Is ebay Stealing from Sellers?

We were just ripped off by ebay for $338.76 - unbelievable!!!!!

We sold and shipped coins to a customer in India, UPSP Priority Mail International with tracking and delivery confirmation.  We purchased the postage in the ebay system, so the tracking number was automatically uploaded to the ebay system.  The customer has not yet satisfied the Customs Service in India.  Rather than work it out with the Indian Customs Service, he disputed the transaction with us.  Despite the fact that the United States Postal Service tracking number (on record in the ebay system) shows that the coins are still being processed through Customs in India, ebay took the money out of our account and refunded it to the customer!!!!!!  So now the customer gets to keep the coins when they finally clear Customs, AND he was given his money back by ebay!!!!!

We will be filing suit against ebay to recover the money that they, in our opinion, stole from us.  If you or anyone you know has been ripped off by ebay in a similar manner, please contact us.  Perhaps a class action suit will be needed to stop similar abuses by ebay.

If you sell on ebay and ship internationally, you may want to reconsider whether you will allow sales to India.  The customer acknowledged to us that his problem was not with us but with the Customs Service in India (of course, that didn't stop ebay from taking $338.76 of our money and giving it to the customer).  He also told us that the Customs Service in India is notoriously corrupt, which ebay also knows.

We've blocked sales to India.  But that won't stop ebay from pulling the same scam again with shipments to any other international destination. 

We are actively seeking other sales channels to continue to de-emphasize ebay and eventually stop selling on ebay altogether.  If you have positive experience with moving your business off ebay, we would love to hear about your experience.  As more ebay sellers find alternatives to ebay, perhaps someone in senior management will wake up and realize that without us sellers, there is no ebay.

Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Silver $2 Coin Niue Legal Tender

The newest coin in our Royal Australian Mint at Perth collection is a commemorative with color (or colour, as they write in Her Majesty's realms).  It celebrates the 50th anniversary of the popular BBC television series, Doctor Who.
Doctor Who is the world's longest running science fiction television series. Produced by the BBC, the program portrays the adventures of a time travelling alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in his TARDIS, an extraordinary ship which is bigger on the inside than the outside and has the appearance of a 1960s British Police Box.  Along with his succession of companions, the Doctor faces a variety of adversaries as he works to save civilizations, help people, and right wrongs across the cosmos.
Doctor Who was first aired in Britain in November 1963 and has since become an icon of British popular culture.  Today, the program is a cult television favorite as it continues to captivate audiences around the world.
The new coin is a legal tender $2 coin in the island nation of Niue (about which, more later).  The reverse is a color image of the famous TARDIS, Doctor Who's all purpose time machine and conveyance.  While the coin is spectacular, the packaging may be even more so. The anniversary coin is packaged in a special presentation case in the shape of the iconic TARDIS – the Doctor’s travel machine – within a BBC branded shipper.  The doors of the TARDIS open to the familiar ‘vworp vworp’ sound to display the collectable and a numbered Certificate of Authenticity and the coin.
Under official license of BBC Australia & New Zealand, the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who 1oz. coin is issued by the New Zealand Mint.  The New Zealand Mint will issue no more than 10,000 of these Doctor Who 50th Anniversary 2013 1oz. Silver Proof Coins in special TARDIS style packaging.  The coin has been minted by the Royal Australian Mint at Perth for the New Zealand Mint.
About Niue
This coin is legal tender in the nation of Niue.  It was minted under license from the BBC and owners of the Dr. Who copyright.  The Royal Australian Mint at Perth minted this coin for the Royal New Zealand Mint. Niue (NEW-ay) is an island country in the South Pacific Ocean, 2,400 kilometres (1,500 mi) northeast of New Zealand and within the triangle formed by Tonga (to the southwest), the Samoas (to the northwest) and the Cook Islands (to the southeast). Its land area is 260 square kilometres (100 sq mi) and its population, predominantly Polynesian, is around 1,400.  They commonly refer to the island as "the Rock", a reference to the traditional moniker "Rock of Polynesia".
The United Nations itself recognizes Niue as one of two states in the world (the other one being the Cook Islands) that, as of 2013, are neither member States nor observer States of the UN.  Both Niue and the Cook Islands are, however, full members of UNESCO, FAO, UNCLOS, and UNFCCC, among other international organisations and UN specialised agencies.

Niue is in free association with New Zealand, and most of its diplomatic relations are conducted by New Zealand on Niue's behalf. All Niueans are New Zealand citizens, and Queen Elizabeth II is Niue's head of state in her capacity as Queen of New Zealand. 90–95% of Niuean people live in New Zealand, along with about 70% of the speakers of the Niuean language.  (Source: Wikipedia)

Random Buzz - Barnes & Noble's Nook Causing Frustrated Customers

Defective Nook software may be costing Barnes & Noble millions of dollars in sales.  Nook owners attempting to buy e-books are frustrated by B&Ns failure to address a problem with credit card authorization.  An hour or two after buying and downloading a Nook book, users receive a message from B&N telling them that there was a problem with their credit card, and their recent purchase was decline by their card issuer.  The Nook book is frozen, preventing the buyer from continuing to read it until B&N re-submits the purchase to the card issuer a week later!  Can you hear the sound of thousands of Nooks being tossed out of windows?

When contacted, card issuers tell customers that the problem isn't with their credit card, it's with Barnes & Noble.  This problem has been simmering away for months.  The Nook, rather than being the future of B&N, may turn out to be the undoing of this once popular brand.  Why B&N hasn't fixed the problem remains a mystery.  Could it be that this once solid company no longer has the resources to save itself?  Bloggers have been talking about this problem for a very long time.  It seems unlikely that B&N would just ignore the cost in lost sale and lost customers IF they had the wherewithal to fix it. 

Kangaroo in Outback – Latest Arrival from Royal Australian Mint, Perth

A very limited supply of the superb new “Kangaroo in Outback” Australian silver
dollar coin is now on sale through Coins Jewelry & More and OK Ranch on ebay.  Both online stores are operated by OK Ranch Land and Cattle Company.  (www.coinsjewelrymore.com & www.okranchcoins.com)  With an extremely low mintage, this coin sold-out quickly when it was offered for sale by the Mint.

 

Each coin contains 1 troy ounce of fine silver (99.9% pure).  Adding interest for collectors and investors, each coin bears the “F15” privy mark, identifying it as one of the “Fabulous Fifteen” premier silver coins in the world.  The Perth Mint is widely recognized as a premier world mint - and this coin does not disappoint.

 

This silver proof Australian legal tender $1 coin displays one of Australia's most recognizable icons: the kangaroo, bounding across the landscape of the Australian outback, its shadow beneath it.  A windmill is pictured in the distance.  The obverse side displays the effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Ian Rank-Broadley; as well as the words "ELIZABETH II," "AUSTRALIA 2013" and the face value of "1 DOLLAR."

 

The “Kangaroo in Outback” silver dollars are presented in a Royal Australian Mint clamshell case protected within an outer Mint box.  A serial numbered official Certificate of Authenticity from the Perth Mint accompanies each coin.  Several of the coins offered by OK Ranch bear serial numbers in the low 100s, indicating that they are from the earliest strikes in this ultra-low mintage.

 

OK Ranch offers fine collectible and investment coins, fine and fashion jewelry, and other gift items exclusively through its two online stores:  Coin Jewelry & More (www.coinsjewelrymore.com) and OK Ranch on ebay (www.okranchcoins.com).  For more information, contact shop@coinsjewelrymore.com .

 

Unique colored coin marks milestone 60th anniversary of the Queen’s Coronation!

Press Release

 

Lewisville, Texas – The year 2013 marks the 60th anniversary of the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.  To commemorate this special occasion, we are proud to present this beautiful colored coin.  The coin is an artful addition to any collection—or a perfect gift for followers of all things royal.

 

The special features of this coin include:  a stunning full color portrait coin commemorating the Coronation of Her Majesty; an oversized quarter with a specimen finish plus color; a very limited mintage of only 15,000 coins.   Taken together, these special features have resulted in a “must have” coin for serious collectors, and for all of the many admirers of Queen Elizabeth II.

 

This colored cupronickel coin captures the spirit of Canadian artist Phil Richards’ 2012 official portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, in celebration of Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee.  The reverse also features the engraved word “CANADA,” the date “2013” and the face value of “25 CENTS.”  Each coin is encapsulated and presented in a Royal Canadian Mint-branded maroon clamshell case, lined with flock and protected by a black sleeve.  This coin is a unique way to mark the 60th anniversary of the Queen’s coronation.

 

Coin Specifications

Mintage -15,000

Composition - cupronickel

Finish - specimen with color

Weight (g) - 0.5 

Diameter (mm) - 35

Edge - plain

Certificate – serialized (each coin has a unique serial number imprinted on the Certificate of Authenticity that accompanies it.)

Face value - 25 cents (While not intended for circulation, this is a legal tender Canadian coin.  (Legal tender coins, unlike “novelty coins” produced by private mints, are highly collectible and may increase in value due to rarity, quality, and worldwide demand.)

Artists - Diamond Jubilee Portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Phil Richards (reverse), Susanna Blunt (obverse)

 

This unique tribute to Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee is available now from Coins Jewelry & More and OK Ranch on ebay – the two online stores operated by OK Ranch Land and Cattle Company.

Find Coins Jewelry & More at www.coinsjewelrymore.com

Find OK Ranch on ebay at www.okranchcoins.com

OK Ranch Land and Cattle Company offers fine collectible & investment coins, fine and fashion jewelry, and gift items exclusively through its online stores.  OK Ranch has thousands of coins from the United States Mint, the Royal Canadian Mint, and the Perth Mint (Australia). The OK Ranch selection of Canadian coins is among the best in the United States.  Contact shop@coinsjewelrymore.com for more information.

Great Basin National Park Quarters Mint Rolls & Mint Bags

Lewisville, Texas – Great Basin National Park mint rolls & bags are now on sale.  All of the mint rolls have special numismatic wrappers, and the mint bags have special numismatic labels.  There are six options for purchasing United States Mint rolls & bags from the America the Beautiful Quarters Program:

 

·         Philadelphia Mint 100-coin Mint Bag

·         Denver Mint 100-coin Mint Bag

·         San Francisco Mint 100-coin Mint Bag*

·         San Francisco Mint 40-coin Mint Roll

·         Philadelphia & Denver Two Roll Set of 40-coin Mint Rolls

·         Philadelphia, Denver, & San Francisco* Three Roll Set of 40-coin Mint Rolls

 

(* San Francisco America the Beautiful Quarters are minted only for collectors & investors.  They are not released for circulation.)

 

 

The Great Basin National Park quarter is the third of 2013 and the 18th overall in the America the Beautiful Quarters Program.

 

The reverse image depicts the beauty and unique qualities of a single Bristlecone Pine tree and shows the rocky glacial moraines where the trees grow. These trees grow at higher elevation in the park and are some of the world’s oldest. The park contains numerous Bristlecone Pine groves with trees older than 4,000 years. Inscriptions are GREAT BASIN, NEVADA, 2013 and E PLURIBUS UNUM. Design candidates were developed in consultation with representatives of Great Basin National Park.

 

Great Basin National Park, located in the heart of the Great Basin, has exceptional examples of regional geology, biologic diversity and scenic grandeur. Park attractions include Lehman Caves, the most heavily decorated limestone solution caverns in the western U.S., and Wheeler Peak, the second highest peak in Nevada. Great Basin National Park is an oasis in the desert with more than 40 miles of perennial streams and 400 springs. The park also contains a variety of cultural resources dating back to prehistoric times, as well as structures and sites related to mining, western surveys and ranching. It was first established as a national monument on January 24, 1922 (42 Stat. 2260).

 

The America the Beautiful Quarters Program

The United States Mint launched the America the Beautiful Quarters Program in 2010. The 12-year initiative includes 56 quarters featuring reverse designs depicting some of our most cherished national parks and other national sites. The United States Mint will issue five new quarter designs each year, with one final design in 2021.

 

Coins Jewelry & More

These new Great Basin National Park Quarters are available now from Coins Jewelry & More and OK Ranch.  Coins Jewelry & More offers fine collectible & investment coins, fine & fashion jewelry, and gift items at www.coinsjewelrymore.com – CJ&M is an OK Ranch Land and Cattle Company online store.  OK Ranch is also on ebay at www.okranchcoins.com with thousands of coins, jewelry & gift items.

 

Canadian Coins - OK Ranch Land and Cattle Company has one of the USA’s largest selections of legal tender Canadian coins.  Canadian coins are offered through both online stores.  These fine coins from the Royal Canadian Mint include many commemorative coins with ultra-low mintages – as few as 500 coins!  The Royal Canadian Mint is world-renowned for outstanding quality and innovation.  Many of the Canadian coins offered include the use of color, embedded crystals, and multiple finishes on the same coin.

 

OK Ranch’s legal tender U.S. Mint coins include the best of current, recent, and historic coins and mint sets.  Australian legal tender silver & gold coins from the Perth Mint are also offered.  For information, contact shop@coinsjewelrymore.com with questions or comments.

Silver U.S. Quarters for 2013

Lewisville, Texas – Most Americans believe that the U.S. Mint stopped minting silver quarters after 1964.  However, they would only be partially correct.  While not minted for circulation, silver quarters are still being minted each year by the United States Mint at San Francisco.  All of the silver quarters minted are “proof” strikes.  Proof strikes are minted using carefully prepared blanks and special high-pressure coin presses.  The fields (flat areas) on proof coins are polished mirror bright, while the devices (portraits and other design elements) have a frosted finish.  These special processes result in the beautiful cameo (or “deep cameo”) appearance found on proof coins. 

 

The number of silver quarters is tiny when compared to the cupronickel clad quarters minted for circulation.  Using 2011 as an example, the Denver and Philadelphia United States Mint locations together minted approximately 348 million coins for each of the five America the Beautiful Quarter designs issued that year.  At the same time, the San Francisco Mint location minted only 626 thousand silver quarters for each design.  The three factors of silver content, proof strike, and the small number minted result in strong collector and investor demand for silver quarters, and premium pricing.

 

The San Francisco Mint location also mints proof strikes of cupronickel clad quarters.  These are also beautiful and highly collectible coins.  However, the difference in appearance of clad and silver quarters is dramatic.  When compared side by side, the silver proofs are obviously brighter, whiter, and more breathtakingly beautiful than clad proofs.

 

Collectors will want examples of both clad and silver proofs in their collection.  Investors, however, gravitate toward the silver proofs.  The San Francisco Mint location minted approximately 1 million clad proof quarters for each of the five 2011 designs, still a very small number when compared to circulation strikes (also known as, “business” strikes).  The value of the highest quality silver proofs may surprise you.  Those graded PR70DCAM by PCGS (the largest and most respected third party authentication, grading and certification service in the world) may command prices from $50 to $100 each, even for very recent issues. (PR70DCAM is the highest possible grade for any proof coin.  It stands for, Proof 70 Deep Cameo.  Coins are uniformly graded on a scale from 1 to 70.)

 

OK Ranch offers silver proof quarters both “raw” (ungraded) and PCGS graded & certified.  Visit Coins Jewelry & More at www.coinsjewelrymore.com or OK Ranch on ebay at www.okranchcoins.com to see the hundreds of silver proofs offered by OK Ranch Land and Cattle Company.  Or contact OK Ranch by email to shop@coinsjewelrymore.com for more information.