Why are people buying common $100 dollar bills for $125 on Ebay?

I just can't figure it out. There are hundreds of completed sales on multiple listings on Ebay for circulated $100 bills for $125 shipped (plus sales tax). Why would people pay this kind of premium for something you can get for face value at the bank anytime?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/303798422821?hash=item46bbcc0d25:g:trsAAOSwFZdhsSm7

 

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There was a time when, with gift card promotions, eBay Bucks, and the like, you could make a small profit from transactions like these. I assumed that was why eBay pulled the plug on gift cards for Coins and Paper Money. Today? I can't explain it, unless there's another promotion where you have to buy or sell a certain amount to get it.

 

Pay on credit; (run the card up) and receive cash.

 

I think that too violates the rules of my CC cash back agreement.

 

The more I read about things like this, the more I understand why eBay clamped down on gift cards and promotions in Coins and Paper Money. I'm a bit surprised that they're willing to let the category exist at all -- Adyen sure dragged their feet on it.

But I still don't understand what prevents people from putting a ratty old sneaker up in the "Sneakers" category (zero final value fees!), with an AGE on top of it, "ornament included", BIN $spot-plus-shipping-and-small-premium. I guess the folks who wouldn't get charged sales tax on bullion would be annoyed, but that leaves plenty of other customers...

 

Easy answer, there stupid..LOL

 

It is to monetize Ebay Bucks. You can spend your eBay Bucks to add to your Beanie Babies or trade that $114.00 in Ebay Bucks for a C note to buy meth. My dealer doesn't take Ebay bucks.

 

Anytime money is involved someone will think of a way to get more of it. (Think Willie Sutton)

 

I find the purchasing of circulated, common run-of-the-mill notes odd (no matter what the denomination) but the current stuff is especially baffling!

 

Perhaps a money laundering, or counterfeit scheme? I don't know how, but crooks are always coming up with new schemes.

 

I just got a promotion where I get 20% [yes 20!] off selected items. I have not gone through the list of eligible items, but if a $100 was on the list, what with my credit card cash back, I would come out ahead buying the $100 at $125.

 

...as long as you don't pay sales tax. "Sales tax" on a $100 bill; I guess I shouldn't go giving any legislators ideas.

When I was getting promotions, they always excluded Coins and Paper Money. Toward the end, the only promotions I ever saw were for things like "name-brand refurbished" -- not even general enough to go looking for miscategorized items.

 

Because if they were on Etsy they would be $10,000.

 

What's more disturbing is straps of 100 selling for over $300 at auctions. Yes, new, crisp notes, and star notes also, but really.

 

And I've been throwing away to the rag bin my old ripped up jeans. What was I thinking? To quote P.T.Barnham..."There is a sucker born every 7 seconds." I sure hope my quote is correct, the memory is a sad thing to lose.

 

The middle bill has a nice chop mark. I see these alot on hundred dollar bills.

 

Ask any politician they definitely know how to make more money out of less!

 

It's simply the power of suggestion...if it's for sale it must be worth something more than face value...and $25 is worth it to some to find out what, how much, etc...if anything. And if not...hey...they still have a $100 bill so $25 doesn't seem like so much.

 

They are using them as a hedge. If sanctions are devaluing a currency, buy the currency that benefits from the sanctions.

 

Perhaps I'm cynical, but I've got to side with @fullhart on this one. As collectors, we often forget the simplest or most mundane reasons. We're wondering what's collectible about these? Who would buy these? There's nothing collectible about them. They're likely bought by international buyers & they're either used to copy or as a shop-owner's specimen (a 'yardstick' note to compare incoming tourists' cash)? Some banks in some countries might be short of the $100 (or the exchange seems prohibitive). There's got to be a reason we're not thinking about...