Opinions On Auctions?

I go to an auction at least twice a month. Expect no deal on any great coin, too many eyes have seen it. However, it is not the dealers who out bid you, it is collectors like you and me. A dealer needs room for profit. We can quite often catch a coin above what a dealer will pay, but below his selling price. There is always something that falls thru the crack, though. Quite often it is late in the auction, but not always. I just picked up a 3 cent nickel in 15 to 20 condition. It had been put with a bunch of foreign coins and no one had looked at it. Got it for $2. The primary reason I go, is to look at coins. It is a wonderful opportunity to try your hand at grading because quite often there are multiple examples of the same coin. Also, I have found that the local auction prices are about the same as on ebay. At the last auction I went to there was a $3 gold piece in 45+ condition. Had never seen one, let alone hold one and study it. I know the gentleman that bought it for $1400 including buyers premium I asked him if he thought the price was too steep. He smiles and said "I have one, do you?". The reason I say this is that if coins are bringing these prices from dealers and collectors, perhaps the run up on coins has started and we are not willing to accept it, yet Jim