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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;bqcoins, post: 2044409, member: 5036&quot;]I like ebay. I like to surf ebay, I like to bid, and I occasionally like to sell on ebay. However I, like every experienced collector, know that ebay can contain deals, steals, and great buys, but the buyer will have to figure out which one is which every single time. When something seems too good to be true, or looks like a monster coin if it were just graded that is where I take my first clue that something may be amiss. However, when looking at pictures, even if the coin is graded because sometimes problem coins come in non-problem holders, there are photographic techniques I am on the lookout for.</p><p>1) the image is out of focus...even slightly. That doesn&#039;t mean the picture is out of focus, a savvy seller can put a softening filter on an image and use it to hide hairlines, scratches, etc. if the image has any blur its a no for me.</p><p>2) if the white balance is out of whack...if the coin is whited out, or is too dark, that too can be used to cover problems like polishing and whizzing.</p><p>3) pictures taken from oblique angles. Pictures of coins that aren&#039;t from a straight on shot should make you look twice. If the coin is shot from an extremely low angle there is a chance that a problem coin is being covered up.</p><p>This auction is guilty of all three techniques: <a href="http://www.ebay.com/itm/1895-Barber-Dime-Beautiful-Toning-Uncirculated-/351235635572?pt=Coins_US_Individual&amp;hash=item51c7467974" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.ebay.com/itm/1895-Barber-Dime-Beautiful-Toning-Uncirculated-/351235635572?pt=Coins_US_Individual&amp;hash=item51c7467974" rel="nofollow">http://www.ebay.com/itm/1895-Barber-Dime-Beautiful-Toning-Uncirculated-/351235635572?pt=Coins_US_Individual&amp;hash=item51c7467974</a></p><p>The angle is wrong, it is too bright, and slightly out of focus....so why? This is a desirable date barber coin, with seemingly colorful toning, in a grade that most barber collectors would of course want.&nbsp; So we start searching auction archives and there it is on heritage: <a href="http://coins.ha.com/itm/barber-dimes/dimes/1895-10c-obverse-scratched-ngc-details-au-ngc-census-0-101-pcgs-population-9-126-mintage-690-000-numismedi/a/1204-9063.s" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://coins.ha.com/itm/barber-dimes/dimes/1895-10c-obverse-scratched-ngc-details-au-ngc-census-0-101-pcgs-population-9-126-mintage-690-000-numismedi/a/1204-9063.s" rel="nofollow">http://coins.ha.com/itm/barber-dimes/dimes/1895-10c-obverse-scratched-ngc-details-au-ngc-census-0-101-pcgs-population-9-126-mintage-690-000-numismedi/a/1204-9063.s</a></p><p>Hmm, details graded, scratched....which is why I am looking at a raw BIN on ebay that it out of focus, angled, and whited out. Perhaps if they hadn&#039;t shot for the stars with a MS60 graysheet ask someone would have snapped it up without taking the time to go in depth, but again this coin is just one of many that appear by all kinds of sellers on ebay everyday so watch the listings, and don&#039;t trust any listing until you&#039;ve checked it out from every which angle.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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