I've noticed this a lot lately, it makes gauging the value of my coins really difficult using ebay. I've been wondering if people do this on purpose to inflate the value of their coins? Maybe they have multiple accounts where they list one type of coin for a ridiculous amount, and then list a similar coin for a little more than what it's worth to give the impression that the buyer is getting a crazy good deal. Who knows?
Looking on e-bay today, I formulated a question. What, if any, are the reputable dealers in: Bulgaria, Ukraine, Israel, UAE, Cyprus, Serbia and Albania?
Good reply but I'd perhaps have a couple more "none". Also worth adding Romania China and Hong Kong to this list of countries not to buy from. Frankly no one except true deep experts should be buying anything from eBay. I estimate in Roman Republic its 60% fakes, 20% wildly over priced and 20% reasonable but latter mostly junk. Many of the fakes are now very deceptive. What's left after excluding fakes and wildly over priced is so unappealing that its perhaps once in 2 years I buy anything. Please just stick with MA-Shops and VCoins. MA-Shops consistently offers better value in my view because VCoins sellers price in expectations of having to reduce eventually whereas German sellers don't haggle over prices which tend to be fixed but very reasonable.
Here's an example of an unattributed lot that I won via (a 99c starting price) auction a little while back on eBay. (pics can be blown up by clicking on them) In case it's hard to attribute from the pics #1 Caligula/Vesta As #2 Byzantine Follis #3 Vespasian/Publica Dupondius (The best score IMHO -- Some green encrustations but the details are pretty nice in hand) #4 Roman Republic Q series from Apulia/2nd Punic war issue Anonymous. After 211 BC. Æ Triens Helmeted head of Minerva right; •••• (mark of value) above / Prow of galley right; •••• (mark of value) below. Are these fakes??? If not... Of course the pics suck, but out of curiosity what would you value this lot at?
Looks good to me. Maybe $100 for the Caligula, $40 for the Vespasian dupondius, $5 for the Byzantine follis, and unsure about the Republican bronze (can’t see it clearly enough).
It used to be that everything I sold on eBay was at auction with a $.99 opening bids. For many year this worked fine and I got what I thought were reasonable prices for my coins--sometimes disappointed, sometimes surprised, but generally most coins went for around 60% of what most dealers would ask. I was okay with this because my costs were lower than most dealers. About 3 or so years ago closing prices on auctions tanked. Suddenly my coins started selling for 25%-30% market value. I think this is probably because, as everyone has pointed out, fakes and wildly overpriced coins have driven so many potential bidders away. So now, sadly, 90% of my listings are Buy It Now.
I generally only look at the "Buy it Now" offerings. An interesting discovery I've found is many of the "Buy It Now" offerings are offered on other platforms generally at lower cost. It pays to do your homework!
Which makes no sense because the cost of doing business on eBay is generally lower than most other platforms. I don't know what some people are thinking.
Agree. Another item of interest, many of the coins on other platforms will accept offers where sometimes not on Ebay.
I have had good luck with Alexander Coins in Israel and also Notes Hobbies in Bangkok. You got to realize that coin collecting is world-wide hobby and there are reliable dealers in countries that might give pause such as China and Russia. I wouldn't buy an expensive gold 20 dollar St. Gaudens from China but I have no problem of getting new issues of counties such as Malaysia from a Chinese dealer.
Looking @ average prices sold on eBay, I would tend to agree. The Caligula somewhere between $80-$100, The Byzantine somewhere around $10, the Vespasian around $35-$45. The RR might sell for less than what it would fetch in a real coin auction, but I would value it for about $35 on eBay. It would retail/hammer 2x-3x that at a coin auction. Considering that I paid $116 for the lot, I'm not sure I would have found a better deal at any of the shops on VCoins, or from an auction house.
I have, A CONSTANTINE Sol from Ostia. Very happy. I will also second the affirmation for Victor Clark.
