I have noticed a number of furs listed on ebay are incorrectly listed. I see for example, a fur listed as mink in fact appears by the photo to be another fur dyed to resemble mink. Others are more obvious- not even close like listing the fur type as a mink when the coat appears tobe a much cheaper rabbit.  While I believe most of them are due to the seller's lack of knowledge or simply taking the client's word on type of fur they are selling, it is best to compare to others listed as the same type of fur as the color andfur length should be similar. Remember, the type of fur (we will get to condition later) affects the value- a mink coat is generally worth more than a mink-dyed muskrat for example. Some simply title the coat ad  "sable mink"-no such animal exists- does that mean it is a sable colored mink?, or some may list a number of fur types and hope one of them is corect. I see some listed as like new while the styling tells you it's vintage. Appraised value is for insurance purposes like new replacement cost and does not reflect the market value. A new fur coat, like a car, looses much of it's value when you take it home.

A furs condition can be very difficult to determine by a photo since the majority of problems require close inspection and sometimes lining removal to see the leather underside. While a coat may be listed as excellent condition with no wear, that may only mean a visual look. An unused coat hanging in a closet for years could easily be in worse condition than a coat with some wear that has been properly stored and maintained. All fur has a leather underside and like leather, can easily dry out, becomes brittle with shedding and rips. Too much humidity causes mildew & leather rot, and too little can cause dry rot. Gently pulling on the fur (does it easily pull out) and plyness can help determine condition. As fur ages the fur color oxidizes, white fur becomes yellow, brown becomes more reddish which affects value. No amount of cleaning will remove oxidation. Wear points for coats include lining, guard hair/fur loss under sleeves, back and seat wear (from driving), front edges, and sleeve ends. Lastly, the fur coat construction is important- let out or dropped is the most expensive, coats made from fur pieces; be it bellies, paws, plates, are the cheapest and the fur, depending on how it is stiched, will ususally rip more easily.

Advice? Buy from a reputable seller. Look at the styling and if there is any wear 0r oxidatoin visible in the pictures. Is the seller simply reselling the item with little if any fur knowledge?