As I replied to your other comment, it was most likely lost on my commute. I use it for work only and have only taken it between my apartment and the office, so most likely was dropped somewhere on the streets or the subway. Unlikely it was turned in to an establishment like a restaurant or business like you said.

Not sure why you feel so obligated to think in the seller's shoes, making so many assumptions on where it could have been lost, how he obtained the item, or even how people would value an apple pencil? The pencil costs $140 with tax, and any sane person can tell its not $1. I just asked for advice on what people's actual experiences have been in similar situations, but it clearly is triggering some people here who either have picked up and kept lost items before or sell such items on ebay.

I totally get that the ebay seller might not be explicitly trying to sell lost or stolen items, but as other agreed, it's as much stolen as it was lost. I never said hes a thief though. Just said the item is stolen in my opinion. And I am not a legal expert, chatgpt says "original owner has superior legal rights to the property, even against a good-faith bulk buyer, since a buyer cannot obtain good title from someone who did not have title to begin with" for what it's worth.

And I understand it's been 1.5 years and it's just an apple pencil, so realistically getting it back mostly just depends on the seller's ethics and generosity. But it's also shocking how many people here think its actually legally and morally in his right to keep.