When a snipe goes bad!

renomedphys

Yesterday I tried to win a 43-s cent in MS68 on ebay. I entered what I thought would be the nuclear bid of $3333.33. This was an odd number and quite arbitrary for a coin that I figured would end up costing me about $2600. So there I sat for a couple of minutes with my finger on the button.





20 seconds





10 seconds


9...


8...


7...


6...


Then some bugger bids in right at $3300!!!


In a flurry I hit the bid button, then get the "bid is off increment" warning, but by the time I can change my bid up to $3500...



it's gone!



I'm sure I would have lost the bid anyway. Oh well. Share your story.

MilkmanDan

Usually you don't really want to win a nuclear bid, at your nuke bid level, right? Just trying to look on the bright side here.

MsMorrisine

how did you lose at 3333.33 with a snipe @3300 ?

next time, keep that 3500 in the 1-click bid window.

coolest

what do the PCGS MS 67 coins sell for?

barrytrot

<< <i>how did you lose at 3333.33 with a snipe @3300 ?

next time, keep that 3500 in the 1-click bid window. >>



Because he hadn't entered it and you have to go a full "bid increment" up when you enter a new bid. You can't enter a "cut bid".

If his bid was ALREADY in it would have counted, of course, but he was just adding it.

steveben

there was a raw coin i wanted that was probably worth about 400 max. the current bid about 1 minute before the end was 237. i put in what i thought was a sure thing at 550. i have the high bid at 30 seconds or so left...when i refreshed...sold for 815. two more people stomped on my sure thing.

seanq

If you are going to manually snipe, you should probably enter your bid with about 10-12 seconds left. Sites like Auction Sniper have a default bid time of 7 seconds before the auction ends, so you can get in ahead of them while still making it extremely difficult for another manual sniper to outbid you (especially if the bidbots push the bid even higher while they're busy typing).


Sean Reynolds

renomedphys

<< <i>what do the PCGS MS 67 coins sell for? >>


So little ...

magikbilly

Hi

Sorry to hear about that. My story - a glowing thermonuclear bid on unpublished Lusitania photograph showing maiden voyage 13.09.07. A small matter of pounds and dollars getting confused! Fortunately no one else noticed the darn thing - it was misidentified! I won and for the good price. I did not know what I actually bid until well after. Sniper=good. eBay partner placing bid while busy? Not so good!

Best,
Eric

Broadstruck

<< <i>

<< <i>what do the PCGS MS 67 coins sell for? >>


So little ... >>



So would winning a MS68 for $3,500.00 have provided long term happiness

renomedphys

<< <i>So would winning a MS68 for $3,500.00 have provided long term happiness >>



It's a mixed bag. I need an MS68 example to take the top spot in the small cent type set from Cardinal. I am at 69.52 and he is at 69.56, and the steelie would put me at 69.6, twice what I need to tie for the lead.

But even as an average MS68 in any mint mark would do, I am actively seeking a proof-like example as it will best match the rest of my set. They are rare like hen's teeth. I could have an averade D-mint one for as little as $2K, but I would gladly pay much more for one that I like.

But to the other side of the coin, no, it would leave me feeling like I paid way too much for a common wheat cent with a pop (a top pop albeit) of 52.

notwilight

Nice well thought out explanation.

I just enter my snipe in my sniping program and forget about it. In my case, the snipe would not have gone through since it was not a bid increment above the previous bid.

What happens to me fairly often, when I am trying to bid low as opposed to bid nuclearly, is that my snipe will go through for say $408.55 and I will lose to someone who bid 408.56. How can that happen? They enter their bid before mine but the next bid below them is lower, say $325. So they are sitting at one bid increment above $325 when my snipe goes in. Since their bid went in first, ebay takes their bid to win by 1 cent. This is the only real disadvantage of sniping.

--Jerry

Broadstruck

<< <i>

<< <i>So would winning a MS68 for $3,500.00 have provided long term happiness >>



It's a mixed bag. I need an MS68 example to take the top spot in the small cent type set from Cardinal. I am at 69.52 and he is at 69.56, and the steelie would put me at 69.6, twice what I need to tie for the lead.

But even as an average MS68 in any mint mark would do, I am actively seeking a proof-like example as it will best match the rest of my set. They are rare like hen's teeth. I could have an averade D-mint one for as little as $2K, but I would gladly pay much more for one that I like.

But to the other side of the coin, no, it would leave me feeling like I paid way too much for a common wheat cent with a pop (a top pop albeit) of 52. >>





Why would you want to do that to Cardinal as he's a super nice guy

Have you considered PM'g him to offer to take him out for dinner/drinks, comparing coins, then offering to make a nominal charitable donation to his foundation if he removes a coin to let you take the lead for a few months... Doesn't that sound like money better spent

droopyd

<< <i>Because he hadn't entered it and you have to go a full "bid increment" up when you enter a new bid. You can't enter a "cut bid".

If his bid was ALREADY in it would have counted, of course, but he was just adding it. >>



Esnipe is your friend.

rec78

Why do it the way you did it? Why not just enter the higher bid to begin with? I have lowered my snipe time to 3 or even 2 seconds smoetimes-It seems 6 seconds still gives someone time to react. While I will never really know if lowering the time to 2 or 3 seconds has helped me win some bids-It seems that I have won more auctions with this method. I once lost a bid with a snipe bid exactly the same as my bid-my bid was later. While some snipe bids I have won with as little as 1 cent above the other bidder. Use a snipe program-I use esnipe.
You never know how high smoeone else is willing to go.

Bob

renomedphys

<< <i>Doesn't that sound like money better spent >>



Actually, the best money spent would be buying the PR66CAM 1857 flier for $125K and putting this matter to rest for all time, only confirming what I already know: that I DO HAVE THE NICEST SMALL CENT TYPE SET IN ALL OF EXISTENCE, PERIOD!

Is it OK to put an exclamation mark after the word period?

mozin

I don't have the nerve to snipe manually, drives me nuts trying, and ruins my day.

My worst snipes have been some like yours, but it was the snipe program that observed the lost item, while I was elsewhere, trying not to worry about the bid.

ambro51

It sounds like an important coin for you and it's ashamed you didn't think nuclear enough. You would not believe the number I set my snipe for when I purchased the Vermont Ryder 10 icon coin. You get very few opportunities to purchase a native Vermont copper with mint red. I formed a number I felt comfortable with even though no comparable coins have ever sold

dizzyfoxx

My horror story on sniping (and I've sniped a helluva lot of times) is simply a computer freeze up during a snipe on a coin that I wanted so badly, and lost. Sure leaves a bad taste after such a catastophic event.

Barberian

<< <i>My horror story on sniping (and I've sniped a helluva lot of times) is simply a computer freeze up during a snipe on a coin that I wanted so badly, and lost. Sure leaves a bad taste after such a catastophic event. >>



That's happened a lot of times to me. That, and finding out that I haven't signed in to Ebay when I go to bid with 6 seconds left in an auction. I also can't forget those annoying times when someone walks into my office when I'm sniping at work.

crypto79

Just as well, you almost paid 3k for a steel cent.

There I saved you 3450$ for a coin that is just about as nice and will rust just the same !!!. Please PM me for my address to mail my 10% fee of 345$