1934 Crown

[loose54 21]

Evening all, I was going to purchase this 1934 crown for a reasonable price. Looked like a nice coin, nice toning and obviously a rare date. The pictures didn't set any alarm bells off (was obviously going to view in hand before any money was exchanged). Anyway, I came across this website listing repro 1934 crowns as $6.00 for not just one, but a pair.

http://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/great-britain-1934-wreath-crown-copy-coins/117636_1905360743.html

Anyway, the coin I was looking at buying, I noticed there is a small 'mark' (detraction) under the A of GRA. This is the same on the forgery coin. I haven't come across a forged wreath crown before but this has put me off buying the original coin. After seeing the mark, it was as if the romance of getting a 1934 crown wore off and I became ultra critical of it, now I feel like the whole look of the metal colour on the obverse is wrong. The seller assures me it is from an old collection (a tag with every forgery) so I was just wondering whether you guys think it is even worth the journey to view it or do you think it is an out and out forgery.

As ever, thanks all.

[azda 979]

Many forgeries of these of which one was highlighted in the ebay section of the forum just a few weeks back with the same story from an old collection. If he wants to sell it tell him to send it to CGS first ifhe believe it to be genuine and tell him you'll only buy if if they then send it back in a slab as a genuine coin, you don't want ripped for a few grand

[Peter 615]

A ebay seller recently sold a 1932,33,34 crowns from Aliexpress and got positive feed back!!!!

Made a fortune the scum bag.

[Mynki 23]

I don't suppose you have a link to the seller do you please Peter?

[Nick 329]

Whilst I think the obverse looks ok, the wear on the reverse doesn't look right. Wear should occur evenly across equivalent points of the design, but the thistles look to have differing levels of wear. The thistles also look more worn than they should given the general appearance of the rest of the coin.

All in all, where's that bargepole.

[just.me 23]

I don't suppose you have a link to the seller do you please Peter?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1934-George-V-Wreath-Crown-coin-collectable-/151396834709?pt=UK_Coins_BritishMilled_RL&hash=item233ff45d95

[Rob 3,152]

Whilst I think the obverse looks ok, the wear on the reverse doesn't look right. Wear should occur evenly across equivalent points of the design, but the thistles look to have differing levels of wear. The thistles also look more worn than they should given the general appearance of the rest of the coin.

All in all, where's that bargepole.

Don't need one. Wouldn't touch it with a bargepole means you don't need a bargepole to not do the thing you have decided not to do.

[Peter 615]

Thanks for the link Just Me.

Funny that the fraudster has only sold 4 coins.

[Peckris 579]

Whilst I think the obverse looks ok, the wear on the reverse doesn't look right. Wear should occur evenly across equivalent points of the design, but the thistles look to have differing levels of wear. The thistles also look more worn than they should given the general appearance of the rest of the coin.

All in all, where's that bargepole.

Don't need one. Wouldn't touch it with a bargepole means you don't need a bargepole to not do the thing you have decided not to do.

[Michael-Roo 781]

Whilst I think the obverse looks ok, the wear on the reverse doesn't look right. Wear should occur evenly across equivalent points of the design, but the thistles look to have differing levels of wear. The thistles also look more worn than they should given the general appearance of the rest of the coin.

All in all, where's that bargepole.

One thing I did notice about the obverse: the rim varies in width. Odd?

[Mynki 23]

Thank you for the link.

I asked because I wondered if ebay's trust and safety department would be interested in such dodgy practises? Perhaps the new group borne out of this forum could pursue a line of enquiry and offer to work with ebay to help reduce the number of such listings?

Just a though.

[Nick 329]

I asked because I wondered if ebay's trust and safety department would be interested in such dodgy practises?

Not a chance. Profit is the only thing eBay cares about, regardless of ethics.

[Flash 25]

Try getting a group behind you though, the bigger you become the more they listen. As an example try selling a fake Rolex on ebay and see how that goes - some are comparable in price to a 1934 Crown.

[Peter 615]

My Rolex was more than the cost of a 1934 crown

[Mynki 23]

Oh I wouldn't give up so easily. Ebay has had an appaling reputation over the years and they have worked very hard to try and rectify this. I only skim read the thread on a new group but I understand why people want it. Think of the credibility the group would achieve if they did get a result.

We all hate scammers after all, so why not try and fight them? Perhaps a call to the police alerting them to your concerns would be a starting point? After all the combined value of the three coins is significant. The police would at least be able to contact the buyer in theory who may then be able to get his money back if it was proven the seller had bought the coins direct from China as suggested.

What the idea needs is someone with courageous integrity to investigate what can be done, and to see it through if possible.

[Nick 329]

We all hate scammers after all, so why not try and fight them?

Wouldn't it be great if eBay pages had a facility such that rogue items could be reported? Oh wait...

Edited November 11, 2014 by Nick

[Mynki 23]

We all hate scammers after all, so why not try and fight them?

Wouldn't it be great if eBay pages had a facility such that rogue items could be reported? Oh wait...

Yeah, the problem is, if they were to take direct and immediate action the place would be flooded with malicious reports. It needs a more measured approach.

[Nick 329]

We all hate scammers after all, so why not try and fight them?

Wouldn't it be great if eBay pages had a facility such that rogue items could be reported? Oh wait...

Yeah, the problem is, if they were to take direct and immediate action the place would be flooded with malicious reports. It needs a more measured approach.

Indeed, but the consequence is that no action is taken and hence the reason why eBay is awash with fake goods.

[Flash 25]

It really isn't awash with fake goods though in truth. I don't want to get into it on here as I know some members really dislike ebay but it's just not that bad.

[Mynki 23]

We all hate scammers after all, so why not try and fight them?

Wouldn't it be great if eBay pages had a facility such that rogue items could be reported? Oh wait...

Yeah, the problem is, if they were to take direct and immediate action the place would be flooded with malicious reports. It needs a more measured approach.

Indeed, but the consequence is that no action is taken and hence the reason why eBay is awash with fake goods.

They do take action. Just not enough for some, which I understand.

I suppose you could criticise banks in the same manner for laundering money. Despite the checks they have in place to try and stop it, the reality is they'll never stop it entirely, just as ebay won't stop every fake item on there.

I have had around 200 - 250 listings removed when I've reported the seller for using my image or listing, some cheeky bar stewards have even copied them word for word! And for breaking duplicate listing policies, so in my experience I can only say they will take action when provided with proof that their rules have been broken in my experience anyway.

[Nick 329]

They do take action. Just not enough for some, which I understand.

I suppose you could criticise banks in the same manner for laundering money. Despite the checks they have in place to try and stop it, the reality is they'll never stop it entirely, just as ebay won't stop every fake item on there.

I have had around 200 - 250 listings removed when I've reported the seller for using my image or listing, some cheeky bar stewards have even copied them word for word! And for breaking duplicate listing policies, so in my experience I can only say they will take action when provided with proof that their rules have been broken in my experience anyway.

During the five years that I used eBay, I must have reported getting on for 50 fake coins and not a single one was removed from sale. The only reported item that was removed was when another seller used my photo without permission, which is a fairly trifling offence in the grand scheme of things.

[Coinery 1,157]

Try getting a group behind you though, the bigger you become the more they listen. As an example try selling a fake Rolex on ebay and see how that goes - some are comparable in price to a 1934 Crown.

That's an awesomely good point!

[azda 979]

Not a fake but the picture has been taken from chards website 261657265929 so definate fraud, reported but nothing happening

[Mynki 23]

But why would it be? No offence, but the ebay call center worker doesn't know you from Adam and so would ignore the reports because they could well be malicious or they may believe that you could be wrong etc. And if the listing isn't breaching any of their policies that they can see at least, then they wouldn't remove it if just working with the reporting feature.

An approach from a respected group either directly or via the police might get better results.

[Mynki 23]

Not a fake but the picture has been taken from chards website 261657265929 so definate fraud, reported but nothing happening

If Chards report it themselves, then it should be removed. A process that they're not unfamiliar with...

http://taxfreegold.co.uk/thelondoncoincompanylimited.html