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Are There Currently Countries To Avoid Buying Ancient Coins From?

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United Kingdom
59 Posts
 Posted 06/11/2021  1:13 pm Show Profile   Bookmark this topic Add jaymassive79 to your friends list Get a Link to this Message Number of Subscribers


Hi guys

Are there currently countries to avoid buying Ancient Coins from?

I've been told to stay away from ebay auctions where the seller is from / posting from Cyprus and Bulgaria?

After spending many hours hours pouring over ebay auctions from both these 2 countries its pretty clear they are a source point for unmarked replicas and fakes.

Another sad point is many of these fake coins from these countries are listed as 100% original. Many of these fakes sell for £100+

I've also seen a number of suspect coins listed from Morroco as well. Are there anymore countries to watch out for?

It's seems ebay is to bother as long as the fees pour in I guess.

Jay
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micha's Avatar
Cyprus
385 Posts
 Posted 06/11/2021  4:39 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add micha to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
Buying ancient coins can be tricky.
In all the countries there are good and bad sellers.
About Cyprus, because I am a Cypriot ebay seller, there are some good and trusted sellers on ebay and some to avoid or they are risky.
Scroll and read the feedback of the sellers is a good start, also compare sizes and weight with online samples, ask help from the forum if you are not sure etc.
Auctions can also be risky, especially if the images are not clear.
My advice is don't rush to buy unless you are sure of what you are buying.
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GrapeCollects's Avatar
United States
8938 Posts
 Posted 06/11/2021  4:42 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add GrapeCollects to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
China
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United States
1554 Posts
 Posted 06/11/2021  5:49 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Kushanshah to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
There are two interrelated points to consider. The first is that there are very few countries from which genuine ancient coins can be legally exported without specific government permission. The second is that there are certain locations that are notorious for producing and distributing fakes.

The most notorious, of course, is Bulgaria. Not only is this country a prolific producer of fake ancient coins but trafficking in genuine ancient coins in Bulgaria is a very serious crime.

It will behoove you to familiarize yourself with the laws of various source countries. Few are as enlightened as the UK in this regard. Also be aware that the importer may bear legal responsibility for coins that were illegally exported.

As far as fakes go, caution is advised generally on ebay. Greece, Southeastern Europe, Cyprus, China and Thailand should be avoided altogether in my opinion. I have also noticed bad actors registered in the UK, Spain, Russia and Morocco of late. There are a number of sellers in India offering genuine coins but their export is illegal.

There is no free lunch. If a deal is too good to be true, it probably is. It is not unusual for someone to post on this forum a $1000 coin that they just won on ebay for $50, and now they are concerned that it might be fake. Seriously?

Not that there aren't deals to be had on ebay. There are. Until you are knowledgeable and confident, however, at least be smart. Check the fakeseller lists and fake coin reporting sites. Look at a seller's previously sold items. If you see a lineup that would be the envy of one of the great auction houses and everything sells for $40 or $50, something is wrong.

Caveat emptor.




Edited by Kushanshah
06/11/2021 6:15 pm
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oriole's Avatar
Canada
5239 Posts
 Posted 06/11/2021  7:34 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add oriole to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
Some countries are worse sources of fakes, but remember that you don't buy from a country, you buy from a person. For ancients, aside from all other considerations mentioned, buy only from a reputable dealer who guarantees the authenticity.
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United States
1120 Posts
 Posted 06/11/2021  8:01 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add travelcoin to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
Kushanshah Well stated.
In all, I try to just deal domestically. Not to say that there aren't any bad actors here as well.
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