![Question :?:](./images/smilies/icon_question.gif)
In this case, based on the bidding thus far, it seems the bidders are in fact buying the coin. Here is another example of a fraudulently graded coin; http://www.ebay.com/itm/1920-CANADA-50C ... 7675.l2557
This coin has no business being in an MS holder. In fact true MS Victorian, Edwardian and George V 50 Cent coins are quite rare. Many contained in MS holders are in fact not so. I had the opportunity to view the contents of a time capsule hidden in 1888 and opened in the late 1980s (55 yrs earlier than planned). Amongst other things it contained an 1872H 50Cents, 1880H 5 Cents, 1881H 10 Cents and two 1887 Pennies. The 1872 was quite worn and I deemed it a Fine (after 15 yrs of circulation) but I could only see the reverse. Remember this coin would have seen heavy use as the only other 50 cent mintage year in the interim was 1881H. The 1880 coins were both VF and the pennies were MS (red - brown) - no surprise on those. My point is, it takes very little circulation to render a coin of this era an AU. 50 Cents was a good chunk of money back then (probably equivalent to at least $25 today) and therefore few were saved as bank issued MS for posterity. I would offer this assessment when it comes to NGC graded Canadian coins. Half of all AU or MS Canadian coins (especially the 50 Cent denomination) are overgraded by one full grading level. If they call it an AU it invariably is actually an EF (but could even be slightly lower). BTW, there is a huge difference between a VF and EF coin and another huge difference between EF and AU. It is not a linear progression based on the current construct of the accepted grading scale. That is why you see a tripling in price between each level (VF-EF-AU) and also why there is such pressure to inflate a coins condition beyond its true condition - which in fact is not subjective if you have the correct benchmarks to strictly adhere to (weak strikes aside for which those coins are known). NGC, PCGS, ICCS, CCCS, ANACS need to get back to basics and get some ethics.