Options
Thoughts on Stacks /Bowers Auctions
stockdude_
Posts: 456 ✭✭✭
I use Great Collections a lot and have been pleased. I looked at Stacks website recently and liked a lot of their coins as well. Any comments on Stacks vs GC would be appreciated.
0
Comments
Stacks is a fine operation and sells some on the most important collections. I don’t think you should have any reservations.
I’m sure someone will bemoan the difference in buyers premium, which as a buyer is irrelevant if you figure your bids accordingly. That won’t stop many of the respondents from completely confusing the matter.
Latin American Collection
Neither - I'll stick with Heritage, both buying and selling.
Member ANA, SPMC, SCNA, FUN, CONECA
They've fixed a lot of issues over the years, primarily with the web site, to the point that I can now give them an endorsement. Their images are also generally good quality.
I just purchased for the first time from Stacks. Was their precious metal auction. No buyer fee for that auction. Bought PCGS slabbed gold and raw gold. Was very competitive compared to prices available to me. Transactions were smooth. Help desk was friendly even when responding to noob questions. Delivery timing was better than expected. Hassle free. And bidding as a percent of spot was easy. Gold content for each lot was precalculated.
Link to 1950 - 1964 Proof Registry Set
1938 - 1964 Proof Jeffersons w/ Varieties
Hey thanks for feedback guys. I just logged on and will bid on a few coins in November
Auctioned currency through them last year and it all went smoothly. Rep I worked with was very professional.
I might be in the minority, but I have never purchased anything from Stacks. I have never found anything in any of their auctions to bid on. I've tried to look, but because the search / filter functionality on their website is so poor its impossible to find anything.
I check back once in a while in case they fixed it. Just looked again now, but I get 104 pages of coins with no way to filter them at all. I guess I should mention that I'm browsing on my phone, as I do for everything.
GreatCollections has the easiest to use website by far. Heritage site is occassionally confusing. Stacks site, for me, is totally unusable.
My Gold Type Set
Yeah i am finding the website much more difficult than GC website. Its not unusable though and i should get better with it
Go where the coins you want are. It's hard to buy a coin listed on Stack's from either the GC or Heritage websites.
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars
I use all the top auction sites. For easy of find what I am looking for, I think GreatCollections is the best. This would be my ranking for the auction sites that I use routinely. The best filters are:
1- GreatCollections
2- eBay
3- David Lawrence
4- Heritage
5-Stacks/Bowers
6-Legends
As messy desk stated, you buy the coin from the listed site. If you can find what you are looking for.
My 20th Century Gold Major Design Type Set ---started : 11/17/1997 ---- completed : 1/21/2004
the "totally unusable" comment is laughable. here we are, everyone in the freakin' world has a cell phone they're on 24/7 with apps, bells and whistles they need to navigate and they can't figure out how to search at a webpage!!
I remember when Heritage switched their site, maybe 10-12 years ago. it was confusing at first and I had the same difficulty as most members here voiced in various threads. guess what?? I used the site and over a period of time became very adept at searches and today have no problems whatsoever. it's the same at Stack's: they have had some very debilitating search and server problems going back to the same timeframe as Heritage. they have rectified them nicely, in no small part due to complaints registered here, read by Stack's employees, relayed to management and worked out.
it is similar to Heritage, the only way you'll figure out the search options is to use the site and if you can use a cell phone to any manageable degree, well, you are just stubborn if you can't figure out Stack's.
GreatCollections is another thing entirely. I know many, many members here will sing their praises and that is good --- BUT --- based solely on my experience I tend to avoid the venue entirely for one single reason, they are on record at this forum as stating that they see no reason to improve the quality of their imaging or to link out to PCGS/NGC cert check pages for the images. I find that obstinate attitude unhelpful. I think I have won two items from GC and In both instances the image quality really made me work.
with that said, GC is user friendly and easy to navigate, they just tend to supply less for a potential buyer to evaluate.
both Stack's and Heritage are invaluable assets when it comes to their archives. Stack's, especially, always strives to provide as much Provenance as possible for a bidder, I appreciate that help. I would rank the three venues like this, based on information provided to a bidder, archives, ease of use and image quality:
Stack's.
Heritage.
GreatCollections.
for me, the distance between 1-2 isn't very great with 3 too distant for much attention from me. it would be nice to see GreatCollections work on things which concern me, chiefly their imaging, because more competition is better, but I am a small fish.
If you have the luxury of choosing one auction site over the other based on functionality issues, you should consider collecting scarcer coins
I have bought and sold a fair amount with SB and am very happy with my results. If you sell keep in mind that you should be getting a piece of the buyers premium.
I think HA web site is the best. I don't think GC is good.
If i see a coin i like i have no problem bidding on any of the following: heritage, stacks, GC, Legend or Goldberg.
I agree the Stacks site is much easier to navigate. Also, I will bid on any auction in the major firms listed that has a coin I desire. and Boosibri is spot on . You bid knowing what the juice is and bid accordingly. Good luck with your hunt.
Good coins are wherever you find them. No source is all good or all bad. JMHO.
“I may not believe in myself but I believe in what I’m doing” ~Jimmy Page~
My Full Walker Registry Set (1916-1947)
https://www.ngccoin.com/registry/competitive-sets/16292/
I haven't used Stacks. I use eBay, GC and for the 1st time I used Heritage this past week. I'm not very adept with a computer but have had no problem with any of the 3. Stacks has just not had items I'm interested in.
Well again thanks for all the comments. Very helpful
I downloaded the app on my iPad and found the site easy to use and to filter to the types of interest. Great pics as well.
Stacks is first rate. Very accommodating, very personable, very focused on the coin biz.
The BP is not irrelevant if your underbidder isn’t as sophisticated as you are, and if he doesn’t back out the BP from his bid. Yes, it happens.
Regardless, all of the major firms are doing a good job and all of them continue to improve. I’d happily buy from any of them.
Doggedly collecting coins of the Central American Republic.
Visit the Society of US Pattern Collectors at USPatterns.com.
From a buyer's perspective or seller's perspective?
Another angle: When Stacks was more difficult to peruse, it may have turned away buyers coming to the site and engaging. However, interestingly enough, I made lower $ purchases for good profit due to the lack of auction competition. I am unable to get those gains anymore though like I used to.
A Barber Quartet is made up of Nickels, Dimes, Quarters, and Halves.
Mostly buyer but i did sell dozens of coins a few years back on GC and was very happy with the results. Im a small fish ( mostly less than 200 per coin) . Im not really looking to sell that many more right now. More interested in buying ( War nickles, CC Morgans, and a few others)
I've seen a number of buyers buy on Stack's and Heritage and then sell for a healthy markup on eBay.