Ebay's Worst Offerings

[Gary1000]

Here's the best example of shill bidding I've seen in a while.

http://offer.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewBids&_trksid=p2047675.l2565&rt=nc&item=350844926622

t***1 probes u***q till he finds his max bid and then STOPS. If I find someone's max bid like that I know I can win it for a few quid extra.

I my early days on ebay I would do that, I'd put in odd but increasing values until I'd see a change in the max bid to an increment above my bid which would indicate what the highest bid was. It would save a stab in the dark at the last minute. As the buyer I don't think I was shill bidding.

[Gary1000]

Here's the best example of shill bidding I've seen in a while.

http://offer.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewBids&_trksid=p2047675.l2565&rt=nc&item=350844926622

t***1 probes u***q till he finds his max bid and then STOPS. If I find someone's max bid like that I know I can win it for a few quid extra.

I my early days on ebay I would do that, I'd put in odd but increasing values until I'd see a change in the max bid to an increment above my bid which would indicate what the highest bid was. It would save a stab in the dark at the last minute. As the buyer I don't think I was shill bidding.

I should have said increase to something other than the bid increment. If the max bid was £50 and I put in £49.51 it would jump to £50 not £50.51.

[declanwmagee]

Fair point, Gary! Could be a kosher buyer deciding what to put in his snipe engine.

Innocent until proven, etc etc.

[Coinery]

I never look at any of that when using Sniper for resale! Once or twice, I've entered a 1000 for a coin I really wanted, even though I've won it for 250...that's just how it goes! I would've been gutted if some 'idiot' had done the same thing, but would've felt no less disappointed to have won it at £900 (maybe a bit)!

I love the no-nonsense approach of auction sniping software!

[Peckris]

I never look at any of that when using Sniper for resale! Once or twice, I've entered a 1000 for a coin I really wanted, even though I've won it for 250...that's just how it goes! I would've been gutted if some 'idiot' had done the same thing, but would've felt no less disappointed to have won it at £900 (maybe a bit)!

I love the no-nonsense approach of auction sniping software!

That's precisely why I don't use sniping software. I can trust myself to sit with my maximum bid in the box, ready to hit the 'Confirm bid' button with 7 seconds to go. But I couldn't trust myself with a ridiculous maximum just to win it - I'd be mortified if, as you nearly said, some other bugger had done the same!

[Coinery]

I never look at any of that when using Sniper for resale! Once or twice, I've entered a 1000 for a coin I really wanted, even though I've won it for 250...that's just how it goes! I would've been gutted if some 'idiot' had done the same thing, but would've felt no less disappointed to have won it at £900 (maybe a bit)!

I love the no-nonsense approach of auction sniping software!

That's precisely why I don't use sniping software. I can trust myself to sit with my maximum bid in the box, ready to hit the 'Confirm bid' button with 7 seconds to go. But I couldn't trust myself with a ridiculous maximum just to win it - I'd be mortified if, as you nearly said, some other bugger had done the same!

Never has a truer word been said...however, the number of coins I've missed for a telephone call, or a knock at the door or, in truth, quite simply, because I've (mostly) forgot to sign-in in time to place a bid, is lamentable!

[Rob]

Personally I don't think it makes any difference whether you use sniper or sit there with a mental maximum. The highest bid will win either way. What is more frustrating is when a like minded person with deeper pockets outbids you on something you have already pushed the boat out on. My first eBay encounter with GC about 10 years ago was one such event. Having identified a 1718 1/2d with most lustre and EF, I placed what I thought had to be a winning bid with seconds to go and duly came second - even though we were several hundreds above 3rd place, who had bid roughly book price. Nice coin though and worth every penny.

Edited August 7, 2013 by Rob

[Peckris]

Personally I don't think it makes any difference whether you use sniper or sit there with a mental maximum. The highest bid will win either way. What is more frustrating is when a like minded person with deeper pockets outbids you on something you have already pushed the boat out on. My first eBay encounter with GC about 10 years ago was one such event. Having identified a 1718 1/2d with most lustre and EF, I placed what I thought had to be a winning bid with seconds to go and duly came second - even though we were several hundreds above 3rd place, who had bid roughly book price. Nice coin though and worth every penny.

This is the real art of buying. Book price is one thing, but one also has to weigh

1. Where book price is unrealistically low, as Spink can be where coins rarely come to market

2. How far above book one is prepared to go, to win something one really really wants

3. imponderables such as 'above average eye appeal' or strike, etc

I've been far too guilty in my time of using 'book' as a kind of bible, above which I wouldn't go, and missed some beautiful coins as a result. The example that comes most often to mind is a W&W auction in 1997 or 1998 - one of my first, if not the first - where there was a BU 1873 penny. Book price was then, I think, around £75. I dropped out at that point, and the penny went for over £100 (£110? £120?). Oh why didn't I stay in? I just didn't know, as I do now, that truly BU examples of any bun penny between 1864 and 1881, very rarely appear and are snapped up as soon as they do.

[Coinery]

Personally I don't think it makes any difference whether you use sniper or sit there with a mental maximum. The highest bid will win either way. What is more frustrating is when a like minded person with deeper pockets outbids you on something you have already pushed the boat out on. My first eBay encounter with GC about 10 years ago was one such event. Having identified a 1718 1/2d with most lustre and EF, I placed what I thought had to be a winning bid with seconds to go and duly came second - even though we were several hundreds above 3rd place, who had bid roughly book price. Nice coin though and worth every penny.

This is the real art of buying. Book price is one thing, but one also has to weigh

1. Where book price is unrealistically low, as Spink can be where coins rarely come to market

2. How far above book one is prepared to go, to win something one really really wants

3. imponderables such as 'above average eye appeal' or strike, etc

I've been far too guilty in my time of using 'book' as a kind of bible, above which I wouldn't go, and missed some beautiful coins as a result. The example that comes most often to mind is a W&W auction in 1997 or 1998 - one of my first, if not the first - where there was a BU 1873 penny. Book price was then, I think, around £75. I dropped out at that point, and the penny went for over £100 (£110? £120?). Oh why didn't I stay in? I just didn't know, as I do now, that truly BU examples of any bun penny between 1864 and 1881, very rarely appear and are snapped up as soon as they do.

I'm guilty of this too! There's something I'm watching at the moment, about a year in fact, and I've been stupidly waiting for it to come into book range...I'll likely end up regretting this year-long wait, but I hope not!

[Coinery]

Overdate? Sorry, Buck, but not as far as I'm concerned!

360715046072

Edited August 9, 2013 by Coinery

[Nick]

Overdate? Sorry, Buck, but not as far as I'm concerned!

360715046072

Link

[Paulus]

Overdate? Sorry, Buck, but not as far as I'm concerned!

360715046072

Indeed, not sure I can see the 7 (or the 8)! Here is Stuart's ebay link - what a lazy git (only joking, I know you are using Dave's eyePhone!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/360715046072?ru=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fsch%2Fi.html%3F_from%3DR40%26_sacat%3D0%26_nkw%3D360715046072%26_rdc%3D1&autorefresh=true

Our confused Buckinghamshire-cum-Norfolk compadre may have got this overdate correct however:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/310720315858?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2648

One of the clearest early milled silver overdates I have seen, and his grading is okay (but it's horrible I don't want it by the way!)

[Peckris]

Overdate? Sorry, Buck, but not as far as I'm concerned!

360715046072

Link

I can't see either an 8 or a 7 - just a 3 or a 5 partly obscured by a blob.

[Rob]

Overdate? Sorry, Buck, but not as far as I'm concerned!

360715046072

Link

I can't see either an 8 or a 7 - just a 3 or a 5 partly obscured by a blob.

It's an 8. The 8 isn't conventional on Eliz.1 coins having a flat top to one loop and rounded on the other. A 1563 or 1565 dated coin with the coronet mark would be an anomaly as the mark was only current from 1/7/1567 until 28/2/1570. It wouldn't stay listed for long if genuine.

[ski]

i would have thought a 3.....if it is a 7...........im off to specsavers.

[Rob]

i would have thought a 3.....if it is a 7...........im off to specsavers.

Luckily they are doing 2 for 1 at the moment. Use the first pair to do a bit of background reading, and the second to correct your faulty eyesight. See previous post.

[Coinery]

i would have thought a 3.....if it is a 7...........im off to specsavers.

Luckily they are doing 2 for 1 at the moment. Use the first pair to do a bit of background reading, and the second to correct your faulty eyesight. See previous post.

And thanks, Nick and Paulus for the links!

[ski]

Luckily they are doing 2 for 1 at the moment. Use the first pair to do a bit of background reading, and the second to correct your faulty eyesight. See previous post.

youre post wasnt there when i wrote my reply........if it had been i would have read it for sure.............and been educated............nothing wrong with my eyesight..............timing.

[Peckris]

Overdate? Sorry, Buck, but not as far as I'm concerned!

360715046072

Link

I can't see either an 8 or a 7 - just a 3 or a 5 partly obscured by a blob.

It's an 8. The 8 isn't conventional on Eliz.1 coins having a flat top to one loop and rounded on the other. A 1563 or 1565 dated coin with the coronet mark would be an anomaly as the mark was only current from 1/7/1567 until 28/2/1570. It wouldn't stay listed for long if genuine.

Yes, but the bottom loop doesn't even pretend to be complete - there are Liz 1 8's where the bottom loop is a circle. Have a look at this:

http://www.historyincoins.com/xxx-14-9-9-5.jpg

[Coinery]

Overdate? Sorry, Buck, but not as far as I'm concerned!

360715046072

Link

I can't see either an 8 or a 7 - just a 3 or a 5 partly obscured by a blob.

It's an 8. The 8 isn't conventional on Eliz.1 coins having a flat top to one loop and rounded on the other. A 1563 or 1565 dated coin with the coronet mark would be an anomaly as the mark was only current from 1/7/1567 until 28/2/1570. It wouldn't stay listed for long if genuine.

Yes, but the bottom loop doesn't even pretend to be complete - there are Liz 1 8's where the bottom loop is a circle. Have a look at this:

http://www.historyincoins.com/xxx-14-9-9-5.jpg

I think the bottom loop's affected by a partially blocked die, Peck, it does look as though a faint loop is there! It might even have flaked off?

Edit: just dug the book out. Buck's is BCW reverse CN-h2, which is a straight '68. Your history in coins link is interesting, but I can't get a good image on the phone...interesting, as in, BCW record their 2 8/7 varieties with the 8 inverted (ie sat on its flat top), unlike historyincoin's? If it is one? Will be intrigued to look at the devices later! :-)

Edited August 10, 2013 by Coinery

[scott]

looks like a to me as well, but that blob is sort of key.

and yea George I and II overdates are very clear

remember this one?

[HistoricCoinage]

I think the bottom loop's affected by a partially blocked die, Peck, it does look as though a faint loop is there! It might even have flaked off?

My thoughts, too. So many of these 8s are listed as overdates on eBay - perhaps the SCBC should note them in their next issue to clear up some confusion.

[Generic Lad]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/British-1-3rd-Farting-1878-Unc-Good-Lustre-/370876067579?pt=UK_Coins_BritishMilled_RL&hash=item5659efaefb

I'll just leave this here...

[Peckris]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/British-1-3rd-Farting-1878-Unc-Good-Lustre-/370876067579?pt=UK_Coins_BritishMilled_RL&hash=item5659efaefb

I'll just leave this here...

Is this a wind up?

[Rob]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1p-1-Pence-One-Penny-Coin-Buy-It-Now-Auction-/261262763900?pt=UK_Coins_OtherBritish_RL&hash=item3cd479677c

The about me page is somewhat enlightening. Glass houses, stones, black pots and kettles etc spring to mind. Assistance with the translation can be found http://www.codesandciphers.org.uk/documents/egenproc/egenproc.pdf here