Question on powder coated valve covers on Ebay

Yeah, I'd be inclined to agree with you there -- but none of the pictures are that great either. I asked the seller to add some more close ups, and to confirm whether the insides are coated as well.

As an aside, the bead blasting indicated in the listing actually produces too soft of a finish for powder coating to adhere well and last a long time. The metal needs "tooth" so the powder can basically become part of the metal.