thelondoncoincompany The London Coin Company Selling Replica Sovereigns on eBay as Restrikes eBay member thelondoncoincompany was offering an imitation sovereign misleadingly described as a restrike. They (he?) are not the only one, eBay tends to be stuffed full of mis-described, mis-categorised, and over-hyped items offered by a myriad of dodgy dealers, some of whom should know better.

Rip-Off Prices Most eBay sellers ask what we consider to be ridiculously high prices for these replicas. Perhaps they genuinely believe that the low mintage figures actually make them rare or valuable. Whenever we acquire similar items, we try to describe them accurately, and also ask what we believe are sensible and realistic prices for them. Even then, this sort of stuff hardly ever flies off our shelves!

Misleading Descriptions
Real, bricks and mortar, old style businesses would probably go bust if they tried to run their businesses in the same way that most eBay dealers do. Apart from acquiring an early reputation for misleading and overcharging people, they would fall fall of consumer legislation in most countries.
Although the internet, and sites like eBay have made things better in many ways, they have opened up untold opportunities for small-thinking, small-time dealers to not only make a quick buck or two, but to keep getting away with it for a few years. If they get chucked off eBay, they can rejoin under a different name; some user maintain multiple IDs. Many of these dealers do not maintain the high ethical standards that other old-fashioned dealers do. Eventually most of them will fade away, but unfortunately will almost certainly be replaced by other similar chancers.

Semi-Literates What many of these small dealers appear to have in common is a disregard for the English language. The title and the item description are all in upper case, rather than the more normal mixture of upper and lower case characters. Perhaps this latter is a generational thing. Texters don't usually bother with niceties such as capital letters for proper names, first words of sentences, correct spellings, Some use all capitals for some reason. Most of them write in text speak, and often use either all capital or no capitals. A cockroach could have higher aspirations! Their attitude towards education, grammar, spelling, and other human beings seems to be "who cares?".

Top Rated Seller
eBay Top-rated seller (We shudder to think what the bottom rated sellers are like)
thelondoncoincompany ( 8905)
99.9% Positive feedback
Consistently receives highest buyer ratings
Dispatches items quickly
Has earned a track record of excellent service

BNTA Member - Should Know Better! It is hard to believe that a member of the British Numismatic Trade Association would use such misleading descriptions in this and other eBay listings. the B.N.T.A. publish a code of ethics to which all their members are supposed to conform. The BNTA are aware of our previous criticism of this member, yet appear to have done nothing to correct him / them, or to educate him to use accurate and ethical descriptions. Why the BNTA allows The London Coin Company to reamin a member, or why it permitted them to join, we cannot begin to guess. We also wonder how they found the two or three members necessary to propose and second his / their membership.

Pattern Sovereigns on eBay - Fools Gold
Every month another eBay crook (member) seems to have the bright idea of conning mugs and punters into buying these silver medallions as "Pattern Gold Sovereigns".

Other Copyright Abuse

Buying Gold Coins & Bars on eBay

Selling Gold Coins & Bars on eBay

Copyright Thieves on eBay We already have a page naming and shaming dealers using our images without permission. It's time we did the same for eBay, although if we include them all, this could be a very long page.

Alphabetical Listing of Other Copyright Theft Sites

Other Scams

Other Web Sites All comments about copyright also cover content of all our other websites including, but not limited to:-

• Chards
  www.chards.co.uk
• Investment Gold Bars & Coins (This Site)
  taxfreegold.co.uk
• General Coins & Jewellery:
  www.24carat.co.uk
• Gold Sovereigns:
  goldsovereigns.co.uk
• 18 Carat Gold Jewellery:
  www.18carat.co.uk
• 9 Carat Gold Jewellery:
  www.9carat.co.uk