Bowers and Merena Continues to Set Auction Records in Baltimore

[James_OldeTowne]

Does anyone really care? Does it REALLY entice you more to a certain auction house just because they "continue to set auction records"?

 

I hate this kind of mind-numbing hype.

[MarkFeld]

Does anyone really care? Does it REALLY entice you more to a certain auction house just because they "continue to set auction records"?

 

I hate this kind of mind-numbing hype.

James, in defense of Bowers or any other auction house that advertises in a similar fashion, the bottom line for sellers is that they want the highest prices for their coins. I have a serious, non-rhetorical question for you - If you were going to write an ad for Bowers, what would it say, instead?

[James_OldeTowne]

Does anyone really care? Does it REALLY entice you more to a certain auction house just because they "continue to set auction records"?

 

I hate this kind of mind-numbing hype.

James, in defense of Bowers or any other auction house that advertises in a similar fashion, the bottom line for sellers is that they want the highest prices for their coins. I have a serious, non-rhetorical question for you - If you were going to write an ad for Bowers, what would it say, instead?

The problem is, I understood the ad was directed to me as a buyer!

[MarkFeld]

Does anyone really care? Does it REALLY entice you more to a certain auction house just because they "continue to set auction records"?

 

I hate this kind of mind-numbing hype.

James, in defense of Bowers or any other auction house that advertises in a similar fashion, the bottom line for sellers is that they want the highest prices for their coins. I have a serious, non-rhetorical question for you - If you were going to write an ad for Bowers, what would it say, instead?

The problem is, I understood the ad was directed to me as a buyer!

I didn't see the ad (corrected here and later for spelling/grammar - thanks to the person that made me aware of it), but, from what you wrote, it sure sounded like an ad directed at potential consignors, not buyers.

[MBA101]

The 08/7 Bustie that I posted I bought through this sale, and Mike King got his 1830 Large O. That said, it looked as if there was a rather large percentage of coins that did not sell, and many looked very nice by their pics (not that that means everything or anything). If setting records also includes disappointing some of your consigners, then well, something is wrong.

 

Here is a link to the halves...

 

http://www.bowersandmerena.com/auctions/listings.aspx?auctionno=13020&sessionno=4&catno=40

[MarkFeld]

The 08/7 Bustie that I posted I bought through this sale, and Mike King got his 1830 Large O. That said, it looked as if there was a rather large percentage of coins that did not sell, and many looked very nice by their pics (not that that means everything or anything). If setting records also includes disappointing some of your consigners, then well, something is wrong.

 

Here is a link to the halves...

 

http://www.bowersandmerena.com/auctions/listings.aspx?auctionno=13020&sessionno=4&catno=40

I view an auction's simultaneously "setting records" and "disappointing some of your consignors" as expected, not as "something is wrong". Almost all sales include items which don't meet reserve, in many cases, because consignors set unrealistically high reserves.

[MikeKing]

Does anyone really care? Does it REALLY entice you more to a certain auction house just because they "continue to set auction records"?

 

I hate this kind of mind-numbing hype.

 

I understand what you are saying, or at least I think I do.

It always irritates me to hear auction firms boasting about how coinX sold for $125,000.00 and coinY sold for $67,000.00.

 

And yes, those kinds of prices are out of my range, so I would consider, is it jealous outrage of mine that I can't compete for coins like that? Probably, yes.

 

Also, if they lowered the range and made exclamatories about how high a price they got for coins that I could afford, I'd also be outraged.

 

But Mark (I'm sorry Mark, but I am about to agree with you), is correct in the sense that these advertising tactics are for accruing confidence from potential consignors.

 

Some retailers have pointed out that your better off buying from them because they know what the value of a coin is (basically) and you will actually end up paying less if you buy from them rather than get caught up in a ridiculous bidding war via auction. Well, there's some truth to that too. But it's also a selling point by the dealer to gain our...the coinees....confidence too.

 

I guess the bottom line for a collector is to just become a keen collector.

 

edited to add: B&M in particular, I would strongly consider using to auction off my collection when that day comes, if they are still operating with the zeal and quality that I think they are currently.

[michael]

in defense of Bowers or any other auction house that advertises in a similar fashion, the bottom line for sellers is that they want the highest prices for their coins.

 

 

and first and foremost without consigners then no buyers hence no auction companies as there are always buyers for the auction companies coins

 

and in this current time in usa on-going history there are many wanting to buy/bid on high graded holdered/pop top coins that have tons of cash to spend

[just-john]

Yup never hear them say all these coins from these dates and these grades we just couldn't sell.Looks like lately quite a few middle grade coins don't move

[James_OldeTowne]

Let me go one step further.

 

Is it really such a great thing if auction records continue to be set? Doesn't this really mean I'll continue to pay more and more and more for my coins? and doesn't it also mean that the number of coins that climb out of my financial reach will continue to climb at an alarming rate?

 

I'd love to own a major-variety set of Draped bust half-dollars. Even ten years ago, I could have afforded it, but no longer. First, the '01 and '02, and now the '03 and '05 have pretty much finally climbed out of my financial reach (at least in the grades I like).

 

But they continue to set records !