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Buying coins on Ebay?



 
 
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  #1  
Old October 15th 04, 09:31 PM
Jimmy Smith
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Posts: n/a
Default Buying coins on Ebay?

Has there been much selling of fake ancient coins on Ebay? I mean, how can
buyers tell what they are getting? As far as the positive feedback, I
assume most of the buyers would not know a fake from a real coin to begin
with. So, the positive feedback is a bunch of bull. Not a good way to
judge material.

Also, many buyers are reluctant to give negative feedback so instead you
will see a lot of "OK" or "Good" with a positive rating when the buyer is
really feeling negative. They don't give negative because they don't want
to receive a negative rating from the seller.

Where is the best, cheapest, trustworthy place to buy ancient coins?

Jimmy


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  #2  
Old October 15th 04, 11:03 PM
Reid Goldsborough
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On Fri, 15 Oct 2004 16:31:42 -0400, "Jimmy Smith"
wrote:

Where is the best, cheapest, trustworthy place to buy ancient coins?


There is no one market that meets these conditions. Different markets
for ancient coins have different pluses and minuses. eBay is fine if
you buy from reputable sellers or really know the coins you're buying
but can otherwise be a good place to get scammed. VCoins is a higher
grade, higher safety, higher price market. U.S. and European catalog
auctions are typically higher still, with exceptions. Buying in person
at major national or international coin shows let you see coins in
person but there's the inconvenience factor in getting there and some
shows (NY Int'l) at very ritzy hotels in very expensive cities force
dealers to recoup their costs through their pricing.

--

Email: (delete "remove this")

Consumer:
http://rg.ancients.info/guide
Connoisseur: http://rg.ancients.info/glom
Counterfeit: http://rg.ancients.info/bogos
  #3  
Old October 16th 04, 04:46 AM
Michael E. Marotta
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"Jimmy Smith" wrote:
Has there been much selling of fake ancient coins on Ebay?
... most of the buyers would not know a fake from a real coin ...
Where is the best, cheapest, trustworthy place to buy ancient coins?


I do not buy anything on eBay. Positives can be manipulated. Buyers
and sellers are anonymous. I usually save my money and go to
numismatic conventions hosted by coin clubs, especially the larger
regional and national shows put on by the American Numismatic
Association and by clubs that are ANA members. I have also shopped
via the mail, generally patronizing those dealers who advertise in THE
CELATOR, the leading magazine for collectors of ancients.

In fact, rather that buying from anyone, if you are interested in
ancients, you should start with a subscription to The Celator. In
numismatics, we often cite the words of Aaron Feldman: "Buy the book
before you buy the coin." In addition to The Celator, there is a
series of books by Wayne Sayles, published by Krause.
(Sayles founded The Celator; it is now owned by Kerry Wetterstrom.)

The problem of fakes in numismatics generally is very real and in
ancients all the more so. A recent report published in The Celator
tells of fakes salted into cheap "uncleaned" lots of Roman coins.

If you go to coin shows you get to see the coins. You will learn to
spot the easy fakes. More knowledge brings more confidence. At some
level, you have to minimize your risk by patronizing trusted sellers.
That means participating in the hobby. There is some overhead cost in
this. However, there is no such thing as a free lunch. Ultimately,
you pay as much as you would have if you had done the job right the
first time.

We in America do not stand up often enough for capitalism and the free
enterprise system. You go to the grocery store; you pay $1.29 for a
can of soup and lo! you get a can of soup. You click up Travelocity,
give them your credit card number and lo! you really do have
reservation on a jetliner. We never question it. eBay is more like a
Third World open air market. It is a totally different kind of trade
and commerce than we are used to. Yes, there are many bargains, but
only because there is also greater risk.

Here is my review of THE CELATOR:
http://www.coin-newbies.com/articles/celator.html

Here is a link to the books of Wayne Sayles:
http://ancientcoins.ac

Michael
ANA R-162953
MSNS 7935
  #4  
Old October 16th 04, 02:20 PM
Jimmy Smith
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Posts: n/a
Default

Michael,

Thanks for your answer. Both you and Reid have been most helpful to this
beginner. BTW, I too have read The Fountainhead (twice) and Atlas Shrugged.
The books are life changers.

Jimmy
"Michael E. Marotta" wrote in message
m...
"Jimmy Smith" wrote:
Has there been much selling of fake ancient coins on Ebay?
... most of the buyers would not know a fake from a real coin ...
Where is the best, cheapest, trustworthy place to buy ancient coins?


I do not buy anything on eBay. Positives can be manipulated. Buyers
and sellers are anonymous. I usually save my money and go to
numismatic conventions hosted by coin clubs, especially the larger
regional and national shows put on by the American Numismatic
Association and by clubs that are ANA members. I have also shopped
via the mail, generally patronizing those dealers who advertise in THE
CELATOR, the leading magazine for collectors of ancients.

In fact, rather that buying from anyone, if you are interested in
ancients, you should start with a subscription to The Celator. In
numismatics, we often cite the words of Aaron Feldman: "Buy the book
before you buy the coin." In addition to The Celator, there is a
series of books by Wayne Sayles, published by Krause.
(Sayles founded The Celator; it is now owned by Kerry Wetterstrom.)

The problem of fakes in numismatics generally is very real and in
ancients all the more so. A recent report published in The Celator
tells of fakes salted into cheap "uncleaned" lots of Roman coins.

If you go to coin shows you get to see the coins. You will learn to
spot the easy fakes. More knowledge brings more confidence. At some
level, you have to minimize your risk by patronizing trusted sellers.
That means participating in the hobby. There is some overhead cost in
this. However, there is no such thing as a free lunch. Ultimately,
you pay as much as you would have if you had done the job right the
first time.

We in America do not stand up often enough for capitalism and the free
enterprise system. You go to the grocery store; you pay $1.29 for a
can of soup and lo! you get a can of soup. You click up Travelocity,
give them your credit card number and lo! you really do have
reservation on a jetliner. We never question it. eBay is more like a
Third World open air market. It is a totally different kind of trade
and commerce than we are used to. Yes, there are many bargains, but
only because there is also greater risk.

Here is my review of THE CELATOR:
http://www.coin-newbies.com/articles/celator.html

Here is a link to the books of Wayne Sayles:
http://ancientcoins.ac

Michael
ANA R-162953
MSNS 7935



  #5  
Old October 16th 04, 03:23 PM
Nick Knight
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Posts: n/a
Default

In , on 10/16/2004
at 09:20 AM, "Jimmy Smith" said:

Thanks for your answer. Both you and Reid have been most helpful to this
beginner. BTW, I too have read The Fountainhead (twice) and Atlas
Shrugged. The books are life changers.


Unfortunately, I didn't see what Reid said. And while he was technically
accurate in much of his froth, what Michael gave you was an extremely
slanted, as usual, hard-sell.

I'm note that Michael actually writes columns, and I assume from this be
produces income from the Celator. Keep this in mind while you read his
"review". It seems to be a great publication, but I've always hesitated to
subscribe simply because he DOES write for it. Perhaps this is my own
version of the "eBay is Evil" chant, but I wonder if the other Celator
authors are as off-base as MM.

eBay has many traps. Yet there is no shortage of coins sold there; well
established dealers and knowledgable buyers (and this includes the
"specialty" of ancient coins). All using eBay successfully with mininal
"risk". In fact, my biggest gripe with eBay nowadays is that the buying
competition is too strong and prices often go above what fixed-price lists.
The Transylvanian taler I pointed out a couple of weeks ago makes a good
case in point; a piece selling for $200 more than a better piece's price I
had passed on at the ANA.

Warning folks to stay away from eBay is silly. It's similar to warnings
like this:

- Stay out of all National Parks. You might get attacked by a wild animal.
Metro-parks are much safer.

- If you must drive, don't drive on the freeway. Too fast and dangerous!
Best not to drive at all, tho.

- Don't claim any tax deductions, even if they are legal and earned - this
might raise red flags with the IRS and you might get audited.

I could go on ... but I'll spare you (all .

There obviously is fraud on eBay. And it might be heaviest in the area of
ancients. However, there ARE reputable dealers on eBay, some that will
guarantee a coin as genuine. Silly "rules" that warn you to stay away
assumes no intelligence, which ironically feeds directly on the audience
that can't see hard-sell.

Don't discount eBay. Use it with caution? Ask about deals/dealers here,
questionable or not. Lurk for awhile and see if a persistent dealer in
ancient coins continues to get good feedback. Use it as a learning tool ...
as "the book". In other words, think for yourself and don't let 1-2
over-opinionated folks here send you down the wrong path.

How hard is it to tell that an 1805 Seated Dollar is fake? How dangerous is
this coin, in reality? If you surround yourself with odoriferous foods and
sit in the middle of the "bear management" area of Smokey Mountains National
Park, you MIGHT encounter a bear (didn't work for my group , and it MIGHT
end up being interested in you. If a bear isn't what you want, don't do
that!!?

Nick
  #6  
Old October 16th 04, 07:46 PM
Reid Goldsborough
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

On Sat, 16 Oct 2004 14:23:42 GMT, "Nick Knight"
wrote:

eBay has many traps. Yet there is no shortage of coins sold there; well
established dealers and knowledgable buyers (and this includes the
"specialty" of ancient coins). All using eBay successfully with mininal


This is exactly right. Michael and I are miles apart regarding eBay.
Michael has said he has never bought a coin there and he recommends
that others don't either. I've bought many, many coins there, as have
many, many people in this newsgroup -- U.S., world, and ancient -- and
I and others have gotten some very good deals. I've also sold a fair
share of coins on eBay and have done well also on the whole, which in
some cases means I've just gotten back my cost for the coin, which is
fine -- better than I would have done if I had sold to a dealer or
consigned to an auction house.

eBay eliminates the middleman and the often substantial costs
involved. For a very low transaction cost, you buy or sell directly,
without having to pay a dealer a markup when buying and an even higher
markup when selling. I've yet to be scammed on eBay, because I'm
careful. That's my point, and yours too. eBay can still be a bargain
hunter's paradise and a smart and cost-effective way to deal coins.

Regarding Jimmy's initial post, here's a list of reliable, recommended
eBay sellers of ancient coins, which I've posted here before. This
isn't a complete list, but buying from these dealers will
significantly reduce eBay's inherent risk.

Recommended Dealers of Ancients Coins on eBay
(alphabetical order by last name)

Parviz Ahghari of Pars Coins
parscoins

Plamen Arsoff of Ancient Treasures
ancient_treasures

Kevin Barry of Barry & Darling Ancient Coins
tiberius

Elia Demetrious of Quality Ancient Coins
q.a.coins

Brad Bowlin of Eukratides Ancient Numismatics
eukratides

Dimitre Genov of Ancient Auction House
ancientauctionhouse.com

David Hendin of Amphora Coins
amphoracoins

Joe Karon of Atlantic Treasure Coins
littlejoe8668

Matt Kreuzer of Old Roman Coins-Classical Cash
oldromancoins

Ilian Lalev of Ancient Caesar
ancientcaesar

John Lavender of Atlantis
Atlantis

Mike Malter of Malter Galleries
malter-galleries

Barbara Francesca Serofilli of Mediterranean Coins
mediterraneancoins

Clark Smith of Gold Hill Coins
clarksmith

--

Email: (delete "remove this")

Consumer:
http://rg.ancients.info/guide
Connoisseur: http://rg.ancients.info/glom
Counterfeit: http://rg.ancients.info/bogos
  #7  
Old October 17th 04, 02:32 PM
Jimmy Smith
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Thanks for the list of possible Ebay dealers. Do you have a personal
opinion on Toni Hristov from Caesarscoins on Ebay?

Jimmy


"Reid Goldsborough" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 16 Oct 2004 14:23:42 GMT, "Nick Knight"
wrote:

eBay has many traps. Yet there is no shortage of coins sold there; well
established dealers and knowledgable buyers (and this includes the
"specialty" of ancient coins). All using eBay successfully with mininal


This is exactly right. Michael and I are miles apart regarding eBay.
Michael has said he has never bought a coin there and he recommends
that others don't either. I've bought many, many coins there, as have
many, many people in this newsgroup -- U.S., world, and ancient -- and
I and others have gotten some very good deals. I've also sold a fair
share of coins on eBay and have done well also on the whole, which in
some cases means I've just gotten back my cost for the coin, which is
fine -- better than I would have done if I had sold to a dealer or
consigned to an auction house.

eBay eliminates the middleman and the often substantial costs
involved. For a very low transaction cost, you buy or sell directly,
without having to pay a dealer a markup when buying and an even higher
markup when selling. I've yet to be scammed on eBay, because I'm
careful. That's my point, and yours too. eBay can still be a bargain
hunter's paradise and a smart and cost-effective way to deal coins.

Regarding Jimmy's initial post, here's a list of reliable, recommended
eBay sellers of ancient coins, which I've posted here before. This
isn't a complete list, but buying from these dealers will
significantly reduce eBay's inherent risk.

Recommended Dealers of Ancients Coins on eBay
(alphabetical order by last name)

Parviz Ahghari of Pars Coins
parscoins

Plamen Arsoff of Ancient Treasures
ancient_treasures

Kevin Barry of Barry & Darling Ancient Coins
tiberius

Elia Demetrious of Quality Ancient Coins
q.a.coins

Brad Bowlin of Eukratides Ancient Numismatics
eukratides

Dimitre Genov of Ancient Auction House
ancientauctionhouse.com

David Hendin of Amphora Coins
amphoracoins

Joe Karon of Atlantic Treasure Coins
littlejoe8668

Matt Kreuzer of Old Roman Coins-Classical Cash
oldromancoins

Ilian Lalev of Ancient Caesar
ancientcaesar

John Lavender of Atlantis
Atlantis

Mike Malter of Malter Galleries
malter-galleries

Barbara Francesca Serofilli of Mediterranean Coins
mediterraneancoins

Clark Smith of Gold Hill Coins
clarksmith

--

Email: (delete "remove this")

Consumer:
http://rg.ancients.info/guide
Connoisseur: http://rg.ancients.info/glom
Counterfeit: http://rg.ancients.info/bogos



  #8  
Old October 17th 04, 04:02 PM
Reid Goldsborough
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

On Sun, 17 Oct 2004 09:32:44 -0400, "Jimmy Smith"
wrote:

Thanks for the list of possible Ebay dealers. Do you have a personal
opinion on Toni Hristov from Caesarscoins on Ebay?


I've bought two ancient coins from him, and both arrived and were as
described. Some of his coins have been questioned in the mailing list
discussion group Coin Forgery Discussion List, but like this newsgroup
(and others), that discussion group has a few angry people who can
drown out more reasonable discussion. On the other hand, at least one
credible person credibly questioned two of his coins. On the third
hand, the dealer in question sells a lot of coins ... as I see in
checking his current offerings ... and it's inevitable that fakes
occasionally do slip through even with the most trustworthy ancients
dealers. On the fourth hand, he appears to be one of these European
direct sellers, someone fairly close to the source, but not
necessarily a numismatist. His attributions appear to be pretty good,
though they're not on the level of a CNG, HJB, etc., but then again
you wouldn't expect them to be. Risk/reward. Your call. g

--

Email: (delete "remove this")

Consumer:
http://rg.ancients.info/guide
Connoisseur: http://rg.ancients.info/glom
Counterfeit: http://rg.ancients.info/bogos
  #9  
Old February 28th 21, 07:17 PM posted to rec.collecting.coins
muhammad ashfaq
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1
Default Buying coins on Ebay?

On Saturday, October 16, 2004 at 11:46:53 PM UTC+5, Reid Goldsborough wrote:
On Sat, 16 Oct 2004 14:23:42 GMT, "Nick Knight"
wrote:
eBay has many traps. Yet there is no shortage of coins sold there; well
established dealers and knowledgable buyers (and this includes the
"specialty" of ancient coins). All using eBay successfully with mininal

This is exactly right. Michael and I are miles apart regarding eBay.
Michael has said he has never bought a coin there and he recommends
that others don't either. I've bought many, many coins there, as have
many, many people in this newsgroup -- U.S., world, and ancient -- and
I and others have gotten some very good deals. I've also sold a fair
share of coins on eBay and have done well also on the whole, which in
some cases means I've just gotten back my cost for the coin, which is
fine -- better than I would have done if I had sold to a dealer or
consigned to an auction house.
eBay eliminates the middleman and the often substantial costs
involved. For a very low transaction cost, you buy or sell directly,
without having to pay a dealer a markup when buying and an even higher
markup when selling. I've yet to be scammed on eBay, because I'm
careful. That's my point, and yours too. eBay can still be a bargain
hunter's paradise and a smart and cost-effective way to deal coins.
Regarding Jimmy's initial post, here's a list of reliable, recommended
eBay sellers of ancient coins, which I've posted here before. This
isn't a complete list, but buying from these dealers will
significantly reduce eBay's inherent risk.
Recommended Dealers of Ancients Coins on eBay
(alphabetical order by last name)
Parviz Ahghari of Pars Coins
parscoins
Plamen Arsoff of Ancient Treasures
ancient_treasures
Kevin Barry of Barry & Darling Ancient Coins
tiberius
Elia Demetrious of Quality Ancient Coins
q.a.coins
Brad Bowlin of Eukratides Ancient Numismatics
eukratides
Dimitre Genov of Ancient Auction House
ancientauctionhouse.com
David Hendin of Amphora Coins
amphoracoins
Joe Karon of Atlantic Treasure Coins
littlejoe8668
Matt Kreuzer of Old Roman Coins-Classical Cash
oldromancoins
Ilian Lalev of Ancient Caesar
ancientcaesar
John Lavender of Atlantis
Atlantis
Mike Malter of Malter Galleries
malter-galleries
Barbara Francesca Serofilli of Mediterranean Coins
mediterraneancoins
Clark Smith of Gold Hill Coins
clarksmith
--
Email: (delete "remove this")
Consumer: http://rg.ancients.info/guide
Connoisseur: http://rg.ancients.info/glom
Counterfeit: http://rg.ancients.info/bogos

does any one want to buy my coins or stamps
 




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