Club auction lots bidding opportunities

puffer

I'm a member of a couple coin clubs. This was the last auction's list with a number of opportunities to buy value. The club has buying weekends where they get fresh material from the community that they buy and then offer the lots in the following months to their members. How do others research value before auctions like this they go into blind to? The firehouse where they meet has no internet access. The two pages of lots follow:

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StrikeOutXXX

Our coin club has a similar auction each month. We also have no internet, as its in the basement of a bank.

Only difference is we have grades provided by consigner. My club just puts what the owner says, our sister club has a grading party before each list is sent out.

I have grey sheet bid/ask and coins magazine prices for each lot on my sheet. Foreign has Krause. If I'm really interested in something, or ts uncommon, I also get eBay trends.

During auction viewing pre-meeting I look quickly at the common lots and cross off damaged coins. The better stuff I look longer at and either cross it off, put a ~ for so-so or a + for good eye appeal. If I really like it I put a star. I also check for varieties and such.

During bidding I stay below greysheet bid on the ~ ask on the + and a bit more on the stars, but it's coin club and prices seldom get that high anyhow. I can't remember a coin going over bid in nearly a year.

lostincoins

Crazy that there is no wifi or cell service now days. get them to install a signal amplifier.

lostincoins

I would do what I can to see the coins ahead of the auction then go to where I have cell service and look up the coins I am interested in. I state this as usually most auctions are not blind any more as in not seeing the coin till it hits the block.

puffer

They had some of the China "year of" coins listed at $50 that would have gone for that had not one sharp dealer not been there. Year of the Pig, 1983 I think, is worth over $1000. So a couple of us went the $500 and sold on ebay instead of letting a guy who only went there for the rips get it. We divided the spoils after the dust settled. An alternative to letting one sharpie pick the good stuff every time is to get several more serious buyers there.