The Beautiful Classics Being Offered On Ebay

Has anyone noticed the high dollar mint never hinged original gum perfect centered flawless classics being offered on ebay by a seller mista-tenpercent? No buy-it-now, All auctions. If it seems to good to be true, it must be.....Opinions please

Never heard of him.

Watch this auction. 270625423532

I would suggest you exercise extreme caution. There have been several threads with more then several hundred messages on this seller and various forms he takes over at the Virtual Stamp Club. Please read these before you proceed with this seller.

Yes, beware, here is one of the threads:

http://forums.delphiforums.com/n/mb...sg=40289.304

Lots of reading and arguing, but lots of info.

I saw some auctions from this seller a while back & kept right on browsing. Something about the marketing strategy that just did not sit right...

It makes me want to ask, though: is there a dollar amount beyond which folks here feel it is inadvisable to buy a stamp without expert certification? (Not that this is a 100% fool-proof method of avoiding scams).

The more hi-jinx that I hear about with on-line buying and selling, the more I find myself drawn to a relaxing evening with a pile of minimum catalog value used specimens...

I am new to this site and do not want to get in trouble. I did read the rules as I do on other forums I belong to. I am not new to ebay.

I do not understand why extreme caution needs to be excersized.

Last night I did some research. If you want to find out about this seller go to the sweedishtiger.com and click on ebay Dealer Review.
I had a gut feeling and I was right.

Curt,

Thanks for pointing out the dealer review feature on theswedishtiger.com!

Steve

I do not understand why extreme caution needs to be exercised. I misinterpreted this. I took it to mean, be careful who I point fingers at. There are forums that there is an instant ban if sponsors or advertisers are badmouthed in any way. I will sleep better tonight knowing that mista-tenpercent does not have the Stamp Community in his back pocket.

I was checking out some hard to find 'gem' stamps on ebay this eve,
and I noticed a great many with funny looking perfs on one or more sides,
as well as perfs that are way too close to the central design on all 4 sides.

Assuming this auction ID was the seller of any of these stamps I saw, he
could be up to some "restoration" or "manufacturing" of unused stamps.

That's all I have to say about that.

On a related note...

China has been perfecting it's counterfeiting skills when it comes to coins.
Folks are on to them, and not that the coin making is losing them any money,
but does anyone think it is possible that they might start counterfeiting 'gem'
stamps? It seems to me that stamps are a natural avenue for the counterfeiters
to 'diversify'...

I looked at mista-tenpercent's recent feedback. There are a couple high dollar + feedbacks. It sure would be interesting to see a cert on one of those. If they are in fact a forgery the porfessionals will be able to tell. I suspect they will start printing certs to go with the stamp. I know one thing for sure, I am sticking with known reliable sellers.

Look at the bid history on the auction. I think it is interesting to note that someone (his friend perhaps) has bid up the price with no other counter bids.

Does anyone think it is possible that they might start counterfeiting 'gem' stamps? It seems to me that stamps are a natural avenue for the counterfeiters to 'diversify'...

Absolutely now that you mention it. I also collect antique porcelin gas station signs. The reproductions that are made in the US are typically dated. However signs there are being made overseas that are EXCELLENT reproductions. Unscrupleous vendors buy these signs, then chip the edges put a ding or two in them then bury then for a year or so. When the sign has acquired sufficient patina they are sold both on line and at flea markets. There is huge profit in this. Every sign collector has been burned at one time or another. Knowing how well money can be counterfited, consider a $1,000 stamp. Maybe I want an OGPH, at least it has been in a previous collection.

Making a "fake" hinge mark on a altered/forged stamp has been done before and spotted. No stamp is safe from fakes -- even some minimum catalog value stamp have been faked in large quantities.

Point well taken!