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VCA Auction worth going too?

Is this auction worth going too? It says that you can view items before the auction. Is that like a hands on thing or just looking at it from distance? I didn't see anything of high interest listed, but if I could get a bargain, is that possible? I have never even been to a auction, do the items actually come up on the floor and people bid at the time, or is the item bid on thought out the auction and then close at the end of the auction. If the items come up to the floor for bidding how do you know when (items your interested in) that happens or are to pretty locked in to being there the whole time. Any other information I should know.

Thanks for any info, Lambert

Lambert:
All live auctions, like VCA, will have a hands-on viewing time before each session begins. If there is anything that you are
interested in, each item has a 'lot #', which you should make a note of, so that you can plan to be 'bid-ready' when that
item comes up. They usually always come up in numerical order. For example, with a two day auction, Day 1, (Session 1),
will have item #001 thru #500. Day 2, (Session 2), will have item #501 thru #1000, and so on. You don't have to watch all
items that you may not be interested in. Just watch how the numbers are moving along, so that you are ready, before
your item comes up for bid. If this is your first live auction, just keep in mind, (above the fact, that you can very easily
get caught-up in a case of "Auction Fever"), that the price you are willing to pay, will have a buyers premium attached,
(about 20%), plus any shipping you have to arrange, if you are not transporting the items yourself.
One thing I did notice about the upcoming VCA auction, is that I haven't seen any of the Vegas Butchers Fantasy Creations
so far, but I haven't gone over the entire listings as yet. I did notice a typical FAKE "Golden Nugget" shown in the flier. If
you see anything on the auction website that you may be interested in, this is the place to ask about it, so you don't get
burned when you go there. Being a new collector, you can easily get burned faster than most of us, but I can safely say
that many of us have gotten the shaft at one time or another. I have had my share, early-on! Good Luck, if you go.
Bill

Bill has given you excellent advice.
You mentioned you have never been to an auction before.
Here is a suggestion: Before you go to vegas, go to some local auction, and, keep your hands in your pocket... or, in other words, just observe to see what goes on at an auction.
This way, you will have a feel for what is going on, and, won't be overwhelmed by the all the action going on around you.

Lambert,
Just remember that you are going to be bidding against several dealers that know their business, if you start bidding in an over enfuseiastic way, could be some dealers will run you up, just to show the item you are bidding on, is bringing the kind of prices that are unrealistic, they do this so that in the future they can refer to the auction prices when selling a similar machine to some of their own prospective buyers. It is very rare that you will get any bargains at these auctions, and like Bill says the Mills High Top Golden Nugget is a phony. if any genuine machines are going cheap, a dealer will pick them up. It is not like the early day's of the Roy Harrington Casino Antique Auctions, when we were all looking for that rare and collectible machine, like Midcoast is telling you keep your hands in your pockets,

Freddy

Thank you for the information. I have come down with a bad cold so depending on how long that lasts I may or may not make it down there. Looking through the catalog there is either nothing I am that interested in, or its way out of my price range so I doubt that I would go bid crazy. I did register to bid. If I do go attend I would plan on visually inspecting before the auctions and then bid online from my hotel. Is there any advantage to actually being there during the bidding process?

Thanks again, Lambert

yes.
at this, and any auction, the auctioneer, or, the announcer will make a statement somewhere along the line something to this effect:
"ANY STATEMENTS MADE HERE WILL PRE-EMPT / OVER RIDE / TAKE PRECEDENCE OVER ANY PREVIOUS MADE STATEMENTS EITHER WRITTEN / VERBAL / OR PRINTED. "
So this means that if you read the catalog / flyer / brochure , or get an answer to a question posed at the preview, but, they are subsequently informed later, and make an announcement when the item comes up for bid, you will not be aware of the change, because you were not there, and the item you buy based on previous information turns out to be not as previously represented, and you call them on it, they can refuse your claim, as it will be on record that the discrepancy was noted at the time of the sale.

Midcoast Vintage wrote:yes.
at this, and any auction, the auctioneer, or, the announcer will make a statement somewhere along the line something to this effect:
"ANY STATEMENTS MADE HERE WILL PRE-EMPT / OVER RIDE / TAKE PRECEDENCE OVER ANY PREVIOUS MADE STATEMENTS EITHER WRITTEN / VERBAL / OR PRINTED. "
So this means that if you read the catalog / flyer / brochure , or get an answer to a question posed at the preview, but, they are subsequently informed later, and make an announcement when the item comes up for bid, you will not be aware of the change, because you were not there, and the item you buy based on previous information turns out to be not as previously represented, and you call them on it, they can refuse your claim, as it will be on record that the discrepancy was noted at the time of the sale.

DITTO, DOUBLE DITTO, and TRIPLE DITTO.

keep in mind there is one BIG benefit to going to this auction that nobody seems to be talking about. there are dozens of people in the same hobby that YOU like(love, in my case) in the room. they love sharing information, meeting new contacts, sourcing parts, being invited to see collections....it's MY favorite gathering of slot enthusiasts....it's a PARTY, if you want it to be. i usually find a bargain or two there....but like has been said before, keep yer hands in yer pockets, at least for the first time you're there, because if you don't, you might just get home with some problems you didn't know about....kinda like gettin' married....you don't know what you got until you get it home.

here is a link to the online catalog:
https://morphyauctions.hibid.com/catalo ... egas?tab=0

Lambow wrote:VCA Auction worth going too?

Is this auction worth going too? It says that you can view items before the auction. Is that like a hands on thing or just looking at it from distance? I didn't see anything of high interest listed, but if I could get a bargain, is that possible? I have never even been to a auction, do the items actually come up on the floor and people bid at the time, or is the item bid on thought out the auction and then close at the end of the auction. If the items come up to the floor for bidding how do you know when (items your interested in) that happens or are to pretty locked in to being there the whole time. Any other information I should know.

Thanks for any info, Lambert

You need to be super careful at all auctions. If you are interested in any machine you need to inspect it very closely. Get there during a preview day and have them open the machine up and take a close look at it. If you are not knowledgeable FIND SOMEONE WHO IS!!!! One option would be to take photos of the machine and post them in this forum and ask for people's opinion.

For example, at the last auction someone bought a dime war eagle and when he got it home it had a nickel mechanism in it. Fortunately, VCA/Morphy made things right with the buyer.

At any well advertised auction remember you are in the room with a lot of sharks. Although the auction is advertised as a no reserve auction it is not uncommon for the owner of the piece to be in the audience bidding on it.

Bargains are few and far between. Especially after you consider the juice.

Once you have inspected the machine determine an absolute max. price you are willing to pay and don't go above that. Don't forget to add the 20% juice and sales tax. Depending on the item this could add thousands, perhaps tens of thousands to the price.