My Bad eBay Picture Story

I've seen some other threads like this, so here's mine...

I was looking at US currency auctions on eBay when I noticed there was a listing for 2 1950 $5 bills that had consecutive serial numbers ending in 1 hour. I was surprised because it was still at the opening bid of $11 with no bids - and free shipping. This was the seller's picture:

I placed my bid and waited. After a while, someone else came and outbid me. I ended up placing a last-second bid ("sniping") and won at $15.50 shipped.

Here's what showed up today:

Of course, I'm very pleased with the result and just thought I'd share

 

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Nice buy.

 

Thanks ldhair!

 

Very nice! I don't collect this particular field, but it looks like you snagged a good one.

 

Boy, those are some nice 5 bills.

 

Glad to hear that it sounds like I did alright!

 

I was the one you outbid! The pictures sucked, but I did notice the holder claimed the bills were Unc and I took a risk. I'm saving money for the upcoming coin and currency show so I tried to low-ball the guy. I'm pleased to see a member got these notes, and in such great condition! Congrats!

 

Very nice and a good price.

 

Looks like a winner! Congrats

 

Really?? I really wasn't expecting that! Small world!

 

Bad photos on ebay have been very good to me. Both for coins and paper. Some were pure luck, like this one: 1881-CC GSA Morgan Dollar. obverse photo only, horrible detail, and looked like someone had run it through a blender. My snipe caught it for $385, which is a good price no matter the condition. It arrived, and the obverse was a little better than expected.....but the reverse was full-spectrum crescent rainbow covering half of the surface area.

I was looking at listing for a CSA bond. Seller gave no details about bond, and only a dark, grainy front photo. The bond in question (1864 $1000 Equestrian) has 30 different Ball variations, and was issued in 12 series. I knew I had something from the First, Third or Fifth Series (thin cursive fancy Fs and Ts made it impossible to distinguish), signed by Apperson, and a 4-digit serial of 5xxx. I sniped assuming the most common possibility, with 30 minutes to go and no pending bids. I'm praying for a Third Series (a 1 in 3 shot) and a serial of 5701-5800 (a 1 in 10 shot). My 30 to 1 longshot came through. A Ball 326, a Trans-Mississippi bond reissued in Houston by a CSA Depositary. Only 100 such bonds. R 7+ Yahoo!!