Weaver Signature Coin and Currency Auction
Chris Fisher, Fisher’s Auction and Appraisal
Note: Occasionally Proxiblog will post “On the Block,” allowing auctioneers to speak their minds about selling coins online. We begin with Chris Fisher, owner of Fisher’s Auction and Appraisal in Edgewater, Florida.
I truly believe that the overwhelming percentage of buyers and sellers are good and decent people. As with any other endeavor, there is a small percentage of people who really make you think about conducting another online auction.
We have had a few issues over the years. Most are due to people not understanding the processes behind selling via an online venue such as Proxibid, and a small but seemingly increasing percentage of people who are engaging in out-and-out fraud.
I really don’t have that many issues with the coins that I sell. The reason for this is that I have a person who is very knowledgeable doing our catalogs and can describe the coins for me. It may cost a few hundred dollars per auction, but it is worth it.
One of the biggest costs involved in conducting online auctions is credit card fees. I am a little guy and it still cost me over $1000 – $2000 every month in fees just from online bidders. Unpaid merchandise usually accounts for another $300 to $1000. It might not seem like a lot of money to a lot of people but it means a lot to us.
Online bidders are very important to us. We truly appreciate every legitimate bidder that signs up for our auctions. Please note that most of these problems occur because of a very small percentage of bidders just don’t realize what is going on, not because they are intentionally trying to cause problems.
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1. Please provide us with valid contact info. If you are like me and are rarely home, please provide another contact phone number.
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2. I am a bidder at other auctioneers online auctions. I really do understand what it means to be a bidder. I understand that it is easier to keep a bidder than it is to buy a new one. I will do everything within reason to treat you right. I will attempt to ship your items in the most cost effective manner.
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3. Online bidding has a lot of variables. Just because you left a maximum pre-bid of $100 and another bidder got it does not mean that we are trying to give you the shaft. The computer may have had you at $95 and the next bid would be $100. We would not under any circumstances bump your bid to $100. You have just came in on the “Back Side of the Bidding”. There is nothing we can do about it. We are sorry but it does happen.
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4. Why do we charge 17% for online bidding? Our normal buyers fee is 10% to our house bidders. Proxibid charges us 5% for everything that is sold to online bidders. Our credit card processors charge us significantly more of a percentage when we do not swipe the credit cards and type them in manually. The extra 2% does not cover the complete cost, but it does offset it for the most part.
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5. If you use a spam blocker please add us to your safe senders list so that we can contact you via email.
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6. If you have a question about an item, please contact us before you bid. Most auctioneers love talking to potential bidders and we don’t mind answering your questions before the auction. You questions actually help us to learn more about our items and allow us to serve you better.
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7. Please do not ask us to circumvent Proxibid and let you do a phone bid on a $50 item just so you can save $3.50 in buyers fees. Also, if you ask us to call you for a phone bid, please have a realistic idea as to the value of a particular item. While it is remotely possible, it is highly unlikely that you are going to win an item with a legitimate value of $20,000 for $1,000 at a properly promoted auction. Please make realistic starting bids.
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8. We have no control over internet speed or service availability. One of the downsides to bidding online is that you the bidder must have done your homework before the auction. It is important that you have an idea of what you are willing to pay for an item. We move quickly at our auctions selling an item on the average every 30-45 seconds. If you (or us, or anywhere in between) has a slow connection, you will lose the item. It moves just as quickly in the gallery.
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9. Most auctioneers DO NOT give preference to the in house bidders. Most of us are die hard capitalists and we try to give preference to the person who is willing to pay the most for a given item. I do not care if you are in my gallery or online. Please do not call me screaming about me missing your online bid. Please refer to number 6 above.
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10. Believe it or not, our in house bidders feel as though the online bidders have an advantage over them. They feel as though they have to pay 6.5% sales tax that you do not have to pay, plus they take the time and expense to drive to the auction. We have regular bidders who will not attend an auction that we conduct online because of the unfair advantage you possess in their eyes.
Now for the things that don’t happen often, but drive us nuts.
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1. People whose credit cards are no good. We really do not like chasing our money. Proxibid only allows us a few days to report non-paying bidders. I used to just eat these bad debts, but after getting nailed by more than a few of these people I do not hesitate to report them to Proxibid. If this means that they cannot bid at another auction, I am sorry.
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2. People who do not read the terms and conditions or feel as they don’t pertain to them. When we say that we do not accept checks, we really mean it. For us the reason is that in most of our contracts with our sellers we MUST pay them within 7 days after the auction. If they mail us a check and we deposit it, it takes more than 7 days to determine if that check is good. They have just put us in breach of contract with our clients as I cannot pay them for the items that they purchased.
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3. It is getting to the point that we are considering sending out all our packages requiring adult signatures to receive them. We have had people claiming that they have not received their items when we have proof from USPS or UPS that items were delivered. We did our job in getting the package to the buyer. When they do a chargeback on their credit card, the merchant rarely wins as the credit card companies almost always side with the customer. In most cases I believe that this is out and out fraud on the part of the bidder as I am certain they do have the merchandise.
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4. People who arbitrarily do a chargeback 2-3 months down the road for no reason. No phone calls or emails, nothing. We get a notice out of the blue that the purchase is being disputed. We try to contact the customer and they will not respond. And then they keep the merchandise. Again, the credit card companies tend to side with the card holders most of the time. When I have to drive to Georgia to retrieve $4800 worth of merchandise it gives me a lot of drive time to think of what I am going to say, and I get more P.O.’d every mile I drive. By the time I get there the Marine in me really comes to the surface.
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5. Claiming that an item was broken, or fake and then sending us back a totally different item. We mark items such as glass, etc. with a hidden mark. We have a pretty good idea what we had as we handled it 15-20 times before we sent it out. This is out-and-out theft on the part of the bidder.
Postscript: If you are an auctioneer who wants to share views in “On the Block,” leave your email in a comment. We’ll be in touch. Rules are simple: Explain your practices and perspectives as proactively as possible, as our intent is to share information to make the online buying experience pleasurable and profitable for auctioneer, consignor and buyer. “On the Block” is not a venue to challenge Proxiblog’s “Honor Roll” standards or Proxibid fees.
Proxiblog is an independent entity with no ties to Proxibid. We promote the ethics of the National Auctioneers Association and American Numismatic Association.
I’m Eddie Caven with Key Date Coin Auctions. I have a few things to say about coin auctions and hope it benefits both auctioneers and bidders.
Customer service is a top priority for auctioneers. Without customers, there would be no auctions (and hence, no service).
In response to Proxiblog, Key Date Coin Auctions lowered its buyer’s premiums to 15%. For starters, the difference between a 15% and 18% premium is not that great. As pointed out in this blog, if you attract more bidders you will see more competition. Lower buyer premiums and starting bids are ways to spark a competitive auction.
Part of that competitive atmosphere comes from auctioneers themselves. They should engage bidders onsite or online, in person or with audiovisuals, so that buyers are part of the auction experience. They should feel that sense of excitement, especially with a winning bid, knowing they came out on top. Check out Proxiblog’s “How Competitive are Your Auctions?” This is very informative.
As for consignments, I had a gentleman email me recently stating that he was considering Key Date Coin Auctions. He couldn’t find a consignment form on my website to see my charges.
I sent him the email response below.
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“Thank you for taking interest in Key Date Coin Auctions. I’m in the process of putting on a larger, higher-end coin auction in Oklahoma City. I charge between 5% and 10% for consignments. Everything depends on the items being auctioned and quality of those items. If I had more of an idea of what you wanted to auction, that would help. I don’t have to pay 20 employees like some other auction companies. I’m not out to make a killing off of other people’s items.
Coins are the only thing I deal with as I am a coin collector myself. Every consignment is different. I do a lot of consignments on a hand shake. As an example, if you had 20 proof sets, and they sold for 5 dollars each, it would usually take 48 hours for bidders’ funds to clear my bank … at which time I would send you a check. If you had $5,000 dollars worth of items that sold in 10 lots, I would charge 5% or $250.
I am easy to get along with. This is what I do to enjoy life. I could have my attorneys draw up contracts but that would make this too much like a job. … I like what I do, and if you would like me to list some of your coins, I think we can come to an agreement and a happy outcome for both parties.”
The consignor wrote back: “Those are much better rates than I was quoted at other sites. I have many coins and would like to send you a smaller low-dollar pack for a future auction, at least for the ‘first’ time. What I will do is compile a detailed list and you can determine if you even have interest in handling same.”
I received that list today. His items may be on the block in a few weeks.
This is a typical business transaction. If this were an elderly couple having to sell their collection to make ends meet, well, that’s another issue. Auctioneers can strike deals that they feel are right in their hearts.
I guess that is why I find Proxiblog’s “Honor Roll Houses” to be a good thing. Auction companies on this list have the bidder’s best interest at heart.
Most auctioneers know how the bidding process works. Bidders usually are looking for a few coins to add to their collection. Sometimes bidders are looking for items to resell. They all have one thing in mind, and that’s to get a good deal. But many bidders don’t know what it takes to get an item ready on Proxibid. We have to log that coin in to keep track of it, take pictures (not always as easy as it seems), describe the item, lot number, lot title, lot description, quality, and opening bid. And then transfer all the information to Proxibid. Once we get to this point, we still have several more hours to go.
Now consider that 15% buyer’s premium, which includes a 3% credit card fee and 5% Proxibid fee. That leaves the auction house making 7% per item sold. You do the math. That’s not too much to ask for all the work.
Then again, hosting an auction is somewhat like gambling. If we have a coin we bought for $40 and it sells for $35, that’s the chance we take: $35 + 7% =$37.45. We just spent $2.55 for bidders to enjoy the show. If the coin sold for $40 + 7%, that’s $42.80. So if that’s the case, we hope the bidder enjoyed the show and received a nice coin in return.
In closing, auctioneers and bidders alike should subscribe to Proxiblog and read about all aspects of bidding, buying, selling, auctioning. Thank you, Proxiblog, for sharing your knowledge and advice!
Proxiblog is an independent entity with no connection to the auction portal Proxibid. Our intent is to uphold basic numismatic standards as established by the American Numismatic Association and the National Auctioneer Association and to ensure a pleasurable bidding experience not only on Proxibid but also on similar portals such as iCollector and AuctionZip.
Dave Nauert, Silvertowne Auctions
Note: Occasionally Proxiblog will post “On the Block,” allowing auctioneers to speak their minds about selling coins online. In this installment we feature Dave Nauert of Silvertowne Auctions, one of the highest ranked sellers of coins on this site (see our rankings to the right), giving numismatic advice to buyers, sellers and Proxibid auctioneers.
Buying coins in online auctions can be fun and exciting. A wide variety of coins usually is offered and often coins can be purchased for less than at other venues. There are, however, a few things to watch out for if you are a bidder or an auctioneer.
Make sure the auction company has expertise in the merchandise it is selling. Many auctioneers will sell anything that comes through the door without having any knowledge of the product. This may be okay when buyers have the ability to physically inspect the items in person, but it puts buyers at a disadvantage on the Internet. The value of coins is so closely tied to the condition of the item that buyers must be able to trust grades given by the auctioneer, and also have good pictures to determine the grade. Without knowledgeable people, many auctioneers simply can’t supply this information and often will just rely on the consignor’s grades or not grade coins at all. Several auctioneers also can’t authenticate coins or detect cleaned, repaired, or doctored coins. Our coin experts at Silvertowne have been involved in the coin business for over 40 years. We look at and grade all of the uncertified coins ourselves. Problems are noted so that buyers can bid appropriately.
Auctioneers and buyers also should be aware of unreliable grading services. I recently saw a coin in an MS-66 holder that was probably an MS-60 before someone started polishing it. (Note: This is called a “self-slabbed” coin, an unethical practice by unscrupulous sellers posing as grading companies–click here for more information about that.) By the time the “self-slabber” was done the coin it looked more like an AU-58. And then he consigned it.
The difference in value between AU-58 and MS-66 is almost $8000. The person that bought the coin in an online auction thought he got a great deal. He didn’t.
An auction company should describe self-slabbed and other coins accurately. NGC, PCGS, ICG, and ANACS are all fairly reliable grading services. At Silvertowne, when we auction coins in other holders, we always provide our opinion of the actual grade of the coin. (Note: Proxiblog advises auctioneers unfamiliar with coins to hire a local expert to write the descriptions, as Chris Fisher of Fisher’s Auctions and Appraisals does and explains in this post.)
Buying, selling and auctioning coins can be fun. And remember, don’t be afraid to ask an auction company any questions you have about the coins in its auction. Most will be happy to help you out.
Postscript: If you are an auctioneer who wants to share views in “On the Block,” leave your email in a comment. We’ll be in touch. Rules are simple: Explain your practices and perspectives as proactively as possible, as our intent is to share information to make the online buying experience pleasurable and profitable for auctioneer, consignor and buyer. “On the Block” is not a venue to challenge Proxiblog’s “Honor Roll” standards or Proxibid fees.
Proxiblog is an independent entity with no ties to Proxibid. We promote the ethics of the National Auctioneers Association and American Numismatic Association.
Charles Commander, Midwest Coins
Midwest Coins runs 60-65 coin auctions a year through the website portal Proxibid. No other auction house on Proxibid pushes as many coin lots. Humbly, we do make mistakes, as we are human, and put 100% effort into rectifying these problems when they do occur.
Midwest Coins is a family-owned business. We own a full service coin store and jewelry business.
When we first started with Proxibid, I can remember selling wheat pennies individually and other items of no numismatic value. We have been with Proxibid for over five years now and have enjoyed all the people we have met along the way. One of the great things about our business is that we can run it the way we want. We have made changes along the way, only if it was deemed necessary to improve the experience for the customer.
One thing should be noted about our company. WE HAVE NEVER NOT TAKEN BACK AN ITEM FROM A CUSTOMER IN THE FIVE YEARS OF OUR BUSINESS. IRREGARDLESS OF THE REASON FOR THE RETURN, WE HAVE ALWAYS ISSUED A REFUND.
With that being said, please put yourself in our shoes for a minute. We DO our best to accurately describe each coin. We DO ship in a reasonable time frame. We DO accept returns in an acceptable time frame. We have issued several returns even after the period that consumers have sent coins in for the grading process. This should be noted. considering that this could be several months after the auction and we have paid the consignor already, and I am forced to eat the coin and costs. I have always believed that it is worth any cost to keep a customer. It cost more to lose one and even more to attract a new one.
Here are changes we made to enhance the customer experience on our Proxibid auctions:
- Started at 20% Buyers Premium (1 year), lowered to 18% (3 1/2 years), and now we are at 15%
- Shipping generally took two weeks; we now have Click & Ship and ship within 3-5 days.
- Shipping charges were cost plus $5 for handling; we now charge a $10 flat rate! (Please note that if you buy a $3 item that we usually cut shipping costs in half.)
In all, we appreciate the loyalty of our long time customers and look forward to the new ones as well. We have lost some customers along the way, and I know that all auctioneers could say the same.
Keep in mind that a fair and impartial mind is needed to accurately describe the coin business. We are in the business of providing an outlet to sell coins to people that may or may not have easily or readily available resources to complete their respective collections. We categorically sell coins below grey sheet prices while maintaining happy consignors. That is one tough act to follow at times.
All of these services are still worth something in America today, aren’t they?
Thank you for allowing me to express our position, as well as our gratitude to customers for their commitment and loyalty to Midwest Coins through the years. We will continue to shine and bring to you quality coins, tougher dates, excellent customer service, lower premiums and shipping costs, 100% satisfaction, excellent descriptions, awesome photography, and an overall pleasing ONLINE auction experience.
Please feel free to drop me a line at charles121871@yahoo.com to express your concerns or opinions about this “On the Block” installment, adapted from my company newsletter.
Postscript: If you are an auctioneer who wants to share views in “On the Block,” leave your email in a comment. We’ll be in touch. Rules are simple: Explain your practices and perspectives as proactively as possible, as our intent is to share information to make the online buying experience pleasurable and profitable for auctioneer, consignor and buyer. “On the Block” is not a venue to challenge Proxiblog’s “Honor Roll” standards or Proxibid fees.
Proxiblog is an independent entity with no ties to Proxibid. We promote the ethics of the National Auctioneers Association and American Numismatic Association.
Jeremy Jager, Big Fellas Auction
How easy or difficult it is for an auctioneer to make the transition to Proxibid, especially when things go horribly wrong smack dab during an inaugural auction? You’ve heard us tout the quality of Proxibid Customer Service before. Jeremy Jager of Big Fellows Auction shares his first portal experience, putting our prior endorsements to the test.
The Proxibid staff gives you as much help as you need. They make certain you are prepared for the event. Every step of the way–every question I had–those staffers were right there to answer for me. That meant a lot because, honestly, I was a little bit nervous about the whole online auction experience.
What if something were to go wrong?
I had bid on Proxibid before–many times, as a matter of fact; but here I was starting a brand new auction company run by a guy with modest computer skills. Perhaps you can understand how I might be apprehensive.
Here’s the deal for those thinking about becoming a Proxibid auctioneer: If I can do it then pretty much any one can.
For those contemplating selling coins on Proxibid, my advice would be to set aside time each day to practice the company’s auctioneer software. Also, check out other people’s auctions and their portal sites. In fact, I gained a lot knowledge from analyzing their sites, from photography to lot descriptions, and even talking to some of the other auctioneers. I was very surprised to find that everyone I had talked to was very friendly and helpful.
Also, you should expect the unexpected. Right at the end of my first auction a construction crew accidentally took out the internet line, and my auction went down. I did not know what to do! But I did know that Proxibid promised its team would be there to help if anything like this should happen; but let’s face it, we have all heard promises before that were less then truthful.
Within five minutes Proxibid support was on the phone with me. Customer service had one of their own people run the auction for me, and I called the bids over the phone. I can’t tell you how grateful I was to the young man who called and helped me get back up to finish my auction. Even most of the bidders stayed with the auction right through the end!
I have to say from start to finish this was by far one of the best auction experiences I have ever had. The Proxibid sales team and Customer Service, the registered bidders, and cooperative auctioneers are the best group of people to work with anywhere. I am grateful that Proxibid stuck with me and my auction, especially when things got difficult.
That’s the real test, and I give Proxibid an A+ for all it did.
Weaver Signature Coin and Currency Auction
Editor’s Note: Dave and Cheryl Weaver of Weaver’s Signature Coin & Currency Auctions are among the most progressive and entrepreneurial online coin auctioneers, excelling in photography, online advertising, consignments and customer service. We’re proud to share their “On the Block” about their attempts to deal professionally and courteously with Proxibidders.
By Dave and Cheryl Weaver
“White Hat” customers are the cream of the crop-both buyers and sellers. We can always count on their payment method to function properly. This customer communicates clearly. This customer remembers to let us know if emails or phone numbers change. This customer also provides feedback–both satisfaction with the sale or purchase and sometimes suggestions for improvement. As a seller this customer respects our experience and works with us to offer quality items in a fairly graded manner.
“Gray Hat” customers are generally those customers who are time-consuming. We have to call for a new credit card or call to have money added to a debit card. We accept PayPal payments as a courtesy but we don’t want to wait 5 days for payment. Be advised: When we are boxing & shipping, your order will wait until last when we’re busy trying to contact you.
“Black Hat” customers are fortunately rare for us. Thank goodness! These customers bid generally live online with apparently no intention of ever paying. The credit cards are denied as insufficient funds. (Once again it’s too bad you can register with a debit card without a minimum limit of funds available.) The phone number is no good and of course emails go unanswered. A “Non-Paying Bidder Report” is filed immediately with Proxibid. This generally results in this person being black-listed from Proxibid auctions, which is better for all of us. Insufficient fund checks are given a 10-day notice before being turned over to our County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. All “Black Hats” and a few “Gray Hats” are added to our Proxibid permanently denied customer list.
Proxibid strives to provide us with safeguards to prevent “bad guys” from bidding on our auctions but it still pays to monitor bidders automatically accepted for our auctions. We have one bidder that we have permanently denied THREE times! Changing the spelling of his name and other personal information got him through the system.
We strive to maintain strong, honest customer relationships. No set of terms or rules can define every issue. We deal with issues as they rise in what we hope is the most fair manner and say THANK YOU when we can finish an entire auction start to finish with no glitches!
GreatCollections
Coin Auctions & Rare Coin Sales
View GreatCollections Coin Auctions
GreatCollections offers collectors an extensive selection of certified coins ranging in price from $25 up to $10,000s. All coins have been professionally listed and imaged by GreatCollections expert staff and most are certified by the leading third-party grading companies including PCGS and NGC. Since GreatCollections has possession of all items being offered for sale, GreatCollections will ship your auction winnings and purchases to you securely and promptly. Sellers consign to GreatCollections to take advantage of our low commission rates, which work out in most cases to be cheaper than if they did all the work themselves.
Bennett Auction Service
Bennett Auction Service has come on the Proxibid coin auction scene adopting many of the best practices by our top houses, with flat rate shipping of $7.87 plus insurance, good photography, APN clearance and one of the lowest online buyer’s fees of 9.5%
Good news today concerning an auction house appealing to the online coin buying audience. Bennett Auction Service has a philosophy based on “a balance of making a living and staying competitive,” says auctioneer-broker Adam Kielsmeier of the Prentice, WI, house.
“Shipping rates are influenced by both item fragility and size vs. value, he says. “Shippers love coins and hate chandeliers. We use APN for the same reason we use Proxibid; they are a stable and professional company that offers a well-developed service while focusing on integrity and excellence.”
Adam notes that he and his spouse “started out years ago in the live auction arena, and simply imposed our personal convictions on our newly created auction business: be honest, do quality work, be thoughtful in decisions. We also believe it is essential both to serve our seller in a proper client-agent relationship and to be fair and transparent with our buyers.”
Part of that proper client-agent relationship is not viewing maximum bids online or allowing consignors to bid on their lots. Bennett Auction Service falls in line once again with our recommended best practices.
Kielsmeier’s company focuses on “proper marketing, accurate representation, and fair terms for whatever we may be trusted to sell.” While he hasn’t specialized in coins, he is rethinking that market.
We hope he does because these values are ones we have promoted in all our top houses.
Proxiblog is an independent entity with no connection to the auction portal Proxibid. Our intent is to uphold basic numismatic standards as established by the American Numismatic Association and the National Auctioneer Association and to ensure a pleasurable bidding experience not only on Proxibid but also on similar portals such as iCollector and AuctionZip.
Western Auction
Welcome to Western Auctioneer!
Western Auction has been in operation since 1983 and is fully licensed and bonded.
We conduct consignment and estate auctions twice a week–each Tuesday and Thursday evening at 7 p.m. at our own facility. And we specialize in coins on the Proxibid portal.
Since the inception of Proxiblog in May 2011, Western Auction has been ranked among the top houses selling coins on Proxibid. We have one of the lowest buyer’s fees on the portal, including best photography and numismatic consignments. We ship inexpensively and swiftly. We have APN clearance to make your bidding experience as secure as possible. Moreover, we do not see maximum bids or allow consignors to bid up lots. We stand for honesty and integrity. Those are our family’s core business values.
Our family of auctioneers includes principal auctioneer David Zwonitzer, his father Mel Zwonitzer, Dave’s sons Daniel and Ty and Dave’s wife Kym. Together the family has over 80 years of combined experience.
We invite you to visit our house online or in person and to check out our auctions listed on the Proxibid “Coins and Currency” page.
Auctioneers, publications and dealers are invited to sponsor a week of Proxiblog posts. Simply send a jpeg of your company and a 100-word description about your business. We’ll post sponsorships on Friday on our home page. On Sunday evening, the post will transfer to our “On the Block” page, remaining in our Proxiblog queue. This way your promotion will remain on Google and other search engines as long as our site remains online. We do not charge for such promotion and have the right to decline and/or edit submissions. However, after your promotional sponsorship runs, we ask that you visit our scholarship fund account and make a tax-deductible donation to ease student debt. Send you promotional submissions to proxiblogger@gmail.com
Leonard Auction
Leonard Auction, located in Addison, Ill., is a premiere Chicago auction house and estate liquidation firm that has won multiple awards on Proxiblog in such categories as photography, lot descriptions, consignments and overall best house. Leonard Auction also has detailed consignment policies that secure some of the best coin lots on the Proxibid portal. The company not only knows numismatics but also protects buyers, as this post illustrates, noting the Leonard policy on coin authenticity and emphasizing why Leonard Auction ranks among the most trusted on Proxibid.
Leonard Auction has a reputation for experience, integrity, and superior technology–core values of founder and appraiser John Leonard–that propelled his house to the top echelon of auctioneering. The company’s first auction house in Naperville, Ill., opened in 2006. Business boomed, prompting the company a year later to relocate to its current site in Addison, Ill., featuring more than 8,000 square feet for ample display.
Leonard Auction’s onsite prowess combines with digital savvy to bring the excitement of an auction to coin buyers on Proxibid. The company conducts a series of auctions each month, generally on the third weekend. Its Friday night Coin & Currency auction features 300-400 lots of high-end collectible coins, currency, gold, silver, platinum and stamps.
We thank Leonard Auction for contributing to Proxiblog’s scholarship fund to help ease student debt and create the next generation of auction-house bidders!
Krause Auctioneering
K & K Auction Service, doing business as Krause Auctioneering, is a full-service auction company specializing in online interactive auctions hosted on Proxibid. Ronald L. Krause’s company also has been at the forefront of best practices as reported by Proxiblog, currently in our top 10 best houses, with sharp photography and accurate lot descriptions. Krause Auctioneering is especially responsive to customer questions, with low buyer’s fees and quick, inexpensive shipping.
Krause Auctioneering is technologically savvy, using Proxibid audio-visuals to provide an onsite experience for Internet bidders. The full-service Rochester, Minn., company handles estates and collections and offers these convenient options:
- Onsite and Virtual Auctions, generating competition in the auctioneer tradition and selling through consignments on a regular basis because of that competition.
- Timed Online Auctions, displaying consignments worldwide through cutting-edge visual photography and accurate lot descriptions.
- Onsite Estate and Business Liquidation Auctions, drawing bidders from local and area neighborhoods and generating additional interest from online bidders experiencing the action via Proxibid technology.
Krause Auctioneering excels in customer service, especially important for benefit and fund-raising auctions. Consignors always get a free consultation, and packing and pickup services also are available.
Contact Ron Krause today at ron@krauseauctioneering.com for more information and personalized service!
We thank Krause Auctioneering for sponsoring Proxiblog’s scholarship fund to help ease student debt and create the next generation of auction-house bidders!
Auctioneers, publications and dealers are invited to sponsor a week of Proxiblog posts. Simply send a jpeg of your company and a 100-word description about your business. We’ll post sponsorships on Friday on our home page. On Sunday evening, the post will transfer to our “On the Block” page, remaining in our Proxiblog queue. This way your promotion will remain on Google and other search engines as long as our site remains online. We do not charge for such promotion and have the right to decline and/or edit submissions. However, after your promotional sponsorship runs, we ask that you visit our scholarship fund account and make a tax-deductible donation to ease student debt. Send you promotional submissions to proxiblogger@gmail.com
James Peterson Auction Company
James Peterson Company is one of the most experienced onsite and online houses in the upper Midwest, featuring regular sales every 4-5 weeks on a variety of high-end collectibles, including coins. Auctioneer Jim Peterson has more than 41 years experience and attracts some of the best coin consignments on the Proxibid portal. Last year one of his precious metal lots was featured in Coin World. You can read about Peterson’s prowess in attracting top-level coins by clicking here.
James Peterson Company is a full-service house that can arrange to sort, clean, and pick up items to bring to his onsite auction house for sale. All consignments are done via contract to protect the seller. Potential consignors who contact the house with a list of items to sell are given quick, no-obligation appraisals. Moreover, the company takes care of all promotion, including email blasts, online advertising, direct mailers and local newspaper advertising.
Consignors can sell one or hundreds of items, with sales settled in 20 working days. James Peterson Company is especially expert in all manner of collectible glass and china; dolls and furniture; men’s and women’s jewelry and timepieces; and, of course, rare coins, tokens, bullion and other numismatic items.
For more information, or to contact the company, click here.
We thank James Peterson Company for sponsoring Proxiblog’s scholarship fund to help ease student debt and create the next generation of auction-house bidders!
Weaver Signature Coin and Currency Auction
Weaver Signature Coin and Currency Auction has remained one of Proxiblog’s top houses for more than a year, primarily because owners Cheryl and Dave Weaver combine talents in communication and numismatics with a rich history in the auctioneering business.
Weaver Auction is family owned in its 18th year of specializing in selling coins, currency and other numismatic items. The company ranks among the top numismatic sellers on Proxibid for good reason. Their consignments excel. They promote their auctions expertly in concise email advertising. They have one of the lowest online buyer’s fees on the portal. They specialize in customer service. They ship quickly and inexpensively. Their photography is sharp, expandable and exceptional.
For these and other reasons, in 2011, Weaver Signature Coin and Currency Auction won our competitive “Best on Proxiblog” Award.
Another reason for the Weavers’ success is their ability to convey via Internet the excitement of an onsite auction. Their staff is on hand not only to call auctions and serve those in attendance but also to fix technology glitches and insure a safe, secure and trustworthy online experience. The Weavers pride themselves on many long-term customers who have been attending their auctions for years. More important, they also appreciate equally as well their hundreds of online customers.
Dave Weaver, a graduate of the Missouri Auction School, is a licensed auctioneer. Cheryl is the “detail” half of this combo with emphasis on accuracy, scheduling and communication. Read their insightful “On the Block” article on Proxiblog. The Weavers are members of The American Numismatic Association, National Auctioneer Association and the Missouri Professional Auctioneer Association.
We thank Weaver Coin and Currency Auction for sponsoring Proxiblog’s scholarship fund to help ease student debt and create the next generation of auction-house bidders!
Scott Auctions
a leading auction company located in Stephens City, Va.,, has been top-ranked on Proxiblog since our site’s inception. Owner Scott Strosnider was among the first Proxibid auctioneers to take advantage of US flat rate shipping, sending winning lots inexpensively, quickly and safely for little more than $10.
Like so many of our top houses, Scott Auction is a multigenerational family business. Scott’s Father, auctioneer Leon W. Strosnider, has been calling auctions for over 42 years. Scott has been beside him all the time since childhood, running clerk sheets and then becoming leading “ringman.”
SCOTT AUCTIONS specializes in:
- Coin & Collectibles
- Farm Auctions of any size
- Large Annual Fairgrounds Consignment Auctions
- Real Estate Auctions & conventional brokage service
- Private Buying of Real Estate & Personal
Scott Strosnider is known in the auctioneering business as one of the most generous sharers of best practices, especially on Internet. Proxiblog knows at least a half dozen coin auctioneers who have consulted with him on best practices. He is known for traveling across the country as a PRI Certified Independent Ringman, working auctions for newcomers to the business needing hands-on training in the competitive auctioneering tradition.
Proxibid coin buyers should check out his online only and onsite/Internet auctions with no reserves and high quality lots. For those wishing to secure his services, for auctions or consultations, contact Scott Strosnider @ SCOTT AUCTIONS (540)877-7182.
We thank Scott Auctions for sponsoring Proxiblog’s scholarship fund to help ease student debt and create the next generation of auction-house bidders!
Coin Update
If you are an auctioneer calling coin sessions, or a collector who has registered on Proxibid, you will want to check out Coin Update.
The site shares a wealth of information about the hobby by top numismatic writers. Better yet, it is free, Internet-based (like Proxibid) and provides yet another venue for you to reach an online viewership that purchases coins.
When you read a newsstand coin magazine, you are fire-walled by paper. When you visit Coin Update, you become part of a vast assortment of dedicated coin sites, hobbyist blogs and even mainstream media.
Better still, you will become more familiar with your consignments. Our updates inform you about news alerts such as counterfeit coins or the latest bullion prices and trends for gold, silver, platinum or palladium.
You’ll better understand your online clientele—their likes, dislikes, and desires—because our news coverage is aimed at the collector and Internet coin buyer.
Several Proxibid coin auctions each week list hundreds of lots of by the U.S. and world mints. You’ll learn more about your consignments because our writers focus on coin grading, classic coin series, and modern coin products.
Finally, you can interact with us through free online subscriptions, social media and comments, which we welcome. For a free subscription by email or RSS, please visit this URL: http://coinupdate.com/subscribe-to-coin-update.
We thank Coin Update for sponsoring Proxiblog’s scholarship fund to help ease student debt and create the next generation of auction-house bidders!
Engstrom Auction
Engstrom Auction is one of the most innovative houses on Proxibid. The company solicits customer feedback, features accurate lot descriptions and provides some of the best numismatic photography on the portal. Engstrom Auction, committed to continuous improvement, always showcases something new and exciting in its Proxibid sessions.
Engstrom Auction aspires to give customers “the best experiences possible when utilizing our services.”
Some of the company’s recent changes include:
- Processing of credit cards within 24 hours after an auction and shipping the next day, a wonderful courtesy to bidders eager to inspect their winning lots.
- A commitment to ever sharper and expandable photographs, so that bidders can have a good idea about condition, luster and variety.
- Use of streaming video to convey the excitement of an auction to online bidders, with customers asked for feedback on the best camera angles to view lots.
These are just a few of the innovations that Engstrom is making, and we’re bound to see more. This is a chief reason why Engstrom Auctions has consistently been a top-rated house on Proxiblog, currently 4th in a very competitive field of auctioneers who also are numismatists.
You can see how helpful Engstrom Auction is to bidders and sellers alike by viewing articles on its home page. This article shares tips on buying at an auction. This article shares tips on selling at an auction.
For more information, visit Engstrom Auctions online or view this page for contact data.
We thank Engstrom Auctions for sponsoring Proxiblog’s scholarship fund to help ease student debt and create the next generation of auction-house bidders!
Click Coins
The Start Page for Coin Collectors
Click Coins is one of the most convenient sites on the Web for coin enthusiasts and auctioneers eager to learn the latest about the industry. The site contains dozens of links to articles, photos and multimedia by Coin Update News, Mint News, Coin Week, Numismatic News, Coin World, World Mint News, Perth Mint, Royal Mint, Stacks and Bowers–and even Proxiblog!
Although the Internet has plenty of coin-related sites and blogs, Click Coins lists the articles and posts you need in one cleanly designed package. Why not make Click Coins your business or personal home page so that you can tap into the best posts from the top sources from smart phone, iPad, laptop or desktop?
Your numismatic knowledge base is just one click away.
Auctioneers, publications and dealers are invited to sponsor a week of Proxiblog posts. Simply send a jpeg of your company and a 100-word description about your business. We’ll post sponsorships on Friday on our home page. On Sunday evening, the post will transfer to our “On the Block” page, remaining in our Proxiblog queue. This way your promotion will remain on Google and other search engines as long as our site remains online. We do not charge for such promotion and have the right to decline and/or edit submissions. However, after your promotional sponsorship runs, we ask that you visit our scholarship fund account and make a tax-deductible donation to ease student debt. Send your promotional submissions to mjbugeja@yahoo.com
Southwest Bullion, located in Houston, Texas, has rolled out a 0% buyer’s fee with flat-rate USPS shipping, APN clearance with no maximum-bid-viewing or consignor bidding.
By Justin Quinn, licensed auctioneer
The coin market has for many years been stricken with a BUYERS PREMIUM fee structure that supposedly only really benefits the seller, but in our opinion, leaves buyers with a bad taste in their mouths. Being one of the nation’s largest coin buyers ourselves, we know first hand how high buyer’s premiums, as well as minimum lot fees and excessive shipping and handling fees, affect our own buying and the negative effect those “fees” have on the personal enjoyment of coin collecting. We realized recently how much time we spend “backing out” buyers premiums and fees from our bids, fiddling all through the auction with the calculator.
Like most others, our business started as a hobby. We simply enjoyed collecting coins, but that hobby soon turned into a full-scale business with customers, orders to fulfill, customer service needs, and most of all the need for more inventory to supply our steady demand for quality products. In order to keep up with the demand we started buying from auction sites ourselves and companies (most all having a buyers premium).
As our business grew, we tried to find a sales model that would work for us, and frankly it was easy to NOT “reinvent the wheel” so to speak, following suit to our competition and their methods. We too charged a buyers premium (with minimum lot fees) and followed that industry standard for awhile, but that’s NOT what our customers or even dealer/customers wanted.
They didn’t hesitate to tell us either!
So, as customers continued to complain about our BP & fees (just as we complained about those same fees at Heritage, Teletrade and others), we realized that what the customers really wanted was for the seller to pay those fees just like on eBay! Let’s face it, without happy buyers, we as dealers wouldn’t have any business at all.
We want our customers to feel comfortable buying from us with the knowledge that we will not be charged outrageous buyers fees, shipping fees, or other hidden fees on invoice after the auction. We also want our buyers to know that they can bid without having to calculate fees on every push of a bid button. We want to bring back the hobbyist and the collector who like attending auctions for the enjoyment with a fully transparent market.
The reason so many people use eBay is due to eBay policy forcing sellers to pay the sales expenses and allow their customers to buy with an “all inclusive bid,” which equates to a wider customer base who are willing to buy products for the product itself (at full market value), instead of always searching for the least amount of fees associated with an item they want to purchase.
Over the span of our auction operations on Proxibid, we have expanded our catalogs from just offering a few bullion coins to a very wide variety of coin and bullion products, as well as jewelry, comics, sports memorabilia and other collectibles. From copper two cent pieces, to rare Morgan dollars, to kilo lunar series coins, we want to bring our broad base of products to the entire collecting and/or dealer community by giving them the ability to buy from a trusted seller, one who keeps their needs as buyers foremost in mind, all with easy no-hassle pricing.
We read recently that the two largest names in the coin auction industry just decided to INCREASE buyers premiums to 17.5% and minimum lots fees to $14-$25/lot, because its better for the “consignors/sellers.” We think that focus is not where it should be! Without happy buyers and bidder participants, those consignors have no market to sell to, and as a buyer ourselves, frankly we’re mad as hell at the fee increase. Not only we will no longer buy from those giant auction houses, but we decided to go 180 degrees in the other direction in our sales effort.
For all the problems eBay presents representing tens of thousands of sellers (some of which are unscrupulous) and a badly abused feedback system against honest sellers, they got this fee structure part right. Fees should be borne by the SELLER, not the buyer, and the growth of the on-eBay coin market proves it. Shipping should not be a profit-center either, and any hidden fees are just unacceptable. We were none to happy to have $40 “shipping and handling” recently added to our “major auction house in Dallas” order the other day. We just feel strongly that these continued high buyer fee arrangements are unacceptable, and know that vast majority of our customers feel the same way we do.
On our upcoming Proxibid auctions, we have decided to employ an ongoing list of catalogs that are “type coin specific” in order to make our auctions more enjoyable to collectors of certain types of coins or bullion items. This is especially important for buyers who don’t want to spend hours waiting for their coin-type lots to come up for sale.
As a buyer, there are certain coins that are generally the area of interest to any particular collector or dealer, and most times they will have to surf through multiple auctions to find just the right coins they are looking for while not being able to be totally interested by one single auction catalog chocked full of their favorite type of coin. We want to give our buyers the ability to sit in one auction with their own area of interest and not miss the lot they want because the entire auction is an area of interest focusing on that specific type of coin.
We are planning to unveil a schedule of catalogs that will cater to almost every type of buyer from the U.S. cent buyer to the rare world bullion buyer, and hopefully in doing so we can gain the business and confidence of all Proxibid coin customers.
Proxiblog is an independent entity with no connection to the auction portal Proxibid. Our intent is to uphold basic numismatic standards as established by the American Numismatic Association and the National Auctioneer Association and to ensure a pleasurable bidding experience not only on Proxibid but also on similar portals such as iCollector and AuctionZip.
Auctions Unlimited!
(Check out Auction Unlimited’s next coin auction Saturday, May 26, at 5 p.m. central)
Auctions Unlimited of Shreveport, LA, is a full-time family-owned operation with complete auctioneering services. Proxiblog has praised Auctions Unlimited as a trusted site with a low Internet buyer’s fee, regular coin consignments and good lot descriptions. While Debra Johnson, auctioneer, acknowledges that she is not highly experienced in the coin world, she does have excellent consignors that guarantee all of their coins and accepts returns on any coin that is not as described. In addition, Debra provides super fast shipping. Normally the coins are packed up on the Monday following the Saturday night auction and shipped out on Tuesday.
Debra is a graduate of the Missouri Auction School and has advanced this innovative house on the values of honest, reputable service. Debra is avid about continuing education in the auctioneering business and so has made a successful transition to the Internet, respecting both onsite and online bidders. She works hard for her consignors but also ensures that the consignments are top-quality, especially when it comes to coins. She relies on return bidders and so does her best to make each session fun and exciting.
A key to the success of Auctions Unlimited not only includes values and business savvy, but also the manner in which Debra and her staff treat clients and customers. She believes in interpersonal communication, which includes willingness to meet with potential consignors in person or talk with them on the phone. Debra also uses her communication skills to advertise auctions via local and digital platforms.
Debra’s staff not only works hard for clients and bidders but also takes pride in photography. Visit her photo gallery for samples or drop her an email at ladyauctioneer@comcast.net.
We thank Debra Johnson and Auctions Unlimited for sponsoring Proxiblog’s scholarship fund to help ease student debt and create the next generation of auction-house bidders! If you would like to sponsor a week’s worth of Proxiblog, email mjbugeja@yahoo.com

















