eBay policies favor the seller???? Just what favors the seller. If the buyer does not like the coin, he sends it back (or at least says he does) and PayPal GUARANTEES the he gets his money back. If the seller does not have delivery confirmation (in some cases, signature may be required), the buyer SAYS he did not receive it and he gets a refund from the seller - GUARANTEED by PayPal. Oh! And if the buyer screws the seller, the seller cannot even leave negative feedback. Just what do you feel favors the seller?
Great thread! I agree with almost everything except #4. I've gotten some of my best deals on items with no photos. These are definitely caveat emptor auctions and I would never buy a high-dollar coin in this manner, but I've found that a lot of the true "got these from my grandfather" end up being sold like this. The seller has no clue and figures why bother posting a photo of a few rolls of wheat pennies, or an old roll of nickels. I've found that if their selling history looks like a random online yard-sale then I can make away with some great prices for items precisely because most people aren't even giving them a second look because there is no photo. I've gotten items this way for less than half of what they typically sell for even if they do end up being a bunch of commons.
It is against eBay's rules to A.) list a certified coin (before 1980) without showing both sides of the coin in the slab. It is also against their rules to; If you get a counterfeit coin, a coin other than pictured, or even one you don't like, you are GUARANTEED and refund by PayPal. The worst you should ever loose on eBay today is your time.
I agree, I've gotten some great coins, without pictures. As long as the seller allows you to return it if you don't like the coin, I don't see a problem. I got a great 1834 Bust Half a few months ago this way. It was a "buy it now" The seller graded it as G, I paid less then Red Book price and when I got the coin it was at least a F15. Pay Pal does guarantee your money back. I wouldn't send a check or money order, for anything on e-bay, anymore
Yeah, a couple of weeks ago someone snatched a no-photo, buy-it-now listing before I could pull the trigger on a roll of .90% Washington Quarters for $59!
I buy a lot from ebay. I have another one. I will never buy anything from anyone with a rating below 99% and 99.5% if they have over 1,000 transactions. Also, I never buy from anyone with less than 50 transactions regardless of their rating.
I use toolhaus.org to check what the negative(s) was for. I know that there can be some ridiculous buyers out there. I've seen some leave negative feedback because the seller waited for payment before shipping the item!
I buy a lot from eBay and generally follow those rules, too. There are some respectible dealers on eBay from which I'll buy raw coins, but I go through my local dealer for anything over $500. I don't buy as much on eBay as I used to due to... 1) the new "search experience" 2) counterfeits I know nothing about 3) all the gold I'm buying from the US Mint Btw, your avatar is hypnotic! :rolling:
I've only bought one thing over $500 on ebay. It was an engagement ring for $3000. I knew it was a legit when I saw that it was from Brooklyn and from a guy named Isaac Abraham. It was a very nice 1 carat diamond with another 1 carats on the side. I'm very careful on ebay but I must say that I've had pretty good experiences. I had worse experiences with dealers, coin shows, and auctions.
I trust everything went well with the engagement (Congrats! :thumb. I have good relations with about half the dealers I've met. Some are excellent, but too many are pompous asses that feel their "numismatic prowess" constitutes a God-given right to screw over the customer. Baltimore will be my first coin show...and I avoid auction houses like the plague (dealers on steroids).
I hear what you're saying on this issue but the envelope also contains two small card stocks and a dated COA, I don't think the seller of these envelopes provides those. Yes, if someone chooses to buy a mint or proof set, the older ones have more than just the mint set inside the envelope. Stay informed and stay happy! :thumb: