An Ebay Gamble.

Well that description does sound foolish, but nonetheless, I recall the guy had multiple listings for generally accurately described pieces up for sale. Most people who bothered to identify a coin at all probably looked up some price on it. Non-collectors think all Indian Head cents are worth a lot, so they would try to look em up. I think this guy knew exactly what he was doing, he just didn't put much effort into his description.

The only ones where I think you could get lucky are when you see a seller sell "a jar of old Indian Head cents" from their father or grandfather along with other items including clothes, books, etc.....nothing related to coin collecting.

Looks like a good buy! Sometimes these gambles can really pay off!

I found an 1897 Snow-1 in one of these groups.

Well they arrived and most are in VG-F but others are corroded/verdigris and that one I was banking on was not a RD but rather a VG that was copper plated

To add insult to injury, the seller packed them in a pharmaceutical container with cotton balls, and the entire outside was sticky with cough syrup or something
Even most of the coins were sticky...gross!

I will probably throw most in acetone to get the sticky off.

Bummer. But yes at least they are all indians and if you want to resell you probably wouldn't lose any money.

If you break even it was worth the risk !

I will. Most will be put on my ecrater site priced accordingly ;)
Thanks!

I don't hold the pill bottle against him, maybe that's all he had but at least wipe it down :o