eBay Changes Policy on Coin Listings

Earlier this month, eBay announced that coin listings with numerical grades (in the headline) can only be listed if the coins have been certified by PCGS or NGC. eBay had previously eliminated several grading companies from the listings and had only allowed PCGS, NGC, ANACS and ICG-graded coins to be listed.

However, eBay's requirements have changed and now indicate that any grading company that believes it meets their standards should contact eBay. So far PCGS and NGC are the only two grading services that meet eBay's new listing criteria.

eBay's new criteria for grading companies:

• At least 50,000 pre-1956 coins graded.
• Online Population Report.
• Three or more graders on staff that are considered numismatic experts (expert – individual who has been a full time numismatist for five or more years). At least one grader should be a member of PNG and at least three of those members should be a member of the American Numismatic Association.
• Buy-back guaranty in writing for coins that are deemed counterfeit, damaged, mis-graded or misattributed.
• Coins that are encapsulated should be in a unique tamper-evident holder with anti-counterfeit measures.
• Online certification verification for serial numbers.

Obviously raw coins can still be listed, but coins with a numerical grade mentioned in the title or in the item description, will have to be certified by PCGS or NGC. Coins that have not been graded by either of these grading companies will have to be listed as raw coins.

Additionally, any U.S. coin listed with a "Buy It Now" reserve, or start price of $2,500 or more, will have to be graded by PCGS or NGC. These new changes will be effective starting May 30, 2012. In February, eBay also changed its policy by eliminating fake coins and replicas from their listings.