I like to go to Heritage Auctions and carefully examine their Peace Dollar offerings. I'll find something pristine in an MS66 or MS67 and then place a bid. My bids are usually about 30% of the going market rate for the coin in question. At any one auction I may have a couple of thousand dollars in bids and be winning... for a couple of days, only to get outbid to the tune of 3X my initial bid; however, that isn't what is important. The important thing is I get to pretend to be a high roller for a few days. Me? I'm a very serious collector of high end coins... why I've got thousands in bids out on Heritage Auctions as we speak.
Plus I get to live with the illusion that I'm going to pick up a 1921 Peace Dollar (MS65+ CAC) for $2.00.... for 2-5 days. (1) NOTES -------------------------------------------------------------------- 1: Not that I'd ever pay over $31 for a 1921 Peace Dollar.
I used to play that game back in the old, dark time before the internet. I liked getting auction catalogs from the major players, but paying for them was too expensive, so I would send in a few low ball bids which was usually enough to keep me on the mailing list. As a bonus, I would occasionally get something cheap. In addition, I still have the catalogs from the significant sales as part of my library
It's always fun to get in early on bids and see how long you can ride yours out. I have a bunch of low ball bids on eBay... sadly most are already outbid.
When I see two identical coins ending at the same time, I bid a bunch of times on one hoping to draw attention away from the one I want. It never works so why do I keep doing it?
Everybody bid on this coin... https://www.greatcollections.com/Coin/620490/1923-D-Saint-Gaudens-Gold-Double-Eagle-PCGS-MS-66 Note...Stop around 4K or you might accidentally own it. (I'm going for the other one)
Here’s one I was first bid on, with $.99, but decided it was too ugly to chase once it went over about $150. I’d hate to think I couldn’t quickly flip it and then be stuck with it (hopefully no one who reads this has the winning bid!) https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/132782077391
I'm currently winning with $1 on Heritage Auctions for this beauty. Just think, in another month it could be mine!
In the words of the guys selling common coins for thousands of dollars "but it only has to work once."
I'll tell my wife I have a standing offer to sell a coin I bought for $2 for $40. It will calm her anxiety over me buying coins.
There’s one big online auction that typically has reserves. A few times, I’ve been the high bidder - but still the reserve was in place. I got an 1878CC Morgan and a couple of Peace dollars at nice prices when the reserves were lifted in the final minutes. It’s been a while, so I don’t know if it still can shake out that way.
I do the same. @GDJMSP gave me a Gibb slap once for bidding on coins I don't intend on winning. I got like 10 "marker" bids on Great Collections as we speak.
"Insanity Is Doing the Same Thing Over and Over Again and Expecting Different Results." Quote is often wrongly attributed to A. Einstein. Earliest known use was by an attendee at a AA meeting in Knoxville, TN and later reported in the local newspaper. Cal
Nice to see virtual Gregg re-animated in a zomby-thread. Oh, and I have it on good authority* that A. Einstein was at that AA meeting in Knoxville, so.... *Totally made that up