The Ebay Counterfeit Coin Review Committee Does Exist

Idle question - did they reach out to you, or vice-versa?

Dave - I actually had made repeated inquiries including a couple phone calls to their headquarters more than a year ago. With no results. But periodically (every month or two)I have offered to volunteer again for the committee. I always give my credentials. I wrote one of those typical requests to volunteer a couple weeks ago and attached it to a report to Safety about a dozen bad world counterfeits I had spotted that were junk. ebay replied asking if I would be interested because they had one opening for a World Coins authenticator that they had not filled. They have surplus US coin people it seems. The approval process took a couple days. Then I started getting coin reports to review. So far only two that I have reported as fake have been allowed to run. No idea why.

I think the timing was just perfect.

Excellent information. Now we know that ebay is taking the correct steps.

well-deserved, of course, but from what I've learned about ebay, surprizing.
I look forward to your comments after you've been on the committee for a while.

Good News about ebay for a change.
swamperbob, congratulations! Persistence paid off.

Swamperbob,

I whole heartedly appreciate your knowledge and time in enlightening folks on coins that are real vs fake! Some folks on ebay may very well not know he/she has a fake in their possession and if he/she removes the item and acknowledges the insight you have given, then I'm sure the help is greatly appreciated on their end. On the other hand there are folks who know they have a fake and are just trying to make a quick buck on the unknowing.

Thank you once again for using your valuable time to help others! It just goes to show how dedicated you are to the hobby of numismatics. Without folks like yourself this hobby would slowly die off.

NO I have to follow the rules as written if the coin is reported and is counterfeit it would have to say so. But I can make an editorial comment that such a coin is legal and contemporary.

The glimmer of hope that I see is at the end of the tunnel might be to CERTIFY and encapsulate Contemporary Counterfeit Coins as legitimate collectible and LEGAL varieties. This might be adequate for all parties and counterfeits could be posted - just not in a raw state and only certain types. The cost of encapsulating a CCC would of necessity vary by type but it might be worth exploring in more detail.

As I see it all US counterfeits except demonetized and no longer legal tender issues could not be posted. They are all illegal under current US law.

Most monetary copies that are of "current" world coins still in circulation would also be illegal.

But non-current world coins could be encapsulated in various categories - contemporary - recent but pre-1973 - or numismatic without fear of legal involvement. We would have to mark all post 1973 and Numismatic coins with COPY to stay legal in the US. Weight, assay and class would be needed on the data window at a minimum.

There are some Riddell varieties that could be done completely without XRF in well known assays but most coins would need testing. An accessible database of tests results could be developed as a subscription service.

Just some quick thoughts.

Great to hear some positive news re: ebay handling of fraudulent listings - I'm hoping that these services extend to reports from places like ebay Australia, and is not restricted to the US.

It would certainly be refreshing to see a cleaner, safer environment at ebay, and may go a way towards developing stronger faith in online auction sites.

Nice work.