Does this NGC holder look strange? Or am I just imagining it? http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280030690515 and http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280032568606
Yes, it kind of looks like an old version of the slab, but to me it looks like the font on the label is not same as on any NGC holder that I've seen... Also barcode is too narrow??? Plus, slab borders on the obverse and reverse look identical, which, again, I've never seen before. Strange, huh?
Aaaah, but how do I know I'll get my coin after I pay you, especially since you just sold the same coin on 9/23 that you are now auctioning with a close on 10/1
If it smells fishy I would leave it be. Based on what satootoko and voronezh say things don't quite add up to this being a legitimate ebay seller.
Something doesn't smell right here at all. The font on the label is suspicious, not to mention the duplicate auctions. This particular coin was issued by Russia as a modern restrike in nickel. If the slab is fake, then the coin is a gold-plated version of the modern restrike, worth about $20. The coin looks like it has more wear on it than an MS61 should have (intentionally "aged", perhaps).
If the coin is really genuine and in that grade, the prices should be at least 20k, which is considered extremely cheap at the moment.
It actually looks like the seller may have shilled the coin bids up on the original auction (start at $14.50), and screwed up. So he may have relisted the item immediately at the last known "valid" bid price to try to grab the buyer back. Even if it was only $10, this would be the kind of dealer you would want to stay away from with scrupples like that.
Do you mean by calling/emailing NGC? I think their Collectors' Society members also can lookup individual slab numbers. I did look at NGC's census data for 1902 37.5R, though, and for MS category there are only 2 coins listed: one AU-50 and one AU-58: no MS-61 here. The only two 61s listed for this coin are: one MSPL-61 and one PF-61. Don't know what that means. Is census data 100% accurate?
I expect that he accidentally won the 10/1 auction with his shill and now he is trying to sell it at the other bidder's max bid. This coin falls into the there is no Santa Clause category. He could sell it to a dealer for significantly more than he is getting on eBay! Something is amiss.
It appears thatthis particular certification number corresponds to this particular coin according to NGC. Here is the info I copied from the Cert lookup part of NGC's website: CERTIFICATION NUMBER LOOK UP This tool will allow you to enter the certification number of an NGC coin and look up the details of that coin in the NGC database. Please enter the certification number of the coin exactly as it appears on the label and hit submit. Certification # 668618-001 Date / Info 1902 RUSSIA Denomination 37.5R Grade MS61 Pedigree Strike PL No Grade Comment Population See NGC poplookup NumisMedia Value* No Price So it is the PL coin, even though I can't tell that by looking at the label. If someone in Texas were to offer to pay cash for a personal pickup I wonder if he would sell it that way? It seems like it may be an easy way to make a quick buck, but I sure wouldn't send him money without seeing the coin first in person.
Well, here's the explanation from NGC about why there is a discrepancy between the cert number verification data base and the coins graded database:
People should realize that what you see can be real....but what you get can be nothing... What if.... Somebody copies now the images...on ebay. Makes an auction in one year or so...posting the same images again... Yes...you see images...you compare it again... its the coin... But does it change...no...you still can be cheated.. And $10.000 is serious money..even de coin is $20.000 worth.
