Coin sellers promising more than delivered.

[oldcoin007]

Hi - I am noticing too many sellers of coins that manipulate the pics so that the coin appears to be better than it is. They also use terms that are not necessarily true in describing their coins in order to sell them for more money.                                                   Apparently this is presently allowed by ebay, but is wrong. Can anything be done?  I am not begrudging them making money, just begrudging them misleading buyers. 

[lamber9347]

I'm unsure what you mean by "can anything be done?" Any seller who misrepresents an item for sale runs the risk of having an INAD case opened against them. If no case gets opened than the buyer was happy with the purchase. 

Unless you are the buyer, in which case once again, all you have to do is open an INAD case and you will be covered by the MBG. Otherwise grown ups can take care of themselves. Best of luck to you....

[2013grotz]

@oldcoin007 

I've found a lot of sellers misrepresent their items, especially compared to what you receive.  I'd estimate probably 80% of my purchases I probably could INAD if I really wanted to be (censored cromulent word describing a pretty stickler type attitude) about it.  But as long as there's not any kind of MAJOR misrepresentation (are they manipulating the pics to try to pass off messed up circulated coins for uncirculated?), I tend to let things go.  It just is what it is.

[dirk12955]

This is nothing new.     I don't know how it is today,  but years ago "Coin World"  magazine was full of 

sellers offering over graded coins.

They would offer to buy "Nice AU"    or "Slider"    coins but all they had for sale was MS63 and better.

The lesson here is,   Know how to grade yourself, or know your dealer.    

If you're looking to buy an unslabbed MS63 Morgan for $80.00 and the coin in the eBay listing looks like an MS68 then you have to hit the back button.    

[farmalljr]

Not a coin seller/collector, but understand the issue. Other collectables face the same issues. GRADE is in the eye of the beholder, generally. 

I buy/sell/collect records and run into this as well. As a buyer, some sellers over grade records. They are risking an INAD return, if the buyer thinks they are puffing up the actual grade.

As a seller, I do not like selling to "audiophiles" because they tend to expect CD quality sound from vintage records, whom many never had "perfect" sound the day they were pressed. Any grading, even when under graded, is never up to the "audiophile's" standard.  These collectors have unrealistic expectations, and pleasing them is hard to do. I'm one of the very few people who actually listen to the whole record before listing it, because to be the most accurate with grade, you can't just eyeball them. And I use good, vintage turntables to listen to it, not cheap Crossley record players. 

Again, grade sometimes comes down to eye of the beholder. eBay does offer buyer the MBG if they think something isn't what was promised. eBay also offers sellers the BBL for sellers to block buyers, if they think they are more trouble then the buyer is worth. 

If a seller gets enough INAD's, they won't be selling long here. 

[doug_5857]

I know exactly what you are saying. I sell coins and 85% of my listing are coins.  The coins I  picture are the coins I WILL  send out to you after your payment.. No tricky pictures that hide blemishes.  I do not grade my coins. I will honestly tell you what I know about the coin. I take quality pictures and very clear.  If you like the coin in the pictures it will be yours.  The only stock pics I use is of the 2009 P&D Dime set these are B.U. (Brilliant Uncirculated). All those coins are never touched and look the same. I will make sure of it. I dont need the money to pay this months rent, groceries, beer or my store subscription.  If my old coins dont sell. I just spend one here and one there and just give away at my local stores. Maybe some child starts a coin collection by getting one old coin in change.  Good Luck  and Happy Sales to you.

[oldcoin007]

Hi Doug - Your pics are excellent. They show the true coin & not the untrue one. I am referring to coin sellers putting "proof like" on coins that would never grade as PL, & to the sellers that use camera & lighting "tricks" to make the coin's fields look dark, like a PL coin. Even worse is saying they are DMPL. It is extremely difficult, as you probably know, to get a coin graded PL, much less graded as a DMPL. These are designations that should only be allowed if it is a graded coin that actually says so, from a reputable grading company. Anyway, what possible good is money going to do these sellers when they have to lie & deceive to obtain it? 

[1tuna]

some sellrers like to manipulate pictures of watches with photoshop

they put in lots of glare or soemthing stupid

15 years ago I sold manu early half dollars and never bothered with grading

dull silver coins are extremely easy to photograph so I let the pictures do the talking

I am sure youknow how to avoid the slimeball sellers but its caveat emptor for most buyers

ebay is just not intererested in weeding out bad sellers

[assortedcollectibles]

It is something we will have to live with unfortunately. Lots of sellers will not highlight flaws in the hope of getting the maximum amount of profit for their coins. I always try to show flaws and point them out as to not upset my customers, taking pictures in the sunlight etc, but not everyone is like me.

The only solution is to only accept graded coins, which i am sure ebay has considered and maybe even moving towards since we are now required to state if the coin is graded or not.. they are up to something for sure, maybe a discount for the sales of NGC and PCGS graded coins provided they give ebay some kickback. It would be a disastrous move, but it would not surprise me if they went that route.. especially considering the changes they have made recently for other collectibles.

[assortedcollectibles]

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@farmalljr wrote:

As a seller, I do not like selling to "audiophiles" because they tend to expect CD quality sound from vintage records, whom many never had "perfect" sound the day they were pressed. Any grading, even when under graded, is never up to the "audiophile's" standard.  These collectors have unrealistic expectations, and pleasing them is hard to do. I'm one of the very few people who actually list

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I am one of those audiophiles.. got a several headphones and amps, but even i as an amateur audiophile realize that it comes down to the way the music got recorded in the first place.. heck even lots of hits have audible hiss and other annoying imperfections.. some audiophiles seem to never get pleased though.. always chasing better and more. I can easily see them being a problematic group to sell to.

Been listening to a lot of late 70s, early 80s disco lately and holy smokes the recording equipment varied in quality back then..

[assortedcollectibles]

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@oldcoin007 wrote:

Hi Doug - Your pics are excellent. They show the true coin & not the untrue one. I am referring to coin sellers putting "proof like" on coins that would never grade as PL, & to the sellers that use camera & lighting "tricks" to make the coin's fields look dark, like a PL coin. Even worse is saying they are DMPL. It is extremely difficult, as you probably know, to get a coin graded PL, much less graded as a DMPL. These are designations that should only be allowed if it is a graded coin that actually says so, from a reputable grading company. Anyway, what possible good is money going to do these sellers when they have to lie & deceive to obtain it? 

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I will have to say though.. as an European this seems to be mostly an American issue.