PO Box 1993, Bloomington, IL 61702-1993
309 662-0159

Buying numismatic items on the Internet can be a dream come true. Or it can be a nightmare from hell. Just a little common sense can make all the difference.

Do a little checking before biding on any lot. First review the sellers feedback. If they have many neutrals and/or negatives. Stay away from the coins sold by this seller. Check several of the lots and make sure the seller mainly sells coins and/or currency. If most of the lots are something besides numismatic items, THINK. Does he have a good understanding of coins and grading.

The lot should list all payment methods used by the seller. And when and how the items will be shipped. Some sells will recommend "BidPay", but they do not ship when notice of payment is received. They hold your order until they actually receive payment in their mailbox. This can delay shipping for days or weeks. Ask the seller if the item will be shipped when notice of payment is received or when the payment arrives in their mailbox.

If the seller does not provide good clear photographs or scanned images of the lot, wonder why? If the lot only sells for a few dollars, many people just do not want to spend the time or money to provide images. BUT, if the lot is selling for $40 or more, they should provide detailed images.

ONLY bid on lots that offer a return policy. If a seller will not offer a return policy, he is tell you something important. The seller does not stand behind his merchandise. When you buy it, it is yours no matter what condition. DO NOT buy slabbed or certified coins without a return policy.

Also, many sellers remove images from their lots as soon as the auction closes. This can be to free up space of other images, or it could be so you can not compare the item you win with the images in the auction lot. I recommend clicking on the image and saving it on your hard drive.

Set up a directory labeled eBay. Inside the directory, label folders with the lot numbers. This makes finding the image easy. When the item arrives, compare the images to the item received.

Do not expect eBay to help you, they are not of much help. Not even if the coin is misrepresented.

Make sure you read the section on buying slabbed coins.