Auction house delivery times
SimonW
Posts: 1,214 ✭✭✭✭✭
I haven’t bought from all the auction houses, but quite a few, especially the ones in Spain. I’ve noticed one in particular that takes a very long time. When this happens I reach out and don’t get a response, but eventually, two months later, it shows up.
This thread isn’t about jabbing at auction houses, but giving people peace of mind. I was hoping to get an idea of what to expect with auction houses, what their real delivery times are, based on buyer experience. This way we know when to start worrying or when to get on the horn so we can start tracking them down. I feel like this will also help speed up the auction houses because they’ll get less phone calls asking where their stuff is.
What are your experiences? I will add yours to this list as they come in, massaging numbers as needed to include larger sample sizes. These numbers should be fairly accurate for most places in the US with a couple days variation depending on location. Might be similar in Canada.
Times are from the day the invoice is paid:
Stacks: 1 week
Stacks Bowers Hong Kong: 3-4 weeks
Tauler y Fau: 3-4 weeks
Jesus Vico: 7-8 weeks
Rio de la Plata: 4 weeks
Coins NB: 2-3 weeks
Aureo y Calico: 4 weeks
Spink Hong Kong: 2-3 Weeks
Heritage Hong Kong: 3-4 weeks
Pegasus (Sweden) 3-4 weeks
Spink UK 2-3 weeks
I'm BACK!!! Used to be Billet7 on the old forum.
Comments
I don’t buy from overseas auction house often. Spink hongkong usually deliver in 2 to 3 weeks, same as SB hongkong auction. HA hongkong auction usually 3 to 4 weeks.
By the way, spink New York office way over change for usps priority. It took them three weeks to deliver but charged me over 30 dollar for a 11 dollar postage usps charge.
I live in Canada.
When shipped via registered mail (countries I have purchased from):
Chile = 4-5 weeks (once)
Czech Republic = 10-12 business days (once)
Germany = 8-10 business days (twice)
Spain = 10-12 business days (multiple times)
Uruguay = 3 weeks (once)
Can you include the auction houses, not just the countries?
I'm BACK!!! Used to be Billet7 on the old forum.
Rio De La Plata was Uruguay. The others were just shops not auction houses per say.
This is the first year I've bought from Tauler Fau. The export license must be a new requirement, as it wasn't required previously. The last coin I bought from another firm was Soler y Llach when it did not apply. I haven't documented the delivery timeframe, but the above is within my recollection.
Notice how the export license only costs for non-EU folks? It seems to be a money grab since non-EU folks don't owe VAT on their coins.
Cayon was doing it 10+ years ago, and it indeed made shipments take approx. 2 months... the other Spain houses generally did not. Maybe the gov't is applying some pressure.
My Jesus Vico order just arrived today.
Auction was Nov 12, 2024 (paid the next day, Nov 13, 2024)
Delivered Feb 11, 2025
That’s a three month (approx) turn around.
I hope this is an aberration. I think they usually take the longest to ship and the new requirements are throwing them for a loop. Just wanted to help anyone that is waiting for delivery, it might take a lot longer than you anticipate.
I'm BACK!!! Used to be Billet7 on the old forum.
That is the longest I have ever seen. My record is a little over 30 days max. At least you got your order.
I've purchased coins from Spanish auction houses several times and 3 months is pretty standard. I think I was a bit surprised at first but honestly this hobby involves so much waiting anyway, whether for certain coins to come to auction, TPG grading times, etc., I don't worry about it anymore.
Lately, I have been getting any lots I win at Stacks in about 5 days from the auction. I only live 250 miles from their offices, but still, they have been doing an excellent job in that regard.
http://www.victoriancent.com
What didja win, @SimonW?
I think you mean Argentina
Latin American Collection
@Plus00Vltra
Nothing big (pun intended) it’s a little 1/2R from Peru. This one is seemingly the rarest date, aside from the unique 1751. Cost me dearly. To my knowledge there are three known. A holed G, the present coin and one pictured in Yonaka (a very nice XF-AU.)
I'm BACK!!! Used to be Billet7 on the old forum.
Yes you are correct sorry about that.
@SimonW says:
6/5 maybe? Great score, congrats, and thanks for sharing here.
Pegasus (Sweden) 3-4 weeks
Spink UK 2-3 weeks
@Plus00Vltra correct in your assessment. I’m not aware of any that aren’t overdates. The sample size is too small to really know. Evidently they exist, or someone at one point thought they existed. They are recorded in various older publications.
The mintage for the this coin isn’t small, but the survival rate seems to be very very low. Of the 1/2R dates, the 1751 is the only one that I may never own. I have at least one example of all the other dates. The 1752, 1766 and 1772 seem to be the toughest, from what I’ve seen. Closely followed by 1760, 1762, 1763, 1768 and 1770. Every one of those that I have I’ve only seen available once or twice, and usually in very low grade and/or damaged.
I'm BACK!!! Used to be Billet7 on the old forum.
One overseas place I do business with avoids sending parcels during the 30 days around the Christmas holiday. I'm guessing they must have had some significant parcel losses in prior years during that period. Unfortunately, that meant my latest shipment was delayed for several weeks. Since they told me up front, I didn't get worked up about it. Having lived overseas myself for many years, I learned the hurry-up culture just doesn't exist in many places besides the US (except when driving for some peculiar reason). It finally arrived in January.
@wybrit thank you, a very applicable observation, that may factor in to some of the aberrant times.
I'm BACK!!! Used to be Billet7 on the old forum.