Coin Shows And Shops Vs The Internet?

Actually Denco, the second image you posted is on the internet also, not in my hand.

There's no reason to fear getting a bad coin from an honest seller if the pictures are clear.

The image I posted on page one of this thread is a coin I bought from my favorite ebay seller. The coins always show up looking exactly as they did in the pics. I wouldn't buy something from someone I don't know if the images left any doubt in my mind. And of course, on ebay, that's why there's "feedback".

These images I'm posting are from the sellers ebay adds.

Here's another...

You said something to the effect of "here's a coin on ebay" followed by a small picture, then "here's a coin in hand" followed by a large picture.

Just buy from sellers who post large pictures.

The second picture you posted is not in my hand. I'm looking at it on my computer screen - over the internet, and I can see it quite clearly.

I wouldn't buy the coin in the first pic you posted. I have learned to avoid coins that are described one way, but can't be seen clearly, but if a coin is imaged well, and comes from a good honest seller....

Where's the problem?

The ebay sellers I buy from post great big clear pictures, and give great attributions and descriptions.

3rd Example:

If I may please add in a few comments on this great thread. I love coin shows, I like visiting coin shops. I have bought coins online with some good results and some bad results. However, what I enjoy most about this hobby is the learning experience and I think if you limit yourself to an "online Hobby" you are going to miss out on a lot of amazing learning experiences. I have collected coins since I was in the third grade in 1963. There have been three "epiphany" moments in my collecting experience. First was learning with the guidance of one of the local coin shop owners to go after the key date coins in the best condition I could afford, it would always be easier to go back and fill in the commons ones. Until then I had done the opposite, filling in as many holes as I could and then struggling for the key dates. Second was going to a Long Beach CA coin show around 1970 and having it dawn on me...US gold coins were not rare or scarce, they were just expensive. Huge difference between "value/cost" and "rarity". Third was going to a small local coin show in Santa Barbara, CA and seeing a display of a complete set of Spanish Colonial Pillar Dollars (first coin in the RedBook) from the Mexico mint. I was floored, I had never seen anything like that in my life, that sparked a drive to study, a drive to learn and it turned into a life long passion that I still actively pursue 45 years later. The point to this ramble is all these events occurred out in the collecting world, exposed to other collectors and other collections. Buy all your coins online if you choose, doesn't bother me one bit. But if you are not out being exposed to the world of Numismatics by attending shows and visiting shops, I fear you are missing a big part of what could be. Go to a large show, make an event of it (my wife lets me plan vacations for me around coin events, marry well). Drive a couple hundred miles, stay in a motel, make an investment in your hobby and just walk around all the displays and be exposed to an incredible world of coins.

This is a pretty cool thread. I would definitely see Scottk's side of the story as I too am pretty young for a collector and have used ebay to buy the bulk of my coin collection. The main reasons for that, though, were:
1. Young and naive and knew the internet most of my life
2. Didn't have any coin shops within a 30 minute radius and as a teen wasn't going to spend that much driving for a possible $20 at most coin
3. (Probably biggest reason) ebay prices as an average seem to be lower than most coin shops I have seen.
Now that we have moved to Illinois in a city that has not just one but multiple coin shops it has helped me to broaden my coin searching. There is one shop I have been in a couple times and for me the price is a big factor (since my hobby is budgeted a small amount per month) and there are coins that the LCS does have that are cheaper than what I find on the bay. Some are not. For me it is finding the best prices for the greatest coin wherever I can. I definitely understand both sides of the thread though as last year I attended the ANA show in Chicago and it was an awesome experience for me (although like SuperDave has mentioned it had expensive coins and I felt awed but sad I wouldn't have any for a very long time)

I'm not against buying coins online but I do prefer to buy coins when I can see them in hand. Unfortunately I have yet to go to a coin show and I would love to if the opportunity presented itself. I do on the other hand go to my LCS at least once a week if not more. What makes it good for me to go there so often is that I am given the opportunity to see items before they hit the shelves and purchase something that appeals to me. The people working there know that I am always looking for something new so they will show me their newly acquired merchandise not only to strike a conversation but also to give me the chance to pick something up. Not to long ago I went in as usual and they had just got a lot of old silver and gold certificates from the 1930's. They weren't even done sorting them and I was given the opportunity to be the first person to look through them. I found a crisp clean $5 silver note and they let me take it home for $7. How could I refuse such a great deal? That's one of many experiences I doubt I will ever get from making an online purchase.