Ever been both thrilled and disappointed by an auction result?

IloiloKano · March 21, 2009 6:29AM

That is how I felt today when an auction closed for a admittedly cleaned EF coin at this link.

I am disappointed because I had hoped to bid and win this item for $40 or less. I am thrilled because I bought (about a year ago) an uncleaned AU55 version of the same coin (now PCGS registered) for a little less than the closing price on today's auction. I have seen where a cleaned AU example sold in a Heritage auction for around $300 last year, and where an uncleaned PCGS registered AU53 version was quoted by Heritage to value between $1,000 and $1,500, but which didn't meet the buyer's reserve, so it didn't sell, and I have another one I purchased for around $100, which I believe is an uncleaned AU50, but which I have yet to send in for certification. But over $100 for an unregistered cleaned XF??? Have values truely risen that quickly, or did I simply get two really good deals last year on the items I won?

Maybe I should contact coinden and ask him to sell my AU50 copy for me.

Here's my PCGS registered AU55 1928/7M 20 Ctvs Mule (photographed through the slab)...

zeebob · March 21, 2009 6:51AM

That's a GREAT coin! Nice image too.

If you're gonna sell the AU50, just list it on the BST for a few weeks at a price you want. Good chance it'll sell. If not then go the commission route. M2C

FilamCoins · March 21, 2009 7:16AM

FYI re prices realized for USPI coins.

A NGC MS-63 example sold last year for $2,400 in a private treaty.

Many USPI sales are never known to the public.

Regards.

OzzyAndy · March 21, 2009 8:09AM

I've had a both thrilled and disappointed auction result recently. I've been waiting ages for this coin to appear in an auction so that I could get it at a 'reasonable' price (auction image):

Ended up winning it at the recent Kuenker auctions for 360 Euros. Yes, I was expecting a bit on top of this but after buyers premium, postage and paypal fees (including a ridiculous exchange rate), it came to 444 Euros. This ended up being about AU$100 more than expected, a bit of a shock (and I still havn't told my wife I spent AU$900 instead of AU$800 I though. Yes, I know I could have got it cheaper by doing a bank deposit but wanted it as quick as possible. Anyway, can't wait to see the coin, should make me feel better...

Andrew

IloiloKano · March 21, 2009 5:03PM

Is that two coins or one coin with two dates? The images look exceptionally clean, except for what appear to be two rim dings in the left image. What is the grade?

<< <i>and I still havn't told my wife >>

I can sympathize. I still haven't told my wife that I spent over US$800 on an NGC Single Top Pop, (a US-PI MS66 1927 Five Centavos), and I don't think I ever will.

OzzyAndy · March 21, 2009 5:37PM

It's one coin with 2 different dates, the side without the eagle is the old design (1933-1939) but the eagle is a different design. This piece is listed as relatively common in my probe book, there is another piece with the same eagle side as this one but a different other side listed in the book, but it is less common. I believe the reason these were never used is because it was the start of WWII and the 1 RM's were made of nickel which was required for panzers and ships, although this is made of Iron plated with copper/nickel.

Not sure what grade it would be, it is raw. What would your opinion of the grade be (obviously the dings would detract a little)?

Andrew

harasha · March 21, 2009 9:19PM

I have been having mixed feelings about some auction results, recently.
In the past, I have placed bids with the realization that some of them would not be winning bids. My bids were reasonable; well within the estimated result and sometimes even more, if I really, really wanted the coin or medal. Yet, there always was someone putting in a bid just a bit more than mine. Consistently.

More recently, I have been finding that more of my bids are winners. Consequently, I have been cutting down on how many items upon which I bid. Curiously, where in the past someone would always get the item one bid over mine, now my winning bids tend to be my absolute maximum. It is the consistency of this pattern, rather than the result itself, that gives me pause. I am excited to win, but a bit suspicious. Of course, there will be times that your maximum will be the winner. That is why you placed a maximum. But almost every time? I cannot be that good in anticipating a winning price. Otherwise, I would win every time on eBay!

I suppose I am being a bit paranoid. However, there is something about the large auction houses that I just do not trust. Sometimes I think that I would rather have my collection dumped into the harbor rather than give an auction house the opportunity to make one penny off of me! The nice thing about eBay is that there is some transparancy in the transaction. You are aware that there is a reserve, even if you do not know what it may be. You can view the bidding history. And this may be a bit off topic, but I always am struck by the care that most eBay vendors pack and ship the winnings. Too often I have received winning lots, from one auction house in particular, that were so sloppily packed that metal staples clearly had scraped raw coins thrown into one of those sealed PVC packets. Truth! And since I am on a roll, I have found these auction houses to grossly overgrade raw coins. Once, I received an AU peso that clearly, without magnification, had been mutilated by a cutting tool. Happily, with the rise of eBay and other internet transactions, I no longer have to rely upon the auction houses to obtain desired items for my collection.

Ever been both thrilled and disappointed by an auction result?

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