Bowers and Merena vs. Superior

RYK · January 21, 2006 4:55AM

Most of us would agree that Heritage and ANR are the top two coin auction companies at present. I view Heritage as the volume seller of choice and ANR as the more folksy, personal, and niche seller. Both are rockin' in their own way.

At the next level, I would place Superior and Bowers and Merena. I just received both of their Long Beach catalogs today. The Superior sale has some really cool stuff; 1911 proof set WITH MATTE GOLD, 1899 gold proof set, TWO 1792 half dismes, etc. The B&M catalog, on initial perusal, has bupkis. I nearly lost it when I saw the catalog highlighting an "Important" 1854-D $5 NGC MS-61 (NOT an important coin), "we would not be surprised to see it in a 62 holder" or some such nonsense. How the mighty have fallen!

At any rate, the B&M catalog, with its crummy black-and-white photos, went directly to the recycling bin. The Superior catalog bought a couple nights with me upstairs in my room.

WTCG · January 22, 2006 4:06AM

Bowers and Superior are better than the two top companies RYK mentioned in selling certain series of coins or coins with certain attributes. There is not a single auction company which generates the highest prices across the board for all series of coins.

CarsonCityGold · January 22, 2006 4:13AM

<< The Superior catalog bought a couple nights with me upstairs in my room. >>

Long term opinion and not just judging the current auctions, I prefer Bowers. IMO, their website if more user friendly.

cointagious · January 22, 2006 4:13AM

<< Bowers and Merena vs. Superior >>

At least Superior had a FUN auction. Looks like B&M couldn't even land the consignments.

tradedollarnut · January 22, 2006 4:23AM

I requested two coins to view from Superior ... no response. Guess I won't be bidding after all.

WTCG · January 22, 2006 4:26AM

<< 

<< Bowers and Merena vs. Superior >>

At least Superior had a FUN auction. Looks like B&M couldn't even land the consignments. >>

Bowers had their Baltimore Rarities sale in mid December. If they held a FUN auction it would have been two auctions in two weeks. Don't worry, Bowers and Merena will NEVER run out of coins to auction.

RYK · January 22, 2006 4:27AM

Don't worry, Bowers and Merena will NEVER run out of coins to auction.

Perhaps, but compared to the competition, their recent sales have been pathetic.

FatMan · January 22, 2006 4:31AM

<< The Superior catalog bought a couple nights with me upstairs in my room. >>

You really are a "Dirty Gold Man", aren't you.

RYK · January 22, 2006 4:34AM

tmot99 · January 22, 2006 5:13AM

<< The Superior catalog bought a couple nights with me upstairs in my room. >>

Yuck!

Shamika · January 22, 2006 5:38AM

I really don't like B&M's images.

Gemini · January 22, 2006 7:01AM

I'm afraid B&M is not quite the same without Dave's association...

darktone · January 22, 2006 7:16AM

I have not really even looked at B&M auctions since they fired Mr Bowers. I think Superior is in a class of it's own when it come to catalogs- I keep every one of them and have come close to wearing some of them out. mike

mrearlygold · January 22, 2006 7:57AM

Nobody mentioned Goldbergs?

TwoSides2aCoin · January 22, 2006 8:04AM

What I noticed is that the only ones who contacted me about consigning my coins was Heritage, Superior and Bowers/Merena.... So that gives them the edge when it comes time to consign anything.... if I ever consign anything. As a buyer, I have a hot dog budget with a steak appetite and my mom always said,

"joey, don't you ever buy anything unless you have cash to pay"...it's served me well over the years.

elwood · January 22, 2006 8:23AM

<< I requested two coins to view from Superior ... no response >>

TDN..Your statement blows me away...unbelievable!!!!. I don't feel so bad now, when they won't reply to my e-mail.

Since Glenn left I lost my man on the inside who got things done for me. Haven't done much with the auction dept. since, but enjoy doing business with Gary and Paul.
They do come up with some fresh stuff from time to time.

At Bowers I really like Steve D. but their auctions have had virtually nothing, I'm looking for, in over a year.

Photoguy · January 24, 2006 1:28AM

<< 

<< I requested two coins to view from Superior ... no response >>

TDN..Your statement blows me away...unbelievable!!!!. I don't feel so bad now, when they won't reply to my e-mail.

Since Glenn left I lost my man on the inside who got things done for me. Haven't done much with the auction dept. since, but enjoy doing business with Gary and Paul.
They do come up with some fresh stuff from time to time.

At Bowers I really like Steve D. but their auctions have had virtually nothing, I'm looking for, in over a year. >>

You know Glenn is at the Goldbergs now?

Longacre · January 24, 2006 1:59AM

Make no mistake about it, B&M and Superior are the B players in the auction field. Same with the Goldbergs. I opened the B&M catalog and took one look at the pictures. It was not bed-worthy material for me. The Superior catalog looked interesting, but I have not had a chance to read it yet. I actually looked at the Goldberg catalog and one coin intrigued me, based on the picture. I might follow up on that one. Ira and Larry didn't make it into bed with me either, though.

DoctorPaper · January 24, 2006 2:06AM

One thing I noticed was that when QDB was jettisoned by Bowers & Merena, the photography for B&M, both catalogues and website, went totally down the tubes. They haven't recovered yet. On the other hand the ANR photography has been great since Bowers landed there. I wonder if he took his whole old photography team with him. I know one of them (Pistareen) frequents these boards and might be able to comment.

RYK · January 24, 2006 2:15AM

Actually, the latest Goldberg's sale has quite a bit of rare date gold that is right up my alley.

tradedollarnut · January 24, 2006 6:15AM

Paul Song at Superior just contacted me to ensure I get to view my lots. Thanks!

RYK · January 24, 2006 6:16AM

Paul Song at Superior just contacted me to ensure I get to view my lots. Thanks!

Wow, this message board has quite a bit of influence on the major players!

Fountainhead · January 24, 2006 8:37AM

RYK: Exactly my opinion of Superior and their latest auction. (I did the same thing you did - much to my wife's annoyance.) In the end, Superior had nothing I cared to bid on.

As for B&M: the less said the better...

RYK · May 11, 2006 1:44PM

At any rate, the B&M catalog, with its crummy black-and-white photos, went directly to the recycling bin. The Superior catalog bought a couple nights with me upstairs in my room.

I am a little more pressed for time this time around. The envelope containing the B&M catalog was placed unopened in the recycling bin, and I had breakfast with the Superior catalog, before it unceremoniously landed in the recycling bin.

CharlotteDude · May 16, 2006 10:30PM

I had an opportunity to view alot of B&M's coins prior to their B'more Convention auction in March... I wasn't impressed at all w/their early silver/draped bust 25, 50, and $1... much less the rare-date gold. Needless to say, ALOT of the coins didn't meet minimum, which I believe speaks volumes about the quality of product they've offered recently. Their newest catalog didn't seem to show much improvement, either. As far as Heritage and ANR, they're in a league all their own, imo. Superior is a close third... and gaining.

the 'dude

slumlord98 · May 16, 2006 10:45PM

Personally, I'd place Stacks ahead of Superior and B+M. They always have lots of interesting items, although that will certainly drop off after the Ford consignment is dispersed. Certainly, there are issues there with undisclosed problems and erratic grading, but with a hired eye at lot viewing, those issues are minimized.

mrearlygold · September 12, 2007 4:11PM

Hmmmm

GoldenEyeNumismatics · September 12, 2007 4:41PM

<< 

<< The Superior catalog bought a couple nights with me upstairs in my room. >>

Yuck!

>>

Your going to get milk spots all over your silver eagles

Bowers and Merena vs. Superior

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