Disappointed with the Baltimore ANR coin lot descriptions....

Lakesammman

A classic example is lot 188, describing the 1865 fancy 5 DDR as being possibly unique!

"....indeed, this could be the only example in any grade!"

There are 22 known, 6 mint state. If anyone is thinking of bidding on the varieties at this sale, be sure to check out the Fly-In club pop. reports. http://www.flyinclub.org/Flyinpops.html

The auction lot descriptions are full of errors, not a great start for this "fledgling" auction house.

kranky

That's surprising to me. I figured the people who did the ANR catalog were essentially the same people who had been doing the B&M ones.

docday2003

<< <i>That's surprising to me. I figured the people who did the ANR catalog were essentially the same people who had been doing the B&M ones. >>



I agree, very strange.

shylock

I would have thought they'd consult with the consignor, Larry Steve, for their lot descriptions. He knows as much about them as anyone, expecially the rarely seen varieties.

abuell

<< <i>That's surprising to me. I figured the people who did the ANR catalog were essentially the same people who had been doing the B&M ones. >>



Geez cut'em a little slack. Maybe that isn't politically correct, this being the CU board and all, but you start from scratch, struggle just to get the doors open, get some consignments, put together a mailing list, organize a whole business and, oh yeh, in your spare time catalogue a whole auction - and do this in a couple of months with a staff of four.

So it ain't New Netherland's 60th sale catalogue - Bowers and Merena (there ain't no Bowers and there ain't no Merena) Auctions isn't putting out any Ford/Breen caliber catalogues either.

airplanenut

Hmmm... other than the Fly-In club, is the population information published elsewhere? I know their researcher, and he's a brilliant coin guy (and a mainly lurker here). His forte is colonials, but unless the information was provided to him as possibly unique, or just not available for him to find, then I don't know what happened.

On the other hand, I agree with abuell... they are very new and working incredibly hard. I do believe the large auction houses have their share of errors (Heritage's reporting of a Pop 2 as a Pop 1 for the 1895 PR68DCAM dollar comes to mind), and considering how large their staff is, as well as the time they've had already set up, I do believe ANR should get some slack. I forsee them as a very important company in the future.

Jeremy

Lakesammman

The intent was not really to slam ANR. It was to warn buyers to beware of the misinformation and provide a resource where the real information can be found. I know there often is hyperbole in these catalogs. But it's unusual to miss the mark by that much.

abuell

I know Frank VV and I've known John K since he was 11 or 12 and neither of them are given to hyperbole.

michael

an interesting informative post which was sort of an eye opener for me very important to quote a rarity 8+ coin only to find it a rarity6

i will have to double check all the information i see printed anywhere about coins as more often than not there are many discrepiences with the information

and that is okie as

the specific rarity information about specific coins is always in a state of flux evenmoreso with this internet and information age of much information available at many a fingertip

sincerely michael

Lakesammman

Just previewed the Superior sale and there were alot of mistakes.

These catalogs are important for future reference. When a coin is misattributed, it makes it very hard to track price history and figure out what is happening.

A good example is lot 788 in the superior sale. Listed as 65R, 64R on the holder. Try figuring out why it went for so little a year or 2 from now. Or try being the internet bidder that will have to spend a month trying to get a refund.

It's not good enough to say "You couldn't do better". Accuracy is important in these catalogs, especially when the cataloger even notes the web site in the catalog where the info. IS available!