Auction Houses - Juice

[Colin88 54]

I am interested in some coins that a provincial auction house has in their next sale...(here's a clue...Chaucer wrote a tale about the town)...picture quality dreadful, only showing one side and not the other...but that's not the point.

Its the juice....Buyers premium 20% + Vat, Credit Card payment 2.5% charge, Online bidding surcharge of 3% + Vat...

I think they're missing a trick, I'm sure that they could calculate the amount of air that we breathe whilst bidding and could charge accordingly....and what about maybe a height tax...say 5% premium for bidders over 3ft 6" which would arguably be a very fair charge as it would affect women and children less.

They could charge a "pay per view"...say £1 every time you had the priveledge of viewing their catalgue online?

Maybe a charge of 1% + vat of the hammer price for each of your incremental bids, irrespective of whether you win the lot or not?

..and a tax on bidders living in the South? , similar to the Stamp Duty tax which is effectively a tax on people living South of Watford.. but I digress..........

[Accumulator 52]

I've noticed that sale too but, as you say, terrible photos and many of the coins aren't even shown. The only answer for me is a trip down there at the weekend, as it's not too far.

I agree though, they're looking for a sizeable cut from buyers, which I'll certainly factor in should I bid.

[Colin G. 147]

I had spotted those as well but it is a bit further for me!!

I had e-mailed after some info, but no response

[Accumulator 52]

I had spotted those as well but it is a bit further for me!!

I had e-mailed after some info, but no response

I emailed 3 days ago asking for photos but haven't even had a reply, so I phoned and very much got the impression that viewing in person is the only option. I'd offer to look at the farthings for you, but my knowledge in that area is somewhat limited. If you want a photo of a particular coin I'll do my best with a camera when I'm there.

[VickySilver 775]

Wow, I follow and my point as well. At some point there is going to be some buyer "push back" over the increase in fees. I try (but fail) to calculate these costs into my bid, especially on items of middle interest.

[Colin88 54]

Thats very kind of you thank you...but I've lost heart in that sale.

They've not responded to emails and as you say they really arent interested in doing anything so you really have to go there....and as I will very soon need subaqua gear to leave the house I'll give the Cantabury gig a miss...although some of those Young Head Unc..ish penny lots look worth a punt...the lots with the 1864 and 1868 would be worth a view...but as they cant be arsed then nor can I.

I had spotted those as well but it is a bit further for me!!

I had e-mailed after some info, but no response

I emailed 3 days ago asking for photos but haven't even had a reply, so I phoned and very much got the impression that viewing in person is the only option. I'd offer to look at the farthings for you, but my knowledge in that area is somewhat limited. If you want a photo of a particular coin I'll do my best with a camera when I'm there.

[Rob 3,002]

Has anyone got a link?

[Colin G. 147]

They must be watching...I have just received an e-mail with some of the info requested

[Colin G. 147]

Has anyone got a link?

It is on the saleroom - http://www.thecanterburyauctiongalleries.com/

[Rob 3,002]

The images are useless.

[Colin G. 147]

The e-mailed ones are worse

[jaggy 528]

I had a conversation with someone who worked for an auction house in the Manchester area. I tried to make the point that they were in a very competitive industry and the existence of the internet has, on the one hand, made it even more competitive but, on the other hand, offers them a huge potential market. I told the person that, if they want to attract business away from the majors, they would need to lower their prices (and hopefully make up for it in volume), not punish internet buyers financially, have a first rate website with outstanding photos and outstanding customer service. Sadly, I don't think the individual "got it".

[Chris Perkins 223]

There's a lot of old school people still out there!

My cousin Graeme Monk (we established once that he's most probably related to one of my maternal great-aunt's husbands) of Croydon Auctions was along the right lines with his low fees etc. Shame he's giving it up.

[Accumulator 52]

The e-mailed ones are worse

That doesn't surprise me, after talking to them!

[RLC35 288]

The e-mailed ones are worse

That doesn't surprise me, after talking to them!

I also sent a email about the images. I'll let you know if I get a reply....

[Coinery 926]

Colin, you forgot the tax on taking a/the piss break, throughout the auction! As you've commented before about other coin related standards, you have to ask...is there the least glimmer of a professional standard twixt their ears?

Imagine them taking charge of YOUR company? I somehow ended up working for such a company, once, so have seen it from the bottom up...wouldn't survive, on account of my own personal integrity, working from the top down...I'd sooner eat out of bins! I speak this standard with my wife and family often...it's my measure of what I view as satisfactory, whether I'd prefer to eat out of bins or not? You'd be surprised how low my threshold for this simple quality standard is!

[brg5658 111]

It's disturbing that the images of the Nazi memorabilia in the auction are quite clear, but the coins are abysmal. Priorities amiss?

[VickySilver 775]

Might you be able to post an example of picture(s)?

[Accumulator 52]

Well…. I went and looked at the pennies today. I need to be careful as this is a public forum. Just to give an idea, imagine quite nice bronze coins (not all of them are nice by any means) stored in pvc envelopes for a few decades in damp conditions and you'll get the idea. Lots of verd, carbon and staining. Only the best coins appear in the photos and this isn't made clear. The description 'mostly uncirculated' is simply not true. The 1864 is VF at best. Shame, really.

[declanwmagee 122]

Top information, Steve! You could certainly have saved me some disappointment...

[RLC35 288]

The e-mailed ones are worse

That doesn't surprise me, after talking to them!

I also sent a email about the images. I'll let you know if I get a reply....

Here is my reply from the auction house.

Dear Mr Crawford

We are sorry you are having trouble seeing the coins in detail. Unfortunately,

our website can only deal with images up to a certain size. I would be happy to

send you the original images we have which will be a higher resolution, or

alternatively one of my colleague would be happy to give you a condition report

over the phone.

Kind Regards

Anna

-----Original Message-----

From: Bob Crawford [mailto:RLC35@aol.com]

Sent: 06 February 2014 17:01

To: general@tcag.co.uk

Subject: February 11 Auction (Coins)

Submitted on 06/02/2014 - 5:00pm

Submitted by anonymous user: [68.58.135.72]

Submitted values are:

Name: Bob Crawford

Email: RLC35@aol.com

Subject: February 11 Auction (Coins)

Image attachment:

Message:

Sirs,

Your coin pictures are so small they cannot help in determining the condition

of the coins to be sold. The pictures should have some "enlarge" feature to be

helpful. I am wanting to bid on some of the coins, but can't due to this issue.

A fellow collector sent for better pictures of the coins, but was sent

illustrations that were even worse than the ones you have on the auction site.

Please correct this issue, or you are pushing away a large segment of the

potential bidding pool. Regards, Bob Crawford, ANA# 3144974.

[azda 973]

A good picture goes a Long way when selling a coin through the internet

[Colin G. 147]

I have to add that they have since come back to me with some better images of some of the coins in question, so I do have to give them credit for that.

I have also noticed that they only accept bank transfer payments from absentee bidders. Any card payments have to be made in person, and can not be done via telephone. I would also think that this would put a lot of people off.

[jaggy 528]

I have to add that they have since come back to me with some better images of some of the coins in question, so I do have to give them credit for that.

I have also noticed that they only accept bank transfer payments from absentee bidders. Any card payments have to be made in person, and can not be done via telephone. I would also think that this would put a lot of people off.

They don't seem very interested in generating business. If they want to expand their customer base then they need to make it easy and attractive and not make it into an obstacle course.

[Accumulator 52]

Another interesting thing when I visited…. The coins are in old pvc envelopes stored within pvc album pages (neither of which are that clean). They wouldn't let me remove the coins for viewing so I had look at them through 2 layers of old pvc. Not the best viewing experience!