• 24May

  Auction Bay takes the philatelic world by storm with the Graf Zeppelin Stamp set!

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  We sold this set of US Airmail Graf Zeppelin Stamps for over $1400 on eBay!

  At Auction Bay, we occasionally see stamp collections come into the store, but this is the first time we have encountered some truly rare stamps.  Our consignor brought in a set of the Graf Zeppelin US Air Mail stamps - some of the most famous stamps in history, worth hundreds apiece.

  We took all the necessary steps to help these stamps sell for as high as the market would bear for them.  Plenty of stamp collectors peruse eBay to find the pieces they want most in their collection, but when it comes to a set as popular as this one, the bidders really gather around and get competitive!  15 different bidders and dozens of watchers hounded this set of stamps, and in the last few moments of the auction, a $1,486.00 bid took it home!  Our consignors said that high bid was twice the value estimated by a stamp specialist over 10 years ago, so they are quite pleased with the sale.

  If you’ve got a large lot of stamps or a few valuable ones to sell, Auction Bay can take care of the task, but here are some eBay tips for those listing individual pieces at home.  Make sure to use the macro setting on your camera and get up-close photographs of the front as well as the back (collectors are concerned with the condition of the glue as well as the ink).  Take a moment to learn some philatelic terms, because if a stamp is Mint-Never-Hinged or MNH, you’ll want your bidders to know.  Showing the stamps in comparison with a tape measure can let them judge the edges of the stamp, or you can give your own measurements from the edge of the printing to the perforations (there are grading terms for the centering of the stamp image, and they can make a big difference in your sale).  Many collectors search for their stamps by the Scott’s Catalog Number, so if you can identify the stamp with that catalog and include the number in the auction title and description, that is another major key to a strong sale.

  Tags: air, airmail, c13, c14, c15, graf, graf zeppelin, mail, mnh, og, philatelic, philately, post, postage, rare, scott, stamps, us, zeppelin

• 11May

  Rare Carnival Glass pieces are worth the research to sell on eBay!

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  This Fenton bowl brought $207.50 at auction!

  At Auction Bay, we see Carnival Glass and antique glass items frequently.  While there is no shortage of Carnival Glass on eBay, certain patterns from collectible makers like Fenton, Dugan, Fostoria, Imperial, and more can bring high sales.  We always put in the effort to research glass patterns so we know (and our bidders know) what to expect.

  One example is this piece: a Ruffled Bowl made in the Plaid pattern by Fenton.  It was unlike any other design we’ve encountered, so we knew it would be fun to research.  We discovered some information on the Plaid pattern, and also found a good history of sale for similar items.   With such a hard-to-find pattern and in such great condition, this bowl had everything it needed to sell well.  It brought an impressive sale at $207.50!

  The key with selling glass items is to identify the maker and the pattern, so that collectors searching for those key factors can find the item.  On pieces that have no maker’s mark, it can be quite difficult and time-consuming.  Bring your carnival glass in to Auction Bay, and we’ll assess your items and can get them sold!

  Tags: bowl, carnival, carnival glass, Dugan, fenton, Fostoria, glass, Imperial, pattern, plaid, rare

• 05May

  An Auction Bay sale out-classes the Jewelry Store once again!

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  This Gold Coin Ring brought $322.05 at auction, over 2 times what the Jewelry Store offered!

  Here’s another Auction Bay success story, with a very satisfied consignor!

  Our consignor brought in this ring to see if we could manage a better sale price than she was offered by a jeweler.  When she took it to a jewelry store for an estimate, she was offered a mere $150 for her item, and we were confident we could best that.

  The Ring was a curious piece, made of a 2 ½ Dollar Gold Coin built into a custom round setting.  The coin itself was in good condition, showing plenty of detail, and the ring did a great job of framing the coin, so it had the benefits of three kinds of value: numismatic (a collectible coin), intrinsic (a handsome piece of jewelry), and actual gold value.  We listed it to show off all three of those, and our methods led to a sale of $322.05!  That’s over two times what the jewelry store offered our consignor!

  We encounter this pattern often.  A jeweler will offer you an amount for your gold which still allows them room to make a profit when they re-sell an item.  This is understandable, as they have expenses to cover, but it still leaves you wanting for the rest of your gold value!  In the case of scrap gold, they have to take that gold, melt it, fashion it into new jewelry, and then turn a profit on top of that.  But when we at Auction Bay sell gold for you on eBay, your item will always sell for its gram weight value or higher!  We take specific measures to ensure that your gold gets sold for the greatest possible value that the market will bear, because the only way that we make money is if you make money.  If you want to learn more about our process, check out our Coins & Gold page for more information.

  Auction Bay offers you the best and safest method to convert your gold into cash.

  Tags: 10K, 14K, 18K, coin, dollar, eagle, gold, Jewelry, numismatic, ring

• 04May

  Your old coins are worth more than just face value! Auction Bay can help you sell them for their best price!

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  This US Silver Dollar from 1872 brought $255.00 at Auction Bay!

  Many of us have some old coins tucked away in a box in a drawer, waiting for the day when we’ll put in the time to research them, or take them to a professional for assessment.  At Auction Bay, we can help you turn those old coins into cash, and you can rest assured they’ll sell for as much as the market will bear!

  Here, for example, is a handsome coin we recently listed on eBay.  This Seated Liberty Silver Dollar from 1872 was one of a lot of coins brought in by our consignor, as we frequently encounter.  Our listers check each date in a coin lot in search of key dates and limited minting runs, and this one was singled out from its fellows for an individual listing.  Our photos and scans are detailed and crisp, intended to show every angle and every detail, right down to the finest lines.  This way, every coin collector who encounters the listing will be able to see just how good a condition your coin can boast.  Our efforts give bidders the highest confidence in your item, and it works well enough that this coin sold for $255.00 on eBay (that’s almost $100 higher than it was estimated to bring)!

  Whether you have silver dollars like this one or a jar full of wheat pennies, our coin enthusiasts will give your item our best.  There are many numismatic collectors on eBay, and they will pay top dollar for a coin they want in their collection, so don’t hesitate to bring in those coins!

  Tags: 1872, coin, dollar, liberty, numismatic, rare, seated, silver

• 01May

  Antique Oil Lamps from Aladdin sell, especially Pink Depression Glass ones!

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  This Aladdin oil lamp brought $257.00 at auction since it was made of Pink Depression Glass!

  We see antique oil lamps often at Auction Bay, but we’re always fond of the ones which are marked from Aladdin.  Lamps from that company enjoy a good following and can be highly sought, but we were quite pleased with this particular lamp.

  This lamp brought in the bids because it was a rare Pink Depression Glass model, and even had its original Glass Flute marked with the Aladdin name.  It brought an impressive $257.00 at auction, even without its primary shade.

  Most old oil lamps don’t see this high of a sale, but any lamp with a name marked upon it has a good chance to be a collectible one.  Unusual shapes or colors help sweeten the potential for a good sale, and we’ll put in the research to identify the model if possible.  After identification, it’s the pictures that do the rest of the work, and we showcase each item with 6-12 professional-grade photos.

  Bring in your vintage lamp to Auction Bay, and we’ll find out how much they can bring for you!

  Tags: Aladdin, depression, glass, lamp, oil lamp, pink, vintage

• 29Apr

  The vintage ALTAIR 8800 computer brings a major sale on eBay!

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  This vintage Altair 8800 computer sold for $1,712.76 on eBay!

  We’ve just had the pleasure of selling a few pieces of computer history, and the sales they brought were nothing short of huge!

  Here we have the Altair 8800 computer, custom built from a kit, in great condition.  We powered this machine on and it lit up, ready to work for us!  It had no expansion cards in it – only the basic shell, but it still brought an amazing $1,712.76 at auction!  Imagine what one might sell for if it had a bay full of boards!

  We were amazed by this machine, which pre-dated each of our computer experiences.  We muse at our cell phones and how far computer technology has come in the past thirty years.

  These items were among the very first home computers, so early that they had to be purchased as kits and assembled by the user!  To lend to the significance of these models, Bill Gates and Steve Jobs were just students when these computers were available for sale!  So it’s easy to see why they could bring in such high bids.   The classic computer collectors out there will drop big bucks on items like this, so if you have an aging computer at home, don’t hesitate to bring it into Auction Bay for an evaluation!  We’ll show you how much it can sell for, and we can do all the work for you.

  Tags: 1975, 8080, 8800, altair, Computer, vintage computer

• 20Apr

  Camera equipment sells, whether consumer-grade or professional!

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  We’ve sold all manner of Cameras at Auction Bay, and we enjoy seeing more cameras come into the store.  Each of us has some skill as an item photographer, so we’ve grown familiar with camera parts and photo techniques, and we use this to our advantage when selling everything from old folding cameras to medium-format models to modern SLR types.   But this piece is a big one…

  We recently sold some professional-grade video cameras and their equipment.  This is just one example of that lot: a Canon XL1S Camera, complete with a set of accessories and case.  This impressive camera, used by both amateur filmmakers and professional videographers, brought $1,125.00 at auction.

  Items like this tend to hold their value for many years, and can still bring in big bids after extensive use.  This one was in excellent condition, having been well kept during its use.  We also sold the lighting and camera stand tripod for this unit, and all brought impressive sales.  Of course, anything with the name Bogen Manfrotto on it is sure to sell.

  Do you have any old or new camera equipment taking up space?  Are you looking to upgrade to a newer model?  We can help you sell your camera and turn it into cash for your next investment!

  Tags: cam, camera, canon, video, videography, xl1, xl1s

• 20Apr

  Exotic musical instruments – like this dulcimer – are real winners on eBay!

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  Musical Instruments and eBay are a big hit on eBay, no matter their condition.  We’ve sold old brass instruments in need of restoration, and we’ve also had the pleasure of selling fine new pieces like this one!

  This is a Traditional 4-String Dulcimer made by Warren May, featuring a lovely hourglass shape and hummingbird shapes for cut-outs in the resonance chamber.  This piece isn’t the most commonly encountered instrument, and its pristine condition made it quite competitive.  The case and a bonus instructional book helped sweeten the deal.  It sold for $380.75.

  Whatever your instrument is, you can rest easy in selling it on eBay.  There are always people browsing in search for a new instrument to play, and even if it needs repair, it will be bid upon and sell (usually to someone who can restore it to playable condition).

  Tags: dulcimer, instrument, music, Musical Instruments

• 19Mar

  Intel collectors had a field day with this old microchip kit!

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  This old INTEL chip kit from the 1970s brought BIG bucks!

  We’ve had the pleasure of handling an estate of a computer collector, and we’ve sold everything from old software to old computers and even computer magazines, the majority of which date to the early 1980s.  This was one particular gem of that collection, and it was definitely a big surprise!

  This was a Microcomputer Kit containing a series of 20 chips and its original documentation, dating to 1976.  This set was made by none other than intel, maker of today’s most advanced computer CPUs.   Originally dispatched to Universities as project kits, this item now makes a great collectible!  It received numerous bids, including several last-second hits from numerous countries, including France, Germany, Norway, Taiwan, and more!  This hot old chip kit finally sold for $449.00, much to our excitement.

  We don’t know what the next huge sale will be from this collection, as many of the items in it have little available history on eBay due to their rarity or obscurity, but we’ll be selling everything from old Macintosh logic boards to the original issues of MACworld magazine! 

  Whether you’re a computer collector yourself, or if you happen to have an aging computer locked up in storage somewhere, Auction Bay is the place to buy and sell! 

  Tags: chip kit, Computer, intel, vintage computer

• 02Feb

  Need Cash for your Gold? Auction Bay gets you sales you can TRUST.

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  At Auction Bay, we’ve sold everything from dolls to classic cars, and have brought smiles and big paychecks to our consignors.  But among our list of items that sell well, it’s our Gold auctions that have brought the highest consistent range of sale.

  GOLD is on everybody’s mind these days!  In harsh economic times, the price of Gold has gone up, and people are rushing to sell it.  It’s a good idea, too!  Gold is in high demand and its price-per-ounce is the highest its been in years!  There are lots of ways to sell your gold, and every company out there wants to do it for you.  Local pawn shops and jewelers offer the convenience of a quick sale, but at the cost of a significant percentage of your gold’s value.  A jeweler has to take your gold, melt it, fashion new jewelry, and then re-sell it to make a profit.  The same is true for pawn shops, which will give you a value based upon what they feel they can get by re-selling.  And then there are the websites advertising ‘gold kits’, asking you to send in your gold.

  Do you have hesitations about using a mail-in service for your gold?  You should… just take a look at this article and video from Good Morning America:  http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=7125707&page=1

  Those mail-in companies offered a fraction of actual gold value! If you want Top-Dollar for your valuables, then you should consider selling your gold at Auction Bay!
  Here’s why:

  When selling Gold  on eBay, you can rest assured that it will sell for actual spot value or higher!  From new jewelry to Gold Coins to old Class Rings and even broken, mangled jewelry, if it’s gold, it’ll sell.   We take steps to make sure your gold auction offers potential bidders the highest confidence.  We test gold items to accurately identify Karat weight.  We show the actual weight in grams of a gold item in pictures as well as the auction title.  We use keywords that make sure our gold auctions are seen by both gold collectors and scrappers (we’ll even include different spellings of gold designations, like 14K and 14 KT, so that your auction is seen, no matter what people are searching for).    We take high-quality photos to show every facet in a piece of jewelry, as well as the luster of the gold color.  And we show you every step of the process before you commit, so you can be certain of our methods.

  The final thing to consider is that at Auction Bay Online, we make money based on a percentage on your item’s sale price.  That means that we take steps to ensure that every item gets high visibility, and high bidder confidence, so that it has the best chance to sell for top dollar.  And if your gold jewelry has sentimental value, then it’s got a great chance to sell to someone that actually wants to purchase it for its intrinsic value, to wear as jewelry instead of melt for scrap.

  We look forward to seeing your Gold items at Auction Bay.  Give us a try with one or two items, and see how you like the process.

  Tags: 10K, 14K, 18K, 24K, gold, Jewelry, silver

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