Heritage Platinum auction - memorabilia soft?
 

35 lots didn't meet reserve. Many more sold WAY under Heritage estimates. Is memorabilia softening while cards are on fire? Is Heritage that far off on their estimates? Your thoughts?

This had to be their weakest auction that I can recall.

Slim pickens.

Luckily LOTG, REA, Goldin, Hunt have had plenty to choose from.

I thought SCP was weak as well, both must not be getting the consignments.

If this misleading / convoluted title and description is any indication of the average title and descriptions used, then I see why they are running "soft".


1981 World Champion Los Angeles Dodgers Game Worn Jerseys (from Various Seasons) Lot of 10.

Getting hot at the right time helped push the Los Angeles Dodgers over the top in 1981. With a solid foundation of stars, the Dodgers had just the right mix for October glory. This offering features game-worn road jerseys from ten members of the team and would provide a wonderful start to getting gamers from everyone. Most weren't worn in 1981, but each jersey represents a man who enjoyed the Dodgers' remarkable run.



What's wrong with listing them as "10 random game used Dodgers jerseys 1977-1994"?

Oh wait, I know...

Crap like that is never gonna realize much money. ;)

Seriously, I don't think LA Dodgers collectors are big spenders. Am I wrong? I've listed what I thought was pretty good Dodgers stuff on ebay and gotten nearly zilch. Or, is it just the number of collectors...i.e. if you and Rick have it, there's no one left?

Laughing out loud at about 9 different things in your post.

If there's one worse franchise of collectors, it's Angel Fans. Dodger Collectors look like Jeff Bezos, compared to those guys.

Outside of the guy who supposedly dropped $4 Million on a modern Mike Trout card, I don't think they even know there's a memorabilia market out there. Either that, or they're just too hungover to bid. ;)

That said... the memorabilia market is still strong. Heritage either decided to focus primarily on Cards, or just didn't get a good crop of Memorabilia consignments this time around. Many segments of memorabilia are drying up fast, as opposed to mass-produced cards which are always in ample supply.

Last observation is that Heritage has increasingly absurd "pie in the sky" pre-auction estimates and reserves. So it makes perfect sense that many items would fall short. If Heritage consignors are determining their own reserves, they need a reality check.

cant' learn if I don't ask...so here goes

In this Heritage auction, the 1933 Goudey Ruth #181 PSA 9 (OC) card appears to have not sold and is now offered under a buy-it-now type feature.

Even if a 9 (OC) is really a 6...and given how vintage in general and Ruth in particular have performed this year... this seems really odd that it didn't sell. Is this a "known" specimen to all the advanced collectors? Suspected altered but not caught by PSA?

again, I know I am out of my depth on this one...but i am trying to get smarter on the vintage auction side of the business as I try to upgrade

Good questions...

Can you please provide the link?

lot #80008

here is the link that should contain all the details. buy it now for $72k...did not sell during the regular auction

https://sports.ha.com/itm/baseball/1...ription-071515

I think the Goudey Ruth simply failed to meet a very aggressive reserve. Nothing to do with being a "known bad specimen" or suspected of being altered. Just a "no sale" based on a reserve that was set too high.

Heritage takes offers on items like this, which failed to sell in the regular auction. It's kind of like an Insurance Policy for the consignor, in which they maintain the right not to accept any offers deemed to be too low. Below is the Heritage explanation, disclaimers and all.

Taken from the HA website...

Post-Auction Buys
For Direct Sale we are accepting offers until 8:00 AM CT Monday, September 14, 2020 on this item that didn't sell in the recent 2020 August 29 - 30 Summer Platinum Night Sports Collectibles Catalog Auction - Dallas.

Ties go to the first offer received and there is no guarantee any offer will be accepted. You will be contacted by 8:00 AM CT Monday, September 14, 2020 via e-mail to let you know which offers are accepted. You will then be invoiced and your lot(s) will be shipped as if you had won them in the auction.

note to self: take hammer and chisel on next trip to SF.