I have been thinking about getting rid of some of my coins for upgrades to key coins, and what not. I had the local coin auctioneer come and take a look at what I have, and he wants to auction them off. He said that I such a large amount it would take a few auctions. I told him that I'm not sure about putting them all up, that I would like to see if I like the process (you get my feet wet) first. I told him I would do a hundred or so coins at first, then see if I made the right decision. He said sure he understood. Now when i call him he keeps blowing me off telling me his auctions are full and does't have room for mine, but If I want to do a complete auction let him know. I don't want to do FeeBay or anything. These local guys pay crazy money for common stuff so thats were I want to sell. I would do local or craigslist but, the idea of people knowing me what I drive and contact numbers, I'm a little uneasy about.
Do NOT do craigslist, if you have so much stuff you could easily get robbed even if the transaction worked, it's like saying, I have a bunch on money, and here is some information about me, come rob me
Theres also a risk going to the bank, walking outside at night, or just living in general. That is why you take the neccesary precautions like meeting in a bank or a coffee place in public. You never hear about the thousands of transactions that go correctly. Im not for or against craigslist, but why discount something that has its purpose and has worked many many times.
Craigslist is a viable option for selling locally. You don't have to give your contact number to people, just arrange to meet them in a public place where you feel safe. I've had a lot of success selling from craigslist. Yes there are bad experiences from selling off craigslist, but I think that is only a small percentage of all sales from there. Just use your head. Meet during daylight hours, never at night. Don't go to someone's home address, or have them come to yours. The auctioneer is looking at his end of selling your coins, and if you're not putting up enough meat and gravy to make it worth HIS while, he won't want to sell for you.
I would advise you not to do CL. From the post however, I have no idea what you have to sell and the contents of your collection will go a long way to determining the best course of action for their sale.
OP, I understand your point, but the auctioneers point as well. You said people around your area pay"crazy prices for common stuff". What MAY be the problem is that the common stuff in this auctioneers auctions might either be his own or a long time seller's, and they don't want you to horn in on their market. I would approach the auctioneer and let him know you will be willing to let him have an auction of your stuff if he currently allows you to sell some now to get comfortable with it. Holding a carrot out, (a complete auction), might be enough to allow his schedule to "free". Chris
Craigslist Is Safe With Proper Precautions As a past eBay Silver level Preferred Power Seller who tired of continuing policy changes, I tried the various other venues to determine which might be best for eBay competitive sales. I found Craigslist to be the best outlet for sales of competitive PM products, usually having several hundreds to thousand dollar lots advertised at any given time. My lots are less than eBay net realized pricing, usually less than melt, with varying diversity. I virtually never lack for clients calls. I've used the venue regularly for several years, adjusting my techniques to where I no longer have problems with clients/scammers. I alone include a phone number in my "title", as the craigslist communication system has faults, and sellers in that venue often don't respond to e-mail, and are scammers. Potential customers feel secure using a pre-paid non-identifying phone to assure contact with a real person. A person who may meet their varying needs, and provide free investment advice if that is their only desire. I always meet in a manner/place that provides security to the client while assuring my integrity. With proper precautions, I believe that anyone can securely sell on Craigslist. Success generally varies with the relative quality of the offering. As I, auctioneers have learned what might best sell with a minimum time investment, and are reluctant to accept/offer items of limited interest. EBid allows free auctions for individuals interested in determining sales potential, which shows the number of views, allowing sellers to "fine tune" their offerings for maximum acceptance. Just my experienced opinion. :thumb:
The auction houses have the knowledge of what sells the best in their establishments. In my city, there are a dozen auction houses that are similar in nature but a couple cater to the collectibles crowd. That is where I've sold coins and gotten amazing results. The other houses which deal mainly with household items would just throw everything into a box and sell it as a lot. Great for getting deals if you're buying but it sucks when you're selling.
Yes there are auctioneers in my area but only one that has monthly coin sales and a great contact list. I can do CL, but who will pay 5 bills for a common indian head? The people that go to these auctions, thats who. I did tell him I will sell most of my collection if I like how it goes. I want to get my feet wet.
But as I said, if you don't put enough meat and gravy on that first time, he won't be interested. He's not just working for you, but himself as well. His end is about 20%.
If you want your coins offered by this gentleman, and gain the potential rewards of doing so, you're going to have to play by his rules. If this man can truly get ridiculous prices for the coins he sells, it's likely that many are wishing to use his services, so right or wrong, he simply may not want to deal with how you wish to sell. Business is business, and if his is booming, he really may not have the time or desire to handle you with kid gloves, especially if he has no shortage of clients. I understand your frustrations, but this is life. As for craigslist, (IMO) it once was an excellent venue for selling, but has gone way down hill over the last few years (at least in my area). Its full of dreamers and wannabes playing every angle imaginable. If you do take this route, and if anything, be more concerned with people wasting your time than security. Simple precautions can be taken that can make any risks almost non existent. No offense, but it seems as if you want your cake and to eat it too. If you truly believe he can get you top dollar, either do as he wants or try your hand at selling elsewhere.
It's not that I want my cake and eat it too, but really doesn't. He wont tell me what he wants. He says he will do it. But he keeps blowing me off. Telling me he is full this month maybe next month.
