# eBay seller who can't grade coins **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 22, 2016, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-seller-who-cant-grade-coins/758100 "2016-06-22T23:04:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2016, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-seller-who-cant-grade-coins/758100/21 "2016-06-23T12:54:20Z")
> [@andros](#): > > Why does it suck? Or why were the coins punched? Why does it suck. So somebody made some jewelry (or something) out of some mundane worn Seated silver. Does **Rivkah** think all coins should be preserved as such for potential future collectors? (Better not go [here](https://www.pinterest.com/explore/coin-crafts/).) ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2016, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-seller-who-cant-grade-coins/758100/22 "2016-06-23T13:03:38Z")
:shrug: Like a first edition with someone’s name in crayon on the flyleaf, or an old comic in perfect shape except for the holes punched so it could go into a 3-ring binder. As an observer, my reaction is “Aw, that’s a shame.” If I were a passionate collector, I could totally see moving from there to “Aw, that _sucks_.” ---
**Author:** ![Azeotrope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/0ea827/32.png) [@Azeotrope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Azeotrope)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2016, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-seller-who-cant-grade-coins/758100/23 "2016-06-23T13:29:28Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > I’m gonna go ahead and pit the idiot who did this: > > [http://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/J1QAAOSwMNxXZWaP/s-l1600.jpg](http://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/J1QAAOSwMNxXZWaP/s-l1600.jpg). > > I realize it may have been done in 1880. It still sucks. Ugh, why didn’t they just scrub them with toothpaste and steel wool while they were at it. :eek: Back in the pre-paper money days, folks would often poke holes through the coins so they could wear them on a string around their neck for safekeeping. I realize these people were thinking more “hooray! I can buy firewood this winter!” rather than “200 years from now someone will consider this a valuable collectable, so I should make sure to preserve it” but as \*\*andros \*\*says the collector’s reaction is hard to squelch. And the one time I tried absinthe I actually did a Looney Toons spit take. That stuff is fucking nasty. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2016, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-seller-who-cant-grade-coins/758100/24 "2016-06-23T13:39:43Z")
> [@andros](#): > > :shrug: Like a first edition with someone’s name in crayon on the flyleaf, or an old comic in perfect shape except for the holes punched so it could go into a 3-ring binder. As an observer, my reaction is “Aw, that’s a shame.” If I were a passionate collector, I could totally see moving from there to “Aw, that _sucks_.” But that’s about the _thing_ now, for _your_ purposes. That’s different than thinking the _person_ who did it–to their own property, for their own purposes, presumably getting more enjoyment thereby–is an “idiot.” There is no bright line between acts of destruction and acts of art. [This guy](http://www.coinjewelryco.com/) is certainly destroying (moderately) “collectible” coins as such, but he’s also finding a market of people who value what he produces more than the coins. There were hundreds of thousands, sometimes several million, of each issue of these coins–vastly fewer rings, et cetera. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2016, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-seller-who-cant-grade-coins/758100/25 "2016-06-23T13:42:58Z")
> [@Azeotrope](#): > > And the one time I tried absinthe I actually did a Looney Toons spit take. That stuff is fucking nasty. Well, it worked out, because DH had to go to work with a headache, and I am happily at home, not having to work today, and the boychik tucked away at camp. I do have to pick him up at 4:30, but I haven’t even showered yet. I had a couple of blueberry lagers, got a little buzz, and jumped out of bed this morning after a very sound sleep. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2016, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-seller-who-cant-grade-coins/758100/26 "2016-06-23T13:43:33Z")
> [@Azeotrope](#): > > Ugh, why didn’t they just scrub them with toothpaste and steel wool while they were at it. :eek: > > Back in the pre-paper money days, folks would often poke holes through the coins so they could wear them on a string around their neck for safekeeping. I realize these people were thinking more “hooray! I can buy firewood this winter!” rather than “200 years from now someone will consider this a valuable collectable, so I should make sure to preserve it” but as \*\*andros \*\*says the collector’s reaction is hard to squelch. > > And the one time I tried absinthe I actually did a Looney Toons spit take. That stuff is fucking nasty. Huh? Wait, what did the last paragraph have to do with anything? I mean, it’s entertaining, but… (I’m not usually this inquisitive, but absinthe makes my heart go ponder…) ---
**Author:** ![Azeotrope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/0ea827/32.png) [@Azeotrope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Azeotrope)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2016, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-seller-who-cant-grade-coins/758100/27 "2016-06-23T13:48:16Z")
:smack: 😃 Just sympathizing with \*\*Rivkah’s \*\*lack of decent booze. > [@RivkahChaya](#): > > It’s also not fair that American absinthe tastes like licorice, and I was supposed to get drunk while the boychik was spending the night at camp, but jeepers that stuff is yucky. I’d make DH go out and get Long Island Iced Tea mix, but he likes licorice, damn him. We should have bought the LIITM earlier. ETA Blueberry lager is a great substitute. One of my favorite summertime beers. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2016, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-seller-who-cant-grade-coins/758100/28 "2016-06-23T13:57:51Z")
> [@Azeotrope](#): > > :smack: 😃 > Just sympathizing with \*\*Rivkah’s \*\*lack of decent booze. Ahh, missed that, even when I went back to look. When I didn’t notice the absinthe line in the rant on coins, I thought I’d wandered into a non-Euclidean MMP. (OR… did I respond just to sneak that “absinthe makes my heart go ponder” line in?) ---
**Author:** ![Azeotrope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/0ea827/32.png) [@Azeotrope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Azeotrope)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2016, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-seller-who-cant-grade-coins/758100/29 "2016-06-23T14:10:36Z")
[QUOTE=digs] (OR… did I respond just to sneak that “absinthe makes my heart go ponder” line in?) [/QUOTE] Probably. 😉 > [@Peremensoe](#): > > But that’s about the _thing_ now, for _your_ purposes. That’s different than thinking the _person_ who did it–to their own property, for their own purposes, presumably getting more enjoyment thereby–is an “idiot.” I’m pretty sure “idiot” is a bit of hyperbole meant to express annoyance. Like when I call someone who cuts me off in traffic when there’s no one behind me for half a mile a braindead fuckwad, I don’t literally think that other driver is either of those things. It’s just blowing off steam. > [@](#): > > There is no bright line between acts of destruction and acts of art. [This guy](http://www.coinjewelryco.com/) is certainly destroying (moderately) “collectible” coins as such, but he’s also finding a market of people who value what he produces more than the coins. There were hundreds of thousands, sometimes several million, of each issue of these coins–vastly fewer rings, et cetera. Yes, the coins that guy uses to make rings were minted by the kajillion. Earlier currency had much lower mintage rates, especially for certain mints. It’s frustrating when you’re trying to complete a set and can’t find the one completing piece because you can’t find one in decent condition. Each collector gets to decide for themself what “decent” means and there’s nothing wrong with venting a little frustration. Some people like the coin jewelry better and that’s fine. Coin collectors like the coins better, and that’s fine, too. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2016, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-seller-who-cant-grade-coins/758100/30 "2016-06-23T14:15:28Z")
> [@watchwolf49](#): > > I think you’re being a little too whiny about this … > … > Why the hell are you trying to fuck with the commercial grading system, are you a coin dealer and plan to retail these pieces? BTW, I agree with the OP that there’s no excuse for such bullshit listings, when things like [Photograde](http://www.pcgs.com/photograde/) are readily available. It was the eBay _seller_ here who chose to use “commercial grading” terms. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2016, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-seller-who-cant-grade-coins/758100/31 "2016-06-23T17:19:31Z")
I used to sell coins on ebay some years ago. I was always cautious about calling the grade on a coin, and always had a disclaimer that I wasn’t a professional dealer and that the grade was only a guess on my part. But I also took good photos and always sent the coin that was pictured. There is a lot of misrepresentation on ebay, for sure. I recall someone trying to sell a color print as an original artwork, and sent a message to them about it. I was told to mind my own fucking business, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2016, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-seller-who-cant-grade-coins/758100/32 "2016-06-23T18:22:43Z")
Stamps on ebay can sometimes suffer from the same problems of owner-grading. But I can generally tell from the posting if the seller knows what they are doing or not. I’ve been pretty happy with my purchases. What I always laugh at though, are sellers who clearly know less than nothing about what they are selling. They find a crappy school-boy album in a garage sale, and then try to sell the stamps as “rare, antique, valuable stamps” for an outrageous price. I’m talking about used stamps that are basically valueless. Nobody would give you more than a nickle for them. And they want something like $150.00. Just nutty. [Here’s an example:](http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Collection-of-antique-Canadian-postal-stamps-/181576698921?hash=item2a46d08c29:g:cWoAAOSw1XdUWA-A) Even if these stamps were NOT damaged (which they are, rendering them worthless), they would be valued at about a dollar for the lot. Maximum. Retail. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-seller-who-cant-grade-coins/758100.md?page=1)