Pay before I win anything?????????????????

cosmicdebris

Is this SOP or what. I inquired about Stack's mail bid and they said since I never bid with them before they want 2-3 dealers references and a check for 25% deposit on my bids???????????

How can they ask for money if I have not won anything yet???????????

CIVITAS

That's somewhat typical for many high end auction houses.

shirohniichan

I gave Bowers and Merena a check the first time I bid, also. Since I ended up getting outbid on everything, I got a check back in two weeks after the auction.

1jester

How is one to know how much he will end up bidding on an item?

CIVITAS

It's for mail-in bids. Calculate your total written bids on your bid sheet, then cut a check for 25% to send with them.

cosmicdebris

Another question. Why in this day and age are we still using mail bids?????

shirohniichan

<< <i>Another question. Why in this day and age are we still using mail bids????? >>



'Cuz some of us like doin' it the old fashioned way, dagburnit!

Back in my day it took 2 weeks for a letter to travel from San Francisco to Los Angeles, and that's the way we liked it!

satootoko

At live merchandise auctions it is very common to require either a cash deposit or a credit card imprint before issuing a bid paddle with your ID number.

spoon

It's security.. trying to keep po' folk like me from drooling on all the coins!

laurentyvan

They just want your bonafides-they don't know you like we know you 'cause if they did, they definitely would not require a deposit from you.

hookedoncoins

<< <i>

<< <i>Another question. Why in this day and age are we still using mail bids????? >>



'Cuz some of us like doin' it the old fashioned way, dagburnit!

Back in my day it took 2 weeks for a letter to travel from San Francisco to Los Angeles, and that's the way we liked it! >>



Was that before or after the gold rush?

CIVITAS

<< <i>They just want your bonafides-they don't know you like we know you 'cause if they did, they definitely would not require a deposit from you. >>



Yeah, they wouldn't let him bid at all, right?

cosmicdebris

No one's touching my bonafides.

Oh well if I want to bid I guess I sends it in.

Bruce

that does seem kind of odd, but then again it is better than having somebody back down and then they didn't sell the item. this way they have assurance that they get something.

farthing

I suspect mail bids are still quite numerous. An effecient way for a small or specialty dealer to run an auction.

Allan Davissons mail bid auction closed today at 6pm. A small (573 items) but top drawer selection of ancients, early English hammered and milled, English medallions, English pattern coins from Mathew Boulton and Conder tokens.

I also bid on Dick Grinolds token/exonumia mail bid auctions. It's been awhile since he did his last one, though he keep promising to get his next one out.