Spring Auction season is just around the corner! Although these days, “auction season” runs year-round, as seen here on our Vintage Sports Cards Auction Calendar. Whether you are an auction rookie or an experienced pro, planning is everything. So let’s talk about some winning vintage baseball card auction bidding strategies.
Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need deep pockets to win some great items at the major auction houses. I’ve made some great additions to my collection for under $100! There are often great deals to be found. And if your collection is unique or niche, vintage auction houses are a must to help you grow your collection. Many items simply can’t be found anywhere else.
But also . . . the world’s finest sports cards tend to change hands via major auctions. As of today, this 1916 M10 Ruth rookie is the most expensive sports card sale of 2025, closing at over $1.3 million at Heritage just yesterday!
Cardhound has other resources that cover “the basics” of buying and selling at auction. This particular article focuses on bid strategies for “extended time” auctions. Which strategy you choose might vary auction to auction or item to item. And making the right choice can mean the difference between winning, losing, or overpaying unnecessarily. So let’s get started!
Understanding Extended Bidding
First, in this article, we’re not talking about eBay auctions and the like. Unlike most vintage auction houses, eBay and similar auctions have hard and fast end times. Many bidders employ the use of sniper software that places bids at the last second, avoiding bidding wars and often scoring deals.
Most major vintage auctions houses like REA and Love of the Game are different beasts to tame. At the end of the regular bidding period, these auctions go into an “extended bidding” period–or multiple periods–and that’s where things get interesting.
Extended Bidding can be tricky to understand, so let’s look at an example. Here’s how Love of the Game wraps up (excepted from their web site):
So to recap, you must:
1) place bids before the end of regulation time; and
2) be on your toes, because the auction could end, in theory, at the end of any 15-minute block.
Most often though, a large auction will extend to its “Double Overtime” cutoff, and many lots will close then, with others carrying on indefinitely, or until a final 15-minute sudden death countdown. The key here is to understand the exact end game policy of your auction of choice before you bid.
Strategy 1: Bid early (but not often)
Personally, I like to scour the catalog and get in early, placing low bids on anything I’m even remotely interested in. I call these “watcher bids” because these items are now tracked in my account and I can follow along and decide whether to pursue later. There’s no reason not to do this since you have to bid at some point to be eligible to bid in extra time. And if you are bidding early and low, you are not driving up the price.
Strategy 2: Set it and forget it
Sometimes if I think “I would gladly own that for $500 but not a penny more,” I simply drop my $500 max proxy bid right away, and forget about it. Yes, this might drive up the bidding some, as new bidders try to get a feel for the max bid amount. But an item with lots of early bids might scare off bargain hunters right out of the gate, meaning less competition in extended time.
Strategy 3: Win at All Costs
In any case, once you have focused in on items you want to actually win, you need an end game for dealing with extended bidding.
First, bear in mind that the entire system is working against you getting a good deal. The whole point of extended time is to drive up the price as much as possible. After all, the auction company isn’t in it to get you a deal. Their interest is pleasing their client and making money in the process. Personally, I don’t bargain hunt at big auctions. Instead, I zero in on a must-have lot or two, and I go all in.
Here’s how I approach extended time:
- I set a max budget (that I usually exceed–don’t be like me). When budgeting, don’t forget to add the buyer’s premium. Plus tax if applicable. Plus shipping. It can all add up fast.
- I do not care to lead at the end of regulation because the auction isn’t over then anyway. Stay calm! We have hours to go.
- I assume that a large auction will run all the way to its stated extended bidding time. But if it’s a must-have item, I’ll try to lead at the end of any later 15-minute clock just to be safe.
- If the auction has had no new bids in the last hour before overtime, I know I need to bid before the end of the first overtime.
- From here, it’s a matter of watching the clock, or just thinking about upping my max bid amount for good and letting it ride.
It’s a nerve-wracking process that repeats itself in 15-minute intervals, sometimes for hours on end. But it’s worth it in the end if you can add a great piece at a price that works for your budget. Happy bidding!
