01-26-2014 07:38 AM
Hi Folks,
I was using n.s.sherlock's ebay article "Coin Fake Detection - Valid Trade Dollar Types" to check some trade dollars currently listed. I found one that is very obviously a fake according to that document. Obviously I will not bid on the item, but is it usual to then report the listing? I'm pretty new to ebay, and am not a professional coin collector by any means, so I don't want to do the wrong thing here.
-femtolady
08-05-2014 12:33 PM
11-09-2014 12:51 AM
I'm trying to fill in some of the holes in my Lincoln cent collection and have recently been looking on Ebay for a 1914D. I'd heard that this coin was often counterfeited, so I did some research before I started bidding.
One of the more common forgeries is the altered 1944D. Whenever I see someone listing one of these, I contact them and try to explain the situation in a non-threatening manner. Most of those that I've contacted have been receptive and, more often than not, will remove the listing or add a disclaimer. Others are defiant and, with apparently little or no knowledge of the subject, they remain convinced that the coin is NOT a fake because "We don't sell fakes!". With people like this I simply recommend that they should not take my word for it but instead do a bit of research on their own and see what they find. I've never contacted Ebay because I don't believe it's a very high priority for them, and I don't like wasting my time.
My most recent experience was with item 141456210601, which had about 10 different bidders and ended up selling for $152. Wow!
11-10-2014 02:44 PM
Hello Fin-Fang-Foom,
Thank you for pointing this item out. For sure this is a modified 1944 D that has been altered to look like a 1914D. eBay does take this seriously and I know that the buyer of this coin would receive a full refund and the seller would receive a repremand for selling this obvious altered coin.
Even if the seller were not a numismatist they should take the coin back and upon even a tiny amount of research realize that they presented an altered coin.
Thanks for sharing this with the group.
Regards,
David McConaghy/Davidx256
Numismatist
New England Coin Exchange
11-10-2014 04:52 PM
11-10-2014 05:00 PM
11-11-2014 07:35 PM - last edited on 12-15-2014 02:46 PM by arkbird1
Here's a common type of misrepresentation with a new twist. The seller cuts the banknote impression from a souvenir card and calls it a "proof".
This person has sold close to $4,000 worth of these with an investment of maybe $400 (43 cards at $5 to $10 per souvenir card) since Oct. 8th. I've seen this done before but never on this scale. I've reported the guy several times, but eBay doesn't care. This is really getting disgusting. I've stopped buying coins because of all the counterfeits for sale.
11-11-2014 07:49 PM
Hi David,
Thank you for the encouraging words. I did some searches on Ebay, but was unable to find any documentation about how to report a counterfeit coin. Are you familiar with Ebay's preferred method for reporting a coin such as the 1914D that I mentioned earlier?
Thanks,
Louis
11-11-2014 08:40 PM
11-12-2014 05:35 AM
Hello fin,
It is very easy to report a counterfeit. Here's how:
1. Go to the listing and look right above the item details to the far right
2. You will see the options for Print | Report Item
3. Click on Report item and follow the choices
At the end you will need to point out the specifics of the counterfeit. This will be reviewed by eBay and by a group of "experts" that they lean on for help on very specific concerns like counterfeit coins.
From my experience eBay does take this seriously and they do investigate. Like any organization they might not always get it 100% correct but I do think that they get it right most of the time.
Good luck and thanks for looking out for all of us.
David McConaghy
Numismatist
New England Coin Exchange
Davidx256
11-12-2014 06:47 AM
11-18-2014 06:47 PM
Well I just made my first "report" on another 1944D altered to look like a 1914D, item 371191219044. There are currently 10 bids on it and the price is up to $69. I'll keep you all informed about whether or not anything is done about the listing.
11-20-2014 11:16 AM
As of around noon today (Nov 20), the listing has been ended. The reason given was "an error in the listing", so it's hard for me to say definitively whether it was the result of my report or for some other reason. Still, it's good to see one less counterfeit coin being sold as genuine.