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The E-Sylum: Volume 02, Number 40, October 3, 1999, Article 9CAVEAT EMPTORThe laugh of the week comes from dealer Charles Davis: "One of the nice things about selling on eBay is that photography can be used at no additional cost thus allowing inexpensive items to be illustrated. One of the drawbacks, however, is the chance that some rather naive bidders will get involved in something they know nothing about. Case in point: When I offer an auction catalogue I usually photo the cover and an important page and place them side by side in the lot description. Last week I offered a Stack's sale of George Perkin's Connecticuts with the cover and a plate page illustrated. The lot sold for $15.50, and now the buyer wants her money back because, despite the fact the item was sold under the heading "U.S. Publications," the COINS WERE NOT INCLUDED WITH THE CATALOGUE and thus I misrepresented the lot. I enclose her letter below. I know I have got $15.50 worth of laughs out of this and thought it would be selfish for me not to share it with the group: "Today I received the catalog that was pictured in the Ebay auction for item #164384810. On the Ebay page, the auction catalog cover was pictured on the left, and what looked like some rather worn circulated coins were pictured to the left, mounted in a board. The coins were not included in the package I received. If the catalog is the only thing that you were selling - and that I paid $15.55 for - then that wasn't clear from the Ebay page, and I'd like my money back. I will send the catalog back, insured, but it definitely does not fulfill what I perceived as being offered on the Ebay page. I made a copy of the offer page at the time I placed my bid, and nowhere can I find any mention that the only thing being offered for sale was the catalog. I believed in good faith that I was getting both things that were included in the picture." Perhaps this buyer would likewise be disappointed to find that her Columbian coffee didn't actually come with a pint-sized Juan Valdez and a donkey. -Editor Wayne Homren, EditorContent presented in The E-Sylum is not necessarily researched or independently fact-checked, and views expressed do not necessarily represent those of the Numismatic Bibliomania Society. This is a static archive page documenting the originally published content. Links were active at the time of publication but may no longer work. Check subsequent issues for corrections and commentary. The Numismatic Bibliomania Society is a non-profit organization promoting numismatic literature. For more information please see our web site at http://www.coinbooks.org/ There is a membership application available on the web site. To join, print the application and return it with your check to the address printed on the application. Visit the Membership page. Those wishing to become new E-Sylum subscribers (or wishing to Unsubscribe) can go to the following web page link. To submit items for publication in The E-Sylum, write to the Editor at this address: E-Sylum Editor Copyright © 1998 - 2020 The Numismatic Bibliomania Society (NBS) |
