I love some of the stories some eBay sellers employ to make potential bidders think their offerings are something special. "Found in a cigar box" "Found inside the wall of an old house" "Left to me by my grandfather" etc., etc., etc. Here is one that I thought was a hoot: "Provenance of Coin collection being sold here on Ebay: The Owner of this collection was an amateur coin collector for over 50 years. Ten years ago due to failing health, he moved into his son's home in Kisimmee FL. Lacking the means to continue collecting, and fearing theft of the coins from unknown visitors to his new home, he buried the coins on the property. The coins remained buried for 10 years until his death this year. A sealed envelope attached to his will contained a map to the "buried treasure" His son was able to located and dig up 3 suitcases, each containing approx 200 lbs of coins each. The suitcases contain every type of coinage imaginable from loose pennies to Mint Proof Sets, from Colonial Coins to Susan B. Anthony Dollars. The coins will be auctioned as is, as found, with no grading or authentication unless noted otherwise in auction descriptions."
The Yarn Hobo's referring to are usually the "Lot" auctions and what I've seen is Lot auctions are mostly scams. But Hobo forgot the most infamous statement - I know nothing about coins. That was used by the cigar box coins seller, yet they know something's rare???? With most of them, you can find one hidden lie and that one lie unveils the rest of the lies (if you pay attention). I'll stand with Hobo in saying, I'm sick of the con-artists on Ebay! They're everywhere and the more you browse the more you find but once I realized this, they've ended up providing me a form of entertainment and sometimes they even make me laugh and if the con is serious or ticks me off, I'll take the time to do something about it, just like the cigar box scam. Ribbit :smile
Here's another one I don't buy: Please don’t judge the coins by the poor pictures this is the best a low tech guy can do with a simple digital camera. A Seller with 800 feedbacks and they don't know how to use a digital camera? What average percentage of sells to feedbacks does a seller get? Not everyone takes the time to leave feedback, so that seller has more than likely sold well over 1000 items and they still don't know how to use a digital camera? Yeah right! I have a friend, who's young and very mentally challenged. He has a computer and surfs the net, plays with his IPod, takes pictures with his cell phone camera, text messages, and many other things we do. I don't buy this seller's claim they are technically challenged and can't take better photos (aka: photos are good, the coins are the problem). Ribbit, Toad :smile
Please do not forget the following: Unsearched by me Found in attic Dad had them in is closet when he died Found in storage Old bank box Grandma’s collection Etc
I remember the seller that referred to his son as a "crip". Yeah a real class act. Some people have no scruples.
Here's another yarn: HERE I HAVE A NICE CONTINENTAL DOLLAR COIN. IT HAS GREAT DETAIL AND NICE COLOR. IT HAS A SMOOTH EDGE WITH NO CAST LINES. IT WEIGHS 16.1 GRAMS. WAS DISCOVERED IN THE BASEMENT OF AN OLD FARM HOUSE ON TOP OF INNER STONE WALL WRAPPED IN AN OLD CLOTH. NOT SURE IF IT'S THE REAL DEAL BUT HAS GREAT LOOKS AND IS THE CORRECT WEIGHT. IF IT'S NOT REAL EVEN THE OLD COPIES ARE SELLING FOR $100 TO $200 ON EBAY BUT IF IT IS IT COULD BE WORTH THOUSANDS. Ribbit :mouth:
Nobody will ever beat my spoof auction " unsearched wheat rolls found in belly of Great White Shark ", which I placed a 1914-D on one end and a VDB reverse on the other. Before you flame me as a shyster, this was a spoof auction and totally legit, but I cannot post it here, against the self promotion rules..
