Terms and Conditions of Sale
Please be sure to read the complete Terms and Conditions of Sale, Guide for Prospective Bidders, and related information presented below. The rules of the auction are designed to encourage and promote bidding. You will be at a disadvantage if you do not read them. A short synopsis of the most frequently requested information appears immediately following this paragraph.
Important Shipping Info:
Rockhurst Auctions does not utilize the U.S. Post Office for delivery of our auction merchandise due to concerns about the reliability of service. UPS or Federal Express will now handle all shipping. Winning bidders must provide us with a STREET ADDRESS and PHONE NUMBER in order to receive their auction merchandise. Registered bidders can check to make sure their information is current or update it by logging in and clicking the Account button at the top of the page.
Buyer’s Premium:
Please remember there is a 15% Buyer’s Premium. For example, should you win a lot for $1000, your actual cost will be $1150 (plus shipping and handling, insurance and tax, if applicable). This 15% Buyer’s Premium will be in place for all auctions, effective immediately.
A Word About Starting Bids/Reserves:
Rockhurst Auctions believes a good auction features quality material and reasonable starting bids. The vast majority of the minimum bids in our auctions are extremely low. Most represent somewhere between 10% and 50% of a fair market value. Many minimum bids might be best described as nominal. The minimum bids in all Rockhurst Auctions events are in place to limit inquiries to those bidders who are sincerely interested in a given item, to protect the interests of sellers to a nominal amount and to ensure that (virtually) all lots will be sold. While our starting bids ARE the reserves on most lots, those lots with hidden reserves above the minimum bid will be marked as such on our website, ie bidders will be informed whether the reserve has been met with each successive bid. For lots with reserves above the minimum bid, estimates may also be listed. In these instances, the reserves will never be higher than the low estimate.
The 30 Minute Rule - How Internet Only Auctions End (Does Not Apply to Live Auctions):
You must place at least one initial bid on any item in the auction before 7:00 PM Central Time on auction closing day to be eligible to bid on that item, or any other item still open, during the extended bidding period that starts at 7:00 PM Central Time. At 7:00 PM Central Time, the 30 Minute Rule starts and EACH lot will close individually after that lot goes 30 minutes with no new bids. Whenever a new bid is placed, the 30-minute timer will be reset and the countdown will restart. If you are the current high bidder on a lot and you change your ceiling bid after 7:00 PM, this will not extend the bidding time, only a bid placed by another bidder or a higher “straight bid” placed by the current high bidder will reset the ending time on that lot. This rule provides all bidders the opportunity to bid on the lots they are eligible to bid on without getting “sniped” due to time constraints. Rockhurst Auctions, at its sole discretion, reserves the right to extend the bidding, or reset the 30 minute timer, on any item at any time. Furthermore, Rockhurst Auctions, at its sole discretion, reserves the right to contact active bidders on any lot during the extended bidding period with the intent to settle the bidding on the phone. This action will be undertaken in the spirit of ending the entire auction in a timely manner.
Payment of Invoices:
On the day following the auction invoices will be sent to all winning bidders by email, to winning bidders who have an email address on file, unless you request not to receive invoices via email. Please do not call or email our office regarding invoices prior to this date. Please remember that all invoices must be paid within 10 days of the invoice date. Rockhurst Auctions reserves the right to charge a bidder's credit card in the event their invoice is not paid after a period of 10 days of the invoice date. Prompt payment of auction invoices is essential both to an orderly reconciliation of the auction and timely consignor payments. Please call to prearrange any other type of payment. Any bidder who has not paid in full without having made prior arrangements for late payment will have future bidding privileges revoked. We accept personal checks, cashier's checks, certified checks, money orders, wire transfers and Credit Card payments. Checks are held until funds are collected which can take up to 10 business days; it generally take 5-7 business days after funds have been collected before shipment will occur. Credit Card payments will include a 2.5% convenience fee. Forms of payment other than personal checks are registered immediately and shipment of items occurs up to 5-7 days after posting. We thank you in advance for your cooperation. We reserve the right to charge interest on past due unpaid balances at 1.5% per month until paid.
Bidder Registration
If you are not currently a registered Rockhurst Auctions bidder and wish to register, call (773) 612-0918. Also, for any questions, you can always e-mail info@rockhurstauctions.com.
Terms and Conditions of Sale
1. Items are sold to the highest bidder.
2. For Internet Only Auctions: You must place at least one initial bid on any item in the auction before 7:00 PM Central Time on auction closing day to be eligible to bid on that item, or any other item still open, during the extended bidding period that starts at 7:00 PM Central Time. At 7:00 PM Central Time, the 30 Minute Rule starts and EACH lot will close individually after that lot goes 30 minutes with no new bids. Whenever a new bid is placed, the 30-minute timer will be reset and the 30 minute countdown will restart. If you are the current high bidder on a lot and you change your ceiling bid after 7:00 PM, this will not extend the bidding time, only a bid placed by another bidder or a higher “straight bid” placed by the current high bidder will reset the ending time on that lot. This rule provides all bidders the opportunity to bid on the lots they are eligible to bid on without getting “sniped” due to time constraints.
For Live Auctions with Internet Bidding: You may place an initial proxy bid on an item before the start of live bidding on the day of the Live Event to be eligible to have your bid executed by the auctioneer at the Live Event. Proxy bids may be placed via internet at rockhurstauctions.com. Bidding at the Live Event is at the discretion of the auctioneer. All bidding decisions made by the auctioneer are final. Bids at the Live Event will be recognized only by the auctioneer or other designated Rockhurst Auctions employees. Traditional auction paddles will be employed by prospective bidders for recognition of bids. Bidders alone are solely responsible for any and all bids on their paddle recognized by the auctioneer. NOTE ABOUT PHONE BIDDING: At the sole discretion of Rockhurst Auctions and the auctioneer, the auction may be paused if we lose contact with a phone bidder during active bidding on a lot in order to restablish contact to continue bidding for that bidder. Phone bids are a courtesy extended to bidders, but Rockhurst Auctions is not responsible in the event that bidders are not contacted during the auction.
3. All bidders must register to obtain an account prior to the earliest closing day of any auction to be eligible to bid in that auction. Once you obtain a Username and Password, these will be your Username and Password for all future Rockhurst Auctions, unless you change them. If you have bid with us before and cannot remember your bidder number, username or password or are not sure if you have an account with us, please email us at info@rockhurstauctions.com to have that information securely sent to you via email.
4. All new registrants will need two hobby references and a valid Master Card or Visa (used only to verify your identity). These references will be checked. Absolutely no registration will take place the day of the auction. No exceptions can be made. Rockhurst Auctions reserve the right, in its sole discretion, to refuse to register a bidder or to refuse to accept bids from anyone.
5. To top a bid, you must bid at least the next highest bid amount that is shown on the web site or required by the auctioneer during a live auction. All valid bid increments are displayed on the site using the values shown in the table below. There are absolutely no exceptions to the raise amounts, except at the discretion of the auctioneer. Placing a bid constitutes acceptance of the terms of sale as outlined herein. Current (real-time) bid status is available on our website with all lot listings and on the price grid.
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BID RANGE
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INCREMENT
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$100
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$499
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$25
|
|
$500
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$999
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$50
|
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$1,000
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$2,499
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$100
|
|
$2,500
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$4,999
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$250
|
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$5,000
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$9,999
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$500
|
|
$10,000
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$24,999
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$1,000
|
|
$25,000
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$49,999
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$2,500
|
|
$50,000
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$99,000
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$5,000
|
|
$100,000
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$199,999
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$10,000
|
|
$200,000
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$299,999
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$20,000
|
|
$300,000
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$399,999
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$30,000
|
|
$400,000
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$499,999
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$40,000
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$500,000 and above
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$50,000
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| During Live Auctions, bid increments over $500,000 will be at the discretion of the auctioneer. |
6. Subject to exceptions relating to credit considerations, all qualified bidders in good standing are eligible to bid on any lot in the auction. Rockhurst Auctions as a Company, as well as all of its employees (including executives and principals), are eligible to bid in our auctions, except during the last 24 hours of online and/or proxy bidding for that auction. Passive outside investors are eligible to bid at any time.
7. Offers to “top all other bids” are not accepted, but you may place a “Max” bid (also known as “Up To,” “Ceiling,” or “Limit” bid) and the system will automatically bid on your behalf up to that amount only if and when necessary. In the event of a tie bid, the earlier received bid will be recognized as the successful bid. (See Max Bids section of the Guide for Prospective Bidders, which follows these rules).
8. All material is guaranteed genuine; we offer no reproductions unless explicitly stated. For more information about authenticity, see A Word About Authenticity at the bottom of this page.
9. Illinois sales tax is charged on any purchases collected, delivered in, or shipped to that state unless the purchaser has provided Rockhurst Auctions, LLC with a valid sales tax exemption certificate issued by the States of Illinois. When a live auction is held in another state, the state tax rules for that state apply. (Coins and other numismatic items are exempt from Illinois sales tax and these items will not be charged sales tax in Illinois).
10. Please remember there is a 15% Buyer’s Premium. For example, should you win a lot for $1000, your actual cost will be $1150 (plus shipping and handling, insurance and tax, if applicable). This 15% Buyer’s Premium will be in place for all auctions, effective immediately.
11. Grading and condition of lots: There is a subjectivity to grading, especially the grading of cards. Every effort is made to verify the condition of each lot as it is described. We do not accept for auction any lots without careful scrutiny by not only ourselves, but, when necessary, by other leading authenticators. We cannot guarantee that every card described by us will in all cases receive exactly the same grade or even be accepted for grading by any third party grading service. No warranty, whether expressed or implied, is made with respect to any grade, condition, or other adjectival descriptions, which can and do vary, even among experts. Furthermore, we are not bound by the opinions of any authenticators, grading services, or “experts”, nor do the rules governing auctions held in any of the “trade papers” or magazines in which we may advertise hold precedence over the above listed rules. All measurements are approximate.
12. No retractions of bids are permitted. Once a bid has been placed, it may not be retracted. Once a bidder places a bid, that bidder is legally obligated to pay all fees associated with the purchase and shipping of that lot.
13. All Sales Are Final. No Returns Are Accepted.
14. In no event will Rockhurst Auctions’ liability to a purchaser exceed the purchase price actually paid for any lot. Rockhurst Auctions reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bids by any bidder. Rockhurst Auctions reserves the right to postpone or delay the auction, for a reasonable period of time, due to any significant, relevant event which, in the sole discretion of the auctioneer, makes it inadvisable to hold the auction as scheduled, without recourse from any bidder or prospective bidder.
15. Rockhurst Auctions employees, executives and principals are allowed to consign items to the auction.
16. Title to any lot remains with the consignor or Rockhurst Auctions and shall not pass to the successful bidder until the lot is actually paid for in full.
17. Invoices will be sent by email, to winning bidders who have an email address on file, unless you request not to receive invoices via email. Non-receipt of either a mailed or emailed invoice shall not be deemed cause for late payments. Bidders' individual Account pages on our website can always be referenced for current invoices and payment options. Payment is due within 10 days of the date of the invoice. After 10 days, Rockhurst Auctions reserves the right to charge unpaid invoices to bidder’s credit card on file. This term of sale is very important as prompt payment of auction invoices is essential both to an orderly reconciliation of the auction and timely consignor payments. Please call to prearrange any other type of payment. Any bidder who has not paid in full without having made prior arrangements for late payment will have future bidding privileges revoked. We accept personal checks, cashier's checks, certified checks, money orders, wire transfers and Credit Card payments. Checks are held until funds are collected which can take up to 10 business days; it generally take 5-7 business days after funds have been collected before shipment will occur. Credit Card payments will include a 2.5% convenience fee. Forms of payment other than personal checks are registered immediately and shipment of items occurs up to 5-7 days after posting. We thank you in advance for your cooperation. We reserve the right to charge interest on past due unpaid balances at 1.5% per month until paid.
18. Placing a bid constitutes express acceptance of all terms and provisions contained in these Conditions of Sale. In the event of a dispute, the bidder agrees to pay all of the auctioneer’s reasonable attorney’s fees and cost involved in collection of funds, plus 1.5% interest per month on any unpaid balance, accruing from the original due date, until the date all balances are paid. The jurisdiction for all litigation shall be in the State of Illinois, County of Cook or the Federal District Court of Illinois at the discretion of the auctioneer. Bidder hereby consents to the jurisdiction of Illinois. Each term and provision of these Conditions of Sale shall be construed as separate and distinct. In the event that any such term or provision shall be held whole by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, in whole or in part, the remaining terms and provisions shall survive and be binding on both parties.
19. If a winning bidder does not honor his or her bid with payment in full per the auction rules, then it is agreed that Rockhurst Auctions may, at its sole discretion, sell the given item(s) to an underbidder, or re-offer the given lot(s) in a future auction, and that the original winning bidder is responsible for any losses incurred or service charges involved in the sale of said item(s), and that the non-paying winning bidder explicitly agrees to pay any and all reasonable legal fees incurred by Rockhurst Auctions in the collection of these losses and/or service charges from the non-paying winning bidder if necessary.
20. While our starting bids ARE the reserves on most lots, those lots with hidden reserves above the minimum bid will be marked as such on our website, ie bidders will be informed whether the reserve has been met with each successive bid. For lots with reserves above the minimum bid, estimates may also be listed. In these instances, the reserves will never be higher than the low estimate.
21. All invoices include shipping, handling and insurance charges. The shipping charge is based on calculated FedEx Ground service (with signature required) and includes a $2.50 handling fee. The insurance is calculated based on the value of the material, 80¢ per $100.
22. CONSIGNORS BIDDING ON THEIR OWN LOTS IS STRICTLY FORBIDDEN: Bid manipulation of any kind is expressly forbidden. A consignor is prohibited from placing bids or arranging to have bids placed on his behalf on the lots owned by that consignor. Rockhurst Auctions reserves the sole right to remove any or all of a consignor's lots from an auction in which it has been determined by Rockhurst Auctions that that consignor has placed bids on or arranged to have bids placed on his/her lots. Please note that it is a violation of law to make bids in a false name or with an invalid payment method. Fraudulent bidders will be prosecuted to the fullest extent fo the law.
23. These rules are subject to change at the sole discretion of Rockhurst Auctions. Any significant rule changes will be posted here prior to the end of internet bidding for a given auction or, in the case of live auctions, announced prior to the Live Event beginning.
Guide for Prospective Bidders
Bid Notifications Via Email
You will receive bid confirmations and outbid notifications via e-mail on every item for which you are bidding, except when you are immediately outbid upon placing your bid due to an existing higher ceiling bid. In this case you will be notified on your computer screen. It has been our experience that many Internet service providers (AOL in particular) and email programs will randomly identify these e-mails as spam and will delete them or delay delivery. As this is out of our control, we are unable to rectify this issue. As a result, we strongly recommend users track their bids on their Account page on our website, as we cannot guarantee timely delivery of the notification e-mails through many ISPs.
“Max Bids” (Up To, Ceiling or Limit Bids)
“Max Bids” (sometimes called UP TO, CEILING or LIMIT BIDS) are an option. When placing such a bid you are instructing Rockhurst Auctions to competitively bid on your behalf up to, but not over, a given limit. Such bids must be calculated in the appropriate increments for the item based on its current bid. The website automatically displays these increments for you. Please note that the “Max” bid increments that will appear for an item will skip an increment to prevent a bidder from occupying two consecutive bids. For example, if a bid is placed of $100, the first available “Max” bid will be $120, skipping $110, as an increment must be left available for another bidder to enter his bid. The bidding system will automatically execute “Max” bids within seconds after a bid with an “Max” has been topped. Remember, all bids must comply with the minimum bid raise rule.
“Straight” Bids
Bidders may place a “Straight” or “Absolute” bid on a lot. A “Straight” bid is defined as a bid placed at a level higher than the current next incremental bid. All straight bids must be placed in appropriate increments for the specific lots to which they apply. In the event of tie bids, the earlier received bid will take precedence. This is especially significant with reference to “Straight” bids because if a “Straight” bid is placed at a higher than normal incremental increase on an item on which another bidder has left a “Max” bid, such “Max” bid will have priority. For example, if a lot is bid at $100 by Bidder A with an “Max” of $120, and Bidder B attempts to top the current high bid of $100 with a “Straight” bid of $120, then Bidder A’s “Max” will automatically be executed and Bidder A will be the high bid at $120. Bidder B will be informed that he is not the high bidder at $120, and that the next bidding increment is $130. In this way, the bidding process can accommodate bidders wishing to place “Straight” bids while not compromising the bidding strategies of “Max” bidders.
Auction Results
Full results of the auction will be available following the close of the auction on our website at www.rockhurstauctions.com. Auction results will also be mailed upon request to anyone sending a self-addressed stamped envelope.
A Word About Authenticity
Rockhurst Auctions takes pride in the unquestionable genuineness and quality of the material that is offered in the company’s auction events. The organization’s authentication standards for material offered are uncompromising, and reflect Rockhurst Auctions’ full commitment to collector satisfaction. Rockhurst Auctions rejects a tremendous amount of material, through our initial screening process. Rockhurst Auctions professionals scrutinize all items accepted, for any event. At Rockhurst Auctions, our unceasing dedication to research and provenance defines our process. For each of the pieces offered in our auctions, we seek to bolster the provided documentation and presentation with photographic evidence and with appropriate placement and context in the historical recor, whenever possible and appropriate.
In addition to a detailed pre-authentication screening process Rockhurst Auctions employs the services of several third-party authentication services and individual experts, all highly respected in their areas of expertise.
Autographs:
Beckett Authentication Services: Lead Authenticator Steve Grad most recently served as principal authenticator for a leading authentication company, building that company's authentication business during the past two decades. Grad has authenticated many of the finest pieces in the sports collectible hobby, including the highest graded Babe Ruth single-signed baseball and the only known Joe Jackson signed photo. Since 2013, Grad has served as an autograph expert for Pawn Stars on The History Channel, and will continue to appear on the popular show representing Beckett Authentication Services.
James Spence Authentication: James Spence III, who is recognized worldwide as one of the industry’s top sports autograph authenticators.
Game Used Items
Bats – John Taube is an acknowledged authority on professional model bats, assessing their game use, authenticity and provenance through a thorough 25-Step authentication procedure.
Jerseys – Rockhurst Auctions provides our own LOAs for all game used Jerseys. Behind these LOAs is the most targeted and comprehensive authentication process in the business. For each auction we engage no fewer than two experts that will work together to examine all of our game used jerseys. No individual names will be associated with this work based on the fact that we will only offer items where the team unanimously deems the item to be authentic.
Rockhurst Auctions stands behind the authenticity of the items in the company’s auctions, and we attempt to make every effort to offer genuine material—all of which has been evaluated and authenticated by the leading experts in the hobby. Because of the due diligence we perform, it is our firm policy that the sale of any lot accompanied by a Letter of Authenticity will be considered final. All lots are available for viewing prior to the auction.
ALL AUTOGRAPH AND GAME USED EQUIPMENT SALES ARE FINAL.
PLEASE NOTE: All lot-description references to PSA Population Reports, PSA SMR values, and PSA or SGC Set Registry rankings are accurate at the time the catalogue description is composed: bidders should be advised that this information is always subject to change. Rockhurst Auctions will not accept returned items based on apparent discrepancies in information cited from these sources.
IDFPR Licensed Auctioneer 441.002489
Tennessee Auctioneer Commission Principal Auctioneer Jeffrey K Marren ID Number: 7329