Oops! Auction screw-up...

rockyridgefarm · Jan 31, 2015

I went to a sale today. Farmer was retiring and selling out - small stuff, equipment, AND dairy herd. He was a well liked guy and the bidders were willing to pay for some well maintained high usage equipment. I couldn't get anything bought - Home-made running gear with a feed bunk on it brought $250; 3-16 F145 plow brought $800; chicken catcher brought $17.50; small bucket of hydraulic fittings brought over $40; etc....

So they finally get to the thing I really wanted - a set of double ring tire chains to fit 16.9-38 tires. They showed wear, but none of the rings were broken, and they had very good, heavy-duty clasps. I paid $100 more than I wanted to pay and $200 more than I hoped to pay, but I FINALLY got something bought. They were still on the 3020, so I went over and dropped them off as they come up to the last tractor - John Deere 4230, power shift, 1975 model, 9600 hours, turboed, poor condition 20.8-34 tires, with a home-made front snow plow blade. Brought a stunning $15,750 This trator also had a set of chains on it, but they were just road chains so I never looked at 'em twice.

So I was BSing with a neighbor and the auctioneer was going on and on about having $100 and wanting $150 for something.

Neighbor goes "They're having an awful hard time selling those chains, sounds like a great deal. Wish I had a number."

I say "I'll bid for you if you want 'em".

"Sure, go ahead"

I put my hand up and yell at the auctioneer. He takes my bid, and says "Sold!" ....and something about the picker.

I say to Gerry, "Got you a set of chains"

Guy beside me goes "No, you got a picker"

"The heck I do, I bought them chains!"

So anyway, anyone need a New Idea 319 mounted picker???? I have her listed on CL for $1100, but am VERY willing to make some lucky bugger a heckuva deal! It's loaded on my trailer and I'll include delivery within 30 miles

47farmallM · Jan 31, 2015

lol..... hate to admit it but I can say I have done the same. I have bought a few things that I thought was something else because I wasn't paying attention

JD Seller · Jan 31, 2015

Well I am glad to see I am not the only one that does that every now and then. LOL

I bought a six bottom plow that way last year. They where selling a single row and I thought they where on a stack of wheel weights I could use. They where actually selling the plow behind the weights. The plow was cheap and the weights sky high. LOL

paul · Jan 31, 2015

Dad did the opposite, many years ago he bought a 3pt hoist
for $12.50 at an auction, while dragging out to the vehicle
someone asked what he wanted for it, didnt make it to the
auction in time. Dad jokingly said $50, the fella pulled 2 20s
and a ten out of his billfold and he and the son dragged it off.

Was something we kinda needed, had to borrow from the
uncle one more year until dad found another one.

Paul

ShadetreeRet · Feb 1, 2015

A few years ago, I was at an auction and saw a nice, little used set of post hole diggers, (manually operated). I was trying to keep up with the activity, but something distracted me for a minute and when I returned my attention to the auctioneer, his assistant was holding the diggers, so I ran the bid and won. EXCEPT, what they were selling was a set of almost worn out diggers with home made handles and two or three other pieces of junk. The good ones that I wanted were sold next. So I just laughed at myself and brought my "prizes" home. Never did use them.
Another time there was a very clean looking riding mower in a shed. I needed one, so started bidding. Some other fool wanted it too, and I was determined to get it, which I did to the tune of about $125.00. Went to load it and all four tires were flat. Got it home and not one would hold air, plus the muffler threads were stripped out of the block. No telling how long it had been sitting there. I did get it cranked, but it is out back with the rest of my "collection".
Like the feller sez, "Blessed are those who can laugh at themselves, for they shall never cease to be amused."

FBH44 · Feb 1, 2015

Got to a Catholic girls school auction late, getting rid of the antiques, rushed inside, wind was blowing hard, got inside and waved my hair back into place.... auctioneer yelled SOLD for $14,500!! I yelped, pleaded, he said Son don't ever do that again....

Don-Wi · Feb 1, 2015

Brother went to an auctioneers ware house clearing auction. Thought he was bidding on saw horses, but he bought a rock. A cool looking rock, but not worth paying for. I haven't messed up yet, and I keep my hands in my pocket till I'm ready to bid.

Donovan from Wisconsin

Dieselrider · Feb 1, 2015

Never bid at an auction with someone yacking in your ear.

Bob Bancroft · Feb 1, 2015

I bought my Ford 655A backhoe at auction about 10 years ago. It was the only candidate there for me, as all the newer, four wheel drives, were selling in the $20,000's, twice my price. I was seconds away from hoping to own it, when this nice little lady, with her tall teenage son, bid, totally screwing up the flow. I thought, OH NO, it's all shot now. The auctioneer was smart enough that he stopped the bidding immediately. Then he explained to her that the "11", or whatever the exact number was, had three zeros behind it! She was mortified! Bidding resumed, the auction guys recognized me as one of the serious bidders, and all ended well. I drove the thing home!

Traditional Farmer · Feb 1, 2015

Gotta pay attention at auctions,numerous times I've sold items I bought to people who were at the auction and not paying attention when the item was being sold.Had a real go around once with a fellow who took a tractor and bush hog to a consignment sale and intended to bid on it
to run up the price to what he wanted.Don't know where he was when they sold it but I bought it and paid for it while driving it on the trailer he comes over yelling "What am I doing with HIS tractor?"
A little discussion ensured with him,the auctioneer and me but I came home with the tractor and hog.

Gambles · Feb 1, 2015

A few years ago, my grandmother had an auction that had on it, of all things, a small, blank tombstone with the german words "fader" (father) on it. (It was actually in the basement of my grandparents house when they moved in, don't know where it came from....) For some reason, my sister wanted it really bad. So when it came time to sell, I positioned myself about 5 feet behind her and waited. When I got to be the high bidder, the auctioneer looked at me and my sister thought the auctioneer was looking at her. The auctioneer said "SOLD!", pointed in our direction and my sister went to the cashier to pay for it. You should have seen the look on her face when the cashier shook her head as my sister showed her the bidding number.
I wrapped it up and gave it to my sister for Christmas.

gtractorfan · Feb 1, 2015

I've ended up with a few things I didn't intend to buy-- that were thrown in with a "lot". Turned out things I wasn't after were more useful than what I was.

2underage · Feb 1, 2015

I went to a consignment auction and bought a New Holland model 570 baler with thrower for $3000.
A few minutes later a man came to me and asked if I had bought the baler. I told him that I had. He found out what I had paid for it and then told me he had been sent by the dealer to protect the bid but that he had gotten in a conversation with a group of his friends and lost track of the auction.
I don't know if he lost his job but I used the baler early in the hay season and then sold it for a good profit.

DoubleR · Feb 1, 2015

I've seen it happen allot. The winning bidder cries the blues and the auctioneer lets them off the hook. Then he'll open the bidding on the item and resale it.

rockyridgefarm · Feb 1, 2015

(quoted from post at 07:20:20 02/01/15) I've seen it happen allot. The winning bidder cries the blues and the auctioneer lets them off the hook. Then he'll open the bidding on the item and resale it.

I don't play that game. It was my fault, I take responsibility for my actions. Plus, I DID save it from the scrapper.

I may have it sold to a Mennonite in Richland Center who wants to mount it on a 70. Will 3020 mounting brackets fit a 70? It really is in good shape, always shedded, and used this past fall.

danmcdonald · Feb 1, 2015

Years ago I bid and won a garden cart for $5.00 When I went to pay I also found that it included over 200 pounds of welding rods. Life is good.

notjustair · Feb 1, 2015

I still can't figure out how I came home with pallet forks for the
7800 a month ago. I was there to buy them but hadn't bid yet. I
was staring at them. I must have had a seizure and threw my
hand up at the right time. I got a good deal and they were the
only reason I went, so it evened out.

Donald Lehman · Feb 1, 2015

Lol! Many moons ago I got my hands on a 1978 YZ 250. At the time they were as good as anything on the market and rather difficult to find used. About week after I bought it a fellow came in the shop and was doing everything he could think of to get me to sell it to him. Got sick of listening to him nag me about it and set a price nearly double the resale price. I figured that would put him off. The darn guy says, "gimme a couple of hours and I'll have the money". At that point I had to get ticked at the guy and tell him to git or else. Kept the bike under lock and key for a while after that..................

tomstractorsandtoys · Feb 1, 2015

What did the two 3020's bring? How about the 7200 planter and the MTA?

rockyridgefarm · Feb 1, 2015

Don't quote me, I don't pay close attention to thing I'm not gonna buy and don't write numbers down.

The 3020 diesel brought about 9600. It had a schwartz wide front and the battery was mounted to the frame. The tires were titans with good lug, but they were chunking out. Just a plain old high hour tractor. The 3020 gas brought over $6000, maybe 6300? The low, low hours sold it. Both are going to Missouri. M-ta had the ta out (go figure) and brought about $2800.

Corn planter brought nearly 7 grand, I think. It was a nice 4 row conservation with dry fertilizer. That drill brought enough. Last I heard, it was over 1200. Disk was knocking on $3K's door.

Michael Soldan · Feb 1, 2015

I was at a tractor show and auction in Mount Gilead Ohio , my friend told me there were some Farmall H grills so I went and looked. One was pristine,the other very good. Auctioneer got to them and the bids were slow but there was some interest,finally he put both grills and a drive belt together, I bought the lot for $55. As I was picking up the grills , a fellow came up and asked if I would sell one,he needed one for his H so I told him I wanted them both..he looked so disappointed I said OK,I would get $100 for the good one at home and $50 for the other easily. He thought about it and pulled out $50. My neighbor at home bought the drive belt for $10 , so I ended up with a perfect H grill and a five dollar bill...best deal I ever got at an auction. I have four H grills,three H hoods,two sets of fenders,brake drums,starters, generators,lights light bars...when the grandsons are a few years older we are going to get those H's out of the shed and get busy !

BarryfromIA · Feb 1, 2015

list the picker on the corn picker forums.

Cory Schmidt · Feb 1, 2015

That remind me of a few auctions I went to. One we bought clean out rights to a small building, took one thing out the door and someone said if they knew that it was in there(we did, that's why we were bidding) he would have bid more.
At another there was a large assorted lot. My dad and another person bidding, the other folded. Talking with the guy he wanted half we wanted the other half of the lot, so the man paid us half of the winning bid and both parties got what they wanted. Also at this auction we bought another "junk" pile thought about leaving some of it there, but took it anyway. in the pile was a cash register, got it home and opened it a $10 bill was still inside(we paid 2 for that pile).
Just goes to show it pays to pay attention and take everything you buy.

wilson ind · Feb 1, 2015

WENT TO SALE 3-4 YEARS AGO to buy a bush hog
listed in sale bill.. They sold 2 rotary mowers, I
then asked auctioneer where the bush hog was that
was listed. He said we just sold them. I said no I
mean a real bush hog. He said there all bush hogs.
I said ya all cars are cadillacs to. Never can
understand how people cannot realize difference
between BRUSH HOG and BUSH HOG.

BANDITFARMER · Feb 1, 2015

Me and dad and my uncle went to a sale one day as we didn't have much to do and it was a nice dry spring day. Lots of junk and some good stuff. As the people moved along the sale my uncle got a cell call and answered it, Now my uncle is one of those guys that uses his hands a lot when talking. As they started to sell an 8N Ford that was a leaner (all 4 wheels leaned in at the top) that was a little rough lookin. My uncle is still on the phone in a heated discussion when they were trying to get a $500 bid when my uncles hand went up talking on the phone. It was kinda funny every time the bid came to him that hand would come up, Bid was $875 want $900 to my uncle. Just as he ends the call he throws his hands up with a S O B! the auctioneer said SOLD! And it got dead quiet! My uncle had this "I want to kill" look that quickly turned to the WTF deer in the head light look. What's your number? What? What's your number you just bought the tractor? OH CRAP! He gave them his number as the people moved on, He stood there looking at a tractor he had just bought with a dazed and confused look on his face. My uncle looked at dad and asked what just happened? Well we thought you were bidding on the tractor. He11 no! I was arguing with the old lady! Boy I am never going to hear the end of it for this! Bandit

acrcpa · Feb 1, 2015

Don't want to take Harvey 2's job. But where was the sale at? State would be fine.

dgasper · Feb 1, 2015

Bowling alley went out of business. Went to the auction. A swarm of bees began circling my head. You can guess what happened.

37chief · Feb 1, 2015

I bid on a box of something on a pallet years ago, went to pick it up and it was gone. Was at another auction. A large Lincoln welder was on the block for 35.00. No one was bidding more. I didn't even take a look at it. From the back of the room I saw it had large copper cables. I thought just for the copper cables it would be worth that for scrap. I got it. Took it home, and have been using it for years. Stan

rockyridgefarm · Feb 1, 2015

(quoted from post at 09:10:06 02/01/15) Don't want to take Harvey 2's job. But where was the sale at? State would be fine.

If you switch to the better "Modern View", you'll see I'm from SW WI. Sale was in Fennimore.

sale bill-
http://www.timslackauctionrealty.com/auction-schaefer.html

Mike (WA) · Feb 1, 2015

It can happen the other way around, too- was at a consignment auction many years ago, an older self-propelled lawn mower came up- Everyone knew everything was "as-is", and it looked a little rough, so I got it for 20 bucks. After he knocked it off to me, auctioneer said "If it don't run to your satisfaction, you don't own it." Crowd got on him a little for that. It ran fine, and I used it for several years.

ObsoElitist · Feb 1, 2015

I'll buy anything I think I can make a heavy profit on. It pays for my hobbies. At one auction a self-proclaimed Bean Farmer from an up-scale winery area was bidding stupid on many items I wanted, but we still got 27 large lots. He and we were the last people loading, and he asked me how much I would give him for the 100 year old lathe that he could not fit on his trailer. It was a 12x 36 Monarch Conehead that had been modified to chain-drive, giving one speed, later found to be 85 RPM. He had just paid $350 plus a 15% fee for it. After that passed me by I bought good condition 10 inch Atlas with tooling for $80. Being the reasonable man I am, I offered him the $100 I had bid and he took it, and I later traded it for something else to a friend. He also spent over $500 on an old 1930's cabinet style spark plug tester/cleaner in good condition that he could not haul. I gave him $80 for that one and later got fair market value of $200. I hope I see him again next weekend!

acrcpa · Feb 1, 2015

Thanks. I did that, Jerry

jimg.allentown · Feb 1, 2015

I love box lots at auctions. I was at an auction one time, and they were selling box lots. Most were selling for $1 to $3. I saw a bottle of 2-stroke oil in one, so I bid for it. I think I had to go to $5 for it. When I looked into it, there were 4 or 5 brand new GFCI outlets still in the boxes. Did I say I LOVE box lots? Another time, I got one for $1. When I went through it at home, I found 5 rolls of pennies in it.

W_B · Feb 1, 2015

(quoted from post at 00:26:52 02/02/15) I love box lots at auctions. I was at an auction one time, and they were selling box lots. Did I say I LOVE box lots? Another time, I got one for $1. When I went through it at home, I found 5 rolls of pennies in it.

When we were in the antiques biz we bought a box lot with some misc. kitchen stuff and found an Egg Baking Powder biscuit cutter in it that was worth about $350 at the time. Still have that one in our collection. Here's an ad for one with several pictures (NOT mine or anyone I know) Looks like asking prices have gone up. https://www.etsy.com/listing/111228562/antique-egg-baking-powder-figural

I recently bought a box lot of misc. computer stuff at an online sale, it had a perfectly functional Canon photo printer with one new ink cartridge and all the cable and a manual, a one terabyte hard drive w/ manual and cables, a router, two wireless key boards, wireless mouse and a couple of carrying cases... for $8. I like box lots too!

John_PA · Feb 1, 2015

I wish you were closer. That picker look really nice. We had one like it. First on an M diesel, then on the Ford 7000. It would not lift up high enough to turn the 7000.

Oops! Auction screw-up...

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