Sometimes you just get lucky

[cpm9ball]

In 2005, I won the auction for the medal shown below for less than $150. I really like this medal by Chaplain. It's a 68mm bronze struck by the Paris Mint for the 1900 Universal Exposition which was held in conjunction with the Olympics in Paris. I have always wanted to get another, but the prices have risen quite a bit since then. Within the last couple of weeks, one sold for $275, and it didn't look nearly as nice as mine. There is another on Ebay with a BIN of $450.

 

Just two years ago, you could have won auctions for most any silver, copper or bronze French medal for considerably less than $150. In 2006, I purchased 44 medals in one fell swoop from one dealer in France for less than $1650. Lately, there has been an increased interest in the works of renowned medallists such as Roty, Bottee, Bovy, Borrell, Dubois and Chaplain, just to name a few. Two weeks ago, I watched as a silvered bronze 1900 Olympics plaquette by Roty sold for $451. About 9 months ago, another silver1900 Olympics plaquette of a different design by Roty sold for $675.

 

Last week, I was notified that another of the Chaplain medals had surfaced on eBay. I watched it, and through the first couple days there had been little activity as bidding only progressed to $26. With 2+ days to go, I decided to place a max bid of $150 just to see what would happen. It jumped to $86 immediately, and I figured that someone would probably snipe me just before the close of the auction. With mere hours to go, I remained the high bidder at $142 and change. Then, it happened while I was at work. There were no more bids and I won! It will be about 10 days before I receive it from the seller in England.

 

I'm definitely a happy camper, and it does prove the point, "Nothing ventured, nothing gained!" Anyone can get lucky.

 

Chris

[rbrown4]

Excellent Chris, Congratulations on another new addition to you medal collection. Well Done.

 

Rey

[physics-fan3.14]

You've got quite the collection going there, buddy. Congrats.

[rrantique]

Awesome medal Chris. Congrats.

[ant]

that is one sexy medal! congrats.

[bsshog40]

Very nice medal there Chris. I knew you collected medals but I never realized to the extent it was. Congrats on the auction piece.

[harvey8542]

Great looking Medal

[Conder101]

I'm definitely a happy camper, and it does prove the point, "Nothing ventured, nothing gained!"

It also shows that if you had done your $150 bid as a snipe instead of a max bid you might have gotten it at $86. Or at least less than $142.

[cpm9ball]

I'm definitely a happy camper, and it does prove the point, "Nothing ventured, nothing gained!"

It also shows that if you had done your $150 bid as a snipe instead of a max bid you might have gotten it at $86. Or at least less than $142.

 

Granted, it was a surprise for me when it sold for less than $150. As it turned out though, it was another bidder who bumped me to $142, so it wouldn't have remained at $86 anyway.

 

Chris

[ant]

what is the rarety on a medal like that? do you know who the designer is? wow it is awsome.

[Conder101]

As it turned out though, it was another bidder who bumped me to $142, so it wouldn't have remained at $86 anyway.

Did the guy who bumped you to 142 do it with one bid or a series of bids? It makes a diference.

 

A snipe bid does not really have an advantage over a person who uses a max bid, but it has a signifiacant advantage over someone who does incremental bidding, even if (and especially if) the incremental bidder is willing to pay more than the sniper.

 

But an early max bidder is at a distinct disadvantage when dealing with an incremental bidder.

[CHABSENTIA]

In 2005, I won the auction for the medal shown below for less than $150. I really like this medal by Chaplain. It's a 68mm bronze struck by the Paris Mint for the 1900 Universal Exposition which was held in conjunction with the Olympics in Paris. I have always wanted to get another, but the prices have risen quite a bit since then. Within the last couple of weeks, one sold for $275, and it didn't look nearly as nice as mine. There is another on Ebay with a BIN of $450.

 

Just two years ago, you could have won auctions for most any silver, copper or bronze French medal for considerably less than $150. In 2006, I purchased 44 medals in one fell swoop from one dealer in France for less than $1650. Lately, there has been an increased interest in the works of renowned medallists such as Roty, Bottee, Bovy, Borrell, Dubois and Chaplain, just to name a few. Two weeks ago, I watched as a silvered bronze 1900 Olympics plaquette by Roty sold for $451. About 9 months ago, another silver1900 Olympics plaquette of a different design by Roty sold for $675.

 

Last week, I was notified that another of the Chaplain medals had surfaced on eBay. I watched it, and through the first couple days there had been little activity as bidding only progressed to $26. With 2+ days to go, I decided to place a max bid of $150 just to see what would happen. It jumped to $86 immediately, and I figured that someone would probably snipe me just before the close of the auction. With mere hours to go, I remained the high bidder at $142 and change. Then, it happened while I was at work. There were no more bids and I won! It will be about 10 days before I receive it from the seller in England.

 

I'm definitely a happy camper, and it does prove the point, "Nothing ventured, nothing gained!" Anyone can get lucky.

 

Chris

 

Beautiful medal. Congratulations

[cpm9ball]

As it turned out though, it was another bidder who bumped me to $142, so it wouldn't have remained at $86 anyway.

Did the guy who bumped you to 142 do it with one bid or a series of bids? It makes a diference.

 

A snipe bid does not really have an advantage over a person who uses a max bid, but it has a signifiacant advantage over someone who does incremental bidding, even if (and especially if) the incremental bidder is willing to pay more than the sniper.

 

But an early max bidder is at a distinct disadvantage when dealing with an incremental bidder.

 

To a certain extent, I must correct the specifics of my earlier statement. I just checked the particulars. Sometimes my memory $uck$, and other times it only $tink$.

 

> The bidding stalled at $25.00 placed by b***o

> I entered my max bid and it jumped to $77.07 with me, 8***2 , the high bidder

> Another bidder, s***e , bumped me to $82.05

> Then, I remained the high bidder with the following increments: $90.09, $100.01, $125.95, $140.08 and finally $142.58

 

I know there are advantages to using a sniping program. I used to use Bidnapper. I quit because I was spending way too much money. It made it very easy to win.

 

Thanks, Conder!

 

Chris

[cpm9ball]

what is the rarety on a medal like that? do you know who the designer is? wow it is awsome.

 

I can't tell you how rare it may or may not be. From many discussions with my "French Connections", I'm given the impression that it was very rare that more than 500 of any one specimen was produced. Most were in the 100-250 range.

 

The medal was designed by Jules Clement Chaplain who was born in 1839, but my reference book doesn't state when he died. He studied under the master, Oudine, and is considered one of the greatest medallists of France. Probably one of his most memorable accomplishments was when he was commissioned to produce a medal in gold commemorating the visit of the Tsar and Tsaritsa, Nicholas and Alexandra, to the Monnaie de Paris on October 7, 1896. Two of these gold medals were presented to the Sovereigns of Russia.

 

Thanks, ant!

 

Chris

[ant]

thank you chris! the design is awsome i will add that name to list