A Newbie Mistake... With Big Money At Stake.

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Author	Replies: 25 / Views: 4,505	Page: of 2
stampvirgin Pillar of the Community United States 1247 Posts	Posted 12/29/2013 2:57 pm So I guy I know has been buying LOTS of Gold and silver coins over the last year. He only buys proofs, and has BIG money invested. Almost all are modern gold and silver proofs. He has a beautiful 1937 (edited: said 1936) Proof set (slabbed). So he saw an ebay sale... 1937 Sealed in mint box never opened. (yeah, no picture of the coins) a picture of a box with brown packing tape on it. hand written "1937". So, I run into him at my LCS, and he shows me this box. I said, why haven't you opened this? He said, won't it be worth more unopened? I said, how do you know what is inside if you don't look? the box did not come with paper tape around it. If it IS original, the coins may be all black and toned. He still didn't think he should open the box... the LCS agreed with me and said he should open it. So they went out back and opened it under a camera... Yep, all 1937 coins, all highly polished, a couple were circs... The plastic baggie each coin was in, wasn't even the same type used 70 years ago.. They guy got a set of cleaned coins, for....$4100.00 Now, I ask when did you buy these? his answer... 3 weeks ago. I told him he should go file a claim with eaby right away. He contacted the guy, the seller says... I have a 14 day return policy on UNOPENED items..... So no refund... I told him, ebay policy trumps everyone. He had never returned anything on ebay before.. Off the over 100G's this guy has spent on coins, he never returned anything... I have been telling him from the beginning, get a magnet and a scale. Test every coin... just because it has a box and coa, doesn't meant it is legit... I would hate to go through all his gold coins and find fake ones... He thinks because it has a box and coa, it has to be real. Never checked any of them.. sigh.... Edited by stampvirgin 12/30/2013 2:18 pm Report this Post to the Staff

CoinsKelly Pillar of the Community United States 3453 Posts	Posted 12/29/2013 3:04 pm You are a good friend . The best you can do is to try to continue to educate him and help him return the fraudulent set. This could be the experience that makes him look more closely at what he has purchased and (hopefully) will make him a more educated buyer. Report this Post to the Staff
arianzo Pillar of the Community Canada 2124 Posts	Posted 12/29/2013 4:58 pm The seller refused and what happened with ebay? Report this Post to the Staff
basebal21 Bedrock of the Community 13014 Posts	Posted 12/29/2013 5:09 pm Youre right its not really a matter of a returned item at this point, thats just straight up fraud. If you give the seller the benefit of the doubt and assume he didnt know its still an item not as described issue which ebay would force a return for. Report this Post to the Staff
BH1964 Bedrock of the Community United States 10982 Posts	Posted 12/29/2013 5:47 pm Easy return and refund here. The dollar volume could (should) involve legal action if necessary. The seller has committed a felony. ANA #R3154474 Report this Post to the Staff
zxcccxz Pillar of the Community Canada 5417 Posts	Posted 12/29/2013 7:18 pm with BH1964, the coin can still be returned and this is a high level scam. Threaten the seller with legal action if he does not refund, that should get him running scared. Report this Post to the Staff
stampvirgin Pillar of the Community United States 1247 Posts	Posted 12/29/2013 7:22 pm I don't know the outcome as of yet. I will pass along to my friend that it is a felony. Report this Post to the Staff
SsuperDdave Moderator United States 23522 Posts	Posted 12/30/2013 03:01 am I hope the seller has no guts, because if he stands his ground there is no court case against him. Those coins could have come from anywhere, now that the package is opened. Report this Post to the Staff
Tom Goodheart Pillar of the Community United Kingdom 856 Posts	Posted 12/30/2013 05:21 am Wow. I do hope your friend has learned from this sv. Talk about a pig in a poke. Well, we do here in the UK (it means buying something unseen). I have to say I'd agree that your friend needs to check his other purchases too. Quite why anyone would buy stuff they (apparently) know little about I'm not sure. But I think maybe he needs to either start taking an interest in where his money is spent or find another, safer, investment! OK, that's unfair maybe. I expect we ALL started knowing little about our collecting interests; I know I did! And I'm sure we all made purchases we now kinda regret (me again!) But one of the reasons for learning about our collections (apart from the fun) is to avoid those pitfalls in the future! Good luck to him with the ebay purchase. I'd hope it will be straightforward to get refund. Edited by Tom Goodheart 12/30/2013 05:26 am Report this Post to the Staff
stampvirgin Pillar of the Community United States 1247 Posts	Posted 12/30/2013 09:13 am Superdave, the sealed box was opened underneath a video camera. So it is quite evident that the box was sealed by the seller before being opened. Report this Post to the Staff
SsuperDdave Moderator United States 23522 Posts	Posted 12/30/2013 12:29 pm Quote: Superdave, the sealed box was opened underneath a video camera. So it is quite evident that the box was sealed by the seller before being opened. *Nice.* Now that I read it. Not perfect, but enough leverage for a good lawyer to make the other guy very, very uncomfortable. Opened at the LCS? With the proprietor as a witness? That would turn the whole case around. Report this Post to the Staff
The Silver Searcher Pillar of the Community United States 1390 Posts	Posted 12/30/2013 12:37 pm Have you convinced your friend to check the rest of his coins? Report this Post to the Staff
CoinsKelly Pillar of the Community United States 3453 Posts	Posted 12/30/2013 12:41 pm Quote: the sealed box was opened underneath a video camera. So it is quite evident that the box was sealed by the seller before being opened. Now THAT is a LCS I would love to patronize. Report this Post to the Staff
My Silver Destiny Valued Member United States 78 Posts	Posted 12/30/2013 1:22 pm Also, on the coin that the piece looks missing, is not missing, is just split. Report this Post to the Staff
My Silver Destiny Valued Member United States 78 Posts	Posted 12/30/2013 1:22 pm Also, on the coin that the piece looks missing, is not missing, is just split. Report this Post to the Staff
stampvirgin Pillar of the Community United States 1247 Posts	Posted 12/30/2013 1:51 pm So, need some help. I am trying to find the sale that my friend did. I am searching on 1937 Proof sets on ebay, selecting completed or sold listings, yet I can't find it... and I keep forgetting to ask him. Help? It would have been a 1937 set in a box, sale price > 3800.00 within the last month. FOUND IT SEE NEXT POST Edited by stampvirgin 12/30/2013 2:17 pm Report this Post to the Staff
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