Anyone get anything from him?

https://www.ebay.com/sch/agathetyche/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=

not accusing anyone but I have my doubts about a couple of this sellers coins.

 

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Don’t think they are off but it’s mediocre quality in general. That Ptolemy XII is odd. No reason to buy there.

 

Stop looking at Ebay...there are better places to buy coins.

 

I noticed that one too. I was asking myself why would be red? Those are supposed to be silver

 

He’s a horrible photographer but I’ve known the seller for 27 years. He used to work for CNG. His coins are authentic.

Barry Murphy

 

That explains a couple of his write-ups being better than the average eBay seller with no photo skills. Extra credit for the eBay name. With bad photos you have to be a detective to know what is for sale.

On of the best reasons to buy on eBay is if you know the photos are worse than the coins.

 

Well, for 46 delivered we'll see how this one looks in hand:

 

oh ok ty

 

At first I was not a fan of these posts. But I am learning about a few good sellers... I appreciate it. Sometimes straight questions give straight answers (reading between the lines can get tiring on here for a newbie ).
Keep ‘em coming - cheers!

 

Think he could have made a mistake?

Even that Ptolemy XII? Why is it RED? You sure he couldn't have made a mistake there?

 

Red patina and encrustations are natural to coins from that region. Its just that we normally see them cleaned. I just got this coin in, it still has some really hard crud in a few spots:



But red is not the only color. Blue is common for coins coming out of China:

 

Do you happen to know the chemical composition of the red encrustation?

 

I like bronze with a red patina, it happens naturally.

 

I've heard this before. The few that provided any answers to my question for information pointed to astoundingly overpriced auction sites featuring items far more expensive than I could afford to bid on.

There aren't any coin seller sites that I've been able to find with reasonably priced wares... they're all selling on eBay. One seller I've grown to respect is also a member here, and I look at the items in his store on a regular basis. I've even provided him with a want list every now and then, and have bought items from him a few times over the past month or so. I would be happy to support other Coin Talk members who also sell on eBay, but I haven't been able to find any.

 

I've bought and sold on eBay since I was in 5th grade; 20 years this month, so am infinitely more comfortable with the platform than the numismatic auction platforms (often with buyers premiums, which aren't fun), but they are certainly right that you can peruse a vast array of nice collector-quality and authentic coins not usually available on eBay in such numbers and variety, and not mixed with a multitude of offerings from swindlers. I'm lookin' to grow up a bit and get with the program, and have my eye on some Classical Greeks right now that I'd pay the premium for.

 

The Ptolemy is perfectly genuine.

Barry Murphy

 

There are many dealers on Vcoins that have affordable coins, some even cheaper than ebay. There are also great sellers on ebay but you must follow the golden rule:

"Know the coin or know the dealer"

You must know at least one of the above and it would be better to know both.

 

The reason we recommend against eBay is that it is hard to get new people to understand that they are not buying from eBay but from whoever decided to list items for sale on that flea market venue. Some of the sellers are perfect sources and recommended highly. Others are absolute crooks, fools or scammers of all varieties including people selling genuine coins for ten times a reasonable price and stating that they are doing you a favor. eBay, the company, makes no effort to police what goes on on their site as long as sellers deliver merchandise, they don't know or care what that merchandise is. Those of us who have reported crooks have eventually given up because eBay makes money on sales, not on being a watchdog in every field they have listed on their site. eBay is very much like any other flea market type venue. It is entirely up to you to figure out which sellers are which.

 

thanks Barry

 

Yes, and it gets tiring for someone as a reader here for 3 years (a newbie). You have to ignore the self appointed righteous pompous asses and cherish the gentlemen that provide wonderful information without the condescending attitude that they would rarely dare in person.