Ancients: Watching Pecunem close

I spent way too much time today watching the electronic G&N Pecunem auction close. I only won one lot and was shocked at some of the activity witnessed on some coins and the complete lack of it on others. The seller's estimates seemed pretty much worthless with some coins going for ten times estimate and other coins going unsold. I assume on most of these, the coin was consigned by someone who did not want to sell unless they could get twice what it was worth so there was a ridiculous start price.

The reason for this post is not to ask which of you bought the coins I really wanted but to point out that there is a lot to learn by watching these sales go down. I enjoyed seeing a coin come up onscreen with a price and predicting whether it would survive its 15 seconds of fame without someone sitting there and doing a last minute grab. Sine this was a European sale, most of the coins went for more than I'd pay but that is OK since I couldn't afford 900 new coin even if they went for half price.

Does anyone else enjoy watching these things 'live'? Are you able to do so without clicking yourself into the dog house? Does this beat the Puppy Bowl on the other electronic device in the room?

One of the unsold lots might interest one of you who I know bought a similar coin recently.
https://www.pecunem.com/auction-12/lot-392
It is always hard to compare one coin to another and we have to allow for differences in buyers premiums and postage as well as condition factors but here we have evidence that no one wanted this Salonina for the starting bid +10% + 15euros shipping. Now that I think of it, I'm not sure I'm glad I one just one coin with that shipping. Did anyone else watch this sale live?

 

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I also enjoy watching the auctions "live" ... and despite being a bit random in life, I usually stick to my auction-targets ... but I do like to see the auction-action as they're closing-in on my choices (there is usually a trend, but as you stated, at times it can be all over the board!!)

Hmmm, I'm not sure if you were meaning me, but I did purchase one of her son's coins with a similar reverse style? (Saloninus)

 

I watched part of it and had a couple dozen on my watch list. I was surprised that at least one of my watched coins didn't sell. I might take a look at the unsold list before submitting payment for the two modest coins I did grab.

 

I dont usually bid on these auctions, the few times I have, my frugal bidding gets outbid quickly, and most the time it's on a coin I dont expect to go high. Other issue is the high shipping.

Right now I have been redoing ALL of my flip tags, got them printed, now its cutting and replacing old with the new.

 

Steve, that is a magnificent coin but why could they not tell the kid to sit up straight and fill the space inside those bold legends? Don't you just hate it when you have to nag some royal about his posture?

 

I have sat through a few as they close but missed this one today. I was chasing after one coin but it went for twice what I was willing to pay.

 

I have never had the opportunity to sit and watch as the lots close in a live auction. They usually end at times that are not ideal for me. That being said I did avoid Pecunem like the plague this time around. The Canadian dollar has been doing incredibly poor as of late and I have been doing my best not to be tempted by the many different auction houses.

I have always found estimates to be largely unhelpful. I would rather evaluate the coin for myself as best as possible by the picture and determine what I would pay that way. Being frugal with my money it usually isn't close to the estimate.

 

I;ve watched some, but nothing recently. I am surprised by the prices a lot

 

Hmm, Salonina...

 

I'm always surprised by the prices realized. Yes, I do like to watch these, but they can get tedious when the starting prices are too high.

 

these seem to go for more than I'm willing or able to pay, but a few of those went for a price i would be willing and able to go for.

when i'm off the wagon that is.

 

Unfortunately the timing didn't allow me to watch it live. I placed bids on a few but only ended up winning one... sadly the Elagabalus/Priapus wasn't one of them.

I do quite enjoy watching auction closes when the timing allows. I have to admit that if I'm actually there sitting watching the closes, I may be tempted to click above my initial max price for a particular lot so it doesn't get away from me, or even be lured into impulsively bidding on lots I wasn't originally intending to bid on.

I guess I haven't watched enough auctions to realize this is the case - is there a specific reason why European auctions see higher prices, though?

 

Oh, that's a shame... I think the hammer price was still very reasonable for that particular coin. It was on my watch list and I came close to bidding but was holding back because of a monster I have been watching (in ACR). THAT is going to be the subject of another thread, and it doesn't have a happy ending

 

It did look like nicely detailed where it mattered.
I hope I won't have to wait too long for another to come along.
Has ACR already ended? They sent me a nice catalog, but most everything looked out of my budget.

 

It's going on right now and although I did everything possible to bid, I am unable to get the live bidding to work! Long story. I've successfully used Coretech before. I'll post a blow-by-blow in another thread.

The coin I was chasing has probably left the block by now. Unable to get a call through to the auction house, tried other computers/other networks, etc. Gotta shake it off and move on

I hope it sold for well over my planned max bid so I won't have to feel so heartbroken. It would have been my best (and most expensive) coin by miles. I've been watching and planning for this coin for a while... guess I didn't plan for all contingencies.

 

OMG, the ACR story may have a happy ending after all! Not entirely sure yet but maybe. Fingers crossed.

 

I did get the ACR coin I was chasing

Make room on that wagon, boys. It's gonna be a long ride.

 

=> wow, that's fantastic news coin-girlfriend!!
... yah, you showed me that coin on your wish-list (nice => you've definitely elevated to your game to a whole new level) ... I hope that you'll remember the rest of us when you're hangin' around the ol' water-coller with AncientJoe!!



=> congrats (I can hardly wait to see it, again)

 

LOL, thanks Steve! It's not quite an AJ caliber coin but it's pretty darn close! I'm not planning to post it until I have it in hand.

 

I think you're more than welcome around this water cooler! I love the piece you've acquired (but agree with waiting until you have it in-hand, although that might take some time knowing European auction houses).