Friday, June 13, 2014

I'm In Geneva!

No not Switzerland, so I won't be climbing the alps, yodeling or picking wild flowers. I am in Geneva, NY - well actually right now I am at a Holiday Inn in Canandaigua, NY. I will be in Geneva tomorrow for an auction and stopped there earlier to preview the items up for bids. I think this will be my third time that I will be attending the Hessney Auction house for one of their gun auctions. I don't know if it's just me, or the fact that this is no longer new to me, or if it really is that the guns are not all that impressive for this one because that is what I got out of the preview earlier tonight. 

Maybe it's none of those reasons, maybe it's because I am almost flat broke. Just paying for the gas to get here had me emptying my change jar. At least the hotel is free, sort of, I am using points for my stay. Being I have very little cash with me, it is unlikely I am going to wind up going home with a bunch of guns like I did the last two times I was up here for their auctions. Then again, they accept credit cards and they also buy silver coins. I have about thirty such coins with me and silver closed at $19.67 today; it will be close to the same tomorrow in all likelihood. I could find myself exchanging those coins for almost $600 tomorrow. That added to the cash that I do have in my pocket could buy me a couple of decent finds. 

If I do buy anything, then once I get home, I will be selling some others that I already have but have little interest in keeping. I don't have any great money makers right now but could sell some to offset the cost of any new ones for which I may have the high bids tomorrow. There is a two tone Glock 19 calling my name (apparently new with the box), a Remington 700 BDL in .243 (it's got scroll engraving and is in like new condition), a Mossberg Model M44 .22 trainer (marked government property - I think), and Browning BAR, a Precision Small Arms Featherweight (Baby Browning modern clone, a masterpiece), a S&W Model 41 (that looked pristine) and a Rock Island Armory 1911 A-1 MS new in the box among some others. Did I say something to the effect that the guns did not impress me - whom was I trying to kid! That was before I figured out how much I can get for my coins. 

So, it looks as if I will be bidding on several items. In fact, I need to get out of the hotel's business center and back to my room to go over the auction catalog and make sure I am ready to play the part of the bumbling (but secretly savvy) bidder. I may not win many, if any, bids but I am going to have fun wishing and bidding anyway.

More on this tomorrow or Sunday.

All the best,
GB