My First Big Boy Purchase - How Do I Pay?

[Furryfrog02]

In the spirit of Saturnalia, I bid on a coin in yesterday's Nomos Ag auction - my first ever participation in a European auction house auction.  I signed up with them about a week ago and placed a pre-bid on a bucket list coin that had a reasonable (to me) starting bid. I did this all via biddr. I received an email back from them with a user name and a bid confirmation. Fast forward to yesterday during the live auction - imagine my surprise when my lot came up and I actually won! I was especially shocked considering how much some of the other lots were going for. 

That being said, normally after an auction through biddr, I get an automated invoice fairly shortly after the auction closes. I haven't received anything from Nomos and when I log in, I can see the coin, see that I won, but there is no invoice. 

My question is this - How do I pay? Will they send me an invoice that I can pay via their website? Or do I need to reach out and request one? Am I jumping the gun in expecting to already have an invoice? I'm more of the ebay-level collector that pays as soon as an auction is over. I've only participated in 2 other biddr auctions, both of which inoviced me almost immediately after the auction closed. 

Perhaps I am stressing about this too much, but I'm super excited and want to make sure that I do everything right. 

[Prieure de Sion]

34 minutes ago, Furryfrog02 said:

Perhaps I am stressing about this too much, but I'm super excited and want to make sure that I do everything right. 

Keep calm... 😉 

The auction was yesterday - they need time to write the invoices for all customers. At biddr the invoices are generate from the software system automatically - the most auctions houses generates their invoices with human power - and that will take a little.

You get a invoice - and you can see at the invoice the options of payment.
And if there other questions - you can ask NOMOS with mail or phone.

[Al Kowsky]

F.F.🐸, Don't get impatient, you'll get an invoice from them payable in CHFs. Your bank will need to make the conversion, & there is a fee for that.

[Furryfrog02]

3 minutes ago, Al Kowsky said:

F.F.🐸, Don't get impatient, you'll get an invoice from them payable in CHFs. Your bank will need to make the conversion, & there is a fee for that.

I just want to make sure I'm doing everything right. I think I may have bitten off more than I can chew with this haha. 

[John Conduitt]

Some can take a week, especially if they have more days of the auction.

If you can pay with a card an no extra fee, you can do that. The invoice will say. Otherwise, you can do a bank transfer with something like Wise to avoid extra fees.

[Prieure de Sion]

2 minutes ago, John Conduitt said:

Some can take a week

There is a French auction house, the write every single invoice in Word - that will take sometimes 2-3 weeks 😄 

[Furryfrog02]

8 minutes ago, Prieure de Sion said:

There is a French auction house, the write every single invoice in Word - that will take sometimes 2-3 weeks 😄 

Wow. 
I feel like they should come to 2023. But then again, I kind of expect something antiquated like that when going through a European auction house. 😛

[lordmarcovan]

I have found (particularly with overseas auction houses) that the invoice can sometimes lag for several days to even a week after the auction, so don't worry- they'll be in touch eventually, I'm sure.  They'll be wanting your money!

Congrats on your purchase!

[Prieure de Sion]

36 minutes ago, Furryfrog02 said:

I feel like they should come to 2023. But then again, I kind of expect something antiquated like that when going through a European auction house. 😛

 

If you see our antique coins as ordinary (bulk) goods on Amazon, I agree with you. Quickly bought, machine invoices, quickly delivered. Quickly consumed.
 
But when a French auctioneer types the invoice into Word, even signs it by hand and takes time for each order personally - then I prefer this personal way - even if it takes 2 to 3 weeks. I would even wait 4 weeks for the invoice if he typed it on a typewriter. The coins have been waiting for me for 2000 years - a few more weeks don't matter.
 
I also associate antique coins with a certain calm and flair. And not just (fast) consumption. The world has become fast enough - I love this hobby because it also slows things down. 
 
But that's my subjective opinion, which not everyone may share.

[Furryfrog02]

18 minutes ago, Prieure de Sion said:

 

If you see our antique coins as ordinary (bulk) goods on Amazon, I agree with you. Quickly bought, machine invoices, quickly delivered. Quickly consumed.
 
But when a French auctioneer types the invoice into Word, even signs it by hand and takes time for each order personally - then I prefer this personal way - even if it takes 2 to 3 weeks. I would even wait 4 weeks for the invoice if he typed it on a typewriter. The coins have been waiting for me for 2000 years - a few more weeks don't matter.
 
I also associate antique coins with a certain calm and flair. And not just (fast) consumption. The world has become fast enough - I love this hobby because it also slows things down. 
 
But that's my subjective opinion, which not everyone may share.

I agree. I am picturing some musty old room with lots of books and what not. Someone scribing out an invoice with a quill onto parchment lol.

As far as my payment and what not, I just wanted to make sure I am not missing something I am supposed to do. I always like to square up my debts as quick as possible. I don't like having things outstanding. Especially if I am the one that is holding things up.

[lordmarcovan]

9 minutes ago, Furryfrog02 said:

As far as my payment and what not, I just wanted to make sure I am not missing something I am supposed to do. I always like to square up my debts as quick as possible. I don't like having things outstanding. Especially if I am the one that is holding things up.

Know what you mean.

[lordmarcovan]

PS- when do we get to see what it is? 😉

[Salomons Cat]

The last few times when I had to make a payment to a dealer from the US, I had to pay some extra fees for the bank transaction... 20$, I believe. PayPal might be cheaper in some cases. You just have to check how they convert the currency because that could make you lose a lot of money.

1 hour ago, Furryfrog02 said:

Wow. 
I feel like they should come to 2023. But then again, I kind of expect something antiquated like that when going through a European auction house. 😛

Yes, some things are a bit old fashioned. But we do have modern devices in Europe. Here is a picture of me, sitting in front of my computer ☺️

Edited December 18, 2023 by Salomons Cat

[Qcumbor]

1 hour ago, Al Kowsky said:

F.F.🐸, Don't get impatient, you'll get an invoice from them payable in CHFs. Your bank will need to make the conversion, & there is a fee for that.

Many houses in Switzerland also have a bank account in euros and another one in USD to make things easier to foreign customers. I don't know about Nomos since I haven't bought from them for ages, but Leu does, for instance

Q

[Furryfrog02]

12 minutes ago, lordmarcovan said:

PS- when do we get to see what it is? 😉

When it arrives safely to my house lol.
Don't worry, I promise you will be wholly underwhelmed when I do post it 🙂

[CPK]

I can't wait to see what you've purchased...;)

[Furryfrog02]

1 minute ago, CPK said:

I can't wait to see what you've purchased...;)

I'm sure you can lol.

I didn't mean to hype it up this much lol. I "think" all-total after purchase, buyers premium (🤮) and shipping, I will probably be all in around $125ish dollars. Which is more than I will have spent for any coin ever.  

[Ancient Coin Hunter]

I finally got my Leu invoice as a PDF file attached to an email. There are a couple of links on the email for different payment methods. I tend to use Stripe as it is Europe based. On Paypal/credit card option payments with some European auction houses I've had the transaction flagged as a potential threat and they've put a hold on my card. To avoid this I use Stripe.  Terms are 10 days from receipt of the invoice. Leu did make clear that they were not going to ship the 7000 lots until mid-January to avoid holiday shipping snafus.

Edited December 18, 2023 by Ancient Coin Hunter

[Prieure de Sion]

33 minutes ago, Salomons Cat said:

Yes, some things are a bit old fashioned. But we do have modern devices in Europe. Here is a picture of me, sitting in front of my computer ☺️

… where is the Fax in the background? 
;) 

[Harry G]

I look forward to seeing your write up of the coin!

I've used Wise in the past; their fees are quite small, and payment is pretty quick

[Nerosmyfavorite68]

4 hours ago, Furryfrog02 said:

I'm sure you can lol.

I didn't mean to hype it up this much lol. I "think" all-total after purchase, buyers premium (🤮) and shipping, I will probably be all in around $125ish dollars. Which is more than I will have spent for any coin ever.  

That's about the average amount I spend on a coin, when I'm not going for more inexpensive ones.

That was also around the cost of my Secret saturnalia.  Nice coins can be had for that range.

[Furryfrog02]

1 minute ago, Nerosmyfavorite68 said:

That's about the average amount I spend on a coin, when I'm not going for more inexpensive ones.

That was also around the cost of my Secret saturnalia.  Nice coins can be had for that range.

I don't have that kind of budget on a normal coin unfortunately. However, this is is a type I have wanted since I saw one posted by another member awhile back. 
This coming year is going to be much scaled back for me.  Perhaps spending a bit more but on fewer examples.  Of course I say that now....but those $10-$15 coins are my kryptonite.

[Furryfrog02]

Good news - I received an invoice via email (no typewriters @Prieure de Sion) and was able to pay via paypal. I was really sweating it. 

Bad news - They won't be shipping until after the holidays which I understand. I will just have to wait. Heck - I waited longer for my coins to arrive from India lol.

Painful (to my wallet) news - After buyer's fee, currency exchange, shipping, etc...the grand total came out to $137.50.

Lesson - I will probably not be a bidder on any more European auctions. I can't justify the cost for rather low value coins.

 

Oh well...now the wait begins 🙂

[Nerosmyfavorite68]

What was the shipping part of the cost?

That's not bad, for an auction. 

I don't know, for fixed price coins, the reason I buy a lot from Europe is that assuming it's via the post, the cost is generally about the same or below, U.S. dealers, for coins of equal or better quality.

I think the least expensive coin I bought this year was $18, a not-bad throw-in Claudius II Ant. I also managed to snag a very nice Phocas for $20.

The $7 'uncleaned' (not uncleaned) provincials from dirtyoldcoins could be ok for the money, but 50 pct. of my small sample size order were either really decrepit or BD-encrusted. Only one was nice for the money.

Perhaps you could see if Allen Berman still has something similar to his 4 for $20 Byzantine junk box?  I never got any hideous duds from it.  The biggest 'dud' was a G Alexius Teterteron. Not bad.  Most were coins that would go for 20-40 today (this was the 1990's through about 2009).

I'd count myself squarely in the budget-buyer category.

[Furryfrog02]

Shipping was 20 CHF, so like 23 Freedum bux. Shipping was about 1/4 the cost of the coin. Fixed price would be the way to go. Ordering more so the shipping is worth it. I don't think this auction thing is for me haha.