The peril of reckless sniping ...

[Ken Barr]

I collect Hickey Brothers (cigar store chain) trade tokens, and saw an
example of their in-house employee magazine from 1948 listed on eBay.

It looked kinda neat, and would fit in with my collection, so I decided
to bid on it. I figgered it would probably sell for $20 - $25, so I put
in a "strong bid" of $35.52 and hoped I'd get it. With six seconds
left, I wuz the leading bidder at $21.50.

Two other bidders apparently adopted the "I really want this, so I'll
bid ten times what it's worth and then win it for one increment over the
underbidder" approach ...

http://offer.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewBids&item=360428130890

I suspect the responses to this auction were:

Me - (third highest bidder): Wow!
Underbidder: Whew! Lucky me!
Winning bidder: What?1? Ouch, that hurts!
Seller: Whoopee!

I think I know who the winning bidder is, and if so I know that he'll
honor his bid, but he will probably be gnashing his teeth for quite a
few months on this one ...

[P. S. If anyone out there in r.c.c-land has an example of the
Smok-O-Gram for sale, my $35.52 offer is still valid ...]

--
Ken Barr Numismatics        email:  k...@kenbarr.com
P. O. Box 32541             website:  http://www.kenbarr.com
San Jose, CA  95152     Coins, currency, exonumia, souvenir cards, etc.
408-272-3247      NEXT SHOW: San Jose Coin Club Jan 27 - 29 (table 200)

[Jud]

Your response is the same as the one I would have had. Maybe "YIKES!".
The term 'bidder's remorse' comes to mind. It could only be worse if
another one is put up and goes for in the neighborhood of your bid.

[Eric Babula]

Ken Barr <k...@kenbarr.com> wrote in
news:ken-F53268.0...@nntp.aioe.org:

> I collect Hickey Brothers (cigar store chain) trade tokens, and
> saw an example of their in-house employee magazine from 1948
> listed on eBay.
>
> It looked kinda neat, and would fit in with my collection, so I
> decided to bid on it. I figgered it would probably sell for $20 -
> $25, so I put in a "strong bid" of $35.52 and hoped I'd get it.
> With six seconds left, I wuz the leading bidder at $21.50.
>
> Two other bidders apparently adopted the "I really want this, so
> I'll bid ten times what it's worth and then win it for one
> increment over the underbidder" approach ...
>
> http://offer.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewBids&item=360428130890
>
> I suspect the responses to this auction were:
>
> Me - (third highest bidder): Wow!
> Underbidder: Whew! Lucky me!
> Winning bidder: What?1? Ouch, that hurts!
> Seller: Whoopee!
>
> I think I know who the winning bidder is, and if so I know that
> he'll honor his bid, but he will probably be gnashing his teeth
> for quite a few months on this one ...
>
> [P. S. If anyone out there in r.c.c-land has an example of the
> Smok-O-Gram for sale, my $35.52 offer is still valid ...]
>

That's why you gotta have restraint, no? Bid, or snipe bid, only to
the max you're willing/able to pay. There's very likely going to be
another one to come along - then, you'll have another chance.