How does buying at our auctions work?
Before you start bidding and buying at the auction, you will first want to have insight into the offer, which can be done through our auction catalogs on paper and online and through viewing days that we organize prior to each auction:
Request auction catalog
As an interested and potential buyer at our auctions you will have to be aware of the offer. After all, an enormous amount of material is put up for sale at both the stamp and coin auctions and you would like to know in advance whether there is something for you.
Our auctions take place every six months and are announced in the media. The auction dates are published in, among others, the Maandblad Filatelie, De Muntcourier, newspapers and association magazines. You can of course also find the entire auction program on our website.
A separate catalog is made for each auction, in which the entire range of often thousands of lots is systematically described and displayed. You can view this catalog on our website, or have a printed copy sent to you by post. Regular buyers and all entrants will receive this catalog automatically. Once you have placed a bid or purchased something at the auction, you will receive the following catalogs automatically and without obligation, until you indicate that you no longer need them. You can easily request a paper auction catalog for the next auction by email or telephone.
Viewing days
The viewing days are announced in the auction catalog as well as on the website. The material offered can be viewed at our office during these days. This period is approximately two and a half weeks for the stamp auction and one week for the coin auction. During the viewing days you have ample time to view the auction lots of your interest and to determine your possible bid. Especially for collections and lots in boxes, take the time to assess what you would be willing to bid for. Don’t forget that our starting prices are generally on the conservative side and the interest is high. The final yield is usually significantly higher than the bet price, which is stated in the auction catalog. Because you would like to see what you are buying, you can use the extensive options in advance to view the offer at the auction. Moreover, the authenticity and condition of stamps and coins sold separately is guaranteed by Rietdijk. The more expensive stamps and coins often come with an inspection certificate or a (photo) certificate. You also have the right to have the stamp or coin inspected or re-inspected, if you indicate this within two weeks of purchase.
Bidding and buying
Below are the examples of how you can participate (bid) at our auctions, this can be done prior to the auction (in writing) but also during the auction in the room and online via RietdijkLive:
Bidding and buying at our auction
Visiting and participating in an auction is certainly an experience for the first time. In addition to the tension, which is almost palpable, there is often a friendly atmosphere among the many visitors in the auction room. Bidding at the auction can be done in three ways. You can participate in the auction in person and visit the auction room, or you can log in to our special bid page RietdijkLive during the auction. You are then connected to the auction room online during the auction. You can also submit a so-called written offer in advance. You then issue a written order to the auctioneer, who will then bid on your behalf until the maximum specified amount has been reached. There are basically 4 options to make bids.
More information about bidding and a written bidding form can be found here.
1.) Written bids (prior to the auction)
1) Written bidding (prior to the auction)
In addition to in person and online, you can also bid in writing at our auctions. To do this, you must fill in a special offer slip. The auctioneer will treat your bids as if you were sitting in the room and will purchase the bid as cheaply as possible for you, until the maximum specified by you has been reached.
Checklist before sending your bid slip:
- Are your personal and contact details listed?
- Are the lot numbers and bid amounts clearly legible?
- Have you indicated whether the purchases will be collected or should be sent?
- Have you placed your signature? After sending, check the correct receipt of your bid, which can easily be done by telephone or e-mail. Bids that we receive by e-mail are always confirmed by us with a reply.
More information about bidding and a written bidding form can be found here.
Handling of your bid
While executing your written bid, the auctioneer acts as if he were sitting in front of you: he tries to get the lot in question for you as cheaply as possible. If you bid €100 on a lot with a stake of €50, the auctioneer will open on your behalf with a bid of €55. The game is on the wagon, but how will it end?
Examples of the handling of your bid:
Prior to the auction, we already receive many bids on many lots. These are processed in real time in RietdijkLive. That way you can see whether your intended bid still stands a chance. Written bids are entered in order of arrival, which can be important when allocating in case of identical bids. In addition, there are other conceivable situations that we explain below.
Handling of your bid:
2.) Participate in the auction in person
Visiting the auction in person offers the necessary advantages compared to participating in writing. Not only can you decide on the spot on which lots you want to bid, but also how far you want to go. Your personal presence also allows you to adjust your tactics during the auction and view a few lots before the auction. Finally, you can also participate live in the auctions online. This gives you the same benefits as if you were present in the room. The moment the auctioneer calls up a lot you want, you can take action by holding up your bid number. Taking into account the bidding steps stated in the auction catalog, he will then increase the bid until you are the only remaining bidder. The lot will then be struck at you. If the price becomes too high for you during the bidding, then you lower the bidding number, as a sign that you drop out. Some lots will be auctioned at or just above the starting price, other auction numbers can fetch multiples of the bet.
Sessions
Our auctions have several sessions, often an afternoon and an evening session, in which it is still possible to view the offered lots at the office in the morning. All information about what will be auctioned and when can be found in the auction catalog and on the website.
Bid number
The auction room is opened half an hour before the start of a session. If you plan to participate in the bidding, you will need a bidding number. You can get a bidding number in the space in front of the entrance to the auction room. and half an hour before the start of an auction session, we start issuing the bid numbers at the entrance of the auction room. You must fill in a form with your personal details. The bid numbers will also remain available during the auction. If you participate in the auctions via Rietdijklive (online), you will be assigned an online bid number that can be used for that entire auction.
Bidding in the room
The auctioneer calls out the lot number and the bet price, after which the bidding can begin. If you still think the amount the man with the hammer calls reasonable, you can keep your bidding number up. The auctioneer will increase the amount according to the bidding steps listed in the catalog until there is only one bidder left. As soon as this is the case, the lot will be sold to this bidder. The auctioneer then again mentions the final amount of the surcharge and the bid number of the buyer. If you must have a lot, you must hold up the bid number until it is struck to you. With many candidates, the amount can rise considerably, so setting a limit is usually sensible. Don’t be afraid of getting hit if you accidentally scratch your nose. The auctioneer knows very well who is bidding and who is not. To avoid confusion, it is advisable to always use your bidding number and not to bid with a nod of your head or a pen. Is the bidding course unclear, or do you wonder whether your bidding number is being seen? Then feel free to intervene, a correct course of business is in everyone’s interest!
3) Bid live via RietdijkLive
We give interested parties the opportunity to bid live (connected via the internet) on lots that are being auctioned. For this you must first register (just like in the auction room). You can do that here. After registration you will receive a login name, a password and a credit limit to participate in the auction via RietdijkLive. This way you can also participate in the Rietdijk auctions from home or on the road. You can bid with a PC, laptop, tablet or telephone and special software is not required.
Note: The auction and bidding is “very fast.” The settlement of the purchases and invoice will proceed just as you would have made written bids, after the auction you will automatically receive a message.
Note: You can find the start times of the sessions in the current auction catalogue. If you wish to bid online for both the stamp auction and the coin auction, you must register separately (once!) for both auctions!
1) Register for RietdijkLive.
2) Log in to bid our specially made platform for that purpose RietdijkLive.
4|) Pre-bids / Voorbiedingen (via RietdijkLive)
Via RietdijkLive you can also leave (written) pre-bids that will be offered by the auctioneer during the auction on a separate written number. These are not charged to your online credit. If your previous bid is outbid during the auction, you can still intervene by bidding online. Please do note that pre-bidding closes aproximately a day before the actual auction starts, in order to be able to handle all the bids that come at the very last moment.
1) Register for RietdijkLive.
2) Log in to make pre-bids on a platform specially made for this purpose, RietdijkLive.
Treatment of your bid
We sometimes get questions about how (written) bids are handled, here are the examples:
We assume a lot with a starting price of € 50 and a bid of € 100 on your behalf.
When there is no other bidder for this lot
The lot will be charged to you for € 55. A bargain, because you would have been willing to pay € 100!
There is an other bid of € 80 made in the auction room.
The auctioneer bids € 85 on your behalf, after which the last room bidder lowers his bid number. The lot will be appointed to you for € 85.
There is an other bid of € 110,- made in the auction room.
The lot will be sold to an auction room bidder/buyer, your written offer was unfortunately not successful.
There is an other bid of € 100,- made in the auctionroom.
The lot is sold in the room, because at Rietdijk room bids take precedence over written offers.
As a rule, the auctioneer will prevent this situation by arriving exactly at your highest bid during the bidding, after which the room should bid €110 to outdo you.
Annother written bid of exact € 100,- was received prior to the auction
In this case, the lot will be awarded to the first bidder for €100. Sending in a written offer quickly provides an advantage in this case.
Expired written bids for expired or changed lot(s)
Sometimes a lot has a remark that is not listed in the auction catalog. The auctioneer will inform the audience in the auction room of this.
To avoid problems and disappointments, written bids on such lots will lapse, unless the auctioneer is sure that the written bidder is aware of this remark.
Or- and maximum (total) bids
It is possible to make a so-called Or bid (either one or the other lot, or one of the lots from a series of similar ones).
It is also possible to make a so-called Maximum bid, in which you indicate the maximum amount of your total spending regardless of the number of lots bid. In these cases, we request that you always contact us and submit your bid on time.
After the auction
The invoice and the collection of purchases
During the auction, the bailiff monitors the proper course of business and records the proceeds and buyer numbers. At the place where you received the bid number, you can receive a purchase invoice after you have left the auction room. You can then pay this invoice at our office, after which you can immediately receive the purchased item.
Result list
Coin auctions generally take place on Thursdays. The following Friday, all results will be checked and published on the website the same evening, subject to changes. Stamp auctions generally take place from Monday to Wednesday. Although these lists are compiled with the utmost care, buyers and contributors cannot derive any rights from them and are therefore subject to change.
Contact immediately after the auction
Written bidders and entrants are curious about the auction results, we can imagine that very well. Nevertheless, we kindly ask you to burden us as little as possible with e-mails and telephone calls in the days after the auction. Any explanation or information that we have to give during this period will delay the making of the invoices and the sending, so that everyone gets their information about the results or purchases later. The auction days are hectic and the number of bid slips runs into the hundreds. Make sure that your bids are received well in time, so that they can be processed by us, before the lots you have bid go under the hammer.
Pick up invoice and purchases
After you have successfully completed your bid(s), you can have an invoice made at the place where your bid number was issued. With this invoice you can pick up the purchased item at our office
Shipping notes and purchases
During the auction days, the room buyers received their invoices and often immediately take the purchases with them. After the auction, it is the turn of the written bidders. Those who did not win any lots will be notified in writing as soon as possible. This is followed by the invoices to new customers, who must first pay them before they are sent. Subsequently, the written purchases of all existing relations are sent. All shipments are in principle sent by registered mail. Shipping and insurance costs will be passed on to the buyer. Several hundred shipments leave our office in the week after the auction.
Offce and postal address
Rietdijk B.V.
Stamp & Coin auctions
Noordeinde 41
2514 GC Den Haag
Tel .: +31 (0) 70 – 36 47 957
Fax .: +31 (0) 70 – 36 32 893
Email: info@rietdijkveilingen.nl
