Damn, we were going to go Saturday just to check out the auction and hit the dealer room. Guess i will save my $ and time.

Yeah, I received a response from Katie. Seems the construction at the convention center has prevented an auction this year. Such a bummer.

What exactly happened, Frank, if you're at liberty to say? I'd be interested to hear the story. Doesn't Live Game Auctions still run both the Gen Con and Origins auctions?

Brittonica wrote in No auction at Origins 2016?:What exactly happened, Frank, if you're at liberty to say? I'd be interested to hear the story. Doesn't Live Game Auctions still run both the Gen Con and Origins auctions?

It was a decade ago or more, back in the aughts; don't recall exactly.
We did the auction at various sites (as Origins wandered) and came with them to Columbus.
GAMA, in researching some law, decided not to apply for an exemption to standard Auctioneer laws in Ohio.
The exemption was certainly a real possibility; they were bringing a lot of money to Columbus. All they had to do was ask. They didn't bother.

In researching this (because I wanted to continue and was willing to pay to get a license in Ohio), I discovered that pro Auctioneers have a lockdown in Ohio and several other states, particularly Midwestern. It often functions like this:

a. You have to serve as an Apprentice Auctioneer with a currently Licensed Auctioneer
b. The Apprenticeship can last up to 3 years
c. You are required to be evaluated as Proficient in all categories handled by that Auctioneer
d. Once approved, you pay the fee and get your renewable License

Thus: We dumped the Origins auction because to continue, I'd have to sell household goods, livestock, and farm machinery for 3 years.
Because in Ohio that's utterly crucial knowledge for auctioning games. (Unless you get an exemption.)

The law may have changed since then. I don't care; at 65 I'm not interested in an Apprenticeship in Organized Crime.

F

Why your Game Auctioneer should be a Game Specialist

At a non-game auction, the auctioneer typically starts an item 'high' -- above the current market price (assuming the auctioneer knows that info at all). It's a proven methodology which, on average, raises both expectations and revenues.

At major game auctions, we don't have time for that. (The GenCon auction often averages 3-6 items per minute, for 12+ hours straight, for 3 days.) Furthermore, if an item starts 'high' that may kill most of the bidding, as the audience starts in a bad mood (forced to wait for rational pricing). You WILL see us zoom thru the 'bargain price' range and slow down when we get to realistic bids. This is crucial. Most general auctioneers have no idea of current prices for used games products (it requires constant monitoring of both the market and special events), and either don't slow down or zoom right past it.

You will also hear us caution you if the bidding gets too wild on a common item. We don't want to overcharge you in the heat of the moment. We'd prefer that you stick around and trust us, instead of feeling like we took advantage of you.

By contrast, you'll see and hear us take our time with high-end items, describing condition especially carefully, and even ask for questions if any.

You WILL see us make eye contact with, and even verbally prod, the most likely bidders/buyers (many of whom are Acaeum members). You WILL hear us call many bidders/buyers by their first names. And of course you WILL hear us relate bits of trivia about the game's designer, history, company, etc.

.

From what I've heard for several years, all that knowledge and technique is absent from the Origins auction. If I'm wrong, somebody fill me in, and I'll go back and check it out.

F

I have to add that they at least started the auctions at $1 most of the time. Items only sold for a buck or two(as they were just very common board games and such). Someone else may be able to give info from a more recent auction.

By the way, if anyone is looking for something exclusive to the con, let me know. I can pick it up for you.

Email or text me:  bbarsh@pacesettergames.com   248.318.1292