HOW TO BID
IN OUR MAIL-BID AUCTIONS
In these days of internet convenience, most of us have grown accustomed to “shopping carts” and “secure sites” for submitting our information. Also, auction sites like eBay have spoiled us by being able to watch the current bids and see what we have to bid to get on top (and even see who our competition is!). But this is not the traditional way auctions are done. Normally auctions are a complete toss-up until the very minute a lot is sold, usually to the last person holding up his bidder card in room full of attentive professionals.
Mail-bid sales have always been different. Without the live venue and its horse-race finish, the mail-bid auction opens up a lot more possibilities along the lines of what we see on the internet today. Indeed we do eventually hope to offer secure online bidding and updated high bids, when our manpower and equipment allow it. But for now we humbly ask that you bid in this auction the traditional way:
(1) View the lots (here on the website or in our printed catalog, which can be ordered for $25).
(2) Write down the lot numbers you want to bid on and the highest you are willing to bid for those lots. Also please provide minimum bids (see Min/Max bidding instructions below). Make sure all bids are in even U.S. dollar amounts (no cents).
(3) Send those lot numbers and bid amounts to us via email, mail, or fax (407-975-3327), or by calling us (407-975-3325) and leaving a message if you do not reach us. Note that bids by email should be sent to our special email bidding address at treasurebids@gmail.com. Or click here for a Bid Sheet that you can print and send by postal mail or fax (note that Adobe Acrobat is required to obtain the Bid Sheet; this program is available as a FREE download at www.adobe.com).
(4) Be sure to provide your name, address, phone number and/or email address.
(5) If you are not an established client of ours, then please also give us credit references (other dealers or websites you have bought from) and/or a 25% deposit in the form of a check or money order or credit card (Visa/MC/AmEx/Discover) or PayPal. Our PayPal address is aworkman@tampabay.rr.com. If you will be paying by credit card, please be sure to give us your card number with the three digits on the back (four digits on front for American Express), the expiration date, your name on the card, and the billing address for that card.
(6) If you are a dealer within the State of Florida, please be sure to provide us with your current resale certificate so that we do not have to charge you sales tax.
(7) Be prepared to pay right away for the items you win, including the necessary shipping and handling charges. You will be billed immediately following the sale (or your credit card will be charged) and the lots will be sent to you as soon as you have paid in full. Auctions are not approval sales, and returns are limited to lots for which our descriptions are in error (note that grading is too subjective to be considered anything more than an opinion and cannot be considered an error).
Min/Max bidding
Unlike other mail-bid auctions, we require each bidder to supply both a Minimum and a Maximum bid. Mostly this is designed to break a tie when two high bidders have the same Maximum, but it also a way to “keep your competition honest.” Simply put (assuming there is no reserve), if your Maximum is highest, then you will win the lot for either one increment (approximately 10%) above the next-highest bid (Maximum or Minimum). If you think you have a chance to win the lot for a low bid but you are willing to go much higher, then give us a big spread, like $100 Minimum and $1,000 Maximum. If no one bids at or above $100, then you will win the lot for $100; but if someone bids against you with $500 Minimum and $1,000 Maximum, then your competition will win the lot for $1,000. Obviously, the more you want a given lot, the higher you will make your Minimum, but keep in mind that you will not win the lot for less than your Minimum. Safest bet is not to give a Minimum at all, in which case your Maximum will serve as your Minimum as well. Only when two high bidders’ Minimums and Maximums are the same will we award the lot to the earlier bidder.
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Interested in placing a bid?
Email bids to: treasurebids@gmail.com
To send your bid by postal mail or fax, please Click here for a printable bid sheet
(Adobe Acrobat Reader required; available as a FREE download at www.adobe.com)
Phone (407) 975-3325 • Fax (407) 975-3327
Copyright © 2007 · Daniel Frank Sedwick
All rights reserved