Well title says it all... http://www.ebay.com/itm/CREDIT-SUIS...291288100143?pt=AU_Coins2&hash=item43d21fad2f (Read Description)
Sure it's legal, he says it's fake right in the description. I know what you're saying but buyers have to take responsibility or get taken to the cleaners.
I doubt it is legal, I mean if I were a big refiner like Pampe Suisse or one of the others that he is selling these plated things, I sure would not want to lend my name to the enterprise. If he was selling Rolex watches and plainly said in the description that it was a cheap knockoff, I do not think Rolex would say oh well it is ebay and anything goes. I would think it would do harm to the companies he is counterfieting and would do real harm to their reputations.
Legal, probably yes. But it is against eBay rules, but that does not seem to matter anymore either. http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/currstamps.html
The item is said to 85% as dense as gold assuming the information about dimensions and weight is correct (a big assumption) so what is it, a block of Uranium alloyed with a bit of lead? Pure lead would be about half the density of gold.
Or it could be that he's lying about the dimensions. I know it's hard to believe that someone selling fake bullion bars would actually lie about them, but it could happen.
Go here: http://www.ebay.com/usr/omg_dealzz?_trksid=p2047675.l2559 And click "Items For Sale" everything he sells is fake....
I would think there must be some sort of trademark/intellectual property infringement issue. That's what I would be most concerned about if I were the seller. It looks like he is based in Australia though, and I'm not sure what the trademark laws are like there, but I can't imagine they are too much softer than here in the US. The ebay policy violation for selling clad/replica bullion is more straightforward, but less of a concern for the seller since it's just a policy violation and not "illegal".
To me it wouldn't matter where he is selling them from. He is selling them TO the United States and here it is illegal. It is in violation of the Stamping Act of 1906. These items specifically violate section 297 titled "Stamping plated articles." Below is a link to a .gov website of the law. The act also specifies importation of such items into the United States. The violation results in a fine no greater than $5,000 and/or 1 year imprisonment. http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/USCODE-2009-title15/html/USCODE-2009-title15-chap8.htm I have reported all of his items I deem in violation of the law as illegal items.
