It was my first auction and I had no idea what to expect.Cidermanrolls wrote: ↑Thu Oct 06, 2022 5:04 pm "A modest spend" is a relative term!
Having been at the sale, I was gobsmacked how much some people spent.
There were some spectacular plants and it was in a good cause, but some buyers must have spent thousands. One appeared willing to pay £150 to £300 for every large Ariocarpus or Lophophora going - and there were a lot.
It got to the point it felt rather disturbing to me, almost like some were bidding just to stop others getting the plant. How many large williamsii / retusus can one person need?
It's obviously a different world to the one I live in. Having seen it now at a couple of sales, I dont think I will be going to any more.
My total budget was £150 and I spent £110 total on four plants. I know several came away empty handed. It was obvious pretty early on that one or two bidders had come with serious cash and that bargains would be few and far between. The one you mention must have spent £5000 on the day. Even at the prices he paid, there's still room for profit if he flipped them. Certain plants are selling for silly money. Look at this recent eBay listing of a copiapoa cinerea for example.
, people went knowing that Colins plant were exceptional quality so the prices would be high, a friend went as he likes 'show quality specimens' & that's what most of them were, there was also some VERY rare plants, that you won't find elsewhere.