New Ebay Authenticity Program With Shipwreck Coin

ebay started a new program to guarantee authenticity for coins valued $500+. I didn't know about it when I recently bought a Concepcion shipwreck 8 Reales coin on ebay, NGC graded. The seller sent the coin to PCGS USPS. PCGS had it only one day, looked at it then sent it to me Fedex. It added a few days for me to get the coin, not bad. In the package was the coin, the salvager COA, tag from Sedwick auction when it sold. There was nothing in the package saying PCGS looked at it. The only things different were the slab was in a small ebay box and a ebay sticker is on the baggie the coin came in. The sticker has a QR code on it to check it online with warning not to damage it. I carefully pulled the flip up. The QR code part is perforated so it stayed on the baggie. I'll keep the slab in the baggie but I wonder how well the flip will pull up years from now without sticking to the baggie. I may put a small piece of Saran Wrap or similar between the flip and the baggie.

I like the coin, Potosi Bolivia mint. It has saltwater damage which is common for shipwreck coins to varying degrees. It's double struck off center with part of the date showing (1)63(?). The Concepcion sank about 80 miles north of Dominican Republic in 1641. Coins were slavaged from it several times. This one was found in 1993 by Tracy Bowden team.

It might not have been necessary to have PCGS look at this coin because of it's provenance. But there are fake COA and fake slabs. At least I wasn't charged extra for PCGS to look at it. I don't know if ebay or the sellers will pay for PCGS opinion. I assume if a coin is found to be fake it will be sent back to seller and buyer will get refund.