The McGowan Collection

[secret santa]

4 hours ago, oldcopper said:

It should be 5%. I did manage to reclaim it a couple of years ago when Fedex mistakenly charged 20%, but it took some time.

Fedex consistently charge 20% - it's no mistake !!!!!

And I've found reclaiming it to be impossible.

[1949threepence]

It's a pity you can't negotiate a different courier with them, but I guess Fedex have a contract with them for all deliveries.  

[mrbadexample]

Would it be worth contacting Heritage and letting them know that Fedex charge 20% when it should only be 5%? It's prejudicial against a UK buyer.

[secret santa]

14 minutes ago, mrbadexample said:

Would it be worth contacting Heritage and letting them know that Fedex charge 20% when it should only be 5%? It's prejudicial against a UK buyer.

Interesting thought - if I can get through to a human, I'll try it.

[mrbadexample]

"You'll have to take that up with Fedex sir" would be my guess.

[Nick]

I have also seen that Heritage sometimes use the wrong HS code and they should really know better.

[1949threepence]

40 minutes ago, secret santa said:

Interesting thought - if I can get through to a human, I'll try it.

Good luck with that one !!!

...and if you do, it's a fair bet their comprehension skills will be next to zero...

[cathrine]

I've been in contact with Heritage about the 20% VAT charge by FedEx on their shipments to the UK, and I've received the following information from Win Callender at Heritage:

Quote

I have been in contact with our shipping department and am informed that the general VAT rate in the UK is 20%. If coins are shipped into the UK without proper documentation, the carrier (in this case Fedex) would charge the regular rate. If the coins are classified properly they do qualify for the reduced rate of 5% and in cases where the coins can be classified as investment gold they are actually VAT exempt. How the items are classified determines what VAT rate would be applied. We classify our coins correctly and will provide the proper documentation, and so the VAT should be 5%.

Unquote

[secret santa]

8 minutes ago, cathrine said:

We classify our coins correctly and will provide the proper documentation, and so the VAT should be 5%.

Don't hold your breath.

[Garrett]

Good luck Cathrine !

I've just had a look and some fantastic coins there !

Pity about not having someone interested enough to pass the coins on to, but that is probably the norm for serious collectors. Will certainly be the case with me as well (will hurt a little to sell while I still am capable to appreciating them).

I am certain the next custodians of the coins will adore them as much as you have.

Take care

cheers Garrett.

 

[cathrine]

Garrett,

Thank you for your expression of appreciation for my collection.

Cathrine

[cathrine]

Good luck to everyone that participate (or those that would like to do so) in tomorrow's auction of my collection by Heritage Galleries.

I'm certain that I've thoroughly enjoyed being a collector of British copper and bronze, and I hope that the high bidders for my coins will feel privileged to own the best that I could find in the marketplace during my search for perfection. Salvador Dali said: "Have no fear of perfection, you'll never reach it." I've always tried to find the "best of the best"; when I've failed to do so. it wasn't available!

[Rob]

I couldn't find the sale. When I go to Heritage Auctions, the only current sale I get is one of Americana & Political - so won't be bidding. Heritage stopped sending me catalogues after I didn't buy anything in consecutive sales a few years back. I find their site impossible to navigate, so don't bid.

 

[jaggy]

30 minutes ago, Rob said:

I couldn't find the sale. When I go to Heritage Auctions, the only current sale I get is one of Americana & Political - so won't be bidding. Heritage stopped sending me catalogues after I didn't buy anything in consecutive sales a few years back. I find their site impossible to navigate, so don't bid.

 

https://coins.ha.com/c/auction-home.zx?saleNo=271834&ic=Items-OpenAuctions-Open-BrowseAuctionInfo-071713

[Rob]

Thanks. It would help if they put them in chronological order!. 

[jaggy]

6 hours ago, Rob said:

Thanks. It would help if they put them in chronological order!. 

I agree .... you just have to scroll through.

[1949threepence]

6 hours ago, Rob said:

Thanks. It would help if they put them in chronological order!. 

It would.

I'd also posted a link 6 posts in on the thread. 

[Rob]

Realised $75069

[alfnail]

I left a proxy bid of $450 + 3 increments (i.e. to stop a single bid from a live bidder outbidding me). Thought that meant that my top bid would then be $450 + ($50x3) = $600, but see this morning that it sold for hammer of $500, with my top bid of $450 having being placed but unsuccessful. Have I misunderstood and messed up or is this the fault of Heritage. 

[Paddy]

I don't know for sure bu I have not encountered a bidding engine that allows "+3" though most now allow "+1". It may be that their system did not comprehend what you were trying to do and so ignored it?

Probably safer to have put in your $600 maximum - if no one else had shown any interest you would have got it for less, maybe at the reserve. Or you could have tried $550+1.

[alfnail]

It gave me options of +1/2, +1, +2 and +3 and I foolishly trusted it to work as explained in their drop down box; I expect the auctioneer didn't see my increments in the heat of live bidding and/or their system didn't alert him to them. Annoying, because was a coin had been seeking for quite a while and in far better condition than I have ever seen before. Live and learn!

[Rob]

34 minutes ago, alfnail said:

It gave me options of +1/2, +1, +2 and +3 and I foolishly trusted it to work as explained in their drop down box; I expect the auctioneer didn't see my increments in the heat of live bidding and/or their system didn't alert him to them. Annoying, because was a coin had been seeking for quite a while and in far better condition than I have ever seen before. Live and learn!

Was there an auctioneer? There might have been someone overseeing the auction, but I'm not convinced there was anybody on the rostrum because all the speech was computer generated.

[jaggy]

I almost always bid live with Heritage in their online auctions. Generally, I find that their online system works pretty well.

[secret santa]

On 8/3/2018 at 7:16 PM, secret santa said:

Yes, if you buy anything in a Heritage auction they will ship by Fedex and you'll pay another 20% customs duty ! You need to factor that into your bid !

I've just received another invoice from Fedex charging 20% VAT for a numismatic item from Stacks Bowers - I've written to them saying it should be 5% but I'm not holding my breath.

Any advice chaps ?

[1949threepence]

14 minutes ago, secret santa said:

I've just received another invoice from Fedex charging 20% VAT for a numismatic item from Stacks Bowers - I've written to them saying it should be 5% but I'm not holding my breath.

Any advice chaps ?

Not really Richard. You'd probably get more sense from the cat than the reply you get from them, I'd bet.