So I lost one of my morgans for my magic (ouch), was a BU one. Fell out of my pocket apparently. So was looking for a BU replacement, went to apmex, they had a good price. But not only did they want over 14 bucks for shipping, they wanted a minimum 50 dollar order. So I decided to go on ebay and find one. I found this one: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120614118115 I'm aware of all the fakes on ebay. This one looked geniune/real silver to me. Guy has 100% feedback too and is not from china. What do you guys think? I've bought this one. I'm more worried of getting a clad base (no silver) chinese counterfeit from ebay. Thanks!
Thanks! Bookmarked. Will certainly use that next time. Should I be concerned at all about getting a non silver morgan? (I'm no morgan expert but) The one I bought in the look above looks OK to me
just from a quick glance it looks okay, authenticity wise. if you are just buying it for magic routine then the marks and spots don't bother me for grade/condition concerns.
1. I don't think you need to be concerned about the linked coin being faked. It doesn't have enough value to be counterfeited. 2. It has a number of scratches which I don't see as bagmarks, particularly on the eyelid. And there's a "dig" on the neck. IMO they are from mishandling. 3. The coin appears to have at least been washed if not cleaned. My evidence is the "water spots" on both sides of the coin. 4. IMO the coin is NOT BU because of the scratches. In fact it may not even be gradeable. Even ignoring the scratches it is problematic whether it would be BU, but the scratches make that opinion moot. 5. You paid "top dollar" for a problem-free AU coin. Given its problems that was too much. I know this analysis seems harsh, but these are the factors I would consider if I were interested in the coin.
Yeah, wasn't really buying it for the grade/collecting purposes.Thank you. What's with the denticals around K7? Is that from the coin possibly hitting another coin, being dropped etc?
Honestly, you should be more concerned about buying raw coins on eBay that may have been improperly cleaned or doctored in some way. The likelihood of getting a Chinese counterfeit of this very common and inexpensive Morgan is rather slim. In this particular instance, the photos of the coin you purchased on eBay show that it has been dipped and improperly rinsed. Chris
If K7 means the 7 o'clock position, I think the odd appearance of the dentils is strictly a function of the lighting and camera angle when the images were taken.
When it comes to buying on ebay, if you don't yet have a trained eye, stick with slabbed stuff. For raw coins, build relationships with dealers and fellow collectors you trust. Also, work on grading skills. Until you are ready to eyeball, stick with slabs on ebay. That's a $20 Morgan on a really good day. Considering it is being used in a magic show, not a big loss. Better to learn lessons on inexpensive coins.