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Auction strategies?



 
 
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  #1  
Old January 3rd 06, 05:51 PM posted to rec.collecting.stamps.discuss
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Default Auction strategies?

How do you decide what to bid at a mail auction (not eBay)? Especially if
you bid on groups of atamps - album pages from various countries for
example - rather than specific items or sets. What about a mish-mash of
stuff in cartons?

Let's say the lot has an estimated value of $100 - 125. What would you bid?
Why? Does the contents have an effect? Let's say US vs. Europe. Or maybe
better yet US vs. South America. Covers? SSs? What about catalogs and
literature?

Have you ever had a bid accepted for less than you bid? Most auction
catalogs say one raise over the next highest bid but I always end up paying
what I bid.

Thanks for your input. I think all mail bidders might profit from a good
discussion here.

Favorite auction houses?

Any web sites devoted to this subject?

TIA


--
Untie the two knots to email me

A closed mouth gathers no foot.



Ads
  #2  
Old January 3rd 06, 06:56 PM posted to rec.collecting.stamps.discuss
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Default Auction strategies?

Hi Ken
To me your questions are up side down. If you turn them around and instead
start from your choice for a stampcollection and the holes you need to fill
you might find some relevant answers. Of course you can let yourself become
inspired from an auctioncatalogue or by zapping through Ebay. Favorate
auctionshouses? If you look for Danish stamps you might try a Danish
auctionhouse, and so on. I prefer auction houses that I can trust and who
accepts items being returned if they do not fit description. I have been
tricked a few times. In such cases I do not hesitate telling first the
auctionshouse and next my fellow collectors about my experience. I even once
wrote an article about forgeries about to be sold at an auction. An honest
auctionhouse will thank you for this. In the long run cheating does not pay.
What do you collect Ken?
regards
Svend



"Ken Knecht" wrote in message
...
How do you decide what to bid at a mail auction (not eBay)? Especially if
you bid on groups of atamps - album pages from various countries for
example - rather than specific items or sets. What about a mish-mash of
stuff in cartons?

Let's say the lot has an estimated value of $100 - 125. What would you
bid?
Why? Does the contents have an effect? Let's say US vs. Europe. Or maybe
better yet US vs. South America. Covers? SSs? What about catalogs and
literature?

Have you ever had a bid accepted for less than you bid? Most auction
catalogs say one raise over the next highest bid but I always end up
paying
what I bid.

Thanks for your input. I think all mail bidders might profit from a good
discussion here.

Favorite auction houses?

Any web sites devoted to this subject?

TIA


--
Untie the two knots to email me

A closed mouth gathers no foot.





  #3  
Old January 4th 06, 06:28 PM posted to rec.collecting.stamps.discuss
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Auction strategies?

I collect the world to 1990.

Since I have so very many holes in my collection I get auction lots with
lots of stamps. If I choose the right year range there are generally a
fair number of cheap stamps I don't have. I have no expectation of
completing my collection. My enjoyment comes from sorting stamps,
checking stamp identifications, and filling a few blanks in my
collection. I enjoy the time spent, not buying a few stamps for the same
amount and putting in my album in a few minutes.

"S.Waever" wrote in
:

Hi Ken
To me your questions are up side down. If you turn them around and
instead start from your choice for a stampcollection and the holes you
need to fill you might find some relevant answers. Of course you can
let yourself become inspired from an auctioncatalogue or by zapping
through Ebay. Favorate auctionshouses? If you look for Danish stamps
you might try a Danish auctionhouse, and so on. I prefer auction
houses that I can trust and who accepts items being returned if they
do not fit description. I have been tricked a few times. In such cases
I do not hesitate telling first the auctionshouse and next my fellow
collectors about my experience. I even once wrote an article about
forgeries about to be sold at an auction. An honest auctionhouse will
thank you for this. In the long run cheating does not pay. What do you
collect Ken? regards
Svend



"Ken Knecht" wrote in message
...
How do you decide what to bid at a mail auction (not eBay)?
Especially if you bid on groups of atamps - album pages from various
countries for example - rather than specific items or sets. What
about a mish-mash of stuff in cartons?

Let's say the lot has an estimated value of $100 - 125. What would
you bid?
Why? Does the contents have an effect? Let's say US vs. Europe. Or
maybe better yet US vs. South America. Covers? SSs? What about
catalogs and literature?

Have you ever had a bid accepted for less than you bid? Most auction
catalogs say one raise over the next highest bid but I always end up
paying
what I bid.

Thanks for your input. I think all mail bidders might profit from a
good discussion here.

Favorite auction houses?

Any web sites devoted to this subject?

TIA


--
Untie the two knots to email me

A closed mouth gathers no foot.









--
Untie the two knots to email me

A closed mouth gathers no foot.



  #4  
Old January 4th 06, 09:12 PM posted to rec.collecting.stamps.discuss
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Auction strategies?

Hi. Now I better understand where you come from. I am glad that you are
realistic about the extent to which you will reach completenes. I too
sometimes feel the need to get back to good old stamp collecting, filling
holes with as many different stamps as possiple. I settled for a worl wide
postal history collection of newspaperwrappers, limiting it however in scope
to from before 1900. Take a look at my website and you will find some scans
from my collection. I am at present trying to nail down a concept by which I
can organise my collection with a view to exhibiting it. Also still loking
for especially some of the scarcer Latin american stationary wrappers to
fill some of my many holes. Good luck
Svend


"Ken Knecht" wrote in message
...
I collect the world to 1990.

Since I have so very many holes in my collection I get auction lots with
lots of stamps. If I choose the right year range there are generally a
fair number of cheap stamps I don't have. I have no expectation of
completing my collection. My enjoyment comes from sorting stamps,
checking stamp identifications, and filling a few blanks in my
collection. I enjoy the time spent, not buying a few stamps for the same
amount and putting in my album in a few minutes.

"S.Waever" wrote in
:

Hi Ken
To me your questions are up side down. If you turn them around and
instead start from your choice for a stampcollection and the holes you
need to fill you might find some relevant answers. Of course you can
let yourself become inspired from an auctioncatalogue or by zapping
through Ebay. Favorate auctionshouses? If you look for Danish stamps
you might try a Danish auctionhouse, and so on. I prefer auction
houses that I can trust and who accepts items being returned if they
do not fit description. I have been tricked a few times. In such cases
I do not hesitate telling first the auctionshouse and next my fellow
collectors about my experience. I even once wrote an article about
forgeries about to be sold at an auction. An honest auctionhouse will
thank you for this. In the long run cheating does not pay. What do you
collect Ken? regards
Svend



"Ken Knecht" wrote in message
...
How do you decide what to bid at a mail auction (not eBay)?
Especially if you bid on groups of atamps - album pages from various
countries for example - rather than specific items or sets. What
about a mish-mash of stuff in cartons?

Let's say the lot has an estimated value of $100 - 125. What would
you bid?
Why? Does the contents have an effect? Let's say US vs. Europe. Or
maybe better yet US vs. South America. Covers? SSs? What about
catalogs and literature?

Have you ever had a bid accepted for less than you bid? Most auction
catalogs say one raise over the next highest bid but I always end up
paying
what I bid.

Thanks for your input. I think all mail bidders might profit from a
good discussion here.

Favorite auction houses?

Any web sites devoted to this subject?

TIA


--
Untie the two knots to email me

A closed mouth gathers no foot.









--
Untie the two knots to email me

A closed mouth gathers no foot.





  #5  
Old January 4th 06, 09:15 PM posted to rec.collecting.stamps.discuss
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Auction strategies?

Forgot my link: http://www.philatelist.dk/welcome.htm

Svend


"S.Waever" wrote in message
...
Hi. Now I better understand where you come from. I am glad that you are
realistic about the extent to which you will reach completenes. I too
sometimes feel the need to get back to good old stamp collecting, filling
holes with as many different stamps as possiple. I settled for a worl wide
postal history collection of newspaperwrappers, limiting it however in
scope to from before 1900. Take a look at my website and you will find
some scans from my collection. I am at present trying to nail down a
concept by which I can organise my collection with a view to exhibiting
it. Also still loking for especially some of the scarcer Latin american
stationary wrappers to fill some of my many holes. Good luck
Svend


"Ken Knecht" wrote in message
...
I collect the world to 1990.

Since I have so very many holes in my collection I get auction lots with
lots of stamps. If I choose the right year range there are generally a
fair number of cheap stamps I don't have. I have no expectation of
completing my collection. My enjoyment comes from sorting stamps,
checking stamp identifications, and filling a few blanks in my
collection. I enjoy the time spent, not buying a few stamps for the same
amount and putting in my album in a few minutes.

"S.Waever" wrote in
:

Hi Ken
To me your questions are up side down. If you turn them around and
instead start from your choice for a stampcollection and the holes you
need to fill you might find some relevant answers. Of course you can
let yourself become inspired from an auctioncatalogue or by zapping
through Ebay. Favorate auctionshouses? If you look for Danish stamps
you might try a Danish auctionhouse, and so on. I prefer auction
houses that I can trust and who accepts items being returned if they
do not fit description. I have been tricked a few times. In such cases
I do not hesitate telling first the auctionshouse and next my fellow
collectors about my experience. I even once wrote an article about
forgeries about to be sold at an auction. An honest auctionhouse will
thank you for this. In the long run cheating does not pay. What do you
collect Ken? regards
Svend



"Ken Knecht" wrote in message
...
How do you decide what to bid at a mail auction (not eBay)?
Especially if you bid on groups of atamps - album pages from various
countries for example - rather than specific items or sets. What
about a mish-mash of stuff in cartons?

Let's say the lot has an estimated value of $100 - 125. What would
you bid?
Why? Does the contents have an effect? Let's say US vs. Europe. Or
maybe better yet US vs. South America. Covers? SSs? What about
catalogs and literature?

Have you ever had a bid accepted for less than you bid? Most auction
catalogs say one raise over the next highest bid but I always end up
paying
what I bid.

Thanks for your input. I think all mail bidders might profit from a
good discussion here.

Favorite auction houses?

Any web sites devoted to this subject?

TIA


--
Untie the two knots to email me

A closed mouth gathers no foot.









--
Untie the two knots to email me

A closed mouth gathers no foot.







  #6  
Old January 4th 06, 11:16 PM posted to rec.collecting.stamps.discuss
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Auction strategies?

Ken Knecht wrote:
I collect the world to 1990.

Since I have so very many holes in my collection I get auction lots with
lots of stamps. If I choose the right year range there are generally a
fair number of cheap stamps I don't have. I have no expectation of
completing my collection. My enjoyment comes from sorting stamps,
checking stamp identifications, and filling a few blanks in my
collection. I enjoy the time spent, not buying a few stamps for the same
amount and putting in my album in a few minutes.

"S.Waever" wrote in
:


I too collect the world usually up to around 1990, but it
depends on the country. The best auction house was the
Bournemouth Stamp Auction in England. Unfortunately it
became quite expensive and eventually went out of business.
My strategy in bidding is the following:
1. I mark all lots that interest me and set the price
I would be willing to pay (usually 20% below estimate)
2. About a week before the auction, I get a list of current
bids on the lots that I selected. I scratch all those
where the bids are higher than those on my list.
3. On the remaining lots I select a subset such that even
if I get all, my expenses will not exceed my budget.
4. I submit my bids on those lots, but bid only one tick
higher that the current bids.
  #7  
Old January 5th 06, 02:06 AM posted to rec.collecting.stamps.discuss
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Auction strategies?

These auctions can be fun, but try not to get too carried away. Every
auctioneer has methods of getting the most from each bidder. Always look for
value when bidding.

I generally don't bid in an auction unless there is something I must have.
Only then, so long as I'm filling out a bid sheet, do I place 'catch' bids
for desirable but not necessary items.

On items I must have, I generally bid 3-5x times the estimate. On catch bids
I generally bid the estimate, or about 10-20% above the estimate depending
on how far I'm willing to go. If the auctioneer gives you the option of
breaking ties, then always break ties.

If you're 'catching' more lots than you expect, it means the auction is
sparsely attended. If none of your catch bids are working, then the
estimates are probably too low.

Never bid below the estimate unless it's a collection or large lot, or,
perhaps on a damaged item where you don't agree with the estimate. Avoid
sending in lowball bids, this usually is a waste of time, or worse.
Auctioneers sometimes have complete junk lots just waiting for lowball
bidders.

-a



--

Web log: www.ajvalente.com
Email:

"Ken Knecht" wrote in message
...
How do you decide what to bid at a mail auction (not eBay)? Especially if
you bid on groups of atamps - album pages from various countries for
example - rather than specific items or sets. What about a mish-mash of
stuff in cartons?

Let's say the lot has an estimated value of $100 - 125. What would you

bid?
Why? Does the contents have an effect? Let's say US vs. Europe. Or maybe
better yet US vs. South America. Covers? SSs? What about catalogs and
literature?

Have you ever had a bid accepted for less than you bid? Most auction
catalogs say one raise over the next highest bid but I always end up

paying
what I bid.

Thanks for your input. I think all mail bidders might profit from a good
discussion here.

Favorite auction houses?

Any web sites devoted to this subject?

TIA


--
Untie the two knots to email me

A closed mouth gathers no foot.





  #8  
Old January 5th 06, 05:30 PM posted to rec.collecting.stamps.discuss
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Auction strategies?

J. A. Mc. wrote:
On Wed, 04 Jan 2006 22:16:02 GMT, Zdenek Jizba found
these unused words floating about:


Ken Knecht wrote:

I collect the world to 1990.

Since I have so very many holes in my collection I get auction lots with
lots of stamps. If I choose the right year range there are generally a
fair number of cheap stamps I don't have. I have no expectation of
completing my collection. My enjoyment comes from sorting stamps,
checking stamp identifications, and filling a few blanks in my
collection. I enjoy the time spent, not buying a few stamps for the same
amount and putting in my album in a few minutes.

"S.Waever" wrote in
:



I too collect the world usually up to around 1990, but it
depends on the country. The best auction house was the
Bournemouth Stamp Auction in England. Unfortunately it
became quite expensive and eventually went out of business.
My strategy in bidding is the following:
1. I mark all lots that interest me and set the price
I would be willing to pay (usually 20% below estimate)
2. About a week before the auction, I get a list of current
bids on the lots that I selected. I scratch all those
where the bids are higher than those on my list.
3. On the remaining lots I select a subset such that even
if I get all, my expenses will not exceed my budget.
4. I submit my bids on those lots, but bid only one tick
higher that the current bids.



Most -good- mail auction houses allow you to specify a "Limit" on your
purchases. Thus you would put in bids for those you want -and- a limit on
total expenditure. This would insure that you have a better chance at gettin
more of what you want -and- stay within budget.

On increment is too small - bid what you would pay for the stamp were it
offered to you by hand. By the time your bid gets there, there's already the
probablilty that someone has bid that increment and as bids superscede by
earliest arrival time - you're -done-.

You are correct. I did forget to mention one additional
part of my strategy:
5. If the auction house allows it I can specify a percentage
increase in the bid. (in my case 10%)
I must say that my strategy has generally worked since
currently I have a backlog of two large lots that I have yet to open.
  #9  
Old January 5th 06, 05:50 PM posted to rec.collecting.stamps.discuss
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Auction strategies?

Zdenek Jizba wrote in
news:COXuf.20858$z45.6592@trnddc02:

Ken Knecht wrote:
I collect the world to 1990.

Since I have so very many holes in my collection I get auction lots
with lots of stamps. If I choose the right year range there are
generally a fair number of cheap stamps I don't have. I have no
expectation of completing my collection. My enjoyment comes from
sorting stamps, checking stamp identifications, and filling a few
blanks in my collection. I enjoy the time spent, not buying a few
stamps for the same amount and putting in my album in a few minutes.

"S.Waever" wrote in
:


I too collect the world usually up to around 1990, but it
depends on the country. The best auction house was the
Bournemouth Stamp Auction in England. Unfortunately it
became quite expensive and eventually went out of business.
My strategy in bidding is the following:
1. I mark all lots that interest me and set the price
I would be willing to pay (usually 20% below estimate)
2. About a week before the auction, I get a list of current
bids on the lots that I selected. I scratch all those
where the bids are higher than those on my list.
3. On the remaining lots I select a subset such that even
if I get all, my expenses will not exceed my budget.
4. I submit my bids on those lots, but bid only one tick
higher that the current bids.

The problem is that with the lots I usually bid on - stamps in cartons,
on album pages, etc. - I really have no idea what they are worth to me
because I'm not sure what's there. Sometimes I am rudely surprised,
sometimes happily. Your 20% below minimum estimated sounds like a good
rule of thumb. I'll try it on a few lots I marked in a recent auction
catalog. I've never tried getting current high bids on lots I am
interested in. Do you do that email?



--
Untie the two knots to email me

A closed mouth gathers no foot.



  #10  
Old January 5th 06, 07:51 PM posted to rec.collecting.stamps.discuss
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Auction strategies?

with ebay lots I try to bid just for the 2-4 stamps I need and only
buy lots that have something I need. If there isn't sufficient
photos, assume its junk. I notice the price goes up about 25% in the
last minute from whatever its setted at, you can use that as a guide.
 




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