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So, after watching a listing and re-listing over several weeks of a 1960 catalog, I finally jumped in and bought. Upon receipt of a VERY obvious color laser copy, I wrote the seller and he immediately offered a refund, so no real damage other than hassles.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/222105799475
That all being said, the seller "justified" the "mistake" by saying that his ad stated this was a copy. Original ad copy: "UP FOR SALE ONE VERY NICE COPY OF A 1960 MATCHBOX INTERNATIONAL POCKET CATALOGUE, DIECAST TOY CARS 32 PAGES MATCHBOX CATALOGUES"
The pictures were pretty clear and might have been of a repro, but not with the bright white edges mine had. Of course, I'm thinking "copy" like an issue of a magazine...
Oh, and the asking price of about $60...

Based on the outcome, I think this guy would have answered a message truthfully, but the listing is a bit edgy...

Yes, the seller has used the word "copy" quite deliberately in my opinion because of its dual meaning. Looking at his past listings and then his feedback as a seller, he's making plenty of dollars on these.

I was at NEC last weekend and on one table I saw an old Matchbox catalogue that looked in extremely good, if not mint condition. The asking price was £5 and I thought that was good. I spent a few minutes looking over it and then I saw in very small letters on the reverse side the word reproduction.

I have never seen the old catalogues copied before and therefore was not initially suspecting anything or looking for anything to suggest it wasn't genuine, all I was doing was scrutinising it because it was in such good condition for an early 1960's issue.

It just goes to show, we have to be so careful nowadays with everything we buy in our hobby, from the models to the boxes and now even the catalogues.

Rob wrote:I was at NEC last weekend and on one table I saw an old Matchbox catalogue that looked in extremely good, if not mint condition. The asking price was £5 and I thought that was good. I spent a few minutes looking over it and then I saw in very small letters on the reverse side the word reproduction.

I have never seen the old catalogues copied before and therefore was not initially suspecting anything or looking for anything to suggest it wasn't genuine, all I was doing was scrutinising it because it was in such good condition for an early 1960's issue.

It just goes to show, we have to be so careful nowadays with everything we buy in our hobby, from the models to the boxes and now even the catalogues.

There are quite a few reprints that were done in the 90s (I think) - DTE has a few of these for sale and they are quite deliberate about saying so. This guy has sold maybe 6 of these in the last two months at $60 up to almost $80.

Well, he has at least modified the listing:

UP FOR SALE ONE VERY NICE "COPY" OF A 1960 MATCHBOX INTERNATIONAL POCKET CATALOGUE, DIECAST TOY CARS 32 PAGES MATCHBOX CATALOGUES

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1960-Matchbox-L ... SwiylXCXp2

Perhaps the meaning of 'Copy' is different depending on your culture or education. If it was mine to sell, I would have described it as a reproduction and give a date of when I thought it had been done.

I would go to the newsagent and buy Two 'copies' of a classic car magazine, keep One issue for myself and give my friend the other issue!

Nice to think the seller has listened to what was said and modified his description, another result between the seller and collector.

Ghosthunter.

If a seller here in Germany writes in his description that he is selling a copy of something, he always means a reproduction of the original item.

Kay

GHOSTHUNTER wrote:Perhaps the meaning of 'Copy' is different depending on your culture or education. If it was mine to sell, I would have described it as a reproduction and give a date of when I thought it had been done.

I would go to the newsagent and buy Two 'copies' of a classic car magazine, keep One issue for myself and give my friend the other issue!

Nice to think the seller has listened to what was said and modified his description, another result between the seller and collector.

Ghosthunter.

I am somewhat surprised he altered the listing - not to the degree I might have, but perhaps enough of a "flag" (meaning indicator and not banner ) to help folks think. Again, his refund offer was immediate, so he is not on my "bad actor" list...but also not on my "OK to buy from" list.

kay wrote:If a seller here in Germany writes in his description that he is selling a copy of something, he always means a reproduction of the original item.

Kay

Thank you - I will definitely remember that...

Looking at what else he has for sale, seems to make him a genuine seller, so unless I have missed something, I don't think he was deliberately trying to pull a fast one.

Ghosthunter.