five minutes earlier (or later) but give you a message that the coin is yours after it is in my pocket. Few dealers will be checking for an e-sale during a show. Should they? Similarly, two buyers could be buying online through two venues at exactly the same time leaving the seller with a decision of who to disappoint. The only answer would be to require dealers to have different stocks for each venue so eBay customers would not see show stock coins or VCoins listings but most of us would rather see all the coins a seller has in one place. Big sellers do this. Auctioneers may have auction lots at a show but should not be selling them after the sale has been published. Do they? What if you offer several time what a coin is worth? What if no bids have been received up to that time? What if the buyer is a customer who spent $2 million on their sales last year? Too many questions!

Technology causes can't win situations but we had the same problems in the old days. I once bought a coin by long distance phone from an employee of a major seller who instructed me to send my check (long before we did PayPal or Credit Cards). My check came back in a week with an apology that the boss had sold the coin to what I knew to be a bigger customer after the employee had taken my call but before he knew of the sale. A week after that, I got the coin and a request to send back the check. When the bigger customer heard the story, he asked them to correct the situation. I still patronize the seller and that customer. The Internet has changed things that used to take a week into things that take a second but people still have to input changes or conflicts will happen that could have been avoided.

 

I can understand all that has been said, but I'm so tired of hearing "we had a computer problem", or so-and-so has been on vacation. Whatever happened to honor and trustworthiness and honesty? Whatever happened to responsibility? I know I'm old, but I still believe in keeping my word. If I ever give my word, I will do my utmost to keep it!

 

I assume you got your refund for this? If a seller wanted to be a pain, they could probably say that the item was "delivered" because the tracking number says so?

 

I've reached out to the seller to explain the situation (with photos), but haven't had a response yet. I'm expecting to have a refund.

 

Been there before :/

 

Sorry for your loss. BTW, it is bad luck to be superstitious.

 

May Fortuna watch over us all.

 

Yes, the seller replied and quickly refunded me... sad day for all. Except for whomever finds this homeless Hadrian.

 

I wasnt sure if I should (or would) respond to this thread, as it could be suggested that I have a conflict of interest if I expressed my opinions. Some of you know that I have run five auctions on the Agora platform but aside from that I am completely unassociated with them and cannot answer any questions that anyone might have regarding, well, anything. They are a separate business and I cant answer for them (but many people have asked, and I simply directed them to the contact information).

To be optimistic, I can say that running a coin business it not really what many expect, suggest, or hope for. It can be very difficult. It is very true that when one is utilizing multiple sales venues there can be some issues. Whether it is selling a coin at a coin show or another site, it really is up to the seller to update the information as quickly as possible to avoid such situations. Of course there are some occasions where the seller cant be held responsible.

A few years ago VCoins had a software issue, they were (I guess, I only have a little info on the topic) backing up the current site with old data. What that meant was that older (and in many cases) sold coins were being put back into the inventory. I had numerous situations where I had to advise a disappointed customer that the coin was not available, here is you refund, etc. In the end it does not make for a happy client, regardless of who is to blame.

Now, I dont say any of this to absolve anyone of their responsibilities. In my case I try very hard to make any situation right and as quickly a possible. Just recently I had a customer who bought a coin from my last auction and he had some troubles paying for it (not his, but through the platform):

https://www.biddr.ch/auctions/dorney/browse?a=284&c=4396&l=263107

When I looked at the situation I decided to just ship the coin to him for free. No payment, no expectations. I mean, its a $15 coin, right? I am sure he will be happy. While the coin was consigned I still have to pay the owner. So, I guess I lost out monetarily, but I know the coin will go to a very good home.


I'm sure I'm getting off topic and there were other aspects I wanted to address.

This is very true. No insurance company will pay out when the tracking number shows that it has been delivered. But then again, one wont be in business long if they are shipping empty envelopes. I have many horror stories of sublime coins that were never delivered. I paid out on all of them (recently a $750 Balbinus). Its just part of being a dealer.

 

Well look at it this way, you at least have "closure" knowing what happened to the coin. I had an item that recently became "lost" when it passed from the U.S.P.S. to CBP at New York, J.F.K. Item was registered but there is no sign of it since early April. Both the U.S.P.S and CPB claim it must have been a problem with "them, not us". Now I just keep looking at coin sales in my area waiting for it to show up for a second chance at it. As crazy as it sounds I would have felt a lot better if I got an empty parcel and could stop hoping it will show up.

On another story.. I purchased a coin last night and the seller contacted me this morning and said he couldn't locate it and sent a refund for $10.00 more than I paid to make amends. I was fine with an explanation and a refund. Stuff happens.

Oh, and there was the other item that showed up this week. A red fiber 5 Fen from Manchuukuo dated 1945. It was delivered from a city within 20 miles of my house in one day. The envelope had tire marks on it with the coin smashed to bits. A second envelope with coins from a different seller also had tire marks but the coins were not damaged due to the packaging. Just shows that the envelope with the fiber coin did not get "accepted" at the Post Office in that condition.