what is going on with the collectables coins on eBay ?

[joe-9745]

I'm not a big collector, but I do enjoy old coins. Whenever I get the chance, I try to pick up some and do a little research on their value—you never know. Sometimes, you buy a coin only to find out later it's worth much less than expected. I always check the price, rarity, and other details for each coin.

However, I’ve noticed something odd: I’ll often find two coins from the same year, graded exactly the same, but one is priced at $5,000 while the other is only $70. When I say "exactly the same," I’m taking into account errors, mint marks, and any other details that could explain the price difference.

It seems like this issue is getting worse, with some people listing coins at outrageous prices and others selling them too cheap because they don’t know their true value. It can be really frustrating when trying to get an accurate appraisal. Has it always been like this? I would expect a coin’s value to increase over time, as it should, but instead, it sometimes seems to go in the opposite direction

[tobaccocardyahoo]

There have always been Ebay sellers who undervalue or overvalue every type of item sold on this site.

Values often do not increase over time for all but the rarest items in the best condition, and not even then.

Low end and middle of the road collectibles often do not keep their value as tastes change and collectors die.

Relying on Ebay auctions or fixed price listings to value items for other than potential sale on Ebay is not always a prudent course of action. Other channels and even other Websites can make sales which have no relationship to what they will bring on Ebay.

Many of us take advantage of the variation between prices elsewhere and Ebay prices.

Many of us also suffer as a result of Ebay prices remaining when they aren't even representative of today's Ebay prices.

A price I paid for a rare item on Ebay 20 years ago persists on Worthpoint. There has not been another example on Ebay, but it suppresses the value of the item to this date.

[janet9988]

If you want an accurate appraisal you would need to take it to have it inspected in person by a reputable company. Ebay is not an appraisal site.

[12345jamesstamps]

It's the same thing in my category of stamps.

Sellers asking $5000.+ for a worthless stamp.

Makes me laugh all the time.

You need coin catalogs before to buy coins just like stamps.