DON"T BE FOOLED WITH EBAY AUCTIONS

wavysteps2003 · Expert Member

What a way to start out the week , bidding on a coin that was fradulently altered in someones garage.

While searching Ebay this morning, I came across this fake and did a double take on the price that it was currently going for.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=8386952965&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT
2004 Lousiana Purchase Double Strike "error" nickel

As you can see by the write up, it is classified as being double struck, which in away, it is. However, not at the mint which is obvious from the backward lettering on the reverse.

Whether the seller knows that this is or is not a "garage" coin is irrelevant; stuff like this should NOT be on Ebay. It is up to the seller to check on the validity of his/hers auction piece and it is up to the buyer to know what he or she is buying. What is really very sad is the price that this item is going for; it tends to have others try the same ploy in hopes of receiving ill gotten gains.

Well enough of the "soapbox". You all have a good week.

WAVYSTEPS2003

smed · Senior Member

Bench vise or hammer?

wavysteps2003 · Expert Member

Hi Smed,

You got me there????? Laughing

WAVYSTEPS2003

coop · Expert Member

There was another auction on Ebay last week that some poor sap paid $146 for. Another garage special Looks like a copper planchet and two dime squashed together.

The planchet size would have never fit into a die collar. Some really took him for a ride.

eagames · Expert Member

I watched this strike doubled 69-s sell for $596! The listing even said that somebody told him it's a strike double but they still bought the thing. It's closed but if you look at closed items you can still see it. Item# 8382637603

Then another 69-s that clearly said strike double on VDB sold for $104! Item# 8382626710

How can somebody part with $596 without knowing about what they are buying or spending $10 on a book or reading this great site for free. What a costly way to learn.

Bob P · Site Admin

I couldn't agree more with the disgust I feel when seeing this kind of BS. In this case, I decided to do something about it (something I have done before).

I let the seller know about this coin by sending him the following message:

"Just wanted you to be aware that the coin you are offering as 'coined twice' is actually what we call in the hobby a garage coin. Two or three coins were squeezed together in a vice or something. Attempts to sell coins like this amounts to fraud. Whether you are aware of it or not, you are ultimately responsible for your auctions. As a senior numismatist, it is my hope and responsibility to keep obvious frauds out of the hobby. I will be looking at this auction and will let he bidders know what they are getting, hopefully before they send you their money. The honorable and right thing to do is to pull this coin from the auction, or tell folks what they are really getting. "

In addition to sending the seller this email, I did send a short note to the high bidders also.

I may be out of place by doing this, and it's probably like pissing in the wind, but these irk me to no end. Hopefully, I can protect at least one unsuspecting bidder out of throwing away 50 plus bucks.

coop · Expert Member

wavysteps2003 · Expert Member

Unfortunetly coins are not the only thing on Ebay that is being fraudulently sold. We (my wife and myself) have been running into the same kind of scams in collectible jewelry and Ebay, according to its policy, doesn't do anything about it.

Bob, you did the right thing and I whole heartedly agree with your actions. I am not to sure if it will get the response that you wished for but maybe it will.

What else we can do is to make all the people who read these theards on coppercoin's forum aware of what is and what isn't a true error. Is it possible to open a section on coppercoin's web site, with pictures, of what is and what isn't a error? I know, more work, but it is just an idea.

Eagames suggestion about the $10.00 book is one of the best; information from the correct source is the one way to not make a fool of ones self.

Lastly, I am glad that I am not the only one that feels bothered and bewildered by these misleading auctions, it irks the hell out of me.

WAVYSTEPS 2003

Bob P · Site Admin

Just thought you guys might want to see what the results of my emails to the seller and a bidder of the subject ebay auction.

From the seller:

GarryN · Expert Member

I have one of my favorite altered coins here.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=8384069992&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1

I also enjoy contacting sellers and buyers when I find something that isnt right. This seller is not quite convinced the coin is altered and relisted it at least once. I have corresponded with him a few times and he finally said that the coin originated in China. What a surprise. I told him China is a well known source for altered coins. Hopefully it will stay off. I think this is my 400th post. Rounds for everyone! Very Happy

wavysteps2003 · Expert Member

With a bit of investigation, the two 1969-S machine doublings that went for extrodinary prices went to people who seem to have "deep pockets". I have seen this happen more than once and to the extent that one person bragged that "there was no amount of money that would over take my bids" for a certain machine doubled coin. This was entered into the Q&A section of the auction and happened a time back.

People that have money and little or no intellegence on what they do are a hazard. The money that they use was generally obtained through inheritance, lottery or some sort of windfall. And there lies the problem; they have the power to purchase what ever their desire is and do so with little or no knoweldge of what they do or the problems that may be caused by their actions. Their purchases tend to give a false creedance to the object in question, in this case the two 1969-S Lincoln cents that were nothing more than machined doubled.

Proof in point; just recently a friend of mine put two obw rolls of 1969-S Lincoln cents on Ebay. The book price retail for two rolls is $6.50; his final auction price that he recieved was over $70.00. Pretty easy to figure out especially when machine doubling 1969-S are selling for well $100.00 !!!!!!

Regards to all,
WAVYSTEPS2003

coop · Expert Member

And worth what is marked on the back of the coin.... Read it and weep. Laughing

coop · Expert Member

Classic Example of a fantasy coin:

GarryN · Expert Member

"why I bet thats rarer than one of them 1933 Double Eagles, Barn.... " said Andy

eagames · Expert Member

Could not resist showing this one.

It's a multiple choice question:

a) a hammer
b) a vise
c) a guy with 11 cents in his pocket got run over : )

http://cgi.ebay.com/RARE-WRONG-PLANCHET-PENNY-ON-DIME-VERY-HTF-LOOK_W0QQitemZ8389536881QQcategoryZ524QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem