Selling Old Coins

Could you post some pictures of the coins you are selling? Maybe we can help you in determining whether or not the prices were the factor. Also, I would personally like to see what you have that may interest me!

If you relist on ebay after we see them perhaps a few of us would buy some. Sometimes it is not about what you sell on ebay, but who you are. Recognizable sellers will almost always get higher prices for similar items that your small-time sellers will. Sad, but true...

I promised to put up a few of the coins I am trying to sell. Feedback on price
- realistic expectations?

Theodosius - minimum bid $25

Bronze prutah, Porcius festus - minimum bid $25

If you wanted to sell them then put a "buy it now or best offer" on these coins, if that doesn't work I would say put the theodosius starting at 10, its actually a nicer coin then 10 but I dont see it as being a really rare coin and something that doesn't really stick out on ebay. Consider looking around at completed listings for prices sold for and the qualities of the coins if you really want to sell this coin. ebay is more of a buyers market not really a sellers market keep that in mind. Nice coins BTW.

Also how you title the auctions will help determine who and how many will see them.

One thing that I believe to be true in regards to buyers on ebay is this: AUCTIONS ARE EMOTIONAL and we all know that human nature is generally dictated by emotions so getting the players involved is paramount to realizing premium auction prices for your coins.

Scenario:

If you have a coin that is worth, let's say, $40 give or take 10 bucks either way, and you make the minimum opening bid of $20, many potential bidders simply won't even entertain the thought of bidding on it or even bother putting it on their watch list because they perceive that they won't have a chance at getting a "deal" because the minimum bid is already half way to the value they may have assigned to the coin.

In reality, that coin may sell for $30 at auction's end, and quite possibly there may have been a number of potential buyers that saw the auction that may have been willing to pay $35 or $40, but they werent willing to put in the minimum bid or interested in putting it on their watch list from the start because they considered it a "no-go".

If you put a minimum bid of 99 cents, you will get bidders and watchers just for the simple possibility that the potential buyers perceive that they can get a great deal. Once a potential buyer puts in that minimum bid and/or puts the coin on their watch list, the playing field instantly changes. NOW, the 99 cent bidder or watcher have an emotional attachment to that item regardless of their initial plan. It's like an avalanche, once the first bit of snow begins to move, there may be nothing to stop it. Let's face it, human emotions are powerful, and the next bid is only a finger click away and once the feeding frenzy starts a whole host of factors comes into play that can really help the seller get a premium price for their coin. BUT, as I said earlier, many potential buyers, will never enter the playing field because the minimum bid was too high to start.

Having said all this psycho babble, there remains the problem for the seller of protection. No one wants to pay $2 to set a reserve price for a $40 coin so you run the risk of getting burned where someone wins your auction for $10.

Also, it might be worth the extra fee to have a "buy it now" price of $49.99 in addition to the 99 cent min bid auction. This a good way to create the perception that your coin has a particular value, thus creating a little more enthusiasm with your bidders if they feel they can win the auction for $40-$45.

Best regards and good luck,

-Kurt

Good luck Carleroo and be sure to let us know how you made out.

Another point I have noticed when I am selling on ebay is how important the auction ending time is and on what day as well.

It seems Sunday and Monday night are the best two nights to end your auctions. Also, being on the west coast of the US for me the best time to end my auctions is roughly 7pm so it covers the east coast. This insures I get the maximum exposure when the auction is winding down.

-Kurt