Inverted Jenny On Ebay? Fake: Removed From Ebay!

As of this posting the bid sits at $40.00 which I can't believe. Very soon it will pass what I just paid for a MNH XF example which I think is sad.

The lot has been removed from ebay !

http://cgi.ebay.com/290610802513

Great. In my experience, ebay is usually prompt in handling requests to investigate an item.

It's a fake and has been removed by ebay.

Well done, ncbuckeye.

The removal of this item from ebay is an example of why I think meddling with ebay auctions by do-gooders is a bad idea. Nobody could possibly get fooled/gypped by this one, much less lose serious money. It is an interesting piece that a US airmail collector might appeciate. For a 5 dollar opening bid its a nice curiosity. In the overall scheme of things we don't want to make things so difficult and contentious at ebay that they would consider material changes to the postage stamp category or its elimination.

I wouldn't blame the seller [or ebay] that two idiots somewhere in the world - or outer space, decided to bid it up to 40 USD.

I am afraid I will have to disagree with that statement. I even know of some seasoned collectors who successfully made the purchase of an "inverted Jenny" off ebay and then realized later on that they should have known better.



I also disagree with this. If the item is a fake, ebay's policy is that it cannot be listed unless it is noted in the listing and the item is physically marked as a fake. I don't have problems with people selling fakes as long as they are marketed as fakes. So I agree that there is a market and such items should be allowed -- but only if properly listed as such. That being said, I don't even bother informing ebay of the many fakes or altered stamps that are listed there -- I wouldn't have time to do anything else if I did.

I will readily admit that I have not hesitated to contact sellers here on SCF when I notice there is a forgery in their listing, just as I have not hesitated to contact them to inform them if they have a far more valuable stamp than they originally realized.

I'm afraid the sellers here on SCF will just have to live with my meddling.

k

I agree there is too much seller-mischief on ebay, and that rules for SCF sellers should be more beginner-friendly. This particular item would only fool somebody who would soon buy the proverbial bridge.

Well said k.

That is where I stand - bold added by me.

K - I agree with you about marking/describing as fake, prior to listing.

I wonder if ebay gave the seller the opportunity to re-label his item as a forgery? Or if they just went ahead and removed it without consulting him?

ebay has specific guidelines as to the proper description of items posted for sale on ebay. If an item is defined in the description that it is a copy or is a fake, then any bidder, regardless of his/her expertise, has no argument. Without such notification implies that the item is a genuine or original item. BeeSee questioned the item directly with the seller who it appears is not an expert which is not a problem. The seller had an opportunity to determine if the description of what he was offering was adequate. I do not know if he did so or not, but I do know that the description did not change. For what is worth, my request to ebay was simply to to ask the seller for a more detailed description so that bidders, regardless of their knowledge or interest, could make a knowledgeable decision as to value, etc. I myself have been requested to provide a more detailed description of items being sold.
I agree with chasa that one should not be contentious, but please understand that at no time did ANYONE question the integrity or honesty of the seller to ebay, only the completeness of the item description.
As knowledgeable stamp collectors, I think we do have a responsibility to ensure the description accuracy of what is being offered on the internet.

jamesw, I am sure that you know postage stamps, either real or fake, is not a banned for sale item on ebay. ebay themselves only pulls the plug immediately on banned items. Due to the short time period involved, I am more inclined to think that the item was voluntarily withdrawn for whatever reason.