eBay Authentication Service

eBay recently announced a free-to-buyer collector card authentication service for items priced at $500+. Why not offer the same for high dollar numismatics? It would save a lot of heartache and headaches, plus shady sellers would be exposed and removed. Your thoughts? https://pages.ebay.com/authenticity-guarantee-tradingcards/

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

If I need a card graded its going to PSA. That doesnt even get into the fact the ebay case in the pictures covers up significant part of the slab. I doubt there will be much if any premium for these and I doubt that it would be any different with coins

 

It could work, especially if eBay were a paragon of expertise and integrity.

Which is to say, it could work in theory.

We all know the TPGs are far from perfect, but I would trust them seven ways to Sunday over anything eBay says and does.

All that being said, I'm sure eBay will do what you describe, because they see an opportunity to graft onto yet another business.

 

Ebay made a step in that direction some time ago. A better step would be to actually police the listings and enforce the rules.
https://coinweek.com/ebay/ngc-and-pmg-partner-with-ebay-on-expert-review-service/

 

As I understand it, eBay's partner will only authenticate the cards (designate as genuine or not), not grade them, and then forward them to the buyers.
A simple, guaranteed 'real or fake' determination and report would go a long way to help the buyers of all expensive collectibles and help eBay's business model as well.

 

For coins, though, how much good would that service do if it only authenticates, and doesn't call out cleaning, or tooling, or artificial toning?

 

Exactly that's why its rather worthless for coins/cards/comics etc. You would just then have to go ahead and get them regraded anyways. It could work for ancient coins, but most of those buyers wouldnt believe them anyways

 

Personally I'm much more worried about fake coins than I am cleaned coins.

 

Actually a lot of good. How many fake coins are being sold on ebay? Do you really care if it is cleaned, tooled, or artificially toned if it is a fake? If it is genuine with problems at least it is still genuine. (And some of us DO buy problem coins) If it is fake it doesn't matter even if it is problem free.

 

Authentication is not iron-clad when you can't examine the coin, token or medal in person. If they put their seal of approval on a counterfeit, I would think that eBay would legally liable.

 

Except the sellers of fake coins arent going to offer the extra service

 

1. Authenticity Guarantee Service Fees.
   The Services are provided at no cost to sellers and buyers for Eligible Items that are bought or sold on eBay.com; however, eBay reserves the right to institute, alter, or amend fees or costs associated with the Services at any time, at eBay’s sole discretion.

There's going to be a fee on it if it starts working and expect a selling fee increase in the near future to cover it if not. The cost always gets passed on

 

And some of the fake coins are not as obvious as they used to be. The counterfeiter's are getting better at their "craft"

 

If one was to purchase a qualified $500+ card and it turns out not be authentic, who gets the bad card, the seller or the buyer? If it's the seller, he'll just try to sell it again. Does the buyer get a full refund? If not, then what purpose does it serve for those who happen to purchase an unauthenticated card?

 

Cost and liability, in my opinion.

 

Its my understanding that a couple of years ago there was a group of people who were hooked up directly with ebay that policed ebay for fake and altered coins. It was claimed (as I heard it) that it worked really well, but in the end ebay dissolved that group.
So, now its known there is some who freelance watching certain newly listed groups of coins to pick out obvious fakes & altered coins and work to get the listings taken down via the seller, or reports to ebay.
I take it that there isn't a group on this forum that looks for ebay counterfeits and works to get listings taken down?

 

A "group" no... However most of us here at CT when we ID a fake coin on auction, will 1st inform the sellers it is fake if they/we are sure of the ID, If questionable, it will often get posted here... If proven fake and the seller won't take it down/respond well it's not uncommon for a dozen or so reports of the 'fakery" being made to EB. Sometimes they do something, other times not but at least we here at CT are warned

 

That's good to know!
Thanks for the information.