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Heritage Auctions and Stack's-Bowers.
keets
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Concerning these two auction firms there always tends to be quite a bit of belly-aching with regard to their websites.
I recall several years ago when Heritage changed from the format we had all become comfortable with to a new one that proved frustrating to navigate. Over time everyone seemed to figure it out and grew accustomed to it. That includes me and now in retrospect it was probably just the "change" that bothered me. More recently it has been Stack's which has been the burr in everyone's breeches. To be honest, the glitches there haven't bothered me much because the site was always different from most and I used it much less frequently than Heritage. With that in mind I will present my observation.
With the big Pogue Sale I have inferred that everyone has quite bellyaching because the coins have been good enough to outweigh the difficulty at the site while visiting forum members have gotten used to it. My experience has been that in the last year or so Stack's has eclipsed Heritage in regard to the type of Exonumia I covet. As a matter of fact, since around last November it hasn't even been close. If I add to that the imaging at Stack's which I perceive as much better than Heritage that gap grows even wider. Heritage tends to provide some useful information on their listing page which Stack's doesn't offer, but I can most often find that stuff myself or it isn't that important, especially with esoteric and very scarce/rare or even unique items.
Perhaps I am "reading" things wrong and after the upcoming Baltimore auction held by Stack's we'll have another round of bashing. I can only say that the things which are most important for me, the actual items and the quality of imaging, right now tend to be better at Stack's. Hopefully for everyone else the bidding problems have been fixed.
Al H.
I recall several years ago when Heritage changed from the format we had all become comfortable with to a new one that proved frustrating to navigate. Over time everyone seemed to figure it out and grew accustomed to it. That includes me and now in retrospect it was probably just the "change" that bothered me. More recently it has been Stack's which has been the burr in everyone's breeches. To be honest, the glitches there haven't bothered me much because the site was always different from most and I used it much less frequently than Heritage. With that in mind I will present my observation.
With the big Pogue Sale I have inferred that everyone has quite bellyaching because the coins have been good enough to outweigh the difficulty at the site while visiting forum members have gotten used to it. My experience has been that in the last year or so Stack's has eclipsed Heritage in regard to the type of Exonumia I covet. As a matter of fact, since around last November it hasn't even been close. If I add to that the imaging at Stack's which I perceive as much better than Heritage that gap grows even wider. Heritage tends to provide some useful information on their listing page which Stack's doesn't offer, but I can most often find that stuff myself or it isn't that important, especially with esoteric and very scarce/rare or even unique items.
Perhaps I am "reading" things wrong and after the upcoming Baltimore auction held by Stack's we'll have another round of bashing. I can only say that the things which are most important for me, the actual items and the quality of imaging, right now tend to be better at Stack's. Hopefully for everyone else the bidding problems have been fixed.
Al H.
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And I'm thinking of consigning some coins to either Stacks or Heritage, so I'm watching their auctions and comments about them with much interest before I do.
there are few pogue bidders that frequent here.
just because there are no public complaints does not mean there are no issue.
there are still slow improvements coming from them, but there is one obvious fault that I refuse to spell out for them just because 1) I initially thought it was too obvious to spell out as they should see it right away and 2) I got tired of spelling things out and 3) because they should not need someone to spell out something so obvious and doing so would enable their lack of looking further.
I am keeping my eye on the situation. it's better than at the start. At the start, the mobile side was completely non-functioning. They didn't have a lot search function, but now they do. They are making efforts, but it comes at their customers' expense of effort and time is money, instead of more of their own efforts of debugging and improving functionality.
do they really want pogue bidders to come to them with web site bugs??????
do they really need me to spell out every fix for them?
For what I collect, early commemoratives, Stacks Bowers has a big lead in coins, images, and exonumia.
I have also never had a bidding problem with them.
Tom
this is peculiar. how can you sell in that fashion with a clear conscience??
On the other hand the high resolution photos on the Stacks' site are better than Heritage. Heritage does tend to post overexposed photos that hide or de-emphasize marks. The Stacks' photos are clearer for the most part.
As for the exonumia Stacks' has better coverage and far more interesting offerings. That might be due to the influence of Dave Bowers in the company. Herirage just doesn't have much interest in that material unless it comes to them as a major consignemnt, like the Adams collection of Betts medals.
Because there are a fair number of average coins offered in auctions, most collectors, novice to advance should be using a dealer for auction representation for a fee. The dealer should be viewing the coin to ensure proper grading and eye appeal, assist assigning a value and execution of the bids. By doing that you are getting the right coin for your collection at the proper price without dealing with computer issues or overpaying with auction fever. Most importantly, you are avoiding buying the wrong coin for your collection. One coin I bought at auction without representation that I won was harshly cleaned and ugly. It was graded by a highly regarded grading service.
In the end, I will never buy a coin from auction without either viewing a coin or having a dealer representing me- Stack's or Heritage. Its that plain and simple.
<< <i>do they really want pogue bidders to come to them with web site bugs?????? >>
I don't think Stack's gives a flying hoot about your ability to bid on Pogue on their website. Those coins will sell and most likely, to phone and floor bids. The serious people. Secondly, if a bad website prevents anyone from getting a coin, too bad. What if *your* Internet goes down at the worst possible moment... I guess that's their problem?
Where there's a will there's a way - this spoiled me me me crap needs to stop. Regarding Pogue - if you are going to drop five, six, seven figures on something - go see it in person. Imagine that. I would have loved to have seen these sales be floor only. Probably get a modern day Low v Frossard out of one!
<< <i>I was destroyed by poor performance by Stacks and canceled my account directly with the President of that firm. >>
You have some of the most fascinating coins I've ever seen. To hear you say that technology, or a lack thereof, stops you from getting more is pretty disappointing.
or, maybe they are coins with very low demand.
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<< <i>do they really want pogue bidders to come to them with web site bugs?????? >>
I don't think Stack's gives a flying hoot about your ability to bid on Pogue on their website. Those coins will sell and most likely, to phone and floor bids. The serious people. Secondly, if a bad website prevents anyone from getting a coin, too bad. What if *your* Internet goes down at the worst possible moment... I guess that's their problem?
Where there's a will there's a way - this spoiled me me me crap needs to stop. Regarding Pogue - if you are going to drop five, six, seven figures on something - go see it in person. Imagine that. I would have loved to have seen these sales be floor only. Probably get a modern day Low v Frossard out of one! >>
If you are serious about writing off Internet bidding as a part of the auction process, you are indeed tired to the technology of two decades ago. An auction company that operates that way, and there still are a few, is leaving money on the table for their consigners. As a consigner I would not be happy with that and would take my material elsewhere.
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<< <i>
<< <i>do they really want pogue bidders to come to them with web site bugs?????? >>
I don't think Stack's gives a flying hoot about your ability to bid on Pogue on their website. Those coins will sell and most likely, to phone and floor bids. The serious people. Secondly, if a bad website prevents anyone from getting a coin, too bad. What if *your* Internet goes down at the worst possible moment... I guess that's their problem?
Where there's a will there's a way - this spoiled me me me crap needs to stop. Regarding Pogue - if you are going to drop five, six, seven figures on something - go see it in person. Imagine that. I would have loved to have seen these sales be floor only. Probably get a modern day Low v Frossard out of one! >>
If you are serious about writing off Internet bidding as a part of the auction process, you are indeed tired the technology of two decades ago. An auction company that operateir site es that way, and there still are a few, is leaving money on the table for their consigners. As a consigner I would not be happy with that and would take my material elsewhere. >>
100% agree with Bill.
Also, Stacks is hit or miss. I watched an epic disaster on their site where MANY bidders, including myself, were locked out and money was left on the table. Hundreds or more complained in a thread here----something I've never seen concerning just a single auction, so you know it was a real problem. Then a few months later, they went on to sell a collection of Walkers and they realized some of the STRONGEST prices that I have EVER witnessed for such material. Go figure. It is a gamble, IMHO, unless they have truly solved their internet issues.
Sometimes, it’s better to be LUCKY than good. 🍀 🍺👍
My Full Walker Registry Set (1916-1947):
https://www.ngccoin.com/registry/competitive-sets/16292/
<< <i>
<< <i>do they really want pogue bidders to come to them with web site bugs?????? >>
I don't think Stack's gives a flying hoot about your ability to bid on Pogue on their website. Those coins will sell and most likely, to phone and floor bids. The serious people. Secondly, if a bad website prevents anyone from getting a coin, too bad. What if *your* Internet goes down at the worst possible moment... I guess that's their problem?
Where there's a will there's a way - this spoiled me me me crap needs to stop. Regarding Pogue - if you are going to drop five, six, seven figures on something - go see it in person. Imagine that. I would have loved to have seen these sales be floor only. Probably get a modern day Low v Frossard out of one! >>
Well most people selling coins are hoping for 3 or 4 or 5 figures. In ALL of those figures the INTERNET is a MAJOR contributor. Numerous 5 figure coins have been INTERNET-purchased.
Also even for 6 and 7 figure coins -> You NEED TO KNOW THEY EXIST. And so browsing online in an environment that is conducive to finding what you are looking for easily is VERY VERY HELPFUL. Naturally once you see your coin you can fly down and inspect it. But you may not bother to fly down if your elusive coin you are looking for isn't known to be there!
very reminiscent of the time that I had a feud with the power company and refused to pay my electric bill. after three months with no power and them not coming to their knees I relented and let them off the hook!!!
<< <i>I was destroyed by poor performance by Stacks and canceled my account directly with the President of that firm.
very reminiscent of the time that I had a feud with the power company and refused to pay my electric bill. after three months with no power and them not coming to their knees I relented and let them off the hook!!!
Did you close your account because you were selling electricity through them and only getting 60% of market?
Easton: <<Because there are a fair number of average [or worse] coins offered in auctions, most collectors, novice to advanced should be using a dealer for auction representation for a fee. The dealer should be viewing the coin to ensure proper grading and eye appeal, assist assigning a value and execution of the bids. By doing that you are getting the right coin for your collection at the proper price without dealing with computer issues or overpaying with auction fever. Most importantly, you are avoiding buying the wrong coin for your collection. One coin I bought at auction without representation that I won was harshly cleaned and ugly. It was graded by a highly regarded grading service. In the end, I will never buy a coin from auction without either viewing a coin or having a dealer representing me- Stack's or Heritage. Its that plain and simple. >>
Wise advice has been provided by Easton. It is a good idea for collector-bidders to hire expert consultants. This advice pertains to all auctions that include items that the respective bidders find to be very expensive. Auction firms tend to represent consignors; bidders should hire their own experts, IMO.
Understanding Classic U.S. Coins and Building Excellent Coin Collections
<< <i>Recently, Stack's will be auctioning off some really spectacular coins including the ones being offered in the upcoming Baltimore sale - The Douglas Kaselitz and Twin Leaf large cents. If someone is not bidding on coins because of the website then sham on them as you are passing up some great looking coins.
Because there are a fair number of average coins offered in auctions, most collectors, novice to advance should be using a dealer for auction representation for a fee. The dealer should be viewing the coin to ensure proper grading and eye appeal, assist assigning a value and execution of the bids. By doing that you are getting the right coin for your collection at the proper price without dealing with computer issues or overpaying with auction fever. Most importantly, you are avoiding buying the wrong coin for your collection. One coin I bought at auction without representation that I won was harshly cleaned and ugly. It was graded by a highly regarded grading service.
In the end, I will never buy a coin from auction without either viewing a coin or having a dealer representing me- Stack's or Heritage. Its that plain and simple. >>
+1
It really is that simple from my standpoint as well.
Tom