This looks interesting indeed

[Bugsy]

Also, consider this. I am selling a card for my father on eBay. I list it for a starting bid of $0.99 and plan to let it run a full 7 days. Now let's say it has a book value of $1,000. I have no idea what other bidders have entered, but I would consider it a bargain at $800, so I enter my own bid. If I win, I can try selling it at some point down the road. Can anyone else see the conflict on interest?

At least if I were shilling this acution, it would be eBay (a third party) enjoying the increase off of the final value fees...they wouldn't be going into my own pocket.

[slidekellyslide]

Who is the owner of Huggins and Scott auctions? Who is the owner of House Of Cards? If the answer is the same person then it is shill bidding.

[steve B]

If you check the websites the only common employee is the primary owner.

And I would think both are incorporated.

While some may not like it that's not necessarily shilling.
The employees of one business are bidding in an auction run by a second business is generally not shilling. I can own stock in Sothebys, and at the same time consign items from an antique business and bid on items from that same business in sothebys auctions.

If the two businesses had the exact same employees and location then yes it would probably be improper.

By some of the defenitions I've seen here any bidding that isn't the winning bid is shilling. (Yes, it's possible to shill bid and not be either the seller or auctioneer.)

Steve B

[Bugsy]

Originally Posted by steve B

While some may not like it that's not necessarily shilling.

I couldn't disagree more.

When the OWNER of the auction house is bidding on lots in HIS OWN AUCTION, resulting in prices increasing, what else would you call it?

Maybe we should start a poll. I would suspect the majority of this board is not okay with this practice.

[Jaybird]

And owning a few shares of stock in a company is hardly the same as owning a company. Your analogy doesn't hold water.

FYI - Addresses of both entities are the same and if you go to the website they are both under the same banner. They are the same.

HOUSE OF CARDS
900 Silver Spring Ave, Silver Spring, MD, 20910 * 1-866-HOC-CARD or 301-608-0355 * Huggins & Scott Auction

HUGGINS AND SCOTT
Huggins and Scott Auctions LLC
900 Silver Spring Ave.
Silver Spring, MD 20910


These addresses are taken directly from their own websites.

http://www.hugginsandscott.com/cgi-b...pl/contact.htm
http://www.houseofcardsmd.com/huggins.html

[William Todd]

I'm not OK with it...

[Sterling Sports Auctions]

I see that painthistorian has Clean Sweep (Steve Verkman) on his good guys list, do a search in the archives about them and you might have a change of heart change your mind.

As far as auction houses I have dealt with and have no worries Sterling, REA, Goodwin and Baggers.

As far as this situation, I see no good coming of a situation where employees can bid on their own auctions. Kind of why they make your for contests that employee and there families can't enter or win.

One thing that always bugs me about auction house and ebay sellers getting busted for shill bidding is the responses you get supporting them and saying how they have never had a problem with them. Well, how many times were you a victim of the shill bidding? You will never now and how much money they stole from you.

By the way, I see the ebay auction is gone. The Burke name gets named quite often in the thread, did they have an auction house? I can't believe I have not heard the name in my 30 years in the hobby.

Lee