I happened across this auction maybe 90 seconds before it closed: http://cgi.ebay.com/My-Mom-Hoarder-Rare-US-Coin-lot-w-silver-/280603208406?pt=Coins_US_Individual&hash=item4155412ad6#ht_500wt_983 Check out the photo. What's that out-of-focus item just below and to the right of the Franklin half? Is it really a quarter eagle? Or is it a cheap token that "accidentally" fell in with the mix? I would've given it an 80% chance that this is a seller too clueless to realize what he's got. Seeing that he's been selling "My Mom the Hoarder" sets of "unsearched" pennies and nickels, I might have dropped that chance lower. But he's got good feedback for the stuff he's sold so far, and he doesn't seem to have a sudden burst of lots that "accidentally" appear to include high-value items. If I'd come in with 5 minutes to go, I might've bid on the basis of melt value for a quarter eagle plus the silver I could count in the image. What would you have done?
Appears to be a Half Eagle by measurement. Probably fake. He mentioned silver, why not mention gold it it was real? I see it like a bait pic. Give a fuzzy photo of something fancy and see how high they'll bid it.
Looks like there were at least two bidders thinking "half eagle". Wonder what the buyer will find? Every once in a while you find someone on eBay who doesn't know what they're selling. But I'll bet it's a lot more common to find someone pretending not to know what they're selling. The most reliable wins, I'm finding, come from sellers who just don't know how to effectively describe or photograph their items. (For example, the people who describe early proof sets as "coins in envelope".)
If you look at his Feedback history, he is not the newbe he appears to be. He has been selling nothing but coins for a long time under several different IDs. He clearly new exactly what was in that pile.
Yeah, that fake eagle is bait for sure. Then he's conveniently out of town while the auction is active so he can't answer any questions. That way when the buyer gets the fake eagle, he can't complain because the seller stated that he wouldn't be available to answer questions notifying the buyer it is not real gold or has a copy stamp on it. -LTB
If you show a pic of a Half Eagle, never mention a Half Eagle, but bidders bid it as a Half Eagle, if the bidder buys a fake the seller is covered. If the faking issue on eBay gets worse, how long do you think before there are no descriptions? Giving a description = a claim of authenticity. I'll bet raw coins will all have a pic only with the byline "you be the judge".
We're In Agreement!! I agree with your observations, as I'd sell that lot of coins with a quarter eagle included for the final funds bid. Anyone sincerely interested? Rich
I agree - plus no returns, plus nobody asked if those were the actual coins and are they guaranteed genuine. I skip all auctions like this.
I am newbie but even I know something is fishy. If you notice he just bought a pound of silver not too long ago. If his mother is a hoarder as he claims, why is he buying silver on ebay?
It's just like the cigar box / treasure chest / "unsearched" lots / etc., all pure junk. As they say, a fool and his money are soon parted.
Heh. Just went back and checked on this one, and the feedback for this auction is: Did the lot really include a gold coin? Is the buyer trying to save face, or just gullible enough to assume that a fake gold coin is real? Did the buyer return the lot, and leave positive feedback because the seller agreed to the return? Guess we'll never know. But if I saw another auction like this one, I don't think I'd pull the trigger. :-/
You've answered your own question. The seller is using the oldest trick in the book: he's seducing you with the possibility of hidden treasure. It doesn't take intelligence to do this, just cleverness; the seller relies on bad photos, a poor description, etc. to allow the viewer to fill in the blanks with his imagination.
Honestly, he's pretty good at this. If he didn't want to create some kind of frenzy, he wouldn't have conveniently placed it right on top of the pile. But 42 bids, I'd say he has experience! Maybe it's worth the gamble, but I doubt it.
