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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;fiddlehead, post: 1202385, member: 31286&quot;]One of the great things about coins sellers on Ebay, that is not the case in all other collecting arenas - is that they almost universally take coins back with full refunds, usually no questions asked and sometimes even include return shipping.&nbsp; I have returned a coin or two, and had no problems doing it.&nbsp; I know for a fact that many ebay coin sellers are actually dealers - the same folks who set up tables at coin shows and some who even have store fronts.&nbsp; And because I collect in the lower value ranges (I prefer that, it doesn&#039;t have anything to do with what I can afford) I rarely buy slabbed coins, but have cracked a few lower end pieces because I hate the darned packages.&nbsp; If I were interested in the higher end market I doubt I would do that - I&#039;d keep them slabbed.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>Maybe a slightly more diplomatic analogy will help <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie1" alt=":)" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />&nbsp; Among other things, I buy and trade violins.&nbsp; When someone buys a $20,000 ++ violin, they expect it to be appraised and certified by a qualified shop.&nbsp; Understandable. And, despite all best efforts, it&#039;s possible to take the same violin to several different qualified appraisers and get different opinions on authenticity and value. But paying for appraisals on factory made or even lower end hand-made violins (like say, under $5,000) is rare because it&#039;s a waste of money, time, and effort and just deducts from the proceeds that you can get from the instrument. So, I&#039;ll give you a recent coin example - I recently bought an 1878 8 tf VAM8 (stickfeather - you&#039;re probably familiar with it) from a dealer - sight unseen.&nbsp; It was graded and slabbed at AU55.&nbsp; I paid $160 for it.&nbsp; I know almost for certain, based on observing sales for several months, that the very same coin, unslabbed, would have brought maybe $120, but probably under $100. And especially since while it met my grading standards, it&#039;s not the most attractive coin I&#039;ve ever bought.&nbsp; I bought it as an experiment and because I wanted that VAM - but I would prefer more opportunities to purchase good, modest value coins for less, get a picture of the coin in advance, and take the ultimate grading risk myself.&nbsp; Just my own view, really, yes, from my own very interesting and scenic little corner of the world.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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