Ira and Larry Goldberg Auction

Silvereagle82 · May 26, 2009 10:55PM

World gold prices looked strong across the board last night at the Pre Longbeach auction. I viewed the entire auction online although I didn't find any "deals". I wasn't looking to spend a lot of money but I did bid on several pieces and was only successful on a 1864A French 50 Francs (Napoleon III tete lauree) in MS-62 grade; which I picked up for an "OK" price but far from a deal, IMHO.

The silver pieces looked very nice also .... but I couldn't stay up any later to follow that section of the auction.

Anyone else successful in adding to their collection.

coinpictures · May 26, 2009 11:33PM

When will prices realized be available online for all sessions? I can only find through lot 1557...

The Goldberg web site is a fustercluck.

theboz11 · May 26, 2009 11:54PM

MacCrimmon · May 26, 2009 11:55PM

<< <i>When will prices realized be available online for all sessions? I can only find through lot 1557...

The Goldberg web site is a fustercluck. >>

icollector link

coinpictures · May 27, 2009 12:39AM

<< <i>icollector link >>

Thanks!

This one blew away the estimate: http://www.icollector.com/Great-Britain-Gothic-Crown-1847_i8511071

JCMhouston · May 27, 2009 12:45AM

I think I won a few lots, though of course with the Goldberg IT department it's not really possible to tell for a while. My bids entered on the 1775 1/2D in 64 BR and the group which included the 1902 1/2D in 66RB were certainly higher than what they appear to have sold for so I'll assume I won those.

I'd say for the British stuff it was overall a good night for sellers. The Trade $ off center strike went for $6k plus juice, that's quite a price, and all of the attractive Florins went well over estimate with the not so attractive ones still making estimate. I won a couple of other 1/2D's and farthings for around low estimate but they were not really anything special, and lost a couple of bids on items that were high grade or really scarce where I had only bid around the high estimate. The 1775 1/2D was certainly not a bargain, although it was less than my max, which just goes to show how stupid I can be when I need a coin for the set.

I do think the lot with the 1902 1/2D in 66 RB went silly cheap, it also had pennies, a 1902 in 65 RB and 1907 in 65 BR. Neither of those are common coins in high grades. I didn't need the two pennies as I already have those dates but got the whole lot for what I was willing to spend on just the 1/2D so I feel pretty good about winning that one.

coinpictures · May 27, 2009 12:57AM

There was only one lot I was potentially interested in, but ultimately decided not to bid on, #3306. It's described as a proof in the auction writeup, but is in an NGC MS63BN holder. I was a bit wary of the disconnect, and there's a fair difference in value.

NumbersUsacom · May 27, 2009 1:00AM

The ones I bid on went any where for 1.5-3 times high estimate.

Some how it seems the ones I bid on always have a shill bidder operating on them.

JCMhouston · May 27, 2009 2:12AM

I know what you mean numbersusa, I bid on a couple of early German States pieces which both went for 3 times the high estimate, got blown out on those.

Photoguy · May 27, 2009 4:34AM

We were in session till 3am this morning. We are pounding in the results as we speak and should have full PR realized soon.

AZLARRY · May 27, 2009 8:33AM

I think I won three farthings. I lost 8 other lots, of those eight all were bid over the high estimate, a few way over.

1960NYGiants · May 27, 2009 1:57PM

I won the lot of XF-UNC Vicky cents but missed on the 1854 New Brunswick 1/2d token.

wybrit · May 27, 2009 9:27PM

7 wins, 3 losses on coins I was seriously bidding on. Zero wins on low-ball bids. There were some reasonable prices to be had on copper/bronze.

Of the 7 wins, two were silver and 5 were copper/bronze.
The silver pieces were both over estimate. The prices were higher than Spink catalogue, but both probably merited. I think the estimates were more or less in line with catalogue value. As for the bronze/copper, 4 were within or below estimate and the ther was only slightly beyond the estimate range. Based on Spink and Predecimal.com prices, it appears that all of these pieces came in at or below catalogue value.

All three losses were on silver. All were sold well past catalogue values in any book - 2x or greater. The initial estimates on 2 of the 3 were within catalogue prices while the third piece IMO was pure fantasy. My bids on these were all aggresively beyond catalogue. I believe that I made the winners pay through the nose for them if nothing else.

My low ball bids were all well below catalogue. The final prices came in either at the low end or below Goldberg's estimates and below catalogue. Most of these particular pieces IMO weren't worthy of being auctioned off as single piece lots.

I didn't bid on the lot with the 9 MS65RD 1928 pennies, but it would have been fun to win. It will take a while to sell off the 8 you don't want.

The recent sharp devaluation of the pound from about $2/£1 to $1.50/£1 certainly helped me win a few more pieces than in previous auctions.

Since my bids were on just a few of the pieces, I can't draw any confident conclusions about what the market is doing yet. If time permits, I will be analyzing the full results for Victorian/Edwardian pieces for both this auction and for Heritage and reporting them on my website.

JCMhouston · May 27, 2009 10:18PM

Wybrit, it will be interesting to see the analysis if you get a chance to work on it. The lots I was tracking/bidding were just a small sample, but it seemed like bidding was reasonable for the British stuff. Except for some of the MS 61-64 bronze/copper which appeared to go at or under estimate, I agree a lot of them should not have been in individual lots.

7Jaguars · May 27, 2009 11:16PM

One problem with these sales is trying to figure out what really sold and what did not & was sent back to the consignor. I have noted a few coins in past auctions with these two to reappear or be sold through other market avenues.

In other words the data is there, but be careful with the interpretations. Also, as I had stated in another post Heritage (god bless them) have set opening bids at min. estimates and some coins, like the 1917 sov. I just can not see as 10k coins in real market value (OK, even that is open to opinion).

wybrit · May 27, 2009 11:58PM

One problem with these sales is trying to figure out what really sold and what did not & was sent back to the consignor.

You are correct about that. It is easy to filter out the lots that have been withdrawn (lots that were hammered at a price on icollector that do not show up in Goldberg's list), but it is not clear that all lots that have "sold" with a realized price are moving on to new owners. Furthermore, some deals may fall through along the way.

JCMhouston · May 28, 2009 12:04PM

Just spoke to them on the phone around 4 PST Thursday, apparantly still having problems with the database of winning "Live" bids, they said I won 4 of the lots I had bids in early on, but they wouldn't know on the live bids until the IT folks get them downloaded. I think I also won two in live bidding so can't pay for anything yet.

Ricke · May 28, 2009 12:21PM

Lots of nice looking stuff, but I had no bids in. Did manage to get my backside handed to me on the Heritage side though.

Ira and Larry Goldberg Auction

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