What would you think if you got this reply from a major auction house?

[JollyElm]

It takes no time at all to list the card numbers, especially in the 2 examples you referred to. Typing out the numbers of 13 or 18 cards would literally take less than a minute. LESS THAN A MINUTE. It is just beyond silly that they're giving you the runaround like that. And like everyone has already said, how comfortable could you ever be as a consignor if the AH won't even take a moment to provide the most rudimentary facts regarding a lot to potential bidders???

[steve B]

Originally Posted by JollyElm

It takes no time at all to list the card numbers, especially in the 2 examples you referred to. Typing out the numbers of 13 or 18 cards would literally take less than a minute. LESS THAN A MINUTE. It is just beyond silly that they're giving you the runaround like that. And like everyone has already said, how comfortable could you ever be as a consignor if the AH won't even take a moment to provide the most rudimentary facts regarding a lot to potential bidders???

I'm so happy for you that you have typing skills. I on the other hand do not. 18 items would be a bit longer assuming accuracy counted.

[Buythatcard]

If an AH does not have time to describe all their items, then they are taking on too much. Instead of listing 10,000 items, try cutting it down a little.

[bbcard1]

At the fear of outing myself as one who dabbles in new and shinny stuff, I once sold a lot of 100 uniquely numbered cards (first and last serial numbers like 001/199 or 299/299...firsts and lasts something for some unknown reason I have always found appealing) with a fairly well respected action house. I documented each card, the player, there year and brand, and the number on an excel sheet which would have easily been linkable to their web description. It included virtually all star players and many hall of famers. They basically included a picture of four cards, a generic description (lots of stars) and that was about it. I am not sure I should have tried selling such a large accumulation, but they certainly didn't work very hard for me.

[whiteymet]

I am the OP of this thread and wanted to give an update and info answering some of your questions.

As of 11 PM Eastern on Thursday night I have not received a reply to my questions/request.

I hope to hear from them in the next two or three days or it will be too late.

The lot in question without outing it is, post war and is a group of cards something like (but not) say a group of 50's/60's Fleer issues where there would be say 140 cards from various years of the Fleer cards from 1959 to 1963, showing super star cards like the Babe Ruth cards, the Gehrigs, Cobbs, Williams #68, Adcock in 63 etc, then other cards "fanned" out where you can see some of the card, but no numbers visible etc.

Some of the cards may be SP's and have considerable value over and above the Ruth's, Gehrigs etc. while others are variations that collectors are looking for to complete their sets.

I doubt the cards are being hidden to hide the condition.

Of the 140 cards say, I asked for the numbers from one set that amount to a little over half of the cards or say about 75 numbers. The two cards I asked for scans of, I can see (not well enough to check out the variation) two cards, one partially that have variations that I need to see not just know the number to find out if one or both are the variation I am looking for in order to decide how much to bid.

I can understand an AH being busy after a major auction working to send out winnings, but is EVERYONE in the company packing and shipping? Certainly SOMEONE who is answering the phones or is handling the website could help with my request.

Or as an earlier point I brought up, if you have a major auction, maybe you should not have a monthly auction starting and ending soon after so you have time to service your customers.

[whiteymet]

To wrap this up, I sent a third email asking if it was too much trouble for them to email me with the numbers in the lot and the scan of two cards, they could just call me and read me the numbers.

I asked one specific question about the two cards I wanted scans of and asked for a reply about that as a minimum.

Surprise, surprise. It worked and an email hit my inbox this AM with the numbers and scan. It was sent from a Director of Acquisitions and I got a follow up email from the customer service rep(?) I originally contacted to be sure it was received.

So all's well that end's well, except I wish it did not take three emails with the first few replies not promising to reply.