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  • Benefactor
Posted

...Well, @CPK, okay, but it has to evoke my habit of compariing certain American coin dealers to used-car salesmen.  Now, we're looking at something reminiscent of Jon Stewart's return to 'The Daily show,' with critics asking, with how absurd the daily news has gotten on its own watch, what's left to satirize?

 

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  • Benefactor
Posted (edited)

The owl offered on eBay for a $33K asking price is a very nice example.  In the NGC scheme of things, with numeric grading for strike and surface condition, I suppose a "5" for surface condition is warranted, though I am not in favor of this approach.  Is it a "5" for strike?  One can argue that the centering is excellent, while another can argue that most of the all important crest is missing, due to the normally narrow flan and broad obverse die.  So, should it be maybe a "4" or "4.5" for strike?

The other factor with these coins is style.  Sure, there are lots of classical standardize owls out there with a "wow" factor for strike and condition, but many are just plainly unattractive in terms of style.  Many are flatter in relief, or have less sophisticated engraving.  The $33K falls into this category, I think.  The obverse die was engraved in lower relief.  The overall modeling of the face is only so-so as these coins go. 

For comparison, here's a classical owl that, in my opinion is more attractive stylistically.  This coin is a compromise in terms of visible obverse detail, but the portrait is sensitively engraved, even with the slight frown.  Also, the strike is not razor sharp, but very good nonetheless, and there is some wear at the high points.  Color is also important and a matter of personal taste.  The coin below would probably be graded by NGC for surface as a "3" or maybe "4" because of the toning.  

AtticaAthensowl17.19grams2-16-24.jpg.4ab45ae32261436a74d16a7b8362cba7.jpg

 

There are thousands of these owls out there, and I find this strike/surface condition and "star" marketing gimmick by NGC a distraction at best and a detriment at worst to the hobby of collecting ancient coins, but the lure of the slab is undoubtedly a drawing card for many collectors and investors.  In the end, of course, it all comes down to personal taste and personal financial resources.  

Edited by robinjojo
  • Like 2
Posted (edited)

Why is it so shiny? There's no way that came out the ground like that, so how does it get 5/5 surfaces? And someone bought it?! A very average coin for $3k let alone $33k.

NGC2086368-038_OBV.JPG

Edited by John Conduitt
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  • Benefactor
Posted (edited)
9 minutes ago, John Conduitt said:

Why is it so shiny? There's no way that came out the ground like that, so how does it get 5/5 surfaces? And someone bought it?! A very average coin.

 

I totally agree.  

Yes, it has been sold, but for how much?  The sold listing price is showing $33K, but my experience with eBay is that sometimes sellers do not display the actual sale price, so that owl might have been purchased for $33K or less....

Edited by robinjojo
  • Like 1
Posted
4 minutes ago, robinjojo said:

I totally agree.  

Yes, it has been sold, but for how much?  The sold listing price is showing $33K, but my experience with eBay is that sometimes sellers do not display the actual sale price, so that owl might have been purchased for $33K or less....

Is that even the case when it doesn't say 'best offer accepted' with the price crossed out?

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  • Benefactor
Posted
10 minutes ago, John Conduitt said:

Is that even the case when it doesn't say 'best offer accepted' with the price crossed out?

Not all the time.  I've negotiated prices in the past for some items on eBay, but the "sold" price is the listing price.  

Yes, the $33K owl has been relisted.  Perhaps the seller closed the listing for some reason, perhaps a offer outside eBay, and then relisted shortly thereafter.  Who knows?

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Posted (edited)

When ebay first started an acquaintance of mine was selling solar powered clothes dryers for $800 each. He told me he sold 5 before they shut him down. Your $800 'solar powered' clothes dryer arrived as a package of clothes pins and 50 feet of rope.

Caveat emptor, especially for people with more dollars than sense.

~ Peter 

Edited by Phil Anthos
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  • Benefactor
Posted

I think this item in the exonumia category has to win first prize in the "highest ratio of price to actual fair market value" of anything I've seen on ebay lately -- even higher than anything that Mr. High Price Low Value offers for sale.

Stated price for one rusty 1968 Humphrey-Muskie political campaign button without photos of the candidates: $499.00

image.png.5d569b32bda6f464d83968b8b9e7ddd8.png

Actual value: no more than 5 cents. Optimistically speaking. Ratio: approximately 10,000 to 1.

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Posted (edited)

Wow.  As a kid, during a family trip to the East Coast, I got an anti-Vietnam (instant edit:) War medal during a (very, very peaceful) protest on the steps of the Capitol.  From what's left of the memory, I could at least bet money I do have that the guy who had the bucket of them --and encouraged me to take one when I was a little shy-- was John Kerry.  Mid-three-figures?  Doubt it.

On a more prosaic level, what's rampant on US ebay for medievals is dealers having no idea what they have, assuming on that basis that it's rare, and starting with commensurately ridiculous opening bids.  ...Right, as a complement to the effectively totemic memes of "Crusader Knight" and "Templar" in the descriptions.  --And, right, we haven't gotten to fakes yet!

Edited by JeandAcre
  • Like 4
  • Benefactor
Posted

Speaking of Kerry, I wonder what this campaign button from 2004 would fetch on eBay?  Should I get it slabbed? 😉

D-CameraJohnKerrycampaignbutton20042-17-24.jpg.bdf46d9ad4d7d5aa5ceb02e2402a807b.jpg

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