Cheap pikers try scam on eBay - for your reading enjoyment!

[tenseventyfive]

Ok so this may be sort of long - as some context, I have been hunting eBay for silver, mostly franklins and walking lib's, when I can buy them (including shipping) for the silver melt value, I try to - usually unsuccessfully but a decent amount falls my way. Ok so I tried to check into Ike's - and saw a number listed as "Silver Ike" "Silver Dollar" etc etc. Some were listed as a start of .99 which is not unusual on ebay to keep listing fee down. So on the first day I win 2 auctions for what are listed, respectively, as "1974-D Eisenhower Silver Dollar BIG IKE #120678971872" and "Silver Dollar" - each going for just over a dollar with the usual ripoff $3.95 shipping, but I figure since they go for $19, maybe I just got a lucky run where no one bid (thus showing my naivete). So I go to Coinflation.com to check the values and notice there are ** at the bottom warning people about the TWO series' of Ikes, one containing zero silver at all. I immediately email the sellers to ask which one they were selling me - YES I know I should have done that first, but there was very little time left on the auctions when I bid, and, honestly, read those two listing titles again - without further info, I think a reasonable person would assume these were the silver composition variety - or else a fraudulent listing. View, if you will, the chain of emails that resulted, and please tell me if i was wrong:

2/1 -
Dear rspott53,

Question - you listed this as a "Silver Dollar" but there are a type of Eisenhower dollar that contain NO silver - I am including a link to that coin page - if the dollar you listed is in fact NOT silver, I do not want it and will protest the sale with eBay - I dont want to make an issue with them but you ARE listing something as "Silver" so if it isnt we should cancel the sale, no harm no foul. Here's the link: http://www.coinflation.com/coins/1971-1978-Eisenhower-Ike-Dollar-Value.html

I dont get a reply until 2/3 - having an issue posting this so will continue in a new post

 

[fistfulladirt]

1075, the sellers pic in the auction clearly shows the D mintmark. Plain 'ol clad Ike... the S mint is the 40% silver variety.
It still bothers me when they put the "silver" in front of the Ike.

 

[tenseventyfive]

well yeah - IF you already know that and admittedly I should have done more research on it, but when you advertise something as "Silver" when talking about a coin or crafted item, like dinnerware, you are forming a contract that the item IS silver - I dont even mean that on a moral basis, but a legal one - and hence why eBay cancelled both of these sales - thats fraudulent and despite my stupidity - which I readily admit - you just cant sell things like that.

 

[conpewter]

Most people know these big dollars as "Silver Dollars" even though they know they are not silver.... just cause I told you I had a "Silver Car" doesn't mean I have one made of silver.

 

[Bank Runner]

Most people know these big dollars as "Silver Dollars" even though they know they are not silver.... just cause I told you I had a "Silver Car" doesn't mean I have one made of silver.

I agree. The coins are silver in color, and are often referred to a "Silver Dollars", just as the new dollar coins are referred to as "Gold Dollars". I see no problem with the listing title. If the items would have said 40% Silver Ike then there would have been an issue. The buyer should always be knowledgeable of anything they buy at auction (ANY auction). I am glad EBAY cancelled the sell for your sake, but I would use this as a learning experience and research all coins prior to bidding. There is a reason others are not swooping in on certain auctions.

HH,
Bank Runner

 

[FCCDFEd]

Another trick used by the unscrupulous ebay seller is to call it "gold" or "silver" when it is only plated or covered with a thin outer layer to give it the appearance of silver or gold. You have got to be careful and read the whole add and then do some research if you have question and /or ask the seller questions and see if it matches to what you have discovered.

PS and this just is not on ebay only, I have seen magazine and news paper ads doing the same thing.

 

[clovis97]

I see no issue with the term 'silver dollar' either when referring to clad Ikes.

Just the other day, my bank teller said "I saved a silver dollar that came in for you today." I knew that he was talking about a clad Ike.

Most people I know refer to clad Ikes as 'silver dollars'. Only knowledgeable people, namely collectors, refer to them as '40%er's', 'proofs', 'Peace', 'Morgans', 'clad' and 'Ikes'.

I think you are pushing this issue waaaaaaaay too far, almost to the point that it is laughable. You bid "in case I get a lucky run", and now want to blame the seller for your mistake.

Chalk this little $5 lesson up as a cost for your education, and then email the seller and tell them you are sorry for all the stuff you have put them though. Life is too short to be jacking with someone over a $5 mistake that you made.

Just my two cents.

 

[clovis97]

In the first three pages of the sellers feedback, I counted at least 28 POSITIVES from other sellers for clad Ikes, even though they were listed as 'silver dollars'.

I'm not sure that I saw one of these 'silver dollars' that sold for more than $3.

Here is the link:
http://feedback.ebay.com/ws/eBayISA...sspagename=VIP:feedback&ftab=FeedbackAsSeller

 

[Michigan Badger]

Like stated above, "silver" is used all the time everywhere for clad dollars.

But as for the sale, just say you don't want it and forget it. Today sellers can't retaliate with negative feedback anyway so you're safe. I'd probably block that seller from bidding on any of your future sales as sometimes these sellers get so mad they may pull the same thing back on you.

The best thing for ebay is to plan ahead, read and ask questions. Never make quick impulse buys without first carefully reading and knowing what you're bidding on.

I'm an impulse buyer from way back and this shortcoming has cost me many hundreds of dollars. If I screw up (happens often) I pay and eat it.