Heritage Auctions for Average Collectors?

They accept most forms of payment. There are some restrictions on using a credit card for a purchase of more than $2,500, but for lesser purchases you can use PayPal, VISA, Mastercard, (CC or Debit of either), and possibly others.

I have personally used a credit card, debit card, and PayPal. All are very easy to use.

Regarding shipping, I have actually always thought that Heritage shipping is quite affordable. Their shipping rates table can be found at this link. I usually pay between 6 and 10 dollars for shipping -- and items come in USPS Flat Rate envelopes, so pretty speedy.

 

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Thanks for all the info. Will start buying from them, if the high buyers fee doesn't jack the prices up too much.

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I do a ton of business there you can use credit or debit but what I do is use their e-check is just like using a debit comes direct from my account and saves the credit card fees and is secure I spent over 20k with them last year and had no problems whatsoever their shipping is reasonable is never over $20 and is usually half that and they've gotten quick I remember it used to take a couple weeks or so to get my coins but after I'd done a fair amount of business there they really sped it up a weekly sale that ends on a Tuesday my order ships on Thursday and I get it on Saturday or Monday I always pay immediately tho so it ships quicker overall I find them really easy to do business with and highly reccomend them

 

Is nice they figure in the bp right when you go to place a bid so you know exactly what your going to pay and you don't need a calculator

 

I love Heritage and have bought many coins from the site. I have used the 1% discount, but it involves your personal bank account. I think they started allowing PayPal in 2013. I didn't see that option in early 2013.

Be careful on three counts:
1) 17.5% buyers premium on top of your bid. The good thing, it the total bid is always calculated for you and shown to you before you confirm your bid.
2) Above $2500, they will only except a check, bank wire, etc...They don't accept credit cards over this amount.
3) they have so many great coins that it's addicting to visit and bid

 

I love heritage, but see the post I quoted. One thing I have noticed on heritage is sometimes it is best to be first bidder. So lets say the last 4 coins went at 117.50 - the first person to bid $100 has won. At the same time for a really nice coin - don't be scared to go retail on it(or more if the coin warrants it, but keep in mind the 17.5%). Also as mentioned keep in mind the shipping - it is better to win 3 or 4 coins that way the shipping costs can be spread across them.

Matter of fact - time for me to go check some auctions.

 

Agreed and here's a little trick I find works ill share although it might end up biting me in the rear I usually bid off increment and will usually go $1 or $5 more so if I want to bid $400 and I usually set my number ahead not just go the next bid ill bid $401 that means if someone bids $400 I'm still the high bidder and they have to go the next full increment $450 to bid again a lot of times that next full bid may stop them I saw one coin sell there for a bid of 120,001 so that dollar bid won a 6 figure coin

 

How does this internet bidding work on Heritage. The current coin I am working on is in an auction that ends on January 20th for internet bidders and then opens to a live auction some time the next day.

My questions are, can I bid online during the live session and how does my online bid get protected?

Also, isnt this a little bit susceptible to abuse. If Heritage the company knows my bid from online, then wouldnt it be plausible that they could have someone at the live bidding put my price all the way to my max since they know what that is and I cant verify the live auction setting?

Basically they know my bid is $250, the internet bidding stopped at $125, the live auction starts and no one is interested in my coin, but all of a sudden a shill bidder for Heritage runs my price to the full amount of $250 keeping under the one up bid for it. Boom, maximized the most profit for the coin and no one was the wiser.

Im not saying it works like this, but for my first auction through HA.com i was curious at how that whole process works with internet bidding turning over to live bidding. Never really participated in auction like this.

 

Yes - you can bid during the live auction. I have never used bid protection - which from what I read will bid one full increment over your max bid. During live auction I think 1 cut bid is allowed - never really understood that, but I don't worry about it. From my experience there are not any shill bidders - but on things like plantinum nights there are plenty of floor bidders for coins. I really do not think heritage has to use shill bidders - there are plenty of dealers and collectors looking to buy coins. At the same time I have won coins under my maximum several times.

Once you get away from the main auction there are still some lots that will get floor bids, email bids or phone bids. It is actually fun to watch. I have watched some of my bids fall to floor bidders or email bidders during live auctions. It seems to me once you get away from the primary auction a lot of the coins are won by internet bidders.

 

Trey,

To echo GD, I have won many coins on this site below my max bid. I've also been maxed out on coins. During the live auctions porting, just go to your "My Bids" page. There will be a "Heritage Live" icon you click on and it will take you to the auction. If it hasn't started yet, it will tell you when it will start. Then just watch as lots come up. About 10 lots before one of your coins is up for auction, there will be an audible sound. Your lot will be highlighted and you can track it as it nears.

 

And don't forget to comparison shop. Sometimes dealers will sell the same quality of coin close to heritage prices or maybe even the same.

 

Another thing that's nice is you can't bid against yourself I will often wait and watch the lots I'm interested on ha live and if I get outbid ill bid again but it will show if your previous internet (absentee) bid is winning lag time can be a problem as Doug said but I've usually not had a problem worst problem I had was being on the road getting outbid and not having signal enough to bid again I feel their incredibly easy to work with I've bought some things for far less then I was willing to pay I have overpaid too tho but that was just getting caught up in a bidding war my advice to a first time buyer there is to place your max bid on it and see how it goes also you can follow the lots live online can be entertaining

 

Actually I always turn off live bidding - I don't want to make a mistake. The most I have done is up my maximum before the lot hits the floor.