Following my latest acquisition of coins via eBay, I was prompted to consider producing a glossary of eBay terms, with words and phrases one encounters in an eBay coin auction description, and what the seller really means such as:
"Collectible Condition" -> Scrap
"Uncirculated" -> Scratched and worn but kept in a draw for several years
"FDC" -> Flipping Dodgy Coin
"FDC" -> Fake de Chine (ouch!)
"Genuine" -> Fake
"Silver" -> Not gold
"Rare" -> Common
"Scarce" -> Very Common
"I Know Nothing About Coins" -> I can't sell this crap to anyone who knows anything about coins
"See Pics and Judge Grading for Yourself" -> I'm an expert with Photoshop
"I Found This in my Grandfather's Loft" -> I'm a dealer and I have already pulled out anything of value
"Unsorted" -> I'm a dealer and I have already pulled out anything of value
"Mint Condition" -> Holed (think about it)
Haha that made my day . Unfortunately this hits the spot, but still it can be a great place to find good coins for a low price. It only needs a lot of patience, luck, some knowledge and a certain expertise.
If you like coins, medals and tokens with ship motives follow my new instagram account with regular updates @numisnautiker
From time to time I sell some coins on Ebay make sure to follow me @apuking on Ebay.
I am always tempted to list some rubbish on ebay and be brutally honest. Something along the lines of stating its all total junk that you would have to be mad to buy them and that I should be shot for bothering to list them. I think somebody out there would bid.
I almost hate eBay, but I do think one person's rubbish is another one's lucky find sometimes.
I'd prefer honest crap description to misleading good one...
Quote: KartWayI almost hate ebay, but i do think one persons rubbish is another ones lucky find sometimes.
I'd prefere honest crap description to misleading good one...
The thing is, and what people don't seem to realize, is that you are REQUIRED to picture and describe your product accurately. I have only once ever had trouble with an eBay sale when the description did not match the coin I got, and I have bought a LOT of things. If you don't describe/picture things accurately, customers can and will leave negative feedback on your profile and/or open cases against you. If you get too much negative feedback, people will stop buying from you. So there are penalties, and good sellers take their selling seriously. (I also know this because I am a seller myself.)
I've found myself quite a few sellers who are consistent with the quality of what they sell and take care with shipping. (In fact, I found one who sells Canadian pieces at bargain prices [for eBay] and the quality is almost always BETTER than pictured.)
A six year Numista absence makes the heart grow fonder... ?
Low mintage = minted more than 10,000,000 times monster toning = I made the artificial toning myself to achieve an outrageous sales price.
If you like coins, medals and tokens with ship motives follow my new instagram account with regular updates @numisnautiker
From time to time I sell some coins on Ebay make sure to follow me @apuking on Ebay.
Quote: apukingLow mintage = minted more than 10,000,000 times monster toning = I made the artificial toning myself to achieve an outrageous sales price.
"Monster" toning? Can't say I ever heard that phrase before...
I swear, though, that there was one coin on there that the person had actually PAINTED before listing. It looked brown but I could see something near the edge that looked a lot brighter. WTF!?!?
A six year Numista absence makes the heart grow fonder... ?
"XF, but see pic to judge grade for yourself" ->"worn condition but I'll make my pictures so blurry you cant tell"
"Selling from my own personal collection" -> "Selling off my swaps"
I must say that I have met a couple of dealers that were brutally honest. There was one who had a nice coin listed for around its catalogue value of $20. It didn't sell so he re-listed it but increased the price from $20 to $30. I asked him "Your coin didn't sell when you had it listed for $20, why did you increase the price?" He responded "because I want more money" I actually Laughed out loud at that one.
Here's one from those lots where its a varity of seemingly unknown "hoard" coins.
"GOLD IN EVERY LOT" - Small vial of gold flakes and practically worthless.
[Country A] - [Country on the other side of the world]
High Value!!! - NCLT Junk
Only 5,000. Minted - 5,000,000 minted (It's only three zeroes that I forgot)
There are many good honest sellers on ebay, and I try to be one of them.
When I find a vendor I like, I put him on my favorites list.
One guy I buy from maybe 2-4 coins a week.
But yes, there are scoundrels.
I used to ship a lot of $0.99 coins for $0.70 postage, but too many people claimed they never got the coins.
A smart man learns from his mistakes. A smarter man learns from someone else's.
In Turkey you can buy "genuine fake" watches, purses, etc.
As a collector of countermarked coins, I can tell you that the description
Counterstamped?
(with the question mark) usually means that the coin was defaced by a teenager who happened to have a coin in his left hand and a hammer in the right, as he was looking for a piece of metal to put the hammer to good use.
. Unfortunately this hits the spot, but still it can be a great place to find good coins for a low price. It only needs a lot of patience, luck, some knowledge and a certain expertise. 
