eBay sellers putting packing inside mint-issued capsules … a new problem

Discussion in 'Coin Chat' started by calcol, Dec 15, 2022.

  1. calcol

    calcol Supporter! Supporter

    I buy a few coins issued by former USSR republics that are in original mint-issued plastic capsules. Usually, I buy on eBay from sellers in eastern Europe. This year, for the first time, they’ve been putting tissue paper inside the capsules to act as packing. Presumably they’ve had complaints about the coins rattling and getting scratched or maybe the rattling leads to more mail theft. I have never had a problem with coins getting scratched by the capsules.

    I wish they wouldn’t do this. There is a possibility of them or the packing scratching the coin during the process. It might also lead to weird toning that might not show up for years.

    I had one where the seller obviously held a small wad of tissue against the inside edge wall of the capsule and then forced the coin into the capsule compressing the wad between the coin and the wall. So, when I opened the capsule there was no way the coin was going to come out … didn’t when I held the capsule in my hand and slammed my hand down hard on a fluffy towel. Also tried using nail clippers on the capsule flange hoping a chunk of the edge wall would crack out too … nope, just got chips from the flange. Finally occurred to me that most plastics have a higher coefficient of thermal expansion than most metals. So put the open capsule, coin side down, on a towel and used a hair drier to warm the plastic. Capsule came off the coin pretty easily then.

    In the future, I’ll direct sellers not to open the capsule. But it may be too late as they may put packing in the capsule before the coin is listed. They might open the capsule and take the packing out and that doubles the risk of them damaging the coin. And no, I can’t tell the difference between a 69 grade and 70 grade, but TPG graders can.

    Cal
     
    ToughCOINS likes this.
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  3. rte

    rte Well-Known Member

    The way the delivery people throw stuff around here, coins clashing together would be a concern if your looking for 69/70.
    When I buy an art bar or vintage silver round at the local place I seperate them with paper.
    That's just me...
     
    calcol likes this.
  4. calcol

    calcol Supporter! Supporter

    Yeah, except these coins are in individual, sturdy, supplied-by-the-mint, plastic capsules. No chance of coins clashing together. Only clashing is coin on plastic and plastic on plastic. I've received scores of coins in mint-supplied capsules with no damage attributable to the capsule. I know of folks who have had capsules pop open during shipping; has never happened to me. If capsules pop open during shipping, it's because the capsules themselves weren't properly packaged for shipping.

    Cal
     
  5. KSorbo

    KSorbo Well-Known Member

    I’ve gotten coins from overseas sellers with packing in the capsules, starting a few years ago if I remember right. It annoys the crap out of me.
     
    calcol likes this.
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