All of these are very poorly done fakes:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...em=160231919185
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...em=160231919271
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...em=160231919876

Maybe something can be done?

Reported all coins to ebay. I do really hope the the seller will end up in jail

reported.

where and how do you report it?

Here is where: Report sellers of fake coins here

You can add multiple item numbers in the first box by separating them with a comma. Write your reason for the report in the second box. Please note that you must have an eBay account in order to file a report.

Even I can see that the obverse is not the same/right guy...

Don't you think those shiny objects look like they were made only yesterday? Well, they probably were...

Just in case some of you aren't sure whether or not these are really fakes, I have taken the trouble to copy the eBay image of the 1899 obverse and put it side-by-side with the scan from the Kazakov catalog, also 1899 (just in case there are minor die varieties for later years ... I think there are, but haven't had time to study this yet).

The lettering of the obverse legend was actually copied very carefully! But with larger and better images, I am sure that minor differences in the shape and/or size of the letters could be seen. In particular, things become immediately clear even with such small images when one looks at the following details:

1. Ear: ... draw a straight line from the top of the ear down to the earlobe. On the genuine coin, the angle is slanted about 10 degrees or so. On the fake, it is almost straight up and down.
2. Top of hair: ... the hair looks much flatter on the fake coin.
3. Beard: ... the contours of the hair in the beard are similar, but not quite.
4. Forehead: ... is receding on the fake (gives that "Neanderthaler look"), and more vertical on the genuine (looks more intelligent).

So please be sure and report these auctions ASAP if you haven't done so already. BTW the seller has responded and is adamant that these are genuine coins. Funny thing ... in the auction description, he states that he knows nothing about coins, yet further down he does seem to know about the different mintmasters.

Reported.

It looks to me like the seller is using the same pictures for the first two coins, which I think is another violation of ebay rules.

Looks like Ebay has pulled these three Russian auctions! He still has some other world gold up for auction; I wonder if they are also fakes?

Thanks to everyone who helped out here! I must mention that I also sent an e-mail to the ANA yesterday asking why they hadn't done anything about these auctions. EBay reported them to the ANA screening committee on Tuesday, 22 April, but until I had sent the e-mail, they hadn't reacted. So the person answering my e-mail re-submitted the report.

BTW, I just noticed that the die cutter also slipped up on the text ... on the original, the first letter in the legend on the left is lined up with a denticle, whereas on the fake coin it is in between two denticles. There are die varieties for some rouble and half-rouble coins of Nicholas II (1901 rouble and 1914 poltina, for example) which can be identified by exactly these differences; however, I don't know whether or not there are similar varieties for the gold 10 rouble coins. Anyway, there are enough other differences to prove that these are just fakes.

Here is the link to his remaining items:
http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZxsrx26

Well, although we managed to get the Russian coins removed, it turns out that at least the USA 1908 double eagle, and probably the 1924 as well, turned out to be fake (see the thread "Genuine or not?" in the main Coins forum). These both sold for approx. $900 each, both to newbie bidders.

Since eBay forwards all reports about coin listing violations to a committee of ANA members, one would think they would be able to spot a fake USA $20 gold coin more quickly than a Russian gold coin... And if I hadn't written a long e-mail to ANA membersonly e-mail link pointing back to this forum's discussion of those coins, nothing would have happened. I know this because Susan McMillan, who answered my e-mail, confirmed that there had been no response to my initial reports, and they were then re-submitted to the committee by her.

This leads me to believe that it is the ANA, not eBay, who is dropping the ball on dealing with these fake coin auctions. But what do I know?

This is a disturbing thought to entertain.

How is this ANA committee constituted? Is it a group of volunteers who check on these things in their spare time on the weekend? My guess is that ebay makes enough money that it could afford to hire people full time to do this, but would rather have ANA incur the costs, or else rely on free volunteer labor.

In my opinion, hiring experts to do this might reasonably be considered just a normal cost of doing business on ebay's part. I doubt anything will change until the day ebay finds itself staring down the barrels of a costly class action lawsuit brought on behalf of the many people who have been defrauded on its site over the years.

As long as collecting coins is perceived as being "merely a hobby", then it will be treated with similar priorities.

This is the answer I got from ebay after reporting these fakes:

Quote:
_________________________________________________________

Thank you for writing eBay in regard to this listing.
...........
In the future, please help us to investigate reports and take action as
quickly as possible by contacting us through this link:

http://pages.ebay.com/help/contact_us/_bas..._selection.html

This will ensure that your report gets to the right person in the
shortest amount of time.
...........
Thanks again for your report.

Sincerely,etc.
_________________________________________________________`

Is the link they show different from the one we have been using?

It is different. I believe that it is an automated, menu-driven system which leaves absolutely no room for comments, etc. If what you want to report doesn't fit in with their pre-conceived menus, it won't get where it is supposed to go.

I prefer using the older link.

Hi,

I think this Elizabeth I 1752 'Silver' Rouble is a fake too.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...em=300220465044

I have reported it, maybe someone else can too.

Joel

A counterfeit, made in China.

RWJ

I have contact the seller about selling not original, waiting for response.

This is the same seller that recently sold the so-called "novodel" 1727 "gold" 2 roubles with portrait of Peter I instead of Peter II.

I have received reply

"Hi I don 't know why you stated this without seen coin??? or somebody e-mailed you???In this case,please do not bid.Before put this coin on sale It was seen by two experenced coin specialists,no problem, REGARDS,BRUNO-OSCAR"

Possible specialists from China

Rarenum.

The seller says "Coin was seen by experienced coin trader,no problems,but if you have any doubts about this coin,please do not bid as I have no relevant documentation about o authenticity of this coin that 's why start price is low".

Another person who claims not to know what he is selling!

The seller has ended the auction on this coin early. It is no longer available.

Great after second message the seller ended item