Warwick and Warwick auctions

[mtwc 0]

Hello,

I'm new here. I have been collecting hammered shillings on and off since I was a small boy and have got back into it in the last few years. Being based in Australia these days, online bidding is pretty much the only way to go and the majority of purchases in the last few years have been through eBay. I have also dealt with quite a few auction houses, including Spink, London Coins and DNW.

I recently placed bids with Warwick and Warwick for their June auction and I just wanted to ask what people's thoughts are on the way they do business?

I have found it to be irritating in the extreme for the following reasons:

1) No confirmation that bids have been received by them. Not so bad in itself I suppose.

2) No reply when asked if bids have been received.

3) As soon as the auction is complete, the catalogue is removed so I do not know what I have bid on. Again, in fairness, perhaps the burden of responsibility falls on me to make note of the lot numbers and item descriptions, but for 'user-friendliness' of their website, I feel this goes without saying.

4) Therefore nothing to cross reference price realisations against.

5) Three emails sent before they furnish me with a response, stating only the lot numbers I won, 9 days after the auction. No mention of item descriptions despite my pleas for descriptions rather than lot numbers (see pts 3-4) . So I still do not know what I have won so cannot celebrate! With any other auction house I would expect to have paid and had notice of dispatch now, while they gain a little interest on my payment before sending on the vendor's cut...

Still I await an invoice and clarification on what it is they expect me to pay for. If they would just leave a PDF of the lot numbers and item descriptions on the website for even a few days after the realisations go up, I could piece it together myself easily. So simple. Without it I am reliant on them for information and it is like pulling teeth.

Am I being unreasonable here or is this a common complaint with this auction house? I have bid with them before, enticed by their low estimates, only to see winning bids many times more than these estimates. Even when unsuccessful I have had to send email after email to obtain information. This is the first time I have won anything and I am almost certain it will be the last.

Sorry to open my account with a big gripe (I'm not normally a whinger - leave that to the Poms ), but I am just totally bewildered by the casual way they operate and I can't believe I am the only one to have found it to be this way?

[Colin G. 147]

Hello,

I'm new here. I have been collecting hammered shillings on and off since I was a small boy and have got back into it in the last few years. Being based in Australia these days, online bidding is pretty much the only way to go and the majority of purchases in the last few years have been through eBay. I have also dealt with quite a few auction houses, including Spink, London Coins and DNW.

I recently placed bids with Warwick and Warwick for their June auction and I just wanted to ask what people's thoughts are on the way they do business?

I have found it to be irritating in the extreme for the following reasons:

1) No confirmation that bids have been received by them. Not so bad in itself I suppose.

2) No reply when asked if bids have been received.

3) As soon as the auction is complete, the catalogue is removed so I do not know what I have bid on. Again, in fairness, perhaps the burden of responsibility falls on me to make note of the lot numbers and item descriptions, but for 'user-friendliness' of their website, I feel this goes without saying.

4) Therefore nothing to cross reference price realisations against.

5) Three emails sent before they furnish me with a response, stating only the lot numbers I won, 9 days after the auction. No mention of item descriptions despite my pleas for descriptions rather than lot numbers (see pts 3-4) . So I still do not know what I have won so cannot celebrate! With any other auction house I would expect to have paid and had notice of dispatch now, while they gain a little interest on my payment before sending on the vendor's cut...

Still I await an invoice and clarification on what it is they expect me to pay for. If they would just leave a PDF of the lot numbers and item descriptions on the website for even a few days after the realisations go up, I could piece it together myself easily. So simple. Without it I am reliant on them for information and it is like pulling teeth.

Am I being unreasonable here or is this a common complaint with this auction house? I have bid with them before, enticed by their low estimates, only to see winning bids many times more than these estimates. Even when unsuccessful I have had to send email after email to obtain information. This is the first time I have won anything and I am almost certain it will be the last.

Sorry to open my account with a big gripe (I'm not normally a whinger - leave that to the Poms ), but I am just totally bewildered by the casual way they operate and I can't believe I am the only one to have found it to be this way?

I would agree with points 3&4 entirely, because they have happened to me, and it does seem a bizarre course of action. I know they may be extremely busy just before and just after an auction, but no response at all is not good practice. Have you told them about your concerns, it may be that they are just unaware of the issues.

From my own experience, with a vast majority of auction houses, the after auction bit is always frustrating, we are eager to get our hands on our purchases and unless you are at a sale in person inevitably there will be delays...but some times the delays do seem a bit too loooong!!

Trying to get payment after a sale is another common issue, I know they all like to earn a bit of interest but again some of the delays seem a bit too long....the gas and electric companies don't take the same view when I try to hold onto their money

Anyway welcome to the forum and it looks like you will fit right in with us bunch of miserable gits

I think Tom will be pleased to see a fellow hammered shilling collector on here

[mtwc 0]

Thanks Colin

I have received a very prompt reply to my latest whinging email from a Jill Smith. She has gone a long way towards pacifying me and has said that they are in talks with their website team about 'improving the usability of this service', so I look forward to seeing the results and to bidding with them again once it is implemented.

It will save them a bucket-load of time to focus on more productive matters I am certain.

The other good news is I have filled a long-standing Newark shilling-shaped gap, albeit with a very ordinary one. The way the prices have gone on those in recent years, I doubted I would get one without spending a grand and I wasn't prepared to do that. This was considerably less

[azda 979]

And may i say welcome to the whinging Aussie

[Peckris 579]

And may i say welcome to the whinging Aussie

How do they know when a flight from England has arrived at Sydney Airport?

The pilot turns the engines off but the whining noise continues.

[mtwc 0]

I should now add that since I have managed to get the information I wanted from W&W (won 3 lots - more than I thought!) that they have been very receptive to my issues and, as far as I'm concerned the matter is resolved.

I am told that changes to their website and online bidding are imminent, with a shopping cart before bids are finally placed and confirmation emails. They're also going to look at archived sales results and therefore having catalogues and price realisations available concurrently for bidders to see.

I wish them every success with these changes and hope that their lives are made much easier, (as well as for previously vexed punters like me!) and I hope it frees up more time for them to concentrate on things more productive to their business than fielding enquiries.

They have won me back and I look forward to bidding with them again. When I can afford to that is.

Finally...

What do you call a field full of Australian cricketers?

A vacant lot.

[argentumandcoins 70]

I should now add that since I have managed to get the information I wanted from W&W (won 3 lots - more than I thought!) that they have been very receptive to my issues and, as far as I'm concerned the matter is resolved.

I am told that changes to their website and online bidding are imminent, with a shopping cart before bids are finally placed and confirmation emails. They're also going to look at archived sales results and therefore having catalogues and price realisations available concurrently for bidders to see.

I wish them every success with these changes and hope that their lives are made much easier, (as well as for previously vexed punters like me!) and I hope it frees up more time for them to concentrate on things more productive to their business than fielding enquiries.

They have won me back and I look forward to bidding with them again. When I can afford to that is.

Finally...

What do you call a field full of Australian cricketers?

A vacant lot.

Welcome to the forum mtwc.

I have recently found Warwick to be a lost cause for me and haven't bid for 3 sales now. Their low estimates aren't a problem for me, it's the inexplicable prices that are being achieved on low grade milled crap.

I hope you enjoyed the ashes series (both of the last 2) as much as I did ;-)

Just for Azda

(that's cricket Dave, a game played by gentlemen, oh and Aussies)

[TomGoodheart 400]

Welcome mtwc! As Colin says, nice to see another sharing my interest (though my collecting range is rather narrow to say the least, due to not being as wealthy as I'd like!) I started on shillings generally but the price of testoons and the provincial and siege coins of Charles were too much so I just collect the regular (Tower mint) issues now.

Feel free to post pics of any interesting aquisitions if you like. You can add pics up to 150K from your computer or larger images from an image hosting site such as photobucket or flickr.

[azda 979]

I should now add that since I have managed to get the information I wanted from W&W (won 3 lots - more than I thought!) that they have been very receptive to my issues and, as far as I'm concerned the matter is resolved.

I am told that changes to their website and online bidding are imminent, with a shopping cart before bids are finally placed and confirmation emails. They're also going to look at archived sales results and therefore having catalogues and price realisations available concurrently for bidders to see.

I wish them every success with these changes and hope that their lives are made much easier, (as well as for previously vexed punters like me!) and I hope it frees up more time for them to concentrate on things more productive to their business than fielding enquiries.

They have won me back and I look forward to bidding with them again. When I can afford to that is.

Finally...

What do you call a field full of Australian cricketers?

A vacant lot.

Welcome to the forum mtwc.

I have recently found Warwick to be a lost cause for me and haven't bid for 3 sales now. Their low estimates aren't a problem for me, it's the inexplicable prices that are being achieved on low grade milled crap.

I hope you enjoyed the ashes series (both of the last 2) as much as I did ;-)

Just for Azda

(that's cricket Dave, a game played by gentlemen, oh and Aussies)

I'd rather watch Newcastle UTD than cricket, better still, watching paint dry would be more exciting

[ski 1]

newcastle utd have been declared 14-1 to win the league.........

for those not familiar with betting, this means, if you bet £10 on Newcastle.......youve lost £10

[Peckris 579]

I should now add that since I have managed to get the information I wanted from W&W (won 3 lots - more than I thought!) that they have been very receptive to my issues and, as far as I'm concerned the matter is resolved.

I am told that changes to their website and online bidding are imminent, with a shopping cart before bids are finally placed and confirmation emails. They're also going to look at archived sales results and therefore having catalogues and price realisations available concurrently for bidders to see.

I wish them every success with these changes and hope that their lives are made much easier, (as well as for previously vexed punters like me!) and I hope it frees up more time for them to concentrate on things more productive to their business than fielding enquiries.

They have won me back and I look forward to bidding with them again. When I can afford to that is.

Finally...

What do you call a field full of Australian cricketers?

A vacant lot.

Welcome to the forum mtwc.

I have recently found Warwick to be a lost cause for me and haven't bid for 3 sales now. Their low estimates aren't a problem for me, it's the inexplicable prices that are being achieved on low grade milled crap.

I hope you enjoyed the ashes series (both of the last 2) as much as I did ;-)

Just for Azda

(that's cricket Dave, a game played by gentlemen, oh and Aussies)

I'd rather watch Newcastle UTD than cricket, better still, watching paint dry would be more exciting

Spoken like a true Scot! By the way, how did your tennis boy get on against the Spaniard?

[Peter 615]

Newcastle is in Scotland...isn't it?

I prefer Sunderland as they have just loaded us with cash for Conner Wickham.

Enter stage right John.

[azda 979]

I should now add that since I have managed to get the information I wanted from W&W (won 3 lots - more than I thought!) that they have been very receptive to my issues and, as far as I'm concerned the matter is resolved.

I am told that changes to their website and online bidding are imminent, with a shopping cart before bids are finally placed and confirmation emails. They're also going to look at archived sales results and therefore having catalogues and price realisations available concurrently for bidders to see.

I wish them every success with these changes and hope that their lives are made much easier, (as well as for previously vexed punters like me!) and I hope it frees up more time for them to concentrate on things more productive to their business than fielding enquiries.

They have won me back and I look forward to bidding with them again. When I can afford to that is.

Finally...

What do you call a field full of Australian cricketers?

A vacant lot.

Welcome to the forum mtwc.

I have recently found Warwick to be a lost cause for me and haven't bid for 3 sales now. Their low estimates aren't a problem for me, it's the inexplicable prices that are being achieved on low grade milled crap.

I hope you enjoyed the ashes series (both of the last 2) as much as I did ;-)

Just for Azda

(that's cricket Dave, a game played by gentlemen, oh and Aussies)

I'd rather watch Newcastle UTD than cricket, better still, watching paint dry would be more exciting

Spoken like a true Scot! By the way, how did your tennis boy get on against the Spaniard?

Our Tennis boy did better than ermmmmmm (how many English boys) actually got so far? I believe Mr Murray has done better in his short career than most of your English boys in their entire careers I bet if he won it though he'd be British, but because he's out now he's Scottish

[argentumandcoins 70]

Newcastle is in Scotland...isn't it?

I prefer Sunderland as they have just loaded us with cash for Conner Wickham.

Enter stage right John.

No, not at all Peter.

Good luck to the mackems. I'm very pleased to see Brucie investing so heavilly in forwards and midfielders after the 5 1 drubbing we gave them last season

[argentumandcoins 70]

I should now add that since I have managed to get the information I wanted from W&W (won 3 lots - more than I thought!) that they have been very receptive to my issues and, as far as I'm concerned the matter is resolved.

I am told that changes to their website and online bidding are imminent, with a shopping cart before bids are finally placed and confirmation emails. They're also going to look at archived sales results and therefore having catalogues and price realisations available concurrently for bidders to see.

I wish them every success with these changes and hope that their lives are made much easier, (as well as for previously vexed punters like me!) and I hope it frees up more time for them to concentrate on things more productive to their business than fielding enquiries.

They have won me back and I look forward to bidding with them again. When I can afford to that is.

Finally...

What do you call a field full of Australian cricketers?

A vacant lot.

Welcome to the forum mtwc.

I have recently found Warwick to be a lost cause for me and haven't bid for 3 sales now. Their low estimates aren't a problem for me, it's the inexplicable prices that are being achieved on low grade milled crap.

I hope you enjoyed the ashes series (both of the last 2) as much as I did ;-)

Just for Azda

(that's cricket Dave, a game played by gentlemen, oh and Aussies)

I'd rather watch Newcastle UTD than cricket, better still, watching paint dry would be more exciting

Dave, for a man whose nations greatest sporting achievements involve sweeping a sheet of ice infront of a stone with a handle fixed to it, I'll treat your sports knowledge with the contempt it deserves!

[azda 979]

I should now add that since I have managed to get the information I wanted from W&W (won 3 lots - more than I thought!) that they have been very receptive to my issues and, as far as I'm concerned the matter is resolved.

I am told that changes to their website and online bidding are imminent, with a shopping cart before bids are finally placed and confirmation emails. They're also going to look at archived sales results and therefore having catalogues and price realisations available concurrently for bidders to see.

I wish them every success with these changes and hope that their lives are made much easier, (as well as for previously vexed punters like me!) and I hope it frees up more time for them to concentrate on things more productive to their business than fielding enquiries.

They have won me back and I look forward to bidding with them again. When I can afford to that is.

Finally...

What do you call a field full of Australian cricketers?

A vacant lot.

Welcome to the forum mtwc.

I have recently found Warwick to be a lost cause for me and haven't bid for 3 sales now. Their low estimates aren't a problem for me, it's the inexplicable prices that are being achieved on low grade milled crap.

I hope you enjoyed the ashes series (both of the last 2) as much as I did ;-)

Just for Azda

(that's cricket Dave, a game played by gentlemen, oh and Aussies)

I'd rather watch Newcastle UTD than cricket, better still, watching paint dry would be more exciting

Dave, for a man whose nations greatest sporting achievements involve sweeping a sheet of ice infront of a stone with a handle fixed to it, I'll treat your sports knowledge with the contempt it deserves!

We are merely a small population of 5 Million plus 2 million sheep, compared to your 37 Million plus 14 million pakistanis and 9 million Poles, your achievements in the sporting world should surpass ours natrually, i'm still waiting for the one thing that the English always come up with..............

Edited July 2, 2011 by azda

[Peckris 579]

Spoken like a true Scot! By the way, how did your tennis boy get on against the Spaniard?

Our Tennis boy did better than ermmmmmm (how many English boys) actually got so far? I believe Mr Murray has done better in his short career than most of your English boys in their entire careers I bet if he won it though he'd be British, but because he's out now he's Scottish

You are totally right. And for all I've said, Mandy Urray is the best Brit tennis player since the war, by far. Our boy Tim can't touch him, though he is still loved "on the Hill" even though he is now well and truly over it...

We are merely a small population of 5 Million plus 2 million sheep, compared to your 37 Million plus 14 million pakistanis and 9 million Poles, your achievements in the sporting world should surpass ours natrually, i'm still waiting for the one thing that the English always come up with..............

What, the Ashes? 2009, 2010 or 2005? Or maybe you meant the Rugby World Cup in 2003? No? Definitely not Linford Christie, you could just come back with Alan "There Weren't Any Americans In Moscow" Wells. Presumably you're not referring to any number of snooker players over 30 years (oops, just remembered, one of them was a Scot!). Or yachtsmen, rowers, cyclists, F1 drivers, horsepersons, etc. Oh wait! I've got it!! You must mean the number of English football teams in the Champions League 1/4 Finals, semi-finals and final, year after year after year...

Edited July 2, 2011 by Peckris