Panelfan1 Posted December 31, 2018 Share Posted December 31, 2018 (edited) So as we are on the cusp of a new year I have been looking back at my collection. Besides looking at what I picked up - thoughts also strayed to things I didn't pick up (or lost out on). One area however that I feel is worth exploring are auction bids that didn't win and we are happy about! Often as a collector I lament losing at auctions, but once in a while you feel relieved when you didn't win something. One such time was few years back. I was new to auctions and was easily caught up in the excitement and fever of participation. This story has to do with a Mignola Rocket Racoon Cover. This was before the Guardians of the Galaxy movies came out -so it was by no means a hot item. To get specific it was a ComicLink auction. I wasn't all that aware of sniping -so with about a minute to go - I bid 5k (or there abouts. memory is not imperfect). I don't recall exactly but the price was around 4k or so. That's when panic struck. What had I done!? Bidding so high on a fuzzy animal book? Sure I loved it as a kid, but what was I doing bidding so high for such a niche item? I looked back at the price. Refreshed the page. Someone else bid and bid again. Then with a few seconds to go I was outbid! Huzzah! Never felt so happy to lose an auction before. Looking back these many years later - I still have no regrets. It was a collecting lesson I would never forget. The point of the above story is to share my experience about an auction that I didn't win and was happy as to the results. Please share your stories of loss (happy tears) with the rest of us -so we could know first hand what you went through. Oh and before I go - HAPPY NEW YEAR to everyone! Edited December 31, 2018 by Panelfan1 jaykza, Twanj, Blastaar and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John E. Posted December 31, 2018 Share Posted December 31, 2018 (edited) On 12/31/2018 at 8:19 AM, Panelfan1 said: So as we are on the cusp of a new year I have been looking back at my collection. Besides looking at what I picked up - thoughts also strayed to things I didn't pick up (or lost out on). One area however that I feel is worth exploring are auction bids that didn't win and we are happy about! Often as a collector I lament losing at auctions, but once in a while you feel relieved when you didn't win something. One such time was few years back. I was new to auctions and was easily caught up in the excitement and fever of participation. This story has to do with a Mignola Rocket Racoon Cover. This was before the Guardians of the Galaxy movies came out -so it was by no means a hot item. To get specific it was a ComicLink auction. I wasn't all that aware of sniping -so with about a minute to go - I bid 5k (or there abouts. memory is not imperfect). I don't recall exactly but the price was around 4k or so. That's when panic struck. What had I done!? Bidding so high on a fuzzy animal book? Sure I loved it as a kid, but what was I doing bidding so high for such a niche item? I looked back at the price. Refreshed the page. Someone else bid and bid again. Then with a few seconds to go I was outbid! Huzzah! Never felt so happy to lose an auction before. Looking back these many years later - I still have no regrets. It was a collecting lesson I would never forget. The point of the above story is to share my experience about an auction that I didn't win and was happy as to the results. Please share your stories of loss (happy tears) with the rest of us -so we could know first hand what you went through. Oh and before I go - HAPPY NEW YEAR to everyone! Since we’re talking about fuzzy memory, but didn’t @delekkerste own this cover and recently just sold it (presuming here)? Maybe it was a different cover for the series? I’d love to know how well he did on it maybe 5k was a steal? Interesting topic. I can’t think of a time when I panicked with a high bid because I’m already conservative with my buying. There are many times when I’ve thrown in small tracking bids on pieces I was excited about but when the final auction day came around, my excitement had tempered. Usually because a better piece popped up. I guess this is different than wishing to be outbid. About a year ago or so, a Skottie Young cover that had gone stale popped up on eBay with a .99 cent auction. I threw in a measly $26 bid and became the high bidder. Upon closer scrutiny I realized I was bidding on a fake. That’s when I was begging to be outbid. Edited January 1, 2019 by Jay Olie Espy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rb-dar Posted December 31, 2018 Share Posted December 31, 2018 I know the feeling all to well. I bid on a book to finish my collection and got caught up in the bidding and could not let it go and ended up shelling out almost $5,000. on a non key golden age. After the fact, I was very happy with this in that I still have yet to see another copy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hmendryk Posted January 1, 2019 Share Posted January 1, 2019 This has never happened to me with original art. But I learned my lesson early on with eBay bidding on a comic book. It was an issue of Young Romance with all contents penciled by Jack Kirby. I had been looking for it for years when it showed up on eBay. I caught a bad case of auction fever and ending up bidding up to $500. I still lost and was quite happy to do so. I knew I had made a stupid mistake. Especially two weeks later when I found a copy at a comic book convention, every bit as good as the eBay piece but priced at $15. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnkurJ Posted January 1, 2019 Share Posted January 1, 2019 There have been a few. But once I’ve lost they’re long forgotten. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delekkerste Posted January 1, 2019 Share Posted January 1, 2019 5 hours ago, Jay Olie Espy said: Since we’re talking about fuzzy memory, but didn’t @delekkerste own this cover and recently just sold it (presuming here)? Maybe it was a different cover for the series? I’d love to know how well he did on it maybe 5k was a steal? Yes, $5K was a steal. There would be a line of buyers out the door to buy it at that price today. I'd love to buy it back myself at that price! Anyway, I'm doubly glad that I won it back in 2014, as the cover was a crucial part of a trade deal that landed me one of my most sought-after pieces. John E. and PhilipB2k17 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
batman_fan Posted January 1, 2019 Share Posted January 1, 2019 I only regret the ones I let get away. Nothing I lost that I am glad I lost. MyThreeSons and Garf 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick2you2 Posted January 1, 2019 Share Posted January 1, 2019 Every once in a while, I get into a mood where I want to buy an example of every artist who has drawn a published Phantom Stranger image. When in that mood, I saw a Jerry Talaoc page and put in aa bid for it at about $500. Thankfully, someone else must have been suffering from a similar problem, because I was outbid. A few weeks later, another page came up which eventually sold for about $175.00–no, thank you.The madness had passed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panelfan1 Posted January 1, 2019 Author Share Posted January 1, 2019 12 hours ago, delekkerste said: Yes, $5K was a steal. There would be a line of buyers out the door to buy it at that price today. I'd love to buy it back myself at that price! Anyway, I'm doubly glad that I won it back in 2014, as the cover was a crucial part of a trade deal that landed me one of my most sought-after pieces. Glad to hear it worked out for both of us! I collect for fun not profit. The value later whether up or down wasn't the point of this story. I was sharing the experience of bidding and losing on something and still having joy. Learning these many years later that I lost to Gene - makes me happier still. I have noticed our collecting paths/Interests crossed a few times. Gene has an esteemed collection - so sharing interest in stuff means at the very least I have ok taste in art. Ha ha. These 'co-incidences' also show how small the art community is and at least for me as boardie here make me feel closer to all of you! As it's now officially 2019 all around the world - let me wish happiness, good health and fruitful collecting to everyone here. Twanj, Rick2you2, delekkerste and 1 other 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comix4fun Posted January 1, 2019 Share Posted January 1, 2019 13 hours ago, delekkerste said: the cover was a crucial part of a trade deal that landed me one of my most sought-after pieces. An integral rung on the ladder to total global domination!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garf Posted January 2, 2019 Share Posted January 2, 2019 On 1/1/2019 at 6:16 AM, batman_fan said: I only regret the ones I let get away. Nothing I lost that I am glad I lost. +1 to the ones that got away. I don't think I have ever bid high enough on something yet to truly either live to regret it or have someone bail me out with their bid. I can see it possibly happening if I were to spot something I really want for the first time shortly before it ends, just because I wouldn't have the time I need to think things through. Over the years it's getting easier to avoid scratching the itch just because it is there... even though that generally feels good for a while Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick2you2 Posted January 2, 2019 Share Posted January 2, 2019 57 minutes ago, Garf said: I can see it possibly happening if I were to spot something I really want for the first time shortly before it ends, just because I wouldn't have the time I need to think things through. Over the years it's getting easier to avoid scratching the itch just because it is there... even though that generally feels good for a while Are you referring to comic art or dating partners? Garf 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garf Posted January 2, 2019 Share Posted January 2, 2019 1 hour ago, Rick2you2 said: Are you referring to comic art or dating partners? Hah! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilipB2k17 Posted January 2, 2019 Share Posted January 2, 2019 On 12/31/2018 at 10:33 PM, delekkerste said: Yes, $5K was a steal. There would be a line of buyers out the door to buy it at that price today. I'd love to buy it back myself at that price! Anyway, I'm doubly glad that I won it back in 2014, as the cover was a crucial part of a trade deal that landed me one of my most sought-after pieces. A page from this mini series was up on eBay several months ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtlevy1 Posted January 4, 2019 Share Posted January 4, 2019 Given how the hobby has performed it hasn't happened often - even without that lens, like others, I remember a lot more missed opportunies than regretful purchases Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panelfan1 Posted January 4, 2019 Author Share Posted January 4, 2019 Just to be clear. I am not regretful. I am happy I didn't get the art this thread was about near missed that we are happy to admit to. If there was regret - it was in the moment only and then happiness when lost. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JadeGiant Posted January 8, 2019 Share Posted January 8, 2019 I can’t think of anything immediately, but I know the feeling you are describing and I have experienced this as well. I think it was earlier in my collecting days as I was more impulsive and less decided on exactly what I wanted in my collection. As such, I could get dragged into a bidding war much easier than today. I am a lot more purposeful in what I buy these days and almost always wait to bid until the end of an auction so that I have time to think about how much I want a piece. That said, I did win a piece this year where I paid a little more than I had planned before the end of the auction when I ended up going back and forth in a bidding war on a piece. An interesting follow up question: have you ever had that piece you regret buying due to getting caught in a bidding war, bought on impulse, etc. only to have the piece become a favorite later on? Did a regretted purchase turn into a favorite (or at least much more appreciated) piece? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pirate Posted January 8, 2019 Share Posted January 8, 2019 all my art. I would trade all of if for what I paid for it right now and have no regerts vodou 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
