Coin Retailers,
Ever tried selling coins online? Well, it’s more complicated than you’d think. Here’s why.
Photography is pivotal in online shopping. It’s what creates the allure for potential buyers. That’s especially true for numismatics; every piece has its own unique aesthetic. That’s why exceptional coin photography can have extraordinary results for the seller.
There are three types of online coin listings, and just one clear choice. Give me just 2 minutes and I’ll explain.
The first category is the largest. It’s all the coin listings with in-house photography. The wild west of online coin selling. Anyone can create this type of listing: individual collectors, trusted coin stores, and con-artists. Here’s the problem. Too often bad actors create listings that intentionally obscure or exaggerate a coin’s true value (or even try and sell a fake). Check the first 10 listings for any popular coin on eBay and I think you’ll get my point —blurry, manipulated, over-saturated photos are commonplace. These sellers absolve all responsibility with the phrase “grade for yourself” and target collectors new to the market. It pulls down online numismatics for everyone.
How do these listings affect bidding behavior? Most buyers bid over-cautiously on ANY listing with less than perfect photography. If it’s polished or cleaned, at least you didn’t pay UNC prices, right? And you can’t trust if it’s a legitimate store or not, there is just too much manipulation in the market. If it goes for more, it’s usually a new collector or gambler, easy targets.
The second category gained rapid popularity in the wake of the online coin market’s growth. That is, coin listings with graded and professionally photographed coins by the big grading companies. The images delivered by these companies (true-view, photo-vision etc.) are good, high-quality images. Not exactly perfect but compared to the usual they’re like magic. The grade and image alleviate the buyer’s skepticism and solve the wild west dilemma. Buyers can enter the market with confidence and prices go up as a result. An excellent solution!
What’s the catch? Graded coins greatly reduce valuation flexibility. It’s a space where unique coins become commodities. It’s true that grading services raise the value of a coin in online sales, but only to the level of its assigned grade and rarely any further. An MS60 is always an MS60, the buyer has been told the price, and thus places less value on their own opinion and desire for that unique historical artifact.
The effect on bidding behavior —buyers bid more confidently on a pre-determined scale. Your chances of securing a higher price point are out the window.
What’s more, not every coin needs or should be graded. There’s another way to get a “true-view” on your coin. Say you have an absolutely beautiful, seated liberty that you estimate to be a grade of AU52. Do you want to sell it raw, showcasing its exceptional visual appeal or sell it graded highlighting its rating? In both cases buyers have the information they need to make informed decisions, but the emphasis is shifted.
The third category is what we do best: raw and slabbed coin listings with exceptional, professional, listing images. This type of listing focuses on your coin’s unique visual appeal while maintaining all the qualities a buyer needs to feel confident in making their purchase.
The effect on bidding behavior —buyers discover the coins they can’t live without and have greater value flexibility in acquiring them. They are sold on the beauty of the piece, and coins have more potential to reach hire valuations.
At Digi Numismatics, we deliver unmatched numismatic imagery, utilizing over 10 years of experience in product photography to execute at the peak level in our field. Our work is higher resolution with greater attention to detail than the competition. It’s not even close.
We respect your coins as historic works of art and aim to unlock their unique beauty, while never compromising on accuracy. We don’t rush your coins through an assembly line, we work with each piece individually to make sure your coins look their best!
Already selling online without us? What's that costing you?
Ready to elevate your coin sales? - Let’s discuss photographing your inventory today!
-John Kepchar, Owner and Photographer
diginumismatics@gmail.com
(828) 500 1055
What does a small change in perception mean to your bottom line?
One numerical grade, or a plus grade, or a CAC sticker can mean thousands to your coin’s value.
Don’t leave it on the table.
1859(P) Seated Liberty Dollar
Testimonials
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“John worked with us for a little over 9 months on an extremely large project. His studio was recommend to me from a website developer that had used his work before. We knew we were asking for a lot from John but working with him was hands down the easiest part of our companies web development. He worked with us at every turn, never once was negative nor did he tell me something could not be done. To say he went over and beyond is an understatement- I am going to be working with him in the future. Side note: Even though I personally got along best with John his price was the lowest of the three studio quotes I received. A win win.”
—S.T.
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“John was recommended to me by a former employer when I told them I needed someone experienced in product photography shots for eCommerce. Throughout months of work together, John was professional, organized, completed great work with several tight deadlines and was extremely gracious. I will definitely be using John for future product photography and would recommend him to anyone.”
— E.W.
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“John recently completed a full set of professional photos for our business. The photos will be used for multiple applications. He expertise, timeliness and excellent price was much appreciated. We will definitely use John for all of our future photography needs. He is the best!!”
—J.R.
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“We were looking for a local based commercial photographer for our e-commerce product line. John was the perfect choice. John is great to work with, fun to bounce ideas off of, and creative in his approach. He was able to facilitate our quick turn times and ultimately provide beautiful results that were exactly what we needed. We look forward to many future endeavors with this studio and are highly satisfied.”
— S.B.
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“John is an absolute breeze to work with! Seamless communication. Quick turnaround times. Precise edits. I have worked with John on numerous photo projects (ranging from product shots to lifestyle shoots) and each time I’m amazed at the incredible attention to detail brought to every shot and the passionate planning brought to every project. Couldn’t recommend John enough.”
— A.T.