eBay BIN - Do you take chances on eBay?

I pulled the trigger on a pen on eBay this morning. Spur of the moment, take a chance, and sometimes you find gems on eBay.

We'll see when it arrives.

Here's a few of the sellers' pics:

I think I can see something of an imprint on the blind cap. Possibly a high imprint on the cap.

It has a butt Imprint. You done good, son.

-d

Okay...how much was this BIN whim? ...because it looks pretty good !! I snap up the odd BIN that looks to be in my field, most have been good as well. There are some surprisingly good bargains to be had every so often.

Regards

Hugh

Okay...how much was this BIN whim? ...because it looks pretty good !! I snap up the odd BIN that looks to be in my field, most have been good as well. There are some surprisingly good bargains to be had every so often.

 

Regards

Hugh

It wasn't dirt cheap; 75% off... if it turns out to be a 1st year and there aren't any cracks, or major damage.

BIN can be rewarding if you have a good idea what you are buying. What can look expensive to an average punter may be well worth it if you happen to know it is rare, though that is not so much 'taking a chance'. 

Possibly my best ever ebay purchase was a BIN which came up early one New Year's day morning about 12 years ago, when all other punters must still have been asleep!

Andy

Andy, you stop calling me a punter, right now!!

I always was, and still am, careful on BIN purchases, but since I've only been in the pen world for about 4 years, that's understandable. What I can say is that I've learned so much from both sites like this one, all of the generous people involved in this interest, and a number of good books, that it has given me a bit more to go on when I see something and think "hey, that looks intriguing". And now I gauge relative value vs. condition, how much information a poor photo hides, and all that. I don't go nuts unless I'm pretty darn certain, but I've done ok, and not gotten terribly burned.

It's actually a different kind of fun, waiting to see if that 'hidden gem' really turns out to be one... or a dog!

Andy, you stop calling me a punter, right now!!

 

Would you prefer "gambler" , "high roller" or "educated risk taker" now you've graduated past "punter" ?

Regards

Hugh

 

Andy, you stop calling me a punter, right now!!

 

 

Would you prefer "gambler" , "high roller" or "educated risk taker" now you've graduated past "punter" ?

Bleeding idiot would probably sum it up nicely.

Seriously though, today was a perfect example of having learned a few things: on two separate occasions, about an hour or so apart, I hopped on a new BIN listing - one, because it was a way underpriced pen that I know people want, and I can get it to them without the hunt on their part, and the 2nd was a cute little Wahl "Bantam" for $25. I simply couldn't pass it up, and the pics were good enough to tell me that the condition was at least as good as the price.

BAM!

Edited by JonSzanto, 28 September 2014 - 07:49 AM.

Received the pen today and very pleased with the correct markings and aluminum speedline filler as I had hoped.

1941 P51. I will post more when I get a new diaphragm in and get it writing.