MickB

I had almost forgot about this but today I received back the first coin I ever sent for grading
Originally purchased from @James32
 

A little more gold for the collection...

This arrived today.  Thank you @Bars.
Photography info:  As you can see, I'm still experimenting with the angle and lighting.  Handheld with a DSLR and macro lens, outside on a very sunny day.
 
 

Got myself this 1 onza 1983 mexican lady. Those double die varieties are kinda hard to find nowadays. 

For the benefit of anybody ordering from eBay (in my case eBay US), I'd like to share my story and the resolution:
I order regularly on eBay, mostly 1oz Gold coins (preferably Eagles and Krugerrands). I started mainly because if use my credit card, it basically refunds me 5.75% of the first $2,500 every quarter, so that's how I gained my first experiences with buying on eBay. Over the last couple of years, I increased my buying on eBay successively and arrived at 100+ coins in deliveries ranging from $2k to $15k in value. Most were shipped USPS or FedEx with no problems ever, and since I purchased exclusively from the big sellers (Liberty, BullionExchange, DBS, etc.) all coins turned out to be real, at least that's what my Metalyzer Pro said. I grew confident that this way works for me.
Fast forward to May 2022, when I placed an order for 5 American Gold Eagles for just short of $10k through eBay with one of the previously mentioned large sellers. The seller was apparently changing around logistics, so the package did not leave their HQ in California, but was dispatched from a warehouse in Dallas TX and handed to FedEx. I followed the package to FedEx's Memphis sorting facility, when it suddenly went MIA for a day over the weekend. I didn't think much of that, and 24 hours later, the package re-arrived at the Memphis hub and was dispatched to my local sorting facility and out for delivery two days later.
When FedEx home delivered the package, it was "half-handed" to me by the driver, we both held on to a side each, while I was signing on his little gizmo, using the package as support. Once I had the package fully in had and turned it around, I saw that the other side of the package had been cut open at the filament sealing tape, and had been taped back shut with simple clear tape. I already knew what must have happened, so I took some photos and opened the package, which turned out empty. The FedEx truck was already gone by that time. Please note, I am not accusing anybody in particular, but either the seller's warehouse tampered with the package before shipping, or someone else did, while the package was in the carrier's possession. I am not judging which one is more likely, I am merely stating the two possibilities.
I called the seller who did not pick up the phone. So I immediately called eBay and opened a case with them. They were helpful and tried to calm me down, reiterating that I was protected by the eBay-Guarantee. The seller ultimately answered to my case in the eBay messaging system, requesting photos and eventually telling me to wait for one to two weeks until they get feedback from FedEx on an inquiry that they launched. I contacted eBay again and they told me I had to wait four days to give the seller time to find a resolution for me. I also asked if I should file a police report, and eBay support told me that this would not be necessary. I did not follow those instructions and reported the theft to our local Sheriff's office. Two detectives came out to collect the box and fingerprint it, and they also gave me a police report number and contact details. Of course, nothing happened from the sellers side, and I called eBay back after four (business) days. I was then told that they (eBay) would now escalate the case to their High Value Claims Group, a special group for these kind of cases. Their inquiry was going to take another four business days, they would have to investigate the buyer and seller for previous claims and the circumstances surrounding the claim.
I kept in touch with the High Value Claims Group every day, asking if they had found out anything, offering any help I could provide. One day before their deadline, a Supervisor in that group asked me if I had filed a police report. I told her that I did, even though the lower level eBay support told me previously that I did not have to. She said that the report was extremely helpful and took down the number and the contact details for the local Sheriff's Office and told me that she would call them and verify my claims. I waited for the four days to pass exactly, then I called eBay. Within half an hour, I had the woman from the High Value Claims Group calling me back, saying that she just hung up with the Sheriff's Office and she verified everything that had happened exactly as I had told her. They decided the case that very same day in my favor. I received a full refund from eBay to my credit card about 24 hours later. I never heard anything from the seller. My assumption is, that eBay "ate" the loss in the end, and I am probably blacklisted by the seller for future purchases (I haven't tried again since then).
What do we learn from this?
1) Inspect EVERY package on ALL sides BEFORE signing. Be religious about this. If it looks in any way suspicious, refuse to accept it, let it go back. Your risk BEGINS when you take possession of it (i.e. sign for it).
2) Take photos of high-value packages as they arrive, or even better a video of receiving and unpacking. eBay advised me to do so in the future.
3) The seller on eBay is not necessarily your friend. They may try and hang you out to dry over their investigation with the carrier. eBay is your advocate, they can make (and force) a decision in a case.
4) Immediately file a claim with eBay, not Paypal, not your Credit Card Company, not your bank. You can do so in a second step.
5) Right after, file a police report, no matter what eBay says. You are the victim of a crime, it's in your best interest.
6) Be proactive, be in eBay's face daily in a constructive way, offer any help you can provide, make sure they know you are the victim. Get to know the person that is handling your claim.
7) Try not to have a second loss (I am speculating here), they keep records of all this happening.
Final thought: The all-in-all 14 days it took to resolve this issue were no fun. While the end result is good, you may have a sleepless night on the way. I did not enjoy that. But eBay's Money-Back-Guarantee worked as promised and they did the right thing. Kudos and thanks for that to eBay. I luckily got my money back and have started to buy stuff on eBay again, although less valuable to begin with. My LCS is happy about that. But eBay knows that this buyer's trust is at the core of their business model, so I think that's why they in the end decided for the innocent buyer. Lastly, I still feel strange about someone "taking/stealing my stuff" somewhere, and it bugs me that some lowlife thief somewhere is running around with 5 Eagles of mine, probably feeling as cool as Clooney in Ocean's 11. I hate the feeling of being victimized. I am now completely OCD about getting packages directly from my mailman, and about checking anything from any carrier for signs of tampering.
I hope none of you ever has to go through this, but if you do, maybe my experience can help.
Martin
 
 
 

Three of these little beauties arrived Saturday.  I'll post more photos later, but I'm experimenting with my camera set-up.

Today this nice 1892 silver crown arrived in the post from @SovereignBishop who didn't hang around with the postage. Top fella

3 Beautiful Sovereigns from Atkinsons. 2002, 2012 and 2022 editions all in excellent condition. Very pleased with my purchase 😀

Today this nice 1892 silver crown arrived in the post from @SovereignBishop who didn't hang around with the postage. Top fella

Today this nice 1892 silver crown arrived in the post from @SovereignBishop who didn't hang around with the postage. Top fella

Today this nice 1892 silver crown arrived in the post from @SovereignBishop who didn't hang around with the postage. Top fella

Today this nice 1892 silver crown arrived in the post from @SovereignBishop who didn't hang around with the postage. Top fella

Today this nice 1892 silver crown arrived in the post from @SovereignBishop who didn't hang around with the postage. Top fella

Today this nice 1892 silver crown arrived in the post from @SovereignBishop who didn't hang around with the postage. Top fella

Today this nice 1892 silver crown arrived in the post from @SovereignBishop who didn't hang around with the postage. Top fella

Today this nice 1892 silver crown arrived in the post from @SovereignBishop who didn't hang around with the postage. Top fella

You could write a book about this..
- German
- In South America just after WWII
- Gold
- Forgery
- Reaching out to an elder statesman in the PM industry to dispose of the gold
Best
Dicker

Agree, and this is a lovely medallion, and much much better than most, if not all, of the recent years RM release.  I only have Bronze and small Silver version, but I still love both especially the RM paper pack for the silver.  

1837 - 1897 Victoria Diamond Jubilee Gold Medal / Medallion - Young and Old Head Portraits
These were issued in two different sizes, and also in silver and copper. This is the large, 55mm, gold version. From memory I think the copper version was only made in th large size, making 5 different variations.

LONGITVDO DIERVM IN DEXTERA EIVS ET IN SINISTRA GLORIA 
1837

VICTORIA ANNVM REGNI SEXAGESIMVM FELICITER CLAVDIT XX IVN MDCCCXCVII
This example has a few red spots, and a slight edge knock.
I think it beats anything the Royal Mint produced in 2012 for Elizabeth II's diamond jubilee.
Any comments or input welcome!
😎

1250 give or take a few hundred

1oz silver Viking rounds 👍👍  I will make a sales post tomorrow 😁😁😁

Spotted this one online and couldn't stop myself buying it! 1858 gothic florin. Pics weren't doing it justice but I've thrown a couple of blurry ones in so you know what's in the videos!


IMG-2109.mov
IMG-2111.MOV  
 
 
 

Something a bit different to my usual today

Something old and something new.
Elizabeth I, milled coinage, sixpence, 1562, mm. star, crowned bust D, curly Z in ELIZABETH, wt. 3.05gms. (S.2596; N.2027; Borden & Brown 27-01/R1).
Ex Studio Coins & Christopher Comber Collection. 


 

Today I received these from @James32