Midlands Auction Coventry November 2006

[badpenny]

Midlands Slot Auction

THIS IS WHAT I PROPOSE!!!!!!

Coventry Sunday November 12th

Ok gang we have a superb venue, good access M1 & M6.
A superb room with direct access onto a large car park for easy loading etc.
A bar and food will be available.

I want to provide a really good day out. A social event with auction and indoor sales tables (tables provided)

I don't want to make money from this, only to cover my costs. I want us all to have a good value day out.
So: -

* No buyer's commission
* Cash only
* Payout on the day
* Free Catalogue

Charges: -

* Seller's commission 10%
* Entrance £4 any age over 12
* Sales table £12 (to include one free entry)

The venue will not tolerate selling outside in the car park or from backs of cars, and at these prices nobody should have to.

Marketing via Pennymachines web site, Mechanical Memories Magazine and similar publications and websites.

So now I need an idea of how many of you are prepared to actually contribute machines for the auction. I know it's over four months away, but all I'm asking is for a 'yes' or 'no' at this stage. Please sign in and indicate via the poll.
Regards Badpenny

[JC]

Count me in! I'm sure I'll find somthing to sell. Good idea holding the auction the week after Jukebox Madness, sure to attract some punters from the show. Not sure about the 10% sellers premium, wouldn't 5% for buyers and sellers make more sense?

Anyway, good luck. I've cast the first vote.

Jerry

[Yorkshire Pudding]

It so happens that I will probably be in Coventry on the evening of the 11th so I could stop over for the auction the next day... perfect!

Nothing to sell I'm afraid (except perhaps a nice Mutoscope that doesn't really fit in with my collection) but I'll certainly have a bid if there's anything that takes my eye!

Hope it goes ahead & good luck with it.

[badpenny]

Happy to review the commission thing, I always found it dificult in the heat of bidding to work out the total I could go to allowing for the buyer's commission ........... but if other's can do it then 5% each way is fine!

[badpenny]

Dear Guest

See your point. However I didn't think £4 was a vast amount of money for a day out, compared to a meal, cinema or even a Mac Donalds. And as I'm not intending to charge for a catalogue or have income from a magazine and need to cover the costs and my time, I didn't think it excessive,. However I'll bear it in mind .... Incidentally, any chance of people logging in and then ticking the poll please, so we can discover if we actually want to auction machines or just buy other people's?

Thanks for the feedback.

[Bent Copper]

Guest has a good point. My wife wouldn't consider standing around for 5 hours in an auction room to be a day out!! And she certainly wouldn't pay £4 for the privilege (or 4p for that matter).

So, for those of us who bring helpers (which is probably most of us) it's going to cost us £8 just to get in.

Still, I suppose it could work out cheaper than 5% buyers premium, if it's a choice between the two.

[JC]

Before all this debate gets out of hand, I really think you should adopt the 'tried and tested' method of conducting an auction:
Charge for catalogues, to admit two. £4 seems reasonable. Giving away catalogues free of charge could get expensive, taking into account the cost of producing them, and postage. You can't rely on internet downloads; there are still many collectors out there who do not have access to the internet.
Set sellers and buyers premium at 5%. This gives sellers a chance of getting a fair price, and buyers a chance of buying at a fair price.

If we all want to see this auction go ahead (and I'm sure we all do) then as Badpenny has stated above, cast a vote!!!!!
.
See you in November!

Jerry

[cheeky]

Count me in... but I can't work out what JC (Jerry is saying).

As there is no commission for buying or selling, how can having a sellers and buyers premium of 5% give 'sellers a chance of getting a fair price, and buyers a chance of buying at a fair price'??????????

[JC]

Now I can't work out what Cheeky is saying!

Who said anything about no sellers or buyers commission????

Badpenny suggested 10% sellers commission, and I'm suggesting it would make more sense to split it equally at 5% each for buyers and sellers. It's very, very simple arithmetic! The same amount of commission is charged, but not bourne entirly by the seller, which could deter some from entering lots.

Hope that makes sense now!

Now let's get on with the auction!

Jerry

[cheeky]

OOOpps a mistake on my part Sorry JC. I misread the rules of engagement.

Yup, I agree with JC's points. His email makes perfect sense. Now back to my strait-jacket!

[pennymachines]

Well, that reflects the kind of stupidity and ignorance anyone trying to conduct one of these auctions is going to come up against.

Having helped organise the first Salisbury auction and witnessing what goes into such events I resolved not to do it again. The financial reward was not great and didn't compensate for the time and effort. I'd rather leave it to the professionals.

I'll revise my opinion of the anonymous poster above if he is willing to advertise and promote a sale, collate, print and post several hundred catalogues, produce an online catalogue, send out vendors lot numbers, hire a venue with porters, provide an auctioneer, handle all the money, deal with any disputes arising and run the entire thing for free.

And I suggest he stays away from auctions that charge for their services if he feels ripped-off by them.

[badpenny]

At first I thought I'd logged onto a parallel universe when I read that one ......... still at least he ended by saying "please".

Interestingly I've had a couple of mails sent to me via my E-Bay i.d.one stated that as prices were low at the moment he had no intention of submitting any for the auction, but was very keen to buy (err ... aren't we all?) he also asked for details of who was submitting what (how daft do you think I am?..... no don't answer that I'm starting to question it myself)
The other one asked me why the hell I was doing this to myself? I have to admit I'm beginning to wonder. Answers please on the back of a ten pound note.

Soon I shall set up an e-mail address for those hitting "yes" on the poll to send me details of what they will submit for the auction so I can tempt you all. In the meantime please don't mail me via E-bay unless it's to do with E-bay business.

I haven't had so much fun since the day I rode my bike into a bale of barbed wire on my way to school!

[bryansjim]

The guest makes a few valid points about machines that don't exist and bids made after the hammer and then seems to go off on a tangent and lose the plot completely. We have all been to auctions where the afore mentioned things have happened but in my opinion the people involved in this auction appear to be gentlemen and not out to make a quick buck.
I will be attending but i'm not sure if I will be entering yet.
As for bringing the wife that is definetly taboo she still thinks you can buy Bryans machines for £50.

[jimmycowman]

hi , i will go the auction but not sure if ill enter any lots yet ,as for prices been down i think they have been ( ebay}i put that down to sunny days hot nights who wants to be stuck in front of a screen when you could be sitting outside the pub ,any way thats all gone now so prices will be back up (aparrantly} good luck lets hope its happens

[badpenny]

Ok everybody here we go..............

Thanks for all the feedback and comments. I've not only be enquiring through this site but have spent many an evening phoning around my old contacts who have seen the light and don't use computers, in order to spread the word and gain interest

I'm sticking with 5% commission each way.
I have set up an e-mail address .............

covslotauction@hotmail.co.uk

............. I'm asking those of you who voted yes to including items for the auction to mail me with details (what you're submitting and reserve if any) This does not commit anybody at this stage nor does it constitute a contract in any way shape or form. Circumstances are always changing, but this info helps with the marketing.
There is no cut off date for this but I'd like to think I'd have an idea of what we're looking at by end of September latest.
Cheers
Badpenny

[badpenny]

Come on Guys & Gals .............
I've been phoning around and Jerry kindly gave me a plug, but I need responses as per .........

............. I'm asking those of you who voted yes to including items for the auction to mail me with details (what you're submitting and reserve if any) This does not commit anybody at this stage nor does it constitute a contract in any way shape or form. Circumstances are always changing, but this info helps with the marketing.
to: -
covslotauction@hotmail.co.uk

[badpenny]

YES IT IS DEFINITELY A GO'ER !!!!!!

I am delighted to announce that Jerry Chattenton (Mechanical Memories Magazine) has joined forces with me to get this off the ground. So we now have a joint enterprise. This enables us to pool resources and give twice the effort to organising and running the event. It's great to have him onboard.
A flyer has been created for circulation and more news will be included in the next magazine (about to be sent out). Phones have been sizzling most evenings ringing around to winkle machines out of people who because of previous comittments can't make the day.
Grateful thanks are also overdue to the owner of this site who has generously allowed us to publicise the event for free (so far ...Ta!)

So what have we got? Well to whet your appetites in advance of the catalogue. Talking to Jerry last night we identified approx. 50 machines ranging from "Dual-Wins" & "Ballwin De-Luxes" to numerous bandits and other wall machines, that have been promised. Likewise I am pleased to pass on that where reserves have been proposed they look reasonable.

So those of you hanging back mail me now covslotauction@hotmail.co.uk
to get your unwanted slots included. The interest has been enthusiastic, can you afford not be included?

Badpenny

[JC]

Hello everyone

It's now time to get down to business!

Subscribers to Mechanical Memories Magazine will all now have an entry form for the auction, as the October issue should have arrived in the post today.
Non subscribers (and why are you non subscribers)? can obtain a form by emailing me through this site. All entries MUST be received by 23rd October, so please don't delay.
Details for ordering catalogues will be posted in the 'Market' on this site shortly.

We really hope that you will all support this event, as it's what so many have been asking for, for so long.

So let's see those entry forms coming in, and we'll see you in Coventry on 12th Novenber.

Jerry

[badpenny]

Just a gentle nudge to those of you dragging your heels when it comes to submitting for the Coventry auction. We can't produce an accurate catalogue at the eleventh hour, so please don't wait until the last minute.
I've been surprised at the number of slotties who have a pc but don't use this site or don't subscribe to Jerry's magazine.
So in an attempt to help you to help us, should you not be in posession of an entry form or terms & conds for the auction (as included in Jerry's last magazine) then mail me at covslotauction@hotmail.co.uk and I'll attach them straight back to you. Don't put it off until Oct 23, we have to go to the printers then.

Badpenny

[badpenny]

We've come a long way, it's going to be your day and you've really rallied.
Well done everybody!

We're about to go to the printers for the catalogue, so if you haven't sent Jerry you're order (£4 admits two), best do it now: -
jerry.mmm@tiscali.co.uk

Just to whet you're appetites .............. We've hit the hundred mark on lots. YES WE HAVE A HUNDRED LOTS. We also have six trade tables!

Anyone who has been putting off submitting anything, now is the time, not next week, but now.........
No time to post anything, it'll have to be e-mailed to Jerry at the magazine.
jerry.mmm@tiscali.co.uk

If you want an electronic submission form and the Terms & Conditions then mail me at: -

covslotauction@hotmail.co.uk

What happens next ???
Watch this site for a map/directions/hotels etc.

Roll on the next couple of weeks

Badpenny