Monday, February 2, 2009

An Auction I'm glad I didn't win


A week or two ago I placed a formal bid on 2 1954 Red Heart cards in an auction by Huggins and Scott.

I opened the bidding with $100. That was the minimum. That was also my maximum. Those are nice cards. Clean, nice grade, part of nice set. I first became aware of them through the blog, Red Heart Cards.

Anyhow, the auction will close this week and the bidding on this lot is now up to $140.

Am I cut out to be a big time bidder? Nope. It isn't in my budget.

"Why, then," some would ask, "are you even bidding on it?"

Well, if you are a successful bidder with Huggins and Scott then they will keep you on their catalog mailing list for the next few years. I bid to be outbid.

I have no remorse for not bidding more.

On ebay, I waffle. I tell myself that I can only have one bid at a time there. This simplifies my life and doesn't let me over-extend. I have won a few auctions and lost a lot more.

I'll bid on a nice T206, not graded. I set my limit (including S&H fees) and then sit back and watch. A few days later I'll get the polite email from them letting me know that I've been outbid.

"Yes, Mark, I know that Karen said she'd go to the dance with you, but someone new came along. They've got a nicer car, and they're on the football team. You were on the what? Gymnastic team? Oh, as the statistician. I can see why Karen wants to go to the dance with Kirk. Please consider asking her again. No, wait, save some breath. She's just going to turn you down again."
So, recently I haven't won more on ebay than I have won. And yes, last week when I bid on a card, my desires got the best of me and I bid on two more. I got the "Dear Mark" letter for two of them. Now just to relax and let the time run out on the one that I am winning.

3d 17h.

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