Auctions houses and Covoronavirus

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by oldfinecollector, Mar 20, 2020.

  1. ancient coin hunter

    ancient coin hunter 3rd Century Usurper

    My second to last purchase was last week, a billon tetradrachm of Galba. While it was scheduled to be despatched in the mail, the dealer in the Netherlands upgraded to FedEx at no cost and I got the parcel in 2 days. I applaud what CNG is doing however.
     
    Orfew likes this.
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  3. Agricantus

    Agricantus Allium aflatunense

    The thread title should be "who bid", not "don't bid". It is not fair to CNG and its consignors to exhort people not to bid. It should be a warning about shipment delays.
    CNG provides a great service with hold and batch shipments.
     
  4. Bing

    Bing Illegitimi non carborundum Supporter

    I have had no problem asking CNG to hold a purchase in the past. As much as I like to have a coin in-hand, I can wait with the knowledge that the coins is mine and in safe hands.
     
    Ryro likes this.
  5. oldfinecollector

    oldfinecollector Well-Known Member

    I cannot change the title even if I want it should remain a strong warning a warning. CNG should also put a warning on auction 464 and future ones if needed.

    As a buyer it is not my problem your opinion as consignor as sellers putting coins in consignments to Esale 463 will be receive the money before I re dive my coin and my money is not anymore on my bank account.

    It is fair about me the buyer your comments ? After all I was the customer Even if I am ok that it is a wise things that CNG hold safe my coin I have done nothing wrong I am the only looser so fed up that people say I should not say my feeling and at least inform that there are some issues with deliveries.
     
    Cheech9712 likes this.
  6. Ardatirion

    Ardatirion Où est mon poisson

    Hello all, long time no see! Hope everyone is healthy and safe right now. Here is the message that CNG just sent out via email and Facebook.

    ______

    CNG remains open for business during the coronavirus pandemic. As many of you, we are taking appropriate social distancing measures at our offices to ensure the health and safety of CNG staff.

    Our London office has suspended in-person client meetings until further notice, but otherwise will continue to operate as normal. We invite you to contact them by email or telephone anytime between the hours of 10:30 and 17:00 GMT to discuss prospective consignments.

    Our U.S. office also continues to operate. On 19 March 2020, the governor of Pennsylvania ordered all non-life-sustaining businesses to close, however, as an online retailer, CNG’s operations can continue. No in-person visits will be scheduled at this time. We currently foresee no major interruptions to our auction and fixed price schedule, beyond those imposed by show cancellations.

    As we work through these challenging times together, we would like to offer you our extensive archive of digital auction catalogs, fixed price lists, and other volumes, should you like to explore the world of numismatics further during your time indoors. Please enjoy the thousands of coins, articles, and historical notes contained therein.

    Yours in health,
    The CNG Staff
     
    Shea19, tenbobbit, Alegandron and 4 others like this.
  7. robinjojo

    robinjojo Well-Known Member

    To say that we live in unusual times is a definite understatement. With the world in the middle of a pandemic, with many unknowns and no assurance that it will eventually "go away" (it won't), I think we need to be patient with any transactions with CNG and other firms.

    It is of paramount importance that every measure is taken to reduce exposure to the covid-19 virus, even at the cost of commercial interests. The world, as a whole, and many countries specifically have been caught unprepared to deal with the crisis in terms of detection (lack of available tests), hospital capacity (especially ICU beds), personal protection for medical providers and private citizens (shortage of masks and even hand sanitizer) and a severe shortage of ventilator units. Slow reaction since the outbreak has caused the spread at an increasing rate. We are in a state of catch up, and a vaccine will not be ready for another year to 18 months.

    This pandemic poses a major challenge at both the public health level and economic level. Given the current state of affairs isolation/distancing and hand washing are the only measures to we have right now to slow the spread of this virus.

    Having said all of this, I am sure that CNG and other sellers will continue to provide the same professional services that have been their hallmark to continue through this crisis. They do have a responsibility to protect the health and welfare of their staffs during this pandemic, and I am sure that they will do all they can to meet the needs of their clients.

    Patience, I think, is the rule of the day, plus a good dose perspective and reality of the situation at hand. Enjoy your collections and continue sharing them with fellow collectors through this wonderful forum during this time of social isolation.
     
    oldfinecollector likes this.
  8. panzerman

    panzerman Well-Known Member

    I always have CNG send stuff to my US relatives, they then bring coins over to Canada.:)
     
  9. Barry Murphy

    Barry Murphy Well-Known Member

    Good luck with staying open CNG. The Governor's website says all non-essential businesses must close and has authorized state officials to enforce the closures. CNG isn't on the list of essential businesses. They could send the coins home with employees to work on, but as I read it, the office itself has to be closed.

    Barry Murphy
     
    oldfinecollector likes this.
  10. Romancollector

    Romancollector Well-Known Member

    I agree with everyone else! Like @panzerman I always have CNG ship to my US relatives and they bring them back to Canada. When there is no one in the US, I usually have CNG hold on to them. I usually do the same with Heritage! I think most auction houses would be accommodating.
     
    Jay GT4 and panzerman like this.
  11. SeptimusT

    SeptimusT Well-Known Member

    CNG says they will remain open despite the governor's order, since they can run their business online. At any rate, if I were outside the US, I would still bid on something I really wanted, even if I had to wait to receive it.
     
    panzerman likes this.
  12. green18

    green18 Unknown member Sweet on Commemorative Coins Supporter

    So you, dear fellow, are still among us. Ain't seen ya about for a 'year of Sundays'........good to have you back here on CT......
     
    panzerman likes this.
  13. dougsmit

    dougsmit Member

    Am I the only one bothered by the situation that faces those who consigned coins to sales that will have a reduced audience of participants? It will be interesting to see if the situation cuts down on the number of bidders or if so many people have free time to bid and don't mind not getting winnings for several months.

    I can see how one could run a sale with employees working from home but when will employees be able to access the vaults and put hundreds of coins in envelopes? We all hope this all blows over in a few weeks. It won't. How many sales will you participate in not knowing when the coins will be mailed. How long will you have to wait to be paid for coins you consigned several months ago? No matter, they can't return them to you either. My hobby revolved around coin shows. That is no longer happening. Is mail order better now? As I read it, one person operations from home are still viable but the super sales from the big guys are not. Am I wrong?
     
    oldfinecollector and panzerman like this.
  14. panzerman

    panzerman Well-Known Member

    Well judging by just completed Kunker Auctions, seems coins again went way higher then anticipated. I bid on 2, bids where double estimate, still lost both.:(
     
  15. zumbly

    zumbly Ha'ina 'ia mai ana ka puana

    I received this e-mail from Nomos in Switzerland this morning:

    "Nomos Auction 20 Postponed Until Further Notice

    Dear Friends:

    As should be obvious to everyone, the present Coronavirus situation has changed so many things around the world. This includes, of course, even minor events, like the timing of coin auctions. As you would expect, we have had to cancel our proposed Auction 20, which we intended to have on 3 May. Our manuscript was finished, the photographs were taken, and the layout was done, but, very luckily, it had not gone to the printer. Right now, we cannot tell you when our auction will take place, perhaps in June, but as soon as circumstances permit, we will let you know the new date of our sale, put it online, and have the catalogue printed and sent off to you. What has happened is something that no one could have ever planned for, nor could anyone now alive have witnessed anything similar, or envisioned it outside of a movie or a novel. But the coins you collect, we trade in and provide, and all of us study, enjoy and learn from, well, some of them certainly went through events like this: Athenian tetradrachms were there when the plague ravaged Athens at the start of the Peloponnesian War, killing Pericles himself in 429 BC; gold solidi of Anastasius I, Justin I and Justinian I were there during the great plague that occurred in 541-542; and, of course, all sorts of late Byzantine and Medieval issues were being struck at the time of the Black Plague, or the Black Death, which wiped out a significant number of the Old World’s population, devastating Europe from 1347, when it arrived in Constantinople and Sicily on Genoese ships that sailed from Kaffa in the Crimea, to 1351/1353 when it began to subside. For now, all we can do is follow the rules and advice of the medical experts who know far more than we do, stay at home, and enjoy our coins, since so many of them have seen it all before, and are still here to tell us about it.

    We will keep in touch, and in the coming weeks, send you information, which we hope you will enjoy and find interesting, about some of the coins that will be coming up in Nomos 20. So keep safe, and keep healthy.


    ****************************************************************************

    Yours,

    Nomos AG"

    I've received e-mails from other auction houses indicating that they, like CNG, will be continuing their auctions. Each business makes its own decisions, but having myself consigned a group of coins to Nomos (I sent them off in the first week of Feb, when the world was a slightly different place), I'm glad they've decided to take this route. Of course, having my consignment placed in limbo is not ideal either, but in context of what's going on outside of Coinland, I can't say that this is at the top of my mind right now.
     
  16. octavius

    octavius Well-Known Member

    I have had to wait up to two months on occasion to receive coins and/or artifacts from European firms during "good times". I really don't think CNG's delay will wind up being more than 2-3 weeks.
     
  17. David Atherton

    David Atherton Flavian Fanatic

    I was told privately buy one dealer that business has been brisk. Anyone else here who sells online agree?
     
  18. DonnaML

    DonnaML Well-Known Member

    I seem to have a problem in the other direction. Just a week ago, on March 13, I mentioned that I had apparently "beaten" the deadline for restrictions on international travel, because according to USPS tracking a coin I had ordered from a French seller had arrived in the USA on that date:

    "Your item has been processed through our facility in ISC NEW YORK NY(USPS) at 2:39 am on March 13, 2020."

    Since then, no further updates in tracking, and no sign of the coin -- nothing. Does anyone know if this has something to do with customs, and has anyone ever had this happen to them? Is there anything I can do, other than filing a missing mail report? Thanks!
     
  19. David Atherton

    David Atherton Flavian Fanatic

    Even in the best of times a package can sit in ISC NY anywhere from 2 days to 2 weeks. It's a crap shoot.
     
    DonnaML likes this.
  20. DonnaML

    DonnaML Well-Known Member

    Thanks. In other words, I simply have to be patient. Not one of my favorite things to do!
     
    David Atherton likes this.
  21. Barry Murphy

    Barry Murphy Well-Known Member

    Stock markets crashing.

    world economy grinding to a halt.

    Possible 25% unemployment.

    Empty grocery store shelves.

    All non-essential businesses forced to close.

    People sick around the world.

    National Guard deployed to enforce quarantines.

    and coin collectors are concerned their coins won’t ship in a timely manner. Unbelievable. Get some perspective people.

    Barry Murphy
     
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