Auctions - How to get started?
 

I've been collecting for a few years now. My cards have been acquired from eBay, card shows, and other collectors including several BST transactions on this board.

I've been wanting to take a go on auctions, but have no experience with them other than eBay. I figured the Brockelman & Luckey auction would be a good place to start, but when I go to the registration page I am asked for three other auction references. This reminds me of when I was a teenager looking for my first job and everyone wanted job references . . .

I sent an email over a week ago using a link on the Brockelman & Luckey auction page but never got a response. I can't tell if the email link is broken, my inquiry was inadvertently overlooked, or if new bidders are discouraged.

Since the folks at Brockelman & Luckey have not responded to my inquiry, I was hoping someone here on the forum could point me in the right direction.

Also, is registering for other major auctions difficult or tricky?

The first auction I ever signed up for was REA and I was daunted by the references. I imagined it as an elite club I would have to solicit a line of credit to join. I was new and didn't know. So I listed the names of a couple of noted collectors that I had purchased from here on the B/S/T and I was accepted without question. I believe that it is strictly a deterrent to prevent kids and/or rift raft from compromising an auction or lot. Auction houses are always happy to add another bidder to fold. Most will also allow you use your Ebay feedback score as a reference and on many of the early ones I signed up for I just put "Net54" and my screen name under references.

Registering for B & L
 

Our apologies but I must have missed the email or it went to the spam folder.

Registering is easy, even for first timers. You can use Net54, Dealers and Ebay as references. (Only two are required for the system) or you can use people from Net54 with whom you have done transactions.

Scott

I think my first auction house was Bagger's, super easy to sign up. Best of luck with your search.

Clean Sweep Auctions is pretty painless as well. No references needed and a pretty straight forward site.

Sterling Sports Auctions
 

Hi,

Although we just had an auction finish last night, you are always free to sign up at Sterling Sports Auctions at anytime pretty painless. Once you get registered you will get email notification of auctions and current news.

Sterling Auctions are scheduled to run every five weeks.

Thanks

Lee

my first AH was Heritage. I just put my ebay stuff in and they accepted me about a day later.

Thanks for the replies, it was helpful. I think my biggest barrier was my own mind, but that's nothing new.

I look forward to browsing the auctions. Maybe I can find that elusive T210-6 Mullin (Charlie Mullen).

References are known auction houses, dealers and folks like that. Often, an in good standing eBay account counts as one, plus you've likely bought on eBay form a a few well known dealers or hobby folk who would also count. If an eBay seller is well known to the folks on this site and would testify you paid for your winnings that would count. I assume you've bought from or dealt with people, perhaps on B/S/T, who would count for references.

Both Sterling and BL auctions are easy to sign up for. Good places to start using net54 as a reference and your eBay name.

Also, if you don't have 3 references, just put what you do have. My experience early on, having a long-standing ebay account as my only "real" reference, was that most won't just throw out your registration because you're lacking a certain number of references. There is some amount of subjectivity to the registration process. They mainly just want to be assured that if you win something, you're going to actually pay for it. Sometimes an ebay account with sufficient history and maybe 1 other hobby contact is enough to get started.

Or you can always register with one or two of the AH's that doesn't require references (several only require you to have a valid credit card), make a couple of purchases, and then list them as your references.

B & l
 

It's easy, I just approved two new bidders within minutes of their registering. Even with our auction ending in a little over 24 hours, there is still plenty of time to Register, Get Approved and Bid, Bid, Bid!

Scott

www.b-lauctions.com

It's not that I don't have references. I don't see an easy way to list them - the input boxes seem inflexible.

I would up listing Net54, ebay (953, no negs), Mark Macrae (I've dealt with him for years), and Erik (several BST buys). I've had BST purchases from 8 other Net54 members but no way to list them. Doesn't look like I would need to though.

I will check into all the auctions suggested to me in this thread. Thanks!

im so glad you started this thread, im pretty much in the same situation, would be cool to have someone post maybe a list of auction sites

Just keep refreshing this page and you will see the vast majority of the better ones appear at the top of the screen.

The old cardboard site has a monthly listing of most auctions as well.

Just click on the vintage link at the top of the page and you will find quite a few auction houses.
http://www.net54baseball.com/forum/c....html#auctions

Sterling Auctions
 

I think Lee runs a top notch auction. I remember my first Sterling Auction which was just a few months ago. There was a card I wanted to bid on, but there was a big problem...the auction ended in about an hour. I thought what the heck, I'll give it a try not really thinking I would be approved in time. Well, just a few minutes later my account was approved and I bid on and won that card. I paid on Friday morning and was emailed a tracking number that evening about 7:00. I think that's the thing that impressed me most. Lee could have been spending time with family, doing personal things or whatever, but instead he was spending his Friday night getting packages ready to mail out to his customers. The package arrived that Monday and I couldn't have been more pleased. Excellent customer service!

Auctions
 

Another option is Joes Vintage which just started an auction. If you have bought from him on eBay or at his web site you have an immediate credibility for his auctions.

They also have a bricks and mortar location where you can call in and give them additional detail on other soft references if needed.

Good luck.

Zwheat

Huggins and Scott is pretty easy.