Baldwins of St. James's 9

[Rob]

Has anyone had any joy with them today? From my perspective the whole setup is shambolic. It took an hour of phone calls and emails to get connected because they said I hadn't registered but their site said registration pending and I can bid when it has been accepted. Consequently missed out on the first 120 odd lots, some of which I had bids for. Tried to bid on the 1859 pattern decimal halfpenny and got to £950 with the next bid set at £980, but the auctioneer was asking for £1K which I would have bid, but the 980 was rejected and the coin knocked down, only for 1000 to flash up and equally fast disappear as the next lot was put up. Tried to bid on one of the farthing lots which was at 100, next bid was 110 but the screen was only asking for £10, so couldn't bid, then it went to 20, then it said next lot. Same thing happened on a couple of others. Consequently I have  wasted a whole day getting nothing I needed or had commission bids forbecause they are completely inept. Someone had better put Stanley Gibbons into administration and let St. James's go back to as they were, because at least the auctions worked. Pissed off.......you bet.

Edited September 21, 2017 by Rob

[PWA 1967]

I couldnt get the live stream Rob with the sound running ,so had the saleroom site for the volume and bid through Baldwin at the same time although only one bid it worked ok

Fortunately although the coin i bought was a halfpenny it wasnt the one you wanted.

I would be pissed off also  

[secret santa]

Got home about 3.30 and tried to watch the auction but found I couldn't log in although I'm sure I've bid before in their auctions. Then tried to register only to find "registration pending" like you. A little later it appeared that I was able to bid although I received nothing to tell me that registration had been successful. Luckily I wasn't intending to bid but agree with you that it's pretty disappointing.

[Rob]

What I don't understand is why they don't have the bid button automatically updating. Sometimes it did, other times not. Baldwin's on their own used to manage it ok, St. James's on their own used to do ok too, so why the current mess? I had a dozen bids with bigger numbers than what the lots sold for. OK, some were lost due to registration issues, but not all. Basically, admin went awol. It shouldn't be beyond the wit of man to accept registrations promptly from people on their mailing list, and the person in charge of updating the bidding prices should be sacked forthwith.

[secret santa]

When I eventually checked my emails again, there was one from Baldwins at 15.43 confirming my registration. So I guess we're OK for next time ?

[PWA 1967]

Also what threw me is when i clicked on bid nothing happened as you then have to click on again to confirm it.

It was like bidding on ebay  not a problem if you are aware but i wasnt and caused a delay on my bid being accepted.

With the hammer going down pretty quickly on some i am sure it must of happened to others and why yesterday he was taking online bids after the hammer.

[Rob]

2 minutes ago, secret santa said:

When I eventually checked my emails again, there was one from Baldwins at 15.43 confirming my registration. So I guess we're OK for next time ?

Not sure. I think it may be that you have to register for each sale. I'm going to register tomorrow, just to see if it works (see how optimisitc I am? ). The point is that I had registered with them previously, so assumed that it would just be a case of registering for that sale just as you do with the Saleroom, but they kept things in suspended animation with the registration requiring approval, so I wouldn't bet on it working. I wouldn't mind, but they kept giving the message, this email address doesn't have an account, despite the fact I had logged in to the site using said address.

[secret santa]

11 minutes ago, Rob said:

Not sure. I think it may be that you have to register for each sale. I'm going to register tomorrow, just to see if it works (see how optimisitc I am? ). The point is that I had registered with them previously, so assumed that it would just be a case of registering for that sale just as you do with the Saleroom, but they kept things in suspended animation with the registration requiring approval, so I wouldn't bet on it working. I wouldn't mind, but they kept giving the message, this email address doesn't have an account, despite the fact I had logged in to the site using said address.

My experience exactly.

[PWA 1967]

When i phoned yesterday as i couldnt log on i was told it maybe was because i was logging on to the home page.

If i clicked on the auction tab and then log in it worked straight away.

This morning as i had forgot i tried from the home page and it wouldnt work,then remembered clicked the tab and again worked.

Just reading through the threads above and sorry if i am interupting ....feel like i am talking to myself 

 

[1949threepence]

I've said before, and I'll say again - things should always be made as easy and convenient as humanly possible for the end user. Far too many things these days, seem to be made absurdly complex or even incomprehensible, and this seems a prime example.  

I haven't registered with them, and maybe just as well. You sound like you've had a frustrating day, chaps .

 

[1949threepence]

18 minutes ago, PWA 1967 said:

When i phoned yesterday as i couldnt log on i was told it maybe was because i was logging on to the home page.

If i clicked on the auction tab and then log in it worked straight away.

This morning as i had forgot i tried from the home page and it wouldnt work,then remembered clicked the tab and again worked.

Just reading through the threads above and sorry if i am interupting ....feel like i am talking to myself 

 

Somebody say something?

Is that you. Pete? 

 

[PWA 1967]

20 minutes ago, 1949threepence said:

Somebody say something?

Is that you. Pete? 

 

 

[Rob]

Useless statistic of the day. According to my phone I got through to them on the phone at the 22nd attempt after an hour trying.

[VickySilver]

I had thought there might be some issues so did a trial run to see if I could get into auction 8, even though I did not actually bid. Evidently the electronics remembered that I had bid with them before so experienced no grief. I guess you will have powder dry for tomorrow?

 

No Love in the Brit section, but I bid on a couple of lesser bits in the British Honduras section - proofs there from Vick through G5 all basically went for 4k+ & left them alone. I had always wanted the 1913, but after winning the currency 12H did not have the steam to go 1500 plus the juice for what is a nice piece but not exceptional. Had to go high for a couple of the late date currency bits (esp the 1960 25c currency which is a BEAR) to find fully uncirculated. 

[Rob]

It worked after a fashion today. I still had to wait for registration to be approved, which I still maintain should not be necessary every time as it ought to remember the previous registration, but at least their system found me today (linked to the email account). Powder was dry, but I couldn't afford the Derwent Wood unless it went for low estimate or a bit above. I've bought quite a lot of late, so liquidity is an issue for larger amounts. I did ok in CNG the other day, so can't complain, and Spink has possibilities too.

 

[VickySilver]

What did the DW florin go for? IMO, second best of the series after the wonderful PEACE crown.

[Coinery]

Anyone make a note of lot 1158?

[Rob]

3 hours ago, VickySilver said:

What did the DW florin go for? IMO, second best of the series after the wonderful PEACE crown.

4K hammer

[VickySilver]

That seems a reasonable price in today's market. Not a lot of these floating around. I bought a "version" of this in 2006 as the RM sold one to honour the Queen's 80th B-day on a necklace or key chain that was evidently a struck piece that recomprised this pattern. Was about 20-25 quid! LOL

[1949threepence]

Just received an e mail from Baldwins listing their current stock. Naturally clicked on the British bronze.

Out of interest, what do others think of their prices?

A link to the stock can be found here

 

[secret santa]

First of all, the coins are poorly presented, apparently in random order. I checked the pennies and they don't seem to be in any sequence, e.g. date, which makes checking them tiresome. Secondly, they have a bog standard F10 covered in verdigris at £200 - totally unrealistic. Frankly, I'm surprised and disappointed.

[RLC35]

4 hours ago, secret santa said:

First of all, the coins are poorly presented, apparently in random order. I checked the pennies and they don't seem to be in any sequence, e.g. date, which makes checking them tiresome. Secondly, they have a bog standard F10 covered in verdigris at £200 - totally unrealistic. Frankly, I'm surprised and disappointed.

There is also a really nice 1844 Farthing (probably EF or better) for 495. but it is also covered with "green." Such a shame! :-)

[1949threepence]

4 hours ago, secret santa said:

First of all, the coins are poorly presented, apparently in random order. I checked the pennies and they don't seem to be in any sequence, e.g. date, which makes checking them tiresome. Secondly, they have a bog standard F10 covered in verdigris at £200 - totally unrealistic. Frankly, I'm surprised and disappointed.

Yes - absolutely - the website is a muddle, rendering it impossible to view your chosen area in a sequential manner. Plus much of the stock seems unrealistically priced.   

2 minutes ago, RLC35 said:

There is also a really nice 1844 Farthing (probably EF or better) for 495. but it is also covered with "green." Such a shame! :-)

and several with probable verd as you say, Bob. 

[mrbadexample]

15 hours ago, 1949threepence said:

Out of interest, what do others think of their prices?

Delusional is the first word that springs to mind.

[Ukstu]

Totally agree.  I often get directed to their website searching for certain coins. The prices are outrageous. Your paying for a brand name when you buy from them.

Edited October 21, 2017 by Ukstu