Newbie and need help with SGS , Star Grading Service, Larry Bence , Abon.com

Sorry this has to be my first post but I'm hoping the good people here would help me with a petition against Abon Enterprises SGS and or Larry Bense all one in the same ?

I recently got ripped off by them on Ebay And Amazon now I believe Ebay and Amazon will help me the best they can
But the power of speech will help more
They sold me a complete UN CIRCULATED ?? set of
Franklin's
Ike's
Susan B Anthony's
1964 to date Kennedy's
and there all junk
most worth face value only and the rest worth scrap

I had no idea how bad these people were until now and almost 1000 dollars later
to them, un-circulated are acid dipped scraped up bag marked coins

If you have been taken by these "Crooks?" please post it here and leave your opinions

I appreciate any help you can give
My intentions are to forward opinions to Ebay and Amazon so they can see who they have representing them

Thank You in advance
Rick

 

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copy and pasted some feedback left for them on Ebay

FeedbackLeft forDate / TimeWARNING new to coin collecting ? Google 3 words Abon SGS Larry SEE FOR YOURSELFSeller: Member id aboncom ( Feedback Score Of 170905)
Mar-08-11 12:13 -- (#270705009754)--View Item --internet search Buying Coins From Abon .. will tell it all NOT AS ADVERTISED !!!Seller: Member id aboncom ( Feedback Score Of 170905)
Mar-08-11 07:16 -- (#270705010064)--View Item

 

A lot of us here are no strangers to the work of Abon and the "SGS" grading system. However, I am not sure something can be done about it. Collectors really need to educate themselves and learn to buy the coins and not the 'slabs'. You are going to have a tough road ahead of you. Especially since grading is subjective. Know what I mean? If they aren't selling counterfits, then it's really a personal opinion on the grade.

edit. He is by far not the only one whos does this. There are many many many sellers on ebay especially that knowingly sell doctored, artificially toned, and generally terrible coins.

I am not trying to be hard on you, but ultimately the decision was yours to purchase the coins. A lesson learned for sure.

Also, welcome to CT!

 

Rick, a search in this very forum will come back with a ton of discussion on the topic. It's been gone over more than once and I'm assuming that's why nobody has chimed in.

 

I understand that 100% and if you look at that feedback it says to Google three words Abon , SGS , Larry
guess what shows up ? A lot of separate discussions on here that's how I found you ..
Not only are the slab coins beat
now they sell un-circulated sets .. something new and let me tell you they are FAR from un-circulated
must be what they consider less then MS-70
I might be fairly new to collecting but know I have seen nicer coins found in change from any store that's been "in circulation"
I wouldn't mind posting pictures of these crappy coins ............

Oh , Just figured A fairly new dated conversation might help my cause
If you got a moment it certainly can't hurt .. Right?

Thanks to all that try to help the cause
hopefully it will help all others that have been or could be burned by these -- ah hem "Coin Dealers"

Rick

 

I'd like to also point out to be careful on your endeavors as he likes to file lawsuits. They are part of the reason you can only list the 4 major TPG on ebay. Ebay and Amazon won't do anything because they get their money thats what important to them.
Sorry to hear you got taken but LEARN from your experience. Don't take the opinion of a grade on a piece of plastic. If you truly like numismatics then study and make your own opinion on what the grade is on a coin that you like. Even the top for get it wrong. If you find something you like and are unsure ask. There are many here that will be more that willing to help out and give and opinion. Remember the grade on the plastic is an opinion and not necessarily an accurate one.

 

Forgot to say ......... Thanks for the Welcome Aboard ! good to be here

 

I really wish there was a sticky thread on this forum where we could list known sellers like him and others with their doctoring. Oh well. Anyway here is a great place to check on a seller before you buy anything. This one links directly to abon.
http://toolhaus.org/cgi-bin/negs?User=aboncom&Dirn=Received+by

 

even as a newbie I wouldn't buy Slabbed coins unless I knew what they were
A 2000.00 coin for 100.00 is a no brainer
What I bought were pictured and described sets that were far from what they were stated
opinion on condition is one thing but I'm talking a UNC coin sets with more dings then my 1989 S10 work truck

 

Well Rick, this is why we shouldn't be buying slabs from 'basement' graders. You know? Stick with the big guns, PCGS, NGC and ANACS. lol @ "more dings then my 1989 S10 work truck"

 

gbroke ,, if only I was kidding LOL ... that above link is great might ad that to my review on Amazon ..

 

Rick, I'm sorry that you had to find this site due to unfortunate circumstances, but welcome to the neighborhood just the same.

Please be careful what you say because you could be sued for slander.

Curiously, did you contact them to see about returning your purchases? Many years ago, before I knew better, I purchased a so-called PF70 from them and was very disappointed, but when I contacted them, they agreed to a refund immediately.

Chris

 

I am not sure when you bought these coins, but eBay has a 45 day return policy regardless of what the seller says. You don't like them, return them and you get your money back including shipping (but not the return shipping). You must return them with delivery confirmation (signature confirmation if over $250). It does work and they do pay. Not only that, but it gets eBay's attention and aboncom's attention. It actually costs both of them money.

 

I use no slanderous words .. I simply suggest looking them up and seeing for yourself what you find
Nothing wrong with suggesting to others to do a little research , there own wrong doings will speak for themselves
I'm not one for talking trash but more than happy to help out my fellow man . /women in some cases

Ebay did work something about return for reimbursement
I now want them to cover return shipping ,, they are the ones who sold me items
not as described and pictured .. I think some might call that committing fraud but I myself wouldn't know that for sure
I will have to ask the right people on something like that

 

Grading is subjective. Just like Mickey D's has the best and healthiest burgers out there. I doubt seriously you could get anywhere on that account. If you can prove that they pictured different coins, you win, but I will bet they did not picture the wrong coin. If I were you, I would take what you can get now because you might lose the rest fighting for pennies on the dollar.

 

Sorry to hear of your woes Rick but you took the right step by coming here to this site. Any questions you may have, even seemingly stupid ones, can be answered on this site by friendly knowledgable people. The stupidest question is the one that's never asked.

Now, next time you want to take a trip to the "Bay" do a little investigating. That bugger you're mentioning has 60 "negs" in the last year, 7 alone in the last month, and while negitive feedback isn't a true indicator of a sellers reputation, that many bad marks should cetainly send up a red flag. I know you'll be more carefull in the future and welcome to the forum dear fellow.....

 

I hear ya on that .. as important as money is , I'm a little bent on getting lied to
maybe I should just take what I can get and call it a day ?
This is more then a grading disagreement
I paid for uncirculated coins looked at pictures carefully read description fully
Bought and paid for them via a contract agreement but was sent something that didn't even look close

I dunno might just see if I can get them to send me what I paid for as agreed in the first place ..
Can you say Stubborn ? ")

 

I added up the negative and neutrals in the last 12 months ... that averages one unhappy customer every three days ... should have told me something

 

"Uncirculated" does not mean free of dings and bag marks. An MS-60 or MS-61 coin is an uncirculated coin with a ton of bag marks. It sounds like the coins Abon sold you may be MS-60 or MS-61.

 

but what about the ones that appear to have been tarn/x'd can still see crud around the dates and no sheen left on the coins ?