Smoothie's Casascius 3-Coin Auction #2

[smoothie]

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AUCTION February 3rd, 2015: Auction for the following CASASCIUS coins - ONE 2013 1 oz silver 1 BTC with gold "BTC", ONE  2013 1 oz silver 1 BTC coin, and ONE 2013 1/2 oz silver 0.5 BTC coin



Auction ends Feb 6th, 2015 at 6:00pm Hawaiian Standard Time

Minimum bid will start at 2.5 BTC. Bidding will be done in 0.01 BTC increments. Shipping will be $30 for US and $50 for international bidders. This will be added to the winning bid after the auction.(ID will be required upon delivery for pickup) for both domestic U.S. and international customers. Bitcoin is the only accepted form of payment for this auction.This auction will be shipped by February 9th, 2015.

You are bidding for one of each of the following :

CASASCIUS coins -

ONE 2013 1 oz silver 1 BTC with gold "BTC"
ONE 2013 1 oz silver 1 BTC coin,
ONE 2013 1/2 oz silver 0.5 BTC coin

All coins are loaded with their face value and are part of the first funded batch of coins Mike Caldwell funded in 2013.

These coins come with a digitally signed pdf scans directly from Mike Caldwell.

This auction cannot be combined with any previously won auctions to save on shipping.

The winner will accept the risks involved with shipping funded coins through USPS registered mail. The coins will be valued at the price paid plus the bitcoin that is loaded on to them (if they are pre-funded by the winner). Winner agrees to hold LEALANA, LLC. and myself innocent of any losses while in transit (in the small event the coin goes missing/stolen while in transit).

Any customs/VAT taxes or fees that are placed on the package while going through customs for international customers are the responsibility of the buyer/winner to pay.[/b]

Please bid in the following formats:

"I bid 0.3 BTC"

Should bids come in at the last minute I will allow for the auction to extended by 15 minute increments between bids. Once the 15 minutes is up and no bidding is done after the deadline specified ABOVE, the auction will end. To be clear on the precision of the auction times in 15 minute increments we are talking about the actual MINUTE and not the seconds that are posted on the forum time stamp.

Payment address:

1FFKLoQNDBiVq4WuoJSMxjzmRCxX7TZ96B

Please do not send payment to any winner address until the winner has been declared which I will post once the auction ends. If you would like a non-public payment address PM me and I will create a PGP signed address for you to send payment to.

Payment is due within 48 hours from the time the auction ends. Should the winner not honor their bid and not provide payment in that 48 period the next highest bidder will be required to honor their bid. By bidding in this auction thread you agree to this stipulation. In other words, please make sure you are able to honor your bid(s) in a timely manner before you bid.

I RESERVE THE RIGHT TO INVALIDATE A BID FROM NEWBIE USERS. USUALLY THIS WILL BE THE CASE IF I HAVE NEVER DONE BUSINESS WITH YOU BEFORE.

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[1714957642]

1714957642

[1714957642]

1714957642

[TookDk]

I bid 2.5 BTC

[camolist]

3.4btc

[Blazed]

Sigh...Smoothie you are killing me here 

5BTC

[smoothie]

Sigh...Smoothie you are killing me here 

5BTC

lol how so? 

[Blazed]

Sigh...Smoothie you are killing me here 

5BTC

lol how so? 

Making me want to spend my Bitcoins of course.

[smoothie]

Sigh...Smoothie you are killing me here 

5BTC

lol how so? 

Making me want to spend my Bitcoins of course.

Sorry buddy

[bithalo]

For some reason in this auction, I'm feeling a sense of deja vu.  I can't quite put my finger on it.

[hennessyhemp]

Funny, I was feeling a little deja vu myself here.

[dazedfool]

5.5BTC

[mullick]

I bid 5.6 BTC

[nubbins]

I'm feeling lasered-hologram-edge deja vu 

Post one that's symmetrical and I'll bid... but it doesn't seem like you'll have a problem getting rid of these!

[smoothie]

I'm feeling lasered-hologram-edge deja vu 

Post one that's symmetrical and I'll bid... but it doesn't seem like you'll have a problem getting rid of these!

Lol so picky 

[ducatitalia]

Beautiful and significant coins offered here.  This along with smoothie's other similar auction, would seem to indicate an significant upswing in the Casascius market... 

[dazedfool]

mullick managed to jump in with a bid before I was able to end the auction.

The good news for you is that I have a few sets of these so happy to honour your bid price and let the existing auction roll.

5.5BTC

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=945205.0

Hi,

I am pleased to inform you that your recent bid for my 3 X Casascius coins is the highest and therefore winning bid.

[img]https://i.imgur.com/8WljgRPl.jpg/[img]

Total due : 5.5BTC

Payment address : 1BbzqWTrPNA6ece4sn3HmcvrERv1BcFRTJ

After payment drop me a pm with the transaction I.D and your shipping information.

Thanks.

fyi, smoothiee is trolling bidders

[smoothie]

All payment addresses are PGP signed and in the OP of my auction threads.

This will never change.

Beware of scammers.

[smoothie]

bump

[bestcoin_59]

I'm feeling lasered-hologram-edge deja vu 

Post one that's symmetrical.

What do you mean exactly?

[nubbins]

1BTC silvers have a hologram that's too big for the coin, so Casascius used his laser to melt the outer edge of the holos. On early coins, these melt rings were generally symmetrical. On later coins -- silver+gold especially -- many of the melt rings are terribly uneven. Check the pictures in OP.

ANACS, the third-rate coin grading service that is also the only place willing to grade Casascius coins, does not factor the hologram into their grading system IN ANY FASHION, so it's possible to have two coins with equal grades where one is much more visually appealing than the other.

Most collectors (vs flippers) avoid the silver+golds for this reason. I've had a few but have not kept a single one because I've never had one with a hologram worth keeping.

THAT SAID, if you're buying these coins to grade and sell, go ahead. Just make sure you sell before the market smartens up and starts buying the coin instead of the grade

[ducatitalia]

1BTC silvers have a hologram that's too big for the coin, so Casascius used his laser to melt the outer edge of the holos....

A footnote--perhaps the greatest benefit to the laser-melt ring is the additional, if not foolproof security it provides, in the aftermath of the DEFCON Casascius hack announcement last year.  Old news, but for reference:
http://codinginmysleep.com/casascius-physical-bitcoins-cracked-at-defcon/
and Mike's response:
https://casascius.wordpress.com/2013/08/04/defcon-21-successful-compromise-of-the-hologram-reported/

[Hellot]

Most collectors (vs flippers) avoid the silver+golds for this reason. I've had a few but have not kept a single one because I've never had one with a hologram worth keeping.

Given how rare these are in terms of numbers, I don't think it makes sense to avoid them bases on the hologram unevenness.  It simply won't matter in the long run, especially if, like you say,  the majority are this way.

[Blazed]

Most collectors (vs flippers) avoid the silver+golds for this reason. I've had a few but have not kept a single one because I've never had one with a hologram worth keeping.

Given how rare these are in terms of numbers, I don't think it makes sense to avoid them bases on the hologram unevenness.  It simply won't matter in the long run, especially if, like you say,  the majority are this way.

I do not think the hologram placement effects the value of the coin. I will say that I only kept perfectly placed holograms in my personal collection also only MS-67's.

[smoothie]

I bid 5.6 BTC

Current high bid.

[Possum577]

Still a bargain!

[bestcoin_59]

I do not think the hologram placement effects the value of the coin. I will say that I only kept perfectly placed holograms in my personal collection also only MS-67's.

It seems paradoxical...

[bestcoin_59]

1BTC silvers have a hologram that's too big for the coin, so Casascius used his laser to melt the outer edge of the holos. On early coins, these melt rings were generally symmetrical. On later coins -- silver+gold especially -- many of the melt rings are terribly uneven. Check the pictures in OP.

ANACS, the third-rate coin grading service that is also the only place willing to grade Casascius coins, does not factor the hologram into their grading system IN ANY FASHION, so it's possible to have two coins with equal grades where one is much more visually appealing than the other.

Most collectors (vs flippers) avoid the silver+golds for this reason. I've had a few but have not kept a single one because I've never had one with a hologram worth keeping.

THAT SAID, if you're buying these coins to grade and sell, go ahead. Just make sure you sell before the market smartens up and starts buying the coin instead of the grade

Thanks a lot for your explanation.

[Blazed]

5.7BTC

[LazerViking]

i bid 5.725

[smoothie]

less than 24 hours.

[smoothie]

bump ~10 hours left

[bestcoin_59]

I bid 5.75BTC

[dazedfool]

5.777BTC

[smoothie]

45 min left

[Blazed]

5.78

[hennessyhemp]

5.79BTC

[dazedfool]

5.801

[hennessyhemp]

5.82

[smoothie]

15 min rule in effect.

Once a bid comes in and 15 min passes with no new bids the auction ends.

[dazedfool]

5.833BTC

[hennessyhemp]

5.8420

[Blazed]

6BTC

[hennessyhemp]

6.01BTC

[dazedfool]

I'm out

[Blazed]

I'm out

Same no profit left for me lol.

[hennessyhemp]

[Panthers52]

6.02

[hennessyhemp]

6.03BTC

[Panthers52]

6.04

[hennessyhemp]

6.05BTC

[Panthers52]

6.06 (you won the last one so you might as well go to sleep)

[hennessyhemp]

 

[Panthers52]

Does this mean you are giving up

[hennessyhemp]

6.07

[Panthers52]

Is this going to be smoothie's last auction of similar coins?

[hennessyhemp]

Smoothie will likely sell many more coins...I'm guessing he's got a nice stash tucked away, but my collection is just getting started.

[Panthers52]

6.08

[hennessyhemp]

6.1234

[dazedfool]

Is this going to be smoothie's last auction of similar coins?

I asked smoothie this and he replied with a 

So maybe not?

[Panthers52]

Is this going to be smoothie's last auction of similar coins?

I asked smoothie this and he replied with a 

So maybe not?

Hmmm. I am very interested in these coins.

6.1234

hah

pie plus 3 BTC

[hennessyhemp]

You can buy them from me on Ebay. 

2+2+2.25BTC

[Panthers52]

You can buy them from me on Ebay. 

2+2+2.25BTC

I am guessing you are selling them for a big premium on ebay? I am not a fan of paying those kinds of prices (please link me your auctions though, I would like to watch them ).

1 BTC + 2 BTC + 3.265 BTC

[hennessyhemp]

6.275

[Panthers52]

I looked on ebay and the prices for physicals are inane.  I would be nervous accepting paypal for that large of amounts though because the consequences of chargeback are too great

6.3 BTC. This will probably be my last bid

[hennessyhemp]

6.31BTC

 

[hennessyhemp]

Ebay likes working with their best sellers...and if you do it right, they typically side in your favor, especially if someone is trying to scam...they've been damned good to me.

[Panthers52]

Ebay likes working with their best sellers...and if you do it right, they typically side in your favor, especially if someone is trying to scam...they've been damned good to me.

Well I have never been a fan of eBay and do not even currently have an account. I guess if you have sold a lot and caused them to get a lot of revenue then your credibility would increase somewhat.

Some of the graded coins were fetching more then the entire purchase price you are paying!

[hennessyhemp]

I will be getting these graded for sure.

I think Ebay and craigslist are great indicators for price...we have a market that is hard to get into sometimes for a newb, especially non-technically inclined people, so these coins make it super easy for people with no experience to "get into" bitcoin, hence the much higher price tags...plus the risk of selling on ebay warrants a greater price-point to weed out the scammers. 

[Panthers52]

I will be getting these graded for sure.

I think Ebay and craigslist are great indicators for price...we have a market that is hard to get into sometimes for a newb, especially non-technically inclined people, so these coins make it super easy for people with no experience to "get into" bitcoin, hence the much higher price tags...plus the risk of selling on ebay warrants a greater price-point to weed out the scammers. 

IMO craigslist would probably result in higher prices on a NPV basis once you factor in the potential to getting a chargeback. You can collect the cash, or have the person send you bitcoin prior to handing over the coin and once you have it, short of robbing you there is nothing they can do to get the money back

[hennessyhemp]

It depends, I typically price Craigslist slightly below ebay because of the lack of fees from Ebay and Paypal, and lack of shipping costs, so it's probably closer to real market value, where Ebay has a more 7/11 convenience factor.

[smoothie]

6.31BTC

 

This is the winning bid ^.

Thank you to all who participated in this auction.

This auction is now closed.