I think it's kind of rude to post links to unfinished auctions

Weiss

Unless it's to show a truly phenomenally unusual and/or moon-money type of coin, or a fake/altered/scam that needs to be busted.

Stumbling across a great coin that has a low bid is NOT a reason to post it here. And it's certainly not a reason to post it here if you have zero intention of bidding on it.

Just stop for a second and reflect: "Are the jollies I get from proudly posting a link to this auction that I have no interest in bidding on really worth ruining someone else's chance of getting a great coin at a great price"?

If the answer is "Yes", then by all means post away. But don't come crying to 'ol Weiss if someone else busts your next chance to get that special coin you've been saving for.

I'm just saying.

Zoins

There are many perspectives and there are both buyers and sellers here.

For every great rip, there is a seller losing out.

Some coins that are posted here don't get any bids, some get a lot. In an efficient market, ideally the coin would be bid up to what it's worth.

I think it's fine if someone wants to learn about a coin or has a question about it to ask on a public forum. I also don't really have a problem with anyone posting a link to any unfinished auction from an efficient markets perspective.

coindeuce

If your only avenue for aquiring coins is buying at auction, then you should fully understand that you bid what you think the coin is worth, and nothing else matters. Win or lose, the coin is still the same coin.

bluespaceant

Frankcoins

One of the balancing effects of auctions is that people talk about something going too cheap, thus it doesn't.

Griv

Sellers need a hand up once and a while too or is all about you?

Morganmanic

Ok I will bite

anyone bidding on this Gem

Linky Linky

Bochiman

<< <i>So which one of us posted a link to an auction you were planning to snipe, and could you please provide the link? >>



Yeah...that's what I was thinking too

lordmarcovan

Well, it's already been linked to before, so what's the harm in letting anyone see it?

I'll still outsnipe all of you. Bwahahaha.

BECOKA

<< <i> If your only avenue for aquiring coins is buying at auction, then you should fully understand that you bid what you think the coin is worth, and nothing else matters. Win or lose, the coin is still the same coin. >>



Except if no one else knows about it you might not get out bid by bidding what you think the coin is worth.

BlindedByEgo

As a net seller on Ebay I hope that y'all feel free to link to any and all of my active auctions. Nothing now, but just for your information.

PerryHall

<< <i>So which one of us posted a link to an auction you were planning to snipe, and could you please provide the link? >>



BUSTED!!!

mozeppa

dang it LoadMarcovan!...Lay off will ya!?

Its mine i tell ya ..all mine!

TwoSides2aCoin

Brown wheaties

PM me for best prices

Weiss

<< <i>

<< <i> If your only avenue for aquiring coins is buying at auction, then you should fully understand that you bid what you think the coin is worth, and nothing else matters. Win or lose, the coin is still the same coin. >>



Except if no one else knows about it you might not get out bid by bidding what you think the coin is worth. >>



Exactly. It was actually Lord M's post about his new Otho that inspired me to post this. His wasn't a true auction, but he is a true collector. Someone who is passionate about coins and history, and someone who had a budget.

So cut it out. If you want to advertise your coin, do it in the BST forum. But don't ruin someone else's chance to get a great coin at a great price because you need a show and tell moment.

ModernCrapNut

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Personally, I enjoy links to interesting coins up for auction, even if it's a series I don't collect.

Barry

There's no way to know if an auction is a rip. Nothing usually happens until the last few minutes anyway.

IGWT

I agree with the OP. Other on-line coin communities in which I participate have either an unwritten code or an actual policy against calling attention to an open auction lot that presents a cherrypicking opportunity. If a person is interested in bidding, and if he has questions about the coin, those concerns are addressed by private communication. There is an exception to this rule for problem auctions, e.g., when a coin is counterfeit or misattributed.

Of course, those other forums are more geared to collectors, not sellers, so I suppose that the rule makes less sense here.

TwoSides2aCoin

Hype is one thing. Advertising is another. Imagine if nobody knew about either. Exposure is the essence of success when moving a coin.
I am neither for or against the OP, I'm just trying to see both sides of the issue, diplomatically speaking.

ebaytrader

<< <i>I agree with the OP. Other on-line coin communities in which I participate have either an unwritten code or an actual policy against calling attention to an open auction lot that presents a cherrypicking opportunity. If a person is interested in bidding, and if he has questions about the coin, those concerns are addressed by private communication. There is an exception to this rule for problem auctions, e.g., when a coin is counterfeit or misattributed.

Of course, those other forums are more geared to collectors, not sellers, so I suppose that the rule makes less sense here. >>




Potential buyers should not be colluding to hold prices down. It's the flip side of shill bidding. It's despicable.

goose3

Weiss and those who agree with him better start policing the dealers that blatantly, yet very subtle about it, that spam here.

IrishMike

I must of been here a couple of months and noticed a couple links to coins for sale in a Heritage auction so one day I linked a gorgeous commen. One poster just ripped me a new one for linking the coin as he was interested in buying it. It went for moon money, more than 4 times what an untoned coin would sell for. While he was the only one to openly complain I did get some PM's that advised me to ignore the criticism. However I rarely post links for coins for sale. You never know what will set someone off on here, not that I really care that much but just to keep the peace.

IGWT

-- "Potential buyers should not be colluding to hold prices down. It's the flip side of shill bidding. It's despicable." --

There's no collusion to withhold bids. There's no collusion to limit bid amounts. In fact, the only agreement is to refrain from even discussing active auctions, which is the antithesis of collusion.

-- "Weiss and those who agree with him better start policing the dealers that blatantly, yet very subtle about it, that spam here." --

I don't understand how something can be both "blatant" and "very subtle." But, putting that aside, I agree with you that this forum often is more about money than about coins. Just because I agree with Weiss doesn't mean that I'll be policing anybody.


Edited to respond to Goose's post.

pharmer

<< <i>Weiss and those who agree with him better start policing the dealers that blatantly, yet very subtle about it, that spam here. >>



Subtle? They think they're being subtle. But the rest of us are too polite to call them on it, is all.

fc

i disagree with the original poster.

pharmer

On that, I've been on the edge of my chair on a couple things over the years, only to have them highlighted here. That's life. That's the forum. If they're worthwhile, they will likely be seen by many, and if they are smart they are all laying low until the very end, as has been said by someone else.

PrivateCoinCollector

Do not agree.

jonathanb

Given the timing, I may have been the one that the OP was complaining about.

FWIW, I mostly agree with the OP, and I don't normally link to in-progress auctions. I made an exception yesterday only after considering four things:

1. The auction was listed in a category far outside the numismatic area
2. The keywords were lousy in the auction, so it was unlikely to show up on even a directed search
3. There were absolutely no bids at all with a day remaining
4. The price wasn't a jaw-dropping steal

In all, I decided that it was unlikely that anyone was already tracking it, and even if someone was, I decided that they probably hadn't been dying to win it. That was all guesswork for sure, but the best I could do. Since it was such an unusual (but not valuable) item, I decided I'd post anyway, and see if someone wanted to give it a new home.

That was a case where I felt that there was no chance that anyone saw the item. The only other time I'd post an in-progress auction is if I felt that nobody would miss the item -- something featured on the cover of an auction catalog, for example, or a featured auction that was listed at the top of the correct section on eBay. And something like that would probably be posted by someone else, anyway, if it was worth posting.

To show where I'd draw the line personally, I chose not to post a link to this PO-01 (?) $2.50 over the weekend. I don't collect ultra-low grade pieces and I wouldn't have minded if it went to someone who did, but in the end I didn't want to mess up someone's snipe. I put in a 'protection' bid under bullion value, which shouldn't have affected anyone who really wanted it. I guess nobody wanted it

goose3

<< <i>-- "Potential buyers should not be colluding to hold prices down. It's the flip side of shill bidding. It's despicable." --

There's no collusion to withhold bids. There's no collusion to limit bid amounts. In fact, the only agreement is to refrain from even discussing active auctions, which is the antithesis of collusion.

-- "Weiss and those who agree with him better start policing the dealers that blatantly, yet very subtle about it, that spam here." --

I don't understand how something can be both "blatant" and "very subtle." But, putting that aside, I agree with you that this forum often is more about money than about coins. Just because I agree with Weiss doesn't mean that I'll be policing anybody.


Edited to respond to Goose's post. >>



Blatant because it's done all the time. Subtle because it's usually disguised as a question thread or a "look for XXX on my website" or "win a coin from my site", etc....

RYK

I disagree with the OP. There is a relatively free flow of coin-related information here (so long as you do not use a half dozen or so forbidden words or combination of letters ), and one downside is that there are few remaining secrets. The upside is that there is almost always someone available to answer a coin-related question or guide one through a coin hobby/business question.

ProofArtworkonCircs

An honest auction is not conducted in secrecy. If not, what is good for the bidder is bad for the seller and vice versa. I don't consider one side of the sale to be better or worse than the other. As far as I am concerned - post away everybody.

AskRaq

Most of the auctions that I've seen linked are ones that are *humorous* and it's unlikely anyone is going to bid on them... and some are just stunning examples.


It's not like there aren't choices... if you want to share a ridiculous auction, you can
Link it like THIS

But let's say you are curious about the possibilities of a certain coin at auction, and want opinions before you bid, then you can Link it like THIS... thus protecting it somewhat.

dac076

I don't understand what the problem is. There is no way to tell what a great deal a coin was until the auction is closed.
Until then, the price means nothing because as someone pointed out, multiple bids can be placed in the last moments.
The only possible issue would be someone pushing their OWN auction here, and that doesn't really differ from providing
a link to their auctions in their signature line, as many do.

OTOH, pointing out fraudulent auctions provides a service, and pointing out stupidity like $100k common Lincoln cents
provides comic relief. Both are welcome.

RichieURich

<< <i>I don't understand what the problem is. There is no way to tell what a great deal a coin was until the auction is closed.
Until then, the price means nothing because as someone pointed out, multiple bids can be placed in the last moments.
The only possible issue would be someone pushing their OWN auction here, and that doesn't really differ from providing
a link to their auctions in their signature line, as many do.

OTOH, pointing out fraudulent auctions provides a service, and pointing out stupidity like $100k common Lincoln cents
provides comic relief. Both are welcome. >>



I think what the OP is referring to is the belief that if someone hadn't posted a specific coin auction, a Forum member could potentially have gotten a good buy on the item. For example, an eBay seller posts a 1937-D nickel in MS-63. A Forum member posts the picture, and says "Isn't that 1937-D nickel a 3-legger?" Then it gets bid up to its real value. I do agree that auctions like that shouldn't be posted until they are completed. But the assumption is that without the posting, only one person on eBay sees the item as it really is. Maybe, and maybe not. But this case of a significantly undervalued coin, is very unusual on eBay, where usually the coin is misattributed such that it is overvalued.

I do agree that pointing out fraudulent auctions provides a service, and pointing out stupidity like $100k common Lincoln cents
provides comic relief. Both are welcome.

Cladiator

I wish someone would have posted a thread to my auction of the 1806 O.129 before it ended!