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Harsh Lesson Learned

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  • Harsh Lesson Learned

    For those who love to peruse eBay, dreaming about or even buying points not native to your region, let my tale serve as a warning.

    In my early days of arrowhead mania, I wasn’t content to settle for just the local quartzite & quartz points the coastal NA hunted with. I coveted the dovetails, Thebes, Pelican Lakes, etc. with their graceful lines & colorful lithics.

    I read the various postings on the forum & jotted down the names of a couple of sellers some of us “trusted”. One seller (who shall remain nameless) seemed legit and I spent more than I care to admit on several of his postings. When I had filled a large case, I suddenly quit, a persistent, nagging feeling that I had not only spent too much but questioning whether everything I had was legit.

    Last month I decided to sell my collection, keeping only those points I had personally found or been given by some generous folks on this forum. I contacted Overstreet and arranged to send them my collection. My first gut wrench came when I opened my case and found a few of the points had “bled” onto the glass, etching it. Others had turned the foam underneath odd colors. 🤨 The second gut punch came when the good folks at Arrowheads.com inspected my pieces. Many of the more expensive points were frauds, including the ones with those infamous Baker COAs. They made me a kind offer, but well below my “investment”. I accepted their offer and have chalked it up to lesson learned. I’m just glad I stopped buying when I did.

    My advice to you newbies and eBay lovers, run away! Find your own artifacts, trade with friends, attend shows, read books, and study artifacts in museums. Don’t waste you hard-earned money on shysters who sell you a bill of goods.
    Child of the tides

  • #2
    Man, that is a hard lesson to learn. I wouldn't trust much on ebay. They are faking civil war bullets can you believe it now.

    I know of a seller who just cranks out G10+ "artifakes" by the hour, and newbies are duped into buying them. It's sickening, and ain't it against the law?
    "The education of a man is never completed until he dies." Robert E. Lee

    Comment


    • Kentucky point
      Kentucky point commented
      Editing a comment
      Not tryin' to be persnickety, but why did you comment on my post?

    • oldrocks2
      oldrocks2 commented
      Editing a comment
      Sorry I hit the wrong post. Meant to hit Havenhunter.
      Last edited by oldrocks2; 09-05-2019, 10:00 PM.

    • pkfrey
      pkfrey commented
      Editing a comment
      It is against the law, but it's such a big gray area, it would take someone with a few ten thousand dollars to spare, and a darn good attorney. First you have to prove that the seller knew, and intentionally sold under false pretense, AN INTENTIONAL ACT TO DECEIVE SOMEONE, called FRAUD! Then when money changes hands, it's called FRAUD AND THEFT BY DECEPTION. So far no one that I know is rich enough to take on ebay in association with these sellers. but maybe one day.

  • #3
    Owning points to me all about the experience , the adrenaline and stories you carry with you .
    Then the sensation of a friend and a trade .
    But I to have looked and never did buy . Thanks for the post Deb it will alert others .
    Wayne actually bought 2 of eBay when I first started saving what I found to spark my enthusiasm . I noticed right off the bat they were fakes . Root bear flint a favorite trade post piece .
    I to long for some exotics but I’ll find them and if I don’t I’ll Enjoy others .
    That last knife you found was wonderful on the beach .
    I think this storm will bring you a surprise in the sand . It’s on the tip of my tongue with a B

    Comment


    • Havenhunter
      Havenhunter commented
      Editing a comment
      Keeping fingers crossed because the king tides have kept me off the beach for several days. That & the horseflies so big they have their own names. 🤨

  • #4
    So sorry to hear this Deb, really a tough lick sounds like. I've made a few bad buys myself before so I know that feeling. I haven't bought anything in a year probably myself and doubt I'll ever be a regular buyer of artifacts again. I sold off the majority of my better purchased artifacts also and kept the sentimental stuff and personal finds as well as a few odds and ends. I really hate to hear that though it makes me angry at those scum who continue to pawn there junk on good folks with the best of intentions.
    Josh (Ky/Tn collector)

    Comment


    • Havenhunter
      Havenhunter commented
      Editing a comment
      I guess if someone is selling a hard ugly point, it might be authentic. Lol

  • #5
    I remember now you found the Agate Basin . Good luck my friend I have a feeling .

    Comment


    • Havenhunter
      Havenhunter commented
      Editing a comment
      I did find a large quartzite spear point about a month or two ago but haven’t posted it yet.

    • SurfaceHunter
      SurfaceHunter commented
      Editing a comment
      Let’s see it

  • #6
    I’ve never bought off of eBay I do buy once in a while but I have to see them in hand with a loop in the other. I did get a bad trade once at a show. Live and learn
    NW Georgia,

    Comment


    • #7
      I appreciate your Post, there are a few dealers on the bay that are honest. Unfortunately, there are hundreds that are not. I have met some really nice helpful people and have learned a lot from AH.com When I decided to buy a few points I never in my wildest dreams would have believed the extent these people would go to deceive you. You touched on the Faker Papers but now it seems many more are just as bad. I love surfing the net and looking at different points. The other day I ran Across a private individual’s collection. He went to the extent to research and photograph every point in his collection. you could tell he was an older gentleman who wanted to pass on what info he could on all his prized points. My guess was he spent a lot of his retirement money building what he thought was a top of the line collection of artifacts. What turned my stomach was a Baker Coa was next to 90% of what he had purchased. There my friends is a true Crime. One thing that I have enjoyed as much as finding and collecting points is to study and examine them with a microscope. I even enjoy looking at my Personal finds. After a while you can spot a fake in no time. Don’t get me wrong the fakers are improving faster than the hunters can find a good point.

      Comment


      • #8
        Sage advice and things like this are learned through experience, darn it. Thanks for sharing your story Deb, hopefully some will pay attention and avoid having this happen to them.
        Searching the fields of NW Indiana and SW Michigan

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