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Just came across this little gem:

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/STAMP-ALBUM-WITH ... dZViewItem

A snap at $250.00.

Why is it that otherwise normal people come across a stamp or a stamp collection and suddenly believe that they have discoved the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow?

This sad little collection is probably worth about $15-$20, but the seller (a non collector) did not do the slightest amount of research before wasting his/her posting fee.

I have seen many examples of this kind of thing from non collectors, some far worse than this.

Earlier this year a person in his only e-bay post wanted a cool $500,000 for a Vietnam "colour change", reposted it at the same price, then reposted it again at $450,000. Eventually he reduced it to $6.00, but I lost track after that, and do not know if it sold.

On another board I saw a thread showing an e-bay link (USA) where the starting price for Poland S.G. 433 (cat. 20p) (Hitler "General Government 40g blue) was a cool $US20,000 . And it was damaged! Don't know if that one sold, but I doubt it very much.

Norm

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(Admin note - a great thread. As ebay images auto delete after a couple weeks usually, can all members posting below please add a photobucket.com image to this thread, and NOT the ebay image url or we will have 20 x Red "X" in a month. This thread deserves to stay here as a repository of "dreamer" lots - with photos for all to see - for eternity.

Likewise the ebay item link will auto delete after a few months so please add handle of seller in your description, for the same reason. )

I get a couple of these collections each month and usually it's along the lines of "grandpa said they would be worth a lot of money one day".

Some people are quite pleasant and accept the advice and comments I give them. Others...... well they know it all and think all dealers are crooks.

Then there's those with out a clue about anything ...."got a stamp with a two and a one and a stroke and another two and a dee". Meaning of course 2½d

Had one recently with an 1813 stamp of the Blue Mountains. No amount of explaining would convince her otherwise that it was really the 1963 stamp. Yep, her stamp was OLD and worth a fortune and me the crook




Looks like the album in the ebay listing is one of those rotten photo album with the sticky overlay plastic so we can assume it is pretty well stuffed.

Agree with lanna - cheap album and stamps will be stuffed. Real value - about $5.

Type in Stamp Buyer into google and I am generally the No #1 match that comes up - anywhere in the world.

I get mailed about 10 such worthless books each week to purchase from similar dreamers. The cost to respond is usually 10 times what the books re worth,

Why these folks not go to a library FIRST and look in a stamp cat astounds me.

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Click HERE to see superb, RARE and unusual stamps, at FIXED low nett prices, high rez photos, and NO buyer fees etc!

Here is an email I got yesterday .. it its entirety - I post it here just in case someone has a spare $1,500,000 and may like to contact this most reasonable seller::


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From: mubarak ali o.a.rajak mubarak ali o.a.rajak
To: glen@glenstephens.com Sent: Wednesday, May 02, 2007 4:16 AM
Subject: interested in selling rare stamp.


Dear sir,

I'm willing to sell this rare-one and only stamp in the world without price value printed.Bidding price USD1,500,000.00 and above. I'm willing to pay whatever cost incurred in your auction process.

We're hoping to get any further feedback from your side as soon as possible.

Thank you.

Contact number : +60173366786 (Malaysia)
or
Email : alibaba_mubarak@yahoo.com

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Click HERE to see superb, RARE and unusual stamps, at FIXED low nett prices, high rez photos, and NO buyer fees etc!

You sure get offrered some real bargains, it must be pretty tough turning them all away. Thanks for giving us all the opportunities, I will contact Mr Ali Baba or one of his 40 associates and begin negotiations....

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very friendly ebay seller and buyer

Oh I have an inbox full of them.

Usually a 10 MEG file (as this junk was in) that blocks up my inbox.

And from folks who take a great deal of time on spell check and presentation like this one did:


----- Original Message -----
From: UserSn7048@aol.com
To: glen@glenstephens.com
Sent: Tuesday, May 1, 2007 9:20 PM
Subject: Stamps!!


Hi Glan

Im suki from UK i hav some stamps here for sale if ur interested enjoy.

regards.

It's always worth chancing your arm. you never know what daft bidders are out there - I saw an average used 1959 Post Office Centenary go for $5.50 once - there were 2 idiots fighting over it!

Or ebay lot 300105390485
Or 200098857632
How come I never get people like this bidding on my stuff?

The idiots who bid on worthless crap on ebay are legion of course:

This was one I wrote up in my "Stamp News" column:



Now $US100 for a genuine "Inverted Jenny" is the buy of the century.

However, offering $US100 for this Turkey gets my "dumbest bidder of this decade" award - and the 2 top bidders share that prize equally!

Just look at the illustration that was attached to the auction lot. The genuine "Inverted Jenny" has close margins, is line perforated and many have straight edges.

This clumsy dog of a fake is simply a colour photo very roughly cut from an auction catalogue or magazine, and glued (sideways!) over a 1¢ Canadian stamp.

Linn's did not identify the stamp used, but my research - confirmed via the sharp eyes of the Canadian owner of www.ezstamp.com seems certain that it is the vertical 1973 1¢ Canada definitive stamp depicting Sir John A. Macdonald.

You can see from the eBay scan parts of the orange design are still poking out under the "invert" that on the original were top and bottom that on this fake are at left and right.

The very distinctive yellowed phosphor "tagging" strips on left and right of the 1¢ can be clearly seen under the "Inverted Jenny". Now you would think every collector over the age of 5 years would have picked this silly fabrication, but not so it seems.

The seller said in Linn's (a month after the Auction) he would have refunded the money if asked. Whether he would have/did who knows?

In this case the seller really bears little blame as had the item sold for 1¢ or even 10¢ he would have been out of pocket after listing fees were deducted. The lot heading "UNITED STATES AIRMAIL C3a?" was highly deceptive. The BIDDERS are the ones who amazed me.

My experience is that eBay are interested in commission and they only get that from goods sold, and in a case like this would likely not insist on any refund given the clear description.

As my dad used to say: "A fool and his money are soon parted".

http://www.glenstephens.com/snaugust03.html

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Click HERE to see superb, RARE and unusual stamps, at FIXED low nett prices, high rez photos, and NO buyer fees etc!

You could tell him you'll list it on your site for a one-off fee from him of $15,000 until it sells for the $1.5m he's asking...

Brilliant .. I should hire you as my Marketing manager.

However you are far too greedy .. I think a pre-paid $500 web listing fee would see me VERY pleased with myself.

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Click HERE to see superb, RARE and unusual stamps, at FIXED low nett prices, high rez photos, and NO buyer fees etc!

...you should make that your standard response to these jokers - and remember where you got the idea when the $$$$ start rolling in

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/kookaburra-set-o ... dZViewItem

Another gem...very hard to pass up at $50 and apparently 1 of these is a good investment, not the 4 offered.

I guess the buyers name says it all - "old_bills_junk"

Cheers
Jeff G

Take a look at the image (bottom right hand corner) he's obviously already had this gem up on eBay & is desperately trying to find funds to pay the listing fee...

Ha! What is listing fee on $1.5m?

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Click HERE to see superb, RARE and unusual stamps, at FIXED low nett prices, high rez photos, and NO buyer fees etc!

4.80 USD.

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Jonathan

He should try it then!

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Click HERE to see superb, RARE and unusual stamps, at FIXED low nett prices, high rez photos, and NO buyer fees etc!

Another nice item:

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Block-of-70-Mint ... 0115991487

A block of 70 no watermark 1/2d orange Kangaroos for only $500 - seller errolf2005

That's only $7.00+ each.

Norm

And here is another one. S.G. Monaco 578-582 (Grace Kelly/Ranier marriage to 15F). Catalogue value 70p. Starting price for this piece of "European History" is $A390.

Grab it quickly! Or. alternatively I will sell you the same set for $A290!

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/MONACO-1956-MARR ... 0116575952



Norm

Incredible.

The ½d Kangaroo part pane was a great one! ... it appears to be the no wmk version and would have a retail value of $7 if so ... and I would be a seller at $4 ... or even give it away ... hows that for a return on a $500 purchase

Lucky no sucker out there fell for this one ...

The Monaco Ranier/Grace Kelly set I mentioned above appears to have been withdrawn. The link is still there, but it is not on the main board any more, nor has the seller got any items for sale on his/her list. Interesting

Norm

here's a good one for the dream team ...

NSW 3d diadem mint - real value a few $ at best and yours for 'only' $US499.95!

http://cgi.ebay.com/1854-NEW-SOUTH-WALES-3-PENCE-POSTAGE-STAMP-34-A15-NR_W0QQitemZ180115355269



The auction has 3 pics in total ...

I hope no sucker out there falls for this one ...

Hi

I have seen and read enough about ebay to make me realise that this site is now a risky place to buy stamps because its full of baddies.

What happened to honesty?

I have heard many people report criminal people selling on ebay but the same criminals are still members nothing happens to them.

I find this very sad.Why doesn't the government here in our lucky country take on ebay to enforce consumer laws

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/AUSTRALIA-1937-1 ... 0113044425


Seller seems to think it's a Plate Number block for some reason!

What a goose.

A NICE imprint of this one is worth here a few dollars. With a hacked corner like this - $1 from me.

Plate numbers are cat mimimum $600 each, so where he got his price from, who knows.

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Click HERE to see superb, RARE and unusual stamps, at FIXED low nett prices, high rez photos, and NO buyer fees etc!

Your link still works/ Seller is banjoboystar - price is still $A390.

_________________
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Click HERE to see superb, RARE and unusual stamps, at FIXED low nett prices, high rez photos, and NO buyer fees etc!

Maybe we should not be so quick to criticise:

From the 1988 Edition of the ACSC.

Mod - Dead link deleted

Not sure about the UK, but here it is 2007. 19 years later. :idea:

And the quote I made was accurate .... 2d Sesqui plate blocks are MINIMUM $600 apiece. See below. (This is a butchered IMPRINT of course - Cat $6 in good shape.

I do not use 20 year old SG or Scott prices and I certainly do not use 19 year old ACSC prices.

Indeed you are right, I have the 2007 edition too!

But, since our friend is apparently using the 1988 edition -

A: We can't slate them for following errors in that edition

B: There could be some bargains coming up, since they are using 19 year old catalogue values....

Well please check your musty old 1988 and tell me if this 4½d Small Multi Die 2 used was EVER Cat used at $150!

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Australia-KGV-4- ... 0025658743

My latest 2007 has that stamp CTO as $100. I sell them for about $60. One with a missing corner like this is worth about $10 from a real dealer I'd say. His $25 is in dreamerville for sure.



However surprise surprise on a scarce perf OS stamp (coff) he does seem to have the 2007 Cat - correct ACSC number and current tprice:

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Australia-KGV-19 ... 0113047887

_________________
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Click HERE to see superb, RARE and unusual stamps, at FIXED low nett prices, high rez photos, and NO buyer fees etc!

Ah, but they aren't claiming that the 4½d is a Die II.

They are saying it's a 1R3, so therefore it must be a Die I and its CV is $200 in the 2007 ACSC!

One confused seller methinks.......

As a consultant to ACSC on prices and listings since the lead up to the 1988 edition I can varify that the $150 price on the 2d NSW imprint block was a typo - it was and will never worth any more than the other listed imprint unless of course it does have a plate number! However, you can't blame someone for thinking otherwise when it is there in black and white.

If the 4½d were mine it would be in my proverbial '10¢ box' as I would not want it to downgrade the rest of what I have!

The Pom the scan is so incredibly fuzzy and cruddy (a constant feature of many dodgy ebay sellers!) it is hard to say whether it is die 1 or 2.

The perfs are consistent with being SM p12½ as is the corner cancel so it must be one or the other. Indeed the Die 1 is seen far less CTO than the Die 2!

As Simon says, whatever it is is is is NEVER worth anything like $25 with a missing corner.

Simon if the 1988 was the only cat he owned I'd agree, but as you can see he conveniently uses current ACSC for items that suit him.

_________________
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Click HERE to see superb, RARE and unusual stamps, at FIXED low nett prices, high rez photos, and NO buyer fees etc!

That in itself should be enough to start the alarm bells ringing...

...is it grounds to pursue a case with Ebay on the grounds of "deliberate misrepresentation"?

Here's an OUTSTANDING bargain!!

green 2d Astralia QEII for only £100.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Mrs_W0QQitemZ1801 ... RCH:GB:102

Browny Wrote:-


Thanks for that Browny... My collection going on those values just rose in Value to the tune of about $20,000,000

Yes scurralous.......It's absolutely fantastic when your collection escalates in value so quickly!!

....actually, on the basis of that stamp value,....I think I'll quit work at 5 PM today to retire.....

What are ya going to do with all that free time & surplus money Browny ?

Here's a good idea - Spend it on eBay - With that uncanny knack of yours for finding a bargain - you'll have a very small fortune in no time at all

At those sort of valuations over the last 25 years I have given to charity enough to buy out most of Microsoft ... it would be several million+++ such stamps and many better than that which is not hard!

Re the guy above ... I think it would be fare to say that anyone selling Australian stamps with their latest reference being the 1988 ACSC is not serious at all ... a warning sign to say the least. And if he does in fact use various catalogues to misrepresent items as alleged above then that is of more concern again ...

Regardless of whether the KGV above is a Die I or II with a corner like that it has little real value! Another one for the 10 cent box ...

Be fair Browny
- he is offering 11 stamps for that £100 - so less than £10 each - a bargain - compared to what he is paying eBay for all those images + the picture Gallery + his listing fee - surprised he didn't "Home Page" it as well.

_________________
Regards .. Dave
Visit the Machin forum at : http://www.stamp-collector.co.uk/MachinForum

I don't think he is being tough ... realistically eBay's charges would be only a few £ and what he is offering has a real commercial value of 0 (ZERO). You can go to most real auctions and buy a suitcase full of this stuff for $100 when it comes up and at that price it is no bargain.

Over the years I have given away literally 100's of suitcases full of this type of stuff to charity and school stamp clubs etc.

Any retail value that these 11 stamps might have is 100% a handling fee and not any measure of real or intrinsic value as any dealer's buying price is ZERO and at best if you are lucky 1¢ per 100 for this type of material.

Strangely enough he still hasn't received a single bid on this load of junk? What's the bet his final realization is a big fat zero less of course his listing fee...

Has anyone actually clicked on the images to enlarge them - the 4 cent and 5 cent Canadian Gems are particularly worthy of note LOL

Just for historical purposes - as this site will achive threads and images for decades to come, I've taken a moment to photobucket 3 of his superb grade gems from the modest £100 (=$A250) offering:

The 5c Canada looks like it has been laying on a main road for a few days.

I'll say one thing for this bloke though - whilst his prices may be a little up-market - these are DEFINITELY NOT FAKES..

To put it another way, the three 'gems' you illustrate would not have made my old '10¢ box' - rather they would have landed in the rubbish bin beside it!