‘TOP’ Awards— ( Top On Proxiblog)–commence Jan. 3, slated daily until Jan. 9, with our best house named on the last day. Competition is based on 6 months’ data and citations in Proxiblog and Proxibid.

Proxiblog hopes that 2012 will be the most successful yet for our coin auctioneers, as well as another banner year for Proxibid and its employees. We want to get the bidder ball rolling by announcing the best houses that we covered in the past year. We will be publishing these awards:

• Most improved coin auction house in 2011.
• Best coin shipping policies in 2011.
• Best numismatic descriptions in 2011.
• Best coin photography in 2011.
• Best coin consignments in 2011.
• Best timed coin auction in 2011.
• Best overall coin auction house in 2011.

Winners can use our award banner on all their correspondence, newsletters and advertisements.

Runners-up also will be mentioned, when appropriate. We know the competitive spirit of auctioneers and how each may believe that his or her house is the best (and it may be, as all judging is in part subjective). We admire that attitude and caution that our recommendations will be based on buying and selling experience in addition to comments sent to us on various posts or through private email.

Meanwhile, our wish is sincere about your good fortune. We count as one of our blessings the opportunity to provide this blog free of charge and to offer our recommendations for your continued success.

IMPORTANT NEWS: Several houses have approached us in 2011 to advertise on our site, or utilize for a fee our numismatic expertise; but we have taken no advertisements or offers, and we have shared our expertise willingly when asked. In 2012, however, we will ask auctioneers who feel our site has helped their business to make a voluntary donation to a scholarship account at Iowa State University.

The donation will go directly to the Iowa State Foundation and be tax deductible. Better still, you’ll be helping students afford rising educational costs. (After all, they can’t bid at your auctions if they are mired in debt!)

Look for that post on donations later in the month!

Meanwhile, have a safe and joyous New Year’s Eve!

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.