Ebay Listed Coin - Scratch Invisible In Photos

The ebay listing looks good. Attached below are photos I just took of the coin in the holder it was shipped to me in. In the first photo, I've tilted it in the light so the scratch is not shown, consistent with the auction. In the second pic, the coin is tilted to the light to display the scratch.





This is the email response I received when I contacted the seller:

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As noted in the listing, there are some marks on this coin, especially the reverse. I've found ICCS and other Third Party Grading companies to be pretty lenient on light marks on Victorian pieces, due to their age and scarcity. I think this piece is pretty close to, if not all the way there, to VG-10 without the few marks on it. I think if submitted to ICCS it would come back problem-free VG-8, so that is what I marketed it at, and at a decent discount to trend values on this rare piece.

Unfortunately, ICCS seems to be backlogged at the moment. I have a bulk submission that is going on three months now since I sent it in. I purchased this piece after I had sent in that group of coins, or else it definitely would have been in that submission.

If you're unhappy with the piece, you can of course return it for a full refund as long as it is in the condition in which it was sent and in the original holder I sent it out in.

I hope this answers your inquiry. Thanks
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The tone of conversation is always hard to get in email. Even knowing that, the email response rubbed me the wrong way. No acknowledgement of the scratch at all, other than "as noted in the listing, there are some marks on the coin, especially the reverse." Auction wording says "some minor marks on the reverse, but overall a very attractive piece!"

Well, it's a VG8 coin, so clearly there are often marks. I thought the listing description referred to the short scratches under the 50.

So why the neutral feedback on ebay? First, no acknowledgement there was a mark on the coin not pictured that may have been misleading. Second, no offer to make it right other than ship it back at my cost, not including the time wasted. This coin was bought at an estate sale, so I doubt it cost the seller full Trends pricing. How about asking, "What would make it right?" If I was unreasonable, the seller could rightly tell me to take a hike.

In the golf merchandise I know well, there are collectors/sellers who go out of their way to show every flaw on a putter in photos, and then say in their listing "Note the scratch, scuff, whatever as pictured. And you know what, it's still a great deal at this price!" Those are the people I choose to deal with given the experience I've gained over the years. In the Coin World, I'm still learning who's who.

This coin would grade VG8, no doubt. I've turned down a couple of coins at shops I go to graded ICCS VG8 for the same 1870 No LCW 50 cent where 2 of the numbers of the date are completely worn off. So again, the issue is not with the grade of the coin, but how it's represented and the customer service after the fact.

Where, when and for what amount I purchased the coin should have no bearing whatsoever in this matter. For what it's worth, it was NOT purchased at an estate sale, it was from a private collector whom I've dealt with on multiple occasions. No where did I mention estate sale for this piece, so I'm not sure where you got that idea from.




I rarely do partial refunds, if that is what you were getting at. I find it's a poor way to do business as it opens up the seller to chiseling on price after the fact. Either someone likes the coin at the given price, or they don't. I've had far ebay buyers shake me down for partial refunds, sometimes even threatening poor feedback in a roundabout manner. I haven't found a good way to deal with it other than A) not selling on ebay or B) making it play or pass, no partial refunds, across the board.




I never said I'd make you pay to return the coin. I offered a full refund, which would have included your return shipping cost. While I do include stock terms and conditions in my listings stating that buyers are responsible for return shipping costs, this is mostly to avoid spurious return attempts which are far too common on ebay. In this particular case on this high value item, I'd have paid for you to ship it back as it is such an insignificant amount (less than 1% of the value) relative to the coin.

For the sake of completeness, your reply to my message (which you pasted above) included you saying:
"The coin is good enough to keep, just less than good enough to give a positive feedback for the money spent."

At that point, you've essentially told me/the seller that you're no longer interested in trying to work things out. Which is why I didn't bother replying again. This is evidenced by the fact that you made this thread, rather than reopening communication with me directly.

Anyway, things could have been done a bit differently on both sides. What's done is done, I hope you enjoy the coin.





It's becoming a common thing for Canadian sellers to list in US dollars. I don't particularly like it, but I do like carrying a US dollar balance in my Paypal in order to buy from sellers (both US and Canadian) who price their items in US$. That way there are no conversion fees for me paying for purchases in US$, using already owned US$.

Great way to ruin a sellers standing by leaving a neutral. Overreaction from this observation post as well. For the money that is a tough coin easy VG10.
Seriously OS you should have NOT left a disparaging feedback to Poke. Just my opinion.

Just to add, Canadian sellers should list in Canadian dollars, you can ask 30% or so more, but I hate getting robbed twice by my credit card and paypal, sometimes I won't bid on an item listed in US by a Canadian seller. Like I said above enjoy the coin, a ms 63 of this no LCW recently auctioned for around 20,000.00 if my memory is correct.

This. I think too many people overestimate the "standing" of anyone in a digital/online setting....

Frankly, I put lesser value in virtual feedback and opinions, that I do in direct word of mouth from established collectors and face-to-face interactions with dealers.

Just my opinion, if I get a negative on ebay, I generally shrug it off, because in the grander scheme of things, it really means nothing...

I agree I would have like to have seen that before hand. But I believe the proper thing to do would have been to return it, there would be No hard feelings everyone would be happy and No neutral feedback. Also there would have been no reason to throw salt on the wound in the first place by posting it here. just my opinion

SPP, while I agree in a certain sense that many whom are involved in the numismatic world get an idea of 'who's who' real quick as far as honesty and word of mouth recommendations, many average collectors are not as invested in those circles...

Especially when it comes to ebay, I have had numerous conversations with collectors who have mentioned avoiding purchases from certain sellers because of the NUMBER of neg/neutral feedbacks they have received... For many, the idea of a seller having, say, 50 negative feedbacks, will keep many from buying, regardless of the fact that the seller may have 100,000 positive, in which case, 50 negatives is statistically irrelevant.

That being said, it does rub me a bit the wrong way, in using these forums to seemingly go after a well respected ebay seller who seems to have certainly made more than a respectable effort in making sure the customer was satisfied... Leaving a less than positive feedback is one thing, to launch an extra attack on a forum which the seller has been a longtime member is another...IMO

One other side note, there are many, many coins I have seen, including some very high grade ones in TPG plastic, that 'scratches' that can be seen in some angles and are invisible in others... It would be a bit extreme to expect every seller selling every coin to make sure every nick or anything that may be construed as a scratch to be immediately willing to admit unconditional fault and issue whatever kind of partial refund the buyer thinks is 'fair'

with pennyman, all that should be said (too much probably) has been said and as I posted earlier it is time for the two principals to do whatever it takes. Time to lock this and let's all move on to a positive.