Blocks Marble Auction 1-28-23

[marblenewbie]

Did anyone participate in Blocks Auction Saturday? I watched the last half of the auction and was amazed at some of the prices.  I saw a Rebel go for $325, Superman $375 (I think) and you have to add the buyers premium of around 20%.  Also on the lower end a mint Conqueror for $16.00 and a Vitro mint patch for $30.00.  Can't believe those two.  A lot of common marbles that Block estimated at between $50 and $100 went for $210.  Anyone have an opinion on whether this is a new normal or just people getting carried away in an auction?

The other thing that caught my eye is that he gave most of offerings a grade of 80 to 90 with the highest I saw was 99.  Is this just his grading system or are others using it?  How does that compare to mint, near mint etc.?

[Fire1981]

Ouch ! That’s always a heated debate. Mint compared to what ? I don’t like those “click” words that are attached to grading a marbles. What’s the difference between a 10 or Mint. I just referred to grading a marble. What about appraising a marble. Give me a break ! Grade 99….what was that one thing that kept it from being 100. 🔥

 

[Chad G.]

This is the grading system my friend Terry uses. Pretty much the same as Marble Alan (Alan Basinet) used & the one I use. I would have copied Alans but not without permission from  Craig @spara50 Who is taking care of Alan's old site

LINK ::  https://buymarbles.com/marblealan-101.html

 

10.0 (Pristine): This describes a perfect marble, with a "wet," clean surface even under magnification. All contemporary marbles should have this grade, though very few antique or vintage marbles will ever be graded as such.

9.7-9.9 (Mint +): There is no damage present, even under magnification, though the marble is not quite a perfect "10."

9.3-9.6 (Mint): To the unaided eye, this describes a marble with no damage, though under magnification there may be one or two pinpricks, a hint of wear, or an abrasion or rub spot. Marbles in this range may have a small "as-made" such as a pinprick-sized blow-out pit or a touch spot.

9.0-9.2 (Mint -): Mint (-) marbles will have no missing glass, with the exception perhaps of some microscopic pinpricks. There may be minor wear, a sparkle or two, or a tiny subsurface reflection or moon.

NOTE: Any damage to a marble graded as MINT will have occured during the manufacturing process. if the damage is the result of box wear or anything that happened to the marble after it was packaged at the plant, then the marble will be graded as NEAR MINT.
In some cases a technically NEAR MINT(+) 8.9 is more desirable than a MINT(-) 9.0 because the 9.0 may have as-made annealing fractures, pop-outs, and/or blow-holes that occcupy the best views, whereas the 8.9 marble may have only one tiny unobtrusive scratch or flake that is not near as noticeable as the defects of the other

8.7-8.9 (Near Mint +): These marbles are almost in the Mint range, but may have a tiny flake or moon, or two, as well as a few sparkles, subsurface reflections/moons, minor "as-mades," and/or minor wear. Near Mint (+) marbles will have at least one angle from which they view Mint.

8.3-8.6 (Near Mint): This range describes marbles that have the same sort of description seen on Near Mint (+) marbles, only to a higher degree. One side should still be viewed Mint.

8.0-8.2 (Near Mint -): These marbles will have the same sort of damage seen on specimens in the upper Near Mint ranges but only more so. No side will be viewable as Mint, but the damage will not be deep or cover more than one quarter of the marble's surface, with the exception of overall wear.

7.7-7.9 (Good +): The difference between marbles in this range and those that are Near Mint (-) is highly subjective, though such marbles will have over one quarter of the surface covered with damage, but not more than 50%. A Good (+) marble should be able to be reconditioned (polished) without too much glass required to be removed.

7.3-7.6 (Good): Good marbles will have substantial damage, some of it deep enough so that polishing may not remove it all. Roughly half of the surface will have damage, and wear is generally heavy.

7.0-7.2 (Good -): More than 50% of the surface has damage, including substantial chips, and you would probably not want to collect such a marble unless it were extremely rare or if you planned on having it reconditioned. Polishing will probably not remove all the damage without substantially reducing the size of the marble.

6.7-6.9 (Poor +): Poor (+) marbles are so beat up that there has to be a really good reason it would still be desirable. You would be taking a risk to try to have such a marble polished.

6.3-6.6 (Poor): Marbles in Poor condition have so much damage you can barely tell what type it is. These are beyond repair.

6.0-6.2 (Poor -): A marble in this condition is so beat up that there would be no reason to want to own it, unless it happens to be a unique example.

5.9 and under (Non-Collectible): Throw it away!

[Fire1981]

That is where it starts for sure. Great info Chad. I just can’t spend that much time using a microscope 🔥

[Chad G.]

1 minute ago, Fire1981 said:

That is where it starts for sure. Great info Chad. I just can’t spend that much time using a microscope 🔥

I use a cheap 10x plastic loupe I get from harbor freight, $3.99 a set and you can hold it in your eye like a manacle. When your vision is as bad as mine you need something.

LINK ::  https://www.harborfreight.com/5-piece-loupe-set-98722.html

[Fire1981]

I go glass 30X loupe 🔥

[Carowill]

8 hours ago, marblenewbie said:

Did anyone participate in Blocks Auction Saturday? I watched the last half of the auction and was amazed at some of the prices.  I saw a Rebel go for $325, Superman $375 (I think) and you have to add the buyers premium of around 20%.  Also on the lower end a mint Conqueror for $16.00 and a Vitro mint patch for $30.00.  Can't believe those two.  A lot of common marbles that Block estimated at between $50 and $100 went for $210.  Anyone have an opinion on whether this is a new normal or just people getting carried away in an auction?

The other thing that caught my eye is that he gave most of offerings a grade of 80 to 90 with the highest I saw was 99.  Is this just his grading system or are others using it?  How does that compare to mint, near mint etc.?

The Rebel was a 3/4” Miller and the Vitro patch was a Black-eyed Pea and the Conqueror was a shooter, so not that crazy IMHO.  And being an auction, it just takes two people who want a marble to start a bidding war.

[marblenewbie]

Thanks, Chad, for putting in the grading info and the reference to the Marble Alan site.  Wish I would have known about that site a year ago when I first started collecting.  Someone probable put it on marbleconnection before, but I missed it.  It's worth its weight in 1000 marbles for sure.  I know this info will help me in the future as lately I have been leery of looking at anything that isn't absolutely pristine.  As an example, I have passed up several very nice old marbles because of a small blow hole when I find now that is acceptable in some cases.

 

It still seems to me that things are a little crazy out there as when I first went into the wild hunting, I could always find something worthwhile.  Now it seems that what is out there is not worthwhile or people say you should have been here yesterday.  If you go to eBay and only want to buy a single marble the shipping is prohibitive or going to an auction the buyers premium and sales tax makes it not worth it.   In certain parts of the country, I'm sure it is easier to find decent deals.