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 Replies: 24 / Views: 3,543 |
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Valued Member
United States
227 Posts |
I hear that people have great success with ebay but I just can't see how that happens unless I've just been unlucky with my timing lately. For slabbed coins people seem to continually bid irrationally - I mean I've seen coins with $85 estimated market value go for $185! Even though I haven't been looking for a "long" time on there, this just seems to be happening over and over, as if its the norm. Then the uncertified coins... more of the same, people still bidding very high, but then there's the added speculation about the originality of the coin's surfaces (and so many seem to be not just damaged, but heavily damaged). So am I just having poor timing right now? I've since looked at online dealer websites and some of them seem to have very fair prices. That actually makes me wonder whats going on with ebay.... I'll be patient and keep looking for now though. |
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Moderator
 United States
23522 Posts |
You're just having a run of bad luck. Consider this, though: I look at every_single 1921 Dollar on ebay. Every single one. There are currently 3897 offerings in that category. I find maybe three a month worth bidding on, and actually win one every other month. Every coin I win is a good deal, but they're not exactly common. With that said, the average number of them on ebay has more than doubled since I started doing this in 2005 - back then, the average was about 1600. |
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Pillar of the Community
Mexico
1304 Posts |
donkrx, I hear ya and in fact gave up a while back on a number of searhces. Then I discovered the joy of automated "Saved Searches." They'll check certain criteria and email you when it gets a result. Check the advanced options and it'll only look for auctions that are ending soon. You have to be on top of the emails to catch the listings, but it sure helped me whiddle down my want list for a reasonable price.
SuperDave, can I ask why you search through every single 1921 Dollar? What are you looking for?
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Pillar of the Community
Russian Federation
5174 Posts |
When I look for coins on Molotok.Ru (a Russian copycat version of ebay), I just narrow the search to BIN listings only in the first place. Helps a lot. Maybe you should consider trying that? From my experience, those are often undervalued (e.g. a $85 coin listed for $80), and if it's a BIN you won't have to worry about being outbid (you would have to worry about someone buying it before you hit the button, but if it's neither the listing's first day nor its last day, the probability of that is minimal). |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7840 Posts |
Timing and patience seem to be key ingredients to getting a "good deal" on ebay. |
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Pillar of the Community
Mexico
1304 Posts |
and knowing what to look for...
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3453 Posts |
Quote:
I look at every_single 1921 Dollar on Ebay Wow @SuperDave, that is amazing. I know what coin I will NOT be looking for now on ebay.  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2269 Posts |
It is absolitely possible to get a good deal on ebay. My most recent purchase was 1/5 ounce of gold, purchased for a few dollars over spot. my advice is don't give up. In the world of ebay, patience pays off. |
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Moderator
United States
23522 Posts |
Quote:
SuperDave, can I ask why you search through every single 1921 Dollar? What are you looking for? If I have a "specialty," it's 1921 Morgan varieties. It's actually good you asked, though, because it didn't occur to me that my standards of a "good deal" are quite a bit higher than most. For me, a "good deal" is a Mint State (>MS62) 1921 variety of interest to me and capable of being resold at price paid or for profit, with a degree of certainty. Very few 1921 VAMs meet those standards in circulated condition. I look at all of them, even the circulated ones, by way of keeping my VAMming skills from poor photographs sharp, and as a way of keeping my finger on the pulse of real-world rarity. ebay is a pretty darn good place to do that, just from sheer volume. |
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Valued Member
 United States
227 Posts |
The automated saved searches thing sounds good, I did not know about that. Haven't used ebay a ton yet so I'll try that out. Also, when I say good deal, I mean pretty much paying what a TPG suggests (or at least what other similarly graded/toned coins are selling for). A very good/great deal to me would be what SuperDave said. What is a "good deal" to you guys, and what's your best ebay find ever? Edited by donkrx
05/15/2012 5:36 pm
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Pillar of the Community
Mexico
1304 Posts |
Every now and then I get a couple ounces of sterling silver for less than half of spot. Other times I have picked up rare numismatic items for 25% of retail.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2661 Posts |
Quote:I look at every_single 1921 Dollar on ebay. Every single one. There are currently 3897 offerings in that category. I find maybe three a month worth bidding on, and actually win one every other month. So I am guessing it was you that killed my snipe bid on the 1921 Peace dollar yesterday SuperDave?  I thought I had that thing nailed down at around grey-sheet and it got slaughtered in last minutes. It was even listed in the "every thing else" section too. |
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Valued Member
United States
227 Posts |
Here's another prime example of what I'm talking about: http://www.ebay.com/itm/1929-D-NGC-...em58935c90821929-D SLQ graded by NGC, advertised as improperly cleaned with XF detail, yet somehow listed as $50 BIN. NGC guide suggests $36 for an original coin. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2150 Posts |
I rarely use buy it now. Seems like with all the free listing lately there is a ton of overpriced stuff listed. I've gotten some great deals on auctions that end in off/odd hours. I agree patients is the key. What type of coins are you looking at?
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Bedrock of the Community
13014 Posts |
A lot of it depends on the item. Consider that if you are bidding on a coin that is the best looking in its group or very rare in its category it will almost always go for a premium over market value. Afterall thats probably what got your attention in the first place. Not every coin on ebay will end up a good deal and you wont win everyone either. But you can get good or fair market deals on coins especially if theyre a lot of that type on there. The rarer the item you are bidding on the more likely it will go over market value, but sometimes you have to pay a little more for something that is unique or of better quality compared to its peer coins. Also consider the buy it now prices are often factoring in ebay fees. When its said and done on that last listing the seller will only end up with about market value for that coin. But some people do over list coins trying to make some money as after all only 1 person has to say yes. Just pass on those items and look for others |
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Valued Member
United States
227 Posts |
basebal21: Yeah I know, I realized these things. I can understand the higher prices due to a nice looking coin, and I was actually just going to ask 'how much are seller fees for all this stuff', so I know why a lot of prices can be high... I guess ebay just takes a lot of time and skill cherry picking the heck out of it. I had a lot better luck looking into online dealers - nice looking coins, great luster, fair prices (if not lower! than price guide values). What online dealers would you guys recommend? And what other online auctions are good, if anything is consistent? I was browsing ebay again and came across a 1930 MS66 w/CAC Standing Liberty quarter, being sold by David Lawrence for $1350. Well for informational purposes I checked the cert on PCGS and saw that its estimated value is around $1300, but what shocked me was that it was sold earlier this year for only $690. |
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Replies: 24 / Views: 3,543 |
Posted 05/15/2012 10:24 am
