Live Game Auctions

FAQ: Questions about live game auctions

Where IS the auction?

At Gen Con Indy it is in Rooms 121-124 in the Main Convention Center, directly across from the dealer's room.

At Origins it is in Rooms E170-E172, very near the dealer's room.

At other conventions, please check their website for the room location.

Where

What can I sell there?

The auction usually has everything in hobby gaming -- games and accessories, spare parts, rulebooks, adventures, figures and paints, collectible cards, video games, computer games, and more. Related items Star Trek and Star Wars memorabilia, fiction and reference books, toys, artworks and sculpture, and of course comic books, such as Wolverine #1 and Knights of the Dinner Table. As a general rule they do not accept food or living beings of any sort, Humanoid or otherwise. Check actual rules at the auction you are attending to any exceptions from this list.

How much is my game worth?

We try to get you the best price for your stuff, but we cannot affect the fair market by offering opinions like this in advance. Value comes from many factors, including condition, packaging, regional price differences, and others. Independent price guides are available for some categories, and you can often find recent records on public auction web sites.

Should I sell my stuff in batches or just piece-by-piece?

Depends on the stuff. At the desk where you check in at the auction you'll find expert collectors who will offer advice like this. (You may have a valuable collectible and not even realize it!) If you're sure that some items are all common and related, it makes sense to group them. Some things should NOT be batched, like unrelated items (a family game, a wargame, and a roleplaying piece), and games of even moderate value (often the case with wargames) will do better individually.

How can I register my items in advance? Can I get item tags?

How long do I have to pre-register?

You can use the Origins/Gen Con Pre-Registration Site until the weekend before the convention. After you log in to the site you can see the exact date that the registration has to be shutdown so that we can get ready for the con. (This answer only applies to the Origins and Gen Con auctions)

How long can the description be? (Gen Con/Origins auctions only)

You are limited to 255 characters for the item description (because we are using "mySQL" as the database engine). If you have more to say, write it on the tag after you print it, or include a separate sheet. You CAN add comments later, too. But please do NOT write on the back of the item tag.

How do I fix something I mess up? (Gen Con/Origins auctions only)

To EDIT, just log into the pre-registration system and click on the convention name. You will see a list of items that you have registered. Click on an item (either Item ID or Title) to open an Edit window. You can change anything except the item's number, which is assigned by the software.

How do I delete an item? (Gen Con/Origins auctions only)

You just rewrite it (see EDIT, above) to become something else that you want to sell. If you end up with a blank tag, you can either ignore or rename it "Delete Me". Remember that every item has to be brought to us for check-in, and YOU WON'T BE CHARGED for blank tags or anything you don't bring.

Can I pay in advance for my seller card & item tags? (GenCon/Origins auctions only)

No, and we have no plans to allow this. You will pay for these items when you arrive at the convention.

I forgot my password for the pre-registration site. Help! (GenCon/Origins auctions only)

When will things be sold? Are they in categories?

The schedule always varies by what's submitted. Watch for on-site changes (posted at the auction site).

What's the difference between the Stage and the Store?

The stage refers to the live auction. The Consignment Store is for sellers who don't want to risk low bids; you set a fixed price and mark "Store Only" on the item tag. Store shoppers CAN bid while they're in the Store. Stage items are brought up by category and described and sold to a large group of buyers interested in that category. Meanwhile, all sorts of buyers visit the store all day every day, and like most stores you can find almost anything there. On stage, almost everything sells; in the store, it depends on the pre-set prices.

If my items don't get bids on stage, will you put them into the store for me? (Gen Con/Origins auctions only)

Sure, and that's automatic. Sometimes the audience doesn't bid, and the item is sent to the Store so it can find a new home. You probably don't want it sold in the Store for a mere dollar, so you should either name your Minimum (Store) price or check the "No Store" option on the item tag. Your item will not be sold unless that Minimum (sometimes called the "Reserve")is met.

Note that high-value and fragile items are not moved to the store

Will my items be in a Collector session? (Gen Con/Origins auctions only)

We have experts at the check-in desk who can advise you. We handle thousands of games at each auction and we've been doing this for many years, so we're pretty good at identifying collectibles. Among our staff members are experts who have seen and played virtually every game known to man. Those experts separate the collectibles from all the rest. Feel free to call attention to your collectible in the item description...but if something isn't collectible we'll know it, and it'll get put in the appropriate time slot.

Can I look at stuff before it's sold? (Gen Con/Origins auctions only)

There is no pre-auction inspection period, due to the nature of the event; we get huge amounts of stuff coming in over a 3-day period. But we know that some things you just HAVE to see. Painted miniatures and ultra-rare collectibles are displayed in showcases, and other special items are often displayed for a short time. And we offer a guarantee that you won't find elsewhere: when you pay for an item, you can (and SHOULD) check to be sure it's exactly as described. If it's not, you can cancel the sale, and we'll change the description accordingly and put it back up. (But you can't just change your mind; if it IS what was described, you are required to pay what you bid. That's a legal thing.)

Can I bid on stuff without being there? I'd rather be gaming...

Yes, you can. This procedure is called "Proxy Bidding". You can't do this for common items, but you can for almost any collectible or special item. First have a staff member bring the item for your inspection (we do the handling, you do the examining). Then show your bidder card and tell us your maximum bid for the item. The information is written on the item tag in a hidden place, and your bid will be part of the action when the item comes up. Your final bid price is typically $1 more than the last "live" bid (sometimes more for high-priced items), so you may get the item for at lot less than your Proxy (maximum) bid. Note that you may be required to guarantee your bid, so have a credit or debit card handy if you plan on Proxy bidding. While both the Origins and Gen Con auctions allow Proxy Bidding, not all auctions do – check with the auctioneer to make sure.

Can I get money as soon as my stuff sells? (Gen Con/Origins auctions only)

In our unique Advance Partial Payout system we start paying sellers on Thursday. If your items have sold, you can pick up the cash right away and go hit the dealer room. If your items haven't sold yet, of course you can't get paid yet; check back later.

Can someone else pick up my money for me? (Gen Con/Origins auctions only)

No, and we require photo ID when consignors pick up their payouts. Within 7 days after the convention we mail out checks to everyone who hasn't picked up their money, so if you get tied up, don't worry about it.

What about my stuff that didn't sell? (Gen Con/Origins auctions only)

In general, all items not picked up by 12pm local time on Sunday of the convention become auction property, and may be taken by auction volunteers, thrown away, or eaten. You cannot pick up items before 9am Sunday, because there are just too many items we'd have to search to find yours. But although nobody else can pick up your money, someone else CAN pick up your leftovers: they'll need your original seller card, your check in receipt, AND a hand-written signed note from you giving them permission to do this. If you make arrangements with us before Sunday, your leftovers can be stored or mailed to you, but those options are expensive, and you won't like them. Trust me.