Rare Token Conundrum

Zoins · October 12, 2018 9:32AM

Let's say there's a rare token a fellow collector has wanted for years and has offered to buy yours. You're not selling but also want to help out.

A specimen comes up for sale. You can notify the collector but are somewhat certain he or she will bid, but not high enough to win. Do you:

Notify and leave it at that, with a higher chance of not winning
Place a bid that will more likely win and then offer the piece to your friend for your cost

The auction ends at a fixed time, not a rolling finish.

jmlanzaf · October 12, 2018 9:34AM

Notify and leave it at that, unless you want to own them both.

Aspie_Rocco · October 12, 2018 9:34AM

If they might not bid enough to win they might not want to pay enough to own an example. (Leaving you with an extra)
My .05

Namvet69 · October 12, 2018 9:35AM

C. Tell him about the auction and offer to assist him in the bidding process to increase the odds of winning. Peace Roy

tyler267 · October 12, 2018 9:37AM

@jmlanzaf said:
Notify and leave it at that, unless you want to own them both.

Let your friend place the bid they are comfortable with, unless you want to own both.

Broadstruck · October 12, 2018 9:43AM

Once you mention the availability of a token to a fellow collector you are no longer on the playing field for it.

As If you personally wanted to chase it you shouldn't have said anything.

Now if the other collector states they aren't bidding then it's game on for you again.

Paradisefound · October 12, 2018 9:45AM

It depends on how good of a friend he / she is ...... makes the difference between my telling or giving
There are friends you look beyond cost if you know what I mean

thisistheshow · October 12, 2018 9:47AM

If you feel comfortable, just be straightforward. Say it's available, and tell your friend how much you think it will take to win the bid. And you can tell them that getting involved in their business is out of the ordinary, but you know how much they want the token and you really want to help them.

johnny9434 · October 12, 2018 9:48AM

@tyler267 said:

@jmlanzaf said:
Notify and leave it at that, unless you want to own them both.

Let your friend place the bid they are comfortable with, unless you want to own both.

what this person said

jmlanzaf · October 12, 2018 9:50AM

Of course, if it's rare enough and/or nice enough, there's no harm in owning 2 of them.

jmlanzaf · October 12, 2018 9:51AM

And, I should add, if you don't discuss it with your friend beforehand anyway, he could end up bidding against you and then won't he be mad when you outbid him.

Unknown · October 12, 2018 11:33AM

This content has been removed.

gtstang · October 12, 2018 11:41AM

First you determine which one is nicer. If yours is, let the other collector know.
If the one being auctioned is nicer, keep quiet, bid and win, offer the collector your not as nice but still rare token for the price you paid for the one you just won.

Kkathyl · October 12, 2018 11:47AM

Don't dance around just tell him the truth on both.

ricko · October 13, 2018 7:20AM

Tell him about the token and let him make his own decision... Cheers, RickO

CaptHenway · October 13, 2018 7:42AM

If you want it, keep quiet and bid on it.
If you don't want it, tell him and then stay out of it.

Zoins · October 13, 2018 7:46AM

Thanks to everyone for the feedback. It's been very useful in providing a guide for what to do in this situation.

This has already happened, and what actually transpired was that I told this person about the token and left it alone after that. As I had predicted, but not as I hoped, the collector was the underbidder and it went to someone else.

I still think about this situation and how it have gone differently. Looking back, I would have liked the outcome to follow the 3 ordered priorities below, but I no longer think they are achievable:

let friend know and win at auction
win as a backup
let someone else win

For this particular piece, I'm ok with having a duplicate. It's rare enough having two isn't a problem and could come in useful to trade as well.

While I'd like #1 and #2 to be the only outcomes in that order, my current thinking is to avoid #3, I have to avoid #1 as well. If the friend really wants the token, I can offer it after acquiring it. It would also provide more time to assemble the finds if it was more than was available at the moment.

Rare Token Conundrum

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