Once again, the annual event is upon us! The 17th HRSM “Model Auction” Swap Meet will held in the customary venue at the Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Virginia Beach. VA (click for Google Maps) on Saturday, 26 October 2024 from 10am to 4pm. Held in air-conditioned comfort with on-site ‘cheap eats’ concession and good company, it is hoped to be an even more entertaining diversion for an Autumn day. Attendees should expect to dig into that attic, closet or garage stash and find those unneeded, excess or unwanted (is there really such a thing?) kits, books and other modeling-related paraphernalia to put out for conversion to either cash or new “raw materials”.
The auction format provides fast-paced action that quickly disposes of the presented “lots”, and where luck and timing hold sway. The result is more fun and exciting than the usual ‘swap meet’ – and everyone has the opportunity to win!
To make this possible, sellers should organize their items into (hopefully) attractive packages, or lots, for competitive bidding controlled under the experienced gavel of auction-master Ed Rose. As explained by the FAQS (HERE), the event kicks off at 10am with registered sellers prepping their lots until just before the bidding starts promptly at noon. This gives time to complete the necessary paperwork (lot description sheets – download HERE), to examine all the other goodies and to grab a bite from the lunch concession. Once the auction gets going, however, it will move quickly as bidders angle for the best deals. Once all lots are finished, a final accounting , settlement and disbursement will be completed efficiently and accurately – all neat and tidy by way of a customized computing tool. All transactions are in whole dollars, so bring cash – small bills are preferred! No checks or credit cards will be accepted, this is for fun and not for ‘business’!
Some tips for “success” are:
- Bring lots pre-prepped in bags or boxes with description sheets completed so you have more time to examine other lots on offer.
- Arrive on time to look over the lots & to give your own lots time to be seen.
- Don’t over-price your lots; desirable kits, etc. will generate appropriate bids especially if a low starting bid helps to initiate a ‘bidding war’.
- Organize your lots with a ‘target audience‘ in mind. For example, a lot comprised of a car, a ship & airplane kits may not appeal to modelers who like only one of those genres. However, the same with a common scale may be attractive as a collection.
- Over all, be flexible and open to opportunity!
So come on by & have some fun, convert your less active ‘plastic’ into ‘paper’ and perhaps find that treasure for which you’ve been hunting.