Matt, and now you need to add state tax in most cases (but some auction houses (AHs) still don’t charge state tax).
I am in Maryland. Our sales tax rate is 6%. So, I multiply the bid by 1.26 in order to determine the all-in price (not including shipping and insurance, which can range from nothing to criminal). Bottom line, when bidding with an AH, you need to multiply your bid by at least 1.2, and that’s the cost if you win.
I buy almost exclusively from AHs, including REA who I think is the best of all. And in my experience, bidders and final prices/high bids account for the buyer’s premium. Thus, a card worth $1200 will normally close on a high bid of $1000 (or maybe now $950 with state tax). This will become second nature in no time, and then you can start debating which AH’s closing procedure is best/worst...
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