Buy Gold & Silver Below Spot Price With eBay Bucks

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$fractional gold coins | 20 Franc Gold Rooster$

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How to leverage eBay’s loyalty program, eBay Bucks, to earn rewards to buy gold and silver below spot price.

eBay Bucks is a rewards loyalty cash-back type program from eBay. The program pays you a 1% cash-back credit on eligible purchases. You can redeem the cash-back credits towards future purchases.

eBay Bucks credits are earned throughout each quarter. The maximum amount of eBay Bucks you can earn per transaction is $100. However, you can earn up to a maximum of $500 in eBay Bucks per quarter.

eBay Bucks are available to spend on eBay at the beginning of the quarter after they are earned. Earned eBay Bucks must be spent during the first month of the quarter after they are earned.

Throughout each quarter eBay runs promotions that increase the earnings amounts to 8%, 10% or 15% above the base amount of 1%.

Items listed in the Bullion category and subcategories are ineligible for earning eBay Bucks. However, many reputable dealers will list bullion products for sale in alternate categories that do earn eBay Bucks.

Towards the end of the first month of the quarter eBay will sometimes run a Bucks promotion. During this time it’s possible to double-dip. If you have eBay Bucks to spend you can earn additional promo Bucks if you spend your accrued Bucks on eligible items.

eBay Bucks that you earn, both regular and bonus Bucks, can be spent on anything eBay sells, including silver and gold bullion.

There are a bunch of different ways to leverage eBay Bucks when stacking silver and gold. Here are a couple of examples of ways to leverage eBay Bucks.

Buying Items to Flip, Then Reaping the Rewards

Some people will find items that earn the maximum amount of Bucks per transaction ($100) on items that are being sold for close to melt value (such as $20 Gold Double-Eagles) that can be flipped easily for more than melt value.

Then leverage the earned Bucks to buy whatever they want. This is similar to credit card churning. If you have a rewards credit card that earns 2%-5% cash back on these types of transactions that adds a bit more.

Dollar-Cost Averaging Below Spot Price With eBay Bucks

eBay Bucks can also be used to offset the cost of regular bullion purchases. For example, let’s say you regularly purchase 20 Francs Gold Coins. These can often be found on eBay for around 5% premium. So if melt is around $280, you can find them on eBay from major dealers for around $295. During a 10% Bucks promotion you’d earn $29.50 in Bucks on that purchase. If you regularly purchase 2 coins a month during the earnings period while 10% promotions are running you’d earn $59 in Bucks each month, or $118 during the 2nd two month period of the quarter.

Your out of pocket cost for the 4 coins is $1180 and you earned $118 in Bucks credit.

During the first month of the following quarter, use the $118 in eBay Bucks credit to offset the cost of 2 additional 20 Francs coins. The cost of 2 coins could be $590 minus the $118 in credit for an out of pocket cost of $472.

All together, you’ve spent $1652 on (6) 20 Francs coins, which is roughly $275 per coin. This all assumes that the price of gold remains relatively flat the whole time, your average cost per coin is $5 below melt.

These are just a couple of ways to leverage Bucks. Hope this helps.

September 4, 2018April 14, 2023

eBay Bucks Bonus Promotion earn 10% 9/4-9/5

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When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a small commission. More information about our affiliate programs can be found here.

eBay launched another eBay Bucks Bonus promotion this morning. This time around the eBay Bucks Bonus amount is raised to 10% on purchases over $100.

Even though gold and silver prices are down dealer premiums have remained steady or increased slightly. The usual net cost gold coins below spot price deals that can often be found during eBay Bucks promotions on Gold Francs and Gold Sovereigns don’t seem to be available this time around.

There are some good deals on American Silver Eagle rolls, 10 oz lots of silver rounds or bars, and a lot of deals on 40% and 90% Junk Silver around spot price. A couple even net below silver spot price when factoring in the eBay Bucks Bonus.

August 13, 2018April 14, 2023

eBay Bucks and Bullion Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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eBay Bucks and Bullion Frequently Asked Questions

What is eBay Bucks?

eBay Bucks is a rewards loyalty cash-back type program run by eBay that gives a 1% credit on eligible purchases that can be used towards future purchases.

eBay Bucks credits are earned throughout the financial quarter up to a maximum of $500 in eBay Bucks per quarter. eBay Bucks are available to spend on eBay at the beginning of the quarter after they are earned. Earned eBay Bucks must be spent during the first month of the quarter after they are earned.

Periodically throughout the year eBay runs promotions that increase the earnings amounts of eBay Bucks. Typical promotions have increased the eBay Bucks earnings to 8%, 10% or 15% above the base amount of 1%.

Items listed in certain categories, including the Bullion category and subcategories are ineligible for earning eBay Bucks. However, many of the trusted and reputable dealers that sell bullion products on eBay will list bullion products for sale in alternate categories that do earn eBay Bucks.

How can I earn eBay Bucks when buying Bullion?

The base 1% reward can be earned by buying bullion that is listed outside the Bullion category, including those listed as Silver Bullion or Gold Bullion. Items in those categories are not eligible for earning eBay Bucks.

That being the case, there are lots of bullion products that are listed in alternate eBay categories including other subcategories in Coins & Paper Money.

Not all items are eligible. Sometimes items that are cross-listed in multiple categories that includes the Bullion categories.

The best way to determine if an item is eligible for earning eBay Bucks is to look at the item page. In most cases, an eligible item will display the amount of eBay Bucks that you can earn, similar to this:

Notice at the bottom of the image you can see the green “Bucks” logo with the earning amount.

How often are eBay Bucks promotions run?

Historically, eBay Bucks promotions are run several times throughout each financial quarter. They are sometimes run several times each month. There’s no set schedule for when an eBay Bucks promotion is run. Nor is there any schedule for how much of a bonus will be offered on top of regular earnings. The promotions are offered at the sole discretion of eBay.

How do I sign up for eBay Bucks?

If you already have an eBay Account you can sign up for eBay Bucks by visiting the eBay Bucks signup page. If you do not already have an eBay account, you must first create an eBay account then signup separately for eBay Bucks.

How can I find bullion items that are eligible for eBay Bucks?

We maintain an ongoing list of popular bullion items that are eligible for earning eBay Bucks. Our list of eBay Bucks eligible bullion items includes gold bullion, silver bullion and junk silver items.

Sometimes sellers will change an item’s category after the listing has posted. Be sure to look for the eBay Bucks earning amount on the listing to be sure an item is eligible.

Can I spend my eBay Bucks on bullion?

Yes. eBay Bucks can be spent on any bullion listings on eBay.

How can I avoid counterfeit bullion on eBay?

Always buy bullion on eBay from trusted and reputable dealers. There are certain things to look for that are red flags that an item could be counterfeit. Don’t risk it and stick with known sellers with high feedback and recent activity.

June 17, 2018April 14, 2023

Finding Counterfeit Bullion Listings on eBay

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There are lot of great deals on silver and gold bullion on eBay. Almost all of the major online bullion dealers have eBay Stores. They frequently will run specials on items on eBay to move inventory. Especially when they are running an eBay Bucks bonus promotion.

However, there are a lot of fake or counterfeit bullion being advertised and sold on eBay. Sometimes the listings look legit. If you fall victim to it and you verify what you bought was fake eBay or Paypal will get your money back. But that can take weeks and will most likely leave you with a sour taste in your mouth from buying from eBay in the future.

There are times when a seller might be selling an item and they aren’t familiar enough with bullion to know what price would be expected. It’s rare, but it has happened. I’ve gotten some genuine Silver Eagles for under spot before because of this. The odds are much greater that something isn’t right.

There are some things to look for that stand out as red flags. These are the things that I look for when I see something with a price that’s too good to be true.

The seller’s location

If the items are going to ship from China then avoid the auction all together. 99.99% of bullion items that ship from China are fake. Sometimes the fakes are so good they pass some verification tests.

The seller’s other items

Does the seller have other items listed for sale? If so are they also bullion items below spot price? If they only have one or two bullion items below spot price there is a good chance they are fake.

However, if they have non-bullion items for sale, such as items you’d find in a pawn shop or from an estate sale? If so, they might not know exactly what they are selling. Though you should still proceed with caution.

The seller’s activity

Does the seller have a lot of recent activity? Is their recent feedback as a buyer or as a seller?

If most of their feedback history is as a buyer and they’ve never sold anything before, then there’s a pretty good chance that their account was hacked and someone has used their account for fake bullion listings.

If they have feedback as a seller, is it recent? I’ve seen some auction where the seller had a great selling history, but had never sold bullion items before. Their feedback activity as a seller was also more than a year old. Stale accounts like this are prime to be hacked and used for selling fake bullion.

Trust your instincts

Ultimately though, you need to trust your instincts. If it looks too good to be true, it probably is. If you find a listing that shows a ‘Buy It Now’ price on something that is significantly below spot price it is more than likely counterfeit. Experienced sellers don’t make major mistakes on the price of items.

April 17, 2018April 14, 2023

Buy Bullion on eBay and eBay Bucks

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View our list of eBay Bucks Eligible Bullion Items

eBay has become an excellent place to buy silver and gold bullion. Almost all of the major, reputable bullion dealers have set up eBay stores as another channel for selling their products. Buying bullion on eBay gives you the added benefit of the eBay and PayPal buyer protections that are in place. Additionally, the eBay cash back rewards program, eBay Bucks, provides a way to offset and lower the price you pay for silver and gold bullion. However, there are a couple of things to consider.

Bullion Pricing on eBay

Products being sold by major dealers are often priced differently than the same products on their own websites. Often they are more expensive. This is primarily due to the additional fees that eBay and PayPal charge sellers as part of their selling service.

Another reason the pricing may seem more expensive is that eBay encourages sellers to offer buyers free shipping. The cost of free shipping isn’t free and will be factored into the price of the product. Depending on the dealer and the product and order size this can make the cost lower than buying through the dealer’s own website.

Almost every major, reputable bullion dealer advertises the cash price on their website and will add a surcharge when purchasing via credit card, debit card or PayPal. When buying bullion on eBay, the advertised price is the price you pay when using a credit card or PayPal. Those fees are also incorporated into the price.

For these reasons, the advertised price of a bullion item on eBay is more representative of the true cost you pay for a product when factoring in payment surcharges and shipping. While at first glance the price may seem higher than on the dealer’s own website, factoring in these additional costs makes the price comparable. When you also consider other incentives such as the eBay Buyer Protection and eBay Bucks, the practicality of buying silver and gold bullion develops into a more compelling case.

Incentives for Buying Silver and Gold Bullion on eBay

Knowing the true cost of what your buying when factoring in credit card surcharge and shipping fees is a good reason for considering eBay when buying silver and gold bullion. However, there are a couple of other compelling reasons as well.

Bullion and PayPal Purchase Protection

All investors in silver and gold bullion are aware of the large amount of counterfeit products prevalent in the marketplace. With the large amount of counterfeit bullion products being produced en masse in China many of those counterfeit items have made their way to eBay.

It is always recommended to buy from major, reputable dealers on eBay to reduce the risk of buying counterfeit products. Getting a counterfeit product is always possible. In the event it does happen, you are protected by both PayPal and eBay. If a product is counterfeit, simply opening a case with eBay and PayPal will result in an investigation. If the product is counterfeit, the buyer will be refunded their money and the seller will likely receive some punitive action.

eBay Bucks and Silver and Gold Bullion

A much bigger incentive for buying silver and gold bullion on eBay is a cash back rewards program that is offered by eBay called eBay Bucks. eBay Bucks provides a 1% cash back bonus on certain purchases made through eBay.

eBay Bucks cash back rewards accrue on a quarterly basis. At the beginning of the following quarter eBay issues a certificate code that can be used just like a gift card when making purchases. The certificate code applies the earned cash back rewards to the purchase price of an item which essentially reduces the price of an item.

Throughout the quarter eBay will have promotions that allow you to earn higher rewards. Typically the promotions have boosted the cash back earnings from the base 1% to 8% to 10%. In one instance earlier this year eBay boosted to the cash back earnings to 15% on purchases. When that promotion was active buyers earned $15 cash back towards a future purchase for every $100 spent. The benefit of being able to apply the cash back rewards to bullion purchases can reduce the cost bullion to below spot price which can greatly reduce the overall dollar cost average of your investment.

How can I sign up for eBay Bucks

Signing up for eBay Bucks is pretty straight forward if you already have an eBay account. Instructions for opting in to the eBay Bucks program can be found here.

Caveats of eBay Bucks

There are a couple of caveats that come with the program.

You can’t earn eBay Bucks when buying silver and gold bullion that is listed in the bullion category. eBay discounts their listing and selling fees for bullion dealers that list products in the silver and gold bullion categories. As a result, bullion purchases are excluded from earning eBay Bucks cash back.

There are some exceptions and workarounds. Many dealers will list products in alternate categories. Some products that are considered bullion can also be categorized as coins or collectables. Dealers will often list these products in alternate categories that do earn eBay Bucks. At times when eBay is running an eBay Bucks promotion that earns a higher cash back amount, buying items in these categories can earn a significant amount of cash back.

Another caveat to the program is that there are some limits on earning. The most you can earn on a single purchase is $100 in eBay Bucks. At normal times, this means that you’d need to make a purchase of $10,000. However, when eBay is running eBay Bucks promotions the amount can be greatly reduced. If eBay is running a promotion that earns 10% cash back, purchasing a single American Gold Eagle from a dealer that has one listed in an non-bullion category would easily hit the maximum amount earned per transaction. This is something that needs to be considered.

The program also has an earning limit of $500 per quarter. This limit applies to both regular cash back rewards and at times when eBay is running eBay Bucks promotions.

Finding silver and gold bullion that qualifies for eBay Bucks

Searching through categories on eBay trying to find silver and gold bullion that qualifies for eBay Bucks can be time consuming and tedious. FindBullionPrices.com makes this process a bit easier.

We maintain a list of eligible item listings that are regularly available for earning eBay bucks. The list contains silver and gold bullion items, junk silver currency, pre-1933 gold bullion and other items that are listed in categories that are eligible for earning eBay Bucks.

Additionally, subscribers to our newsletter will receive alerts when eBay Bucks promotions are running that include direct links to eligible product listings.

When will eBay run their next promotion?

In the past, eBay has run bonus promotions several times throughout the quarter. Running the promotions is probably a way for them to increase buying activity on their site and boost sales.