So why do folks cover the edition number when selling?

ruer · Thu Sep 04, 2008 10:16 am

Most auctions on Ebay, the seller covers the XXX/XXX number of the print out of the edition. What purpose does this serve?

For instance:

jojobadass · Thu Sep 04, 2008 10:18 am

i think it's because he has a gambling problem

getoutoftheleftlane · Thu Sep 04, 2008 10:21 am

people hate numbers

dr_flie · Thu Sep 04, 2008 10:22 am

Maybe he's trying to show relative size..

exadore · Thu Sep 04, 2008 10:24 am

I think it's so that its harder to track, on the surface. Covering the numbers is vital in any Obey sale, seeing how it's completely up to Shep judgment whether or not to ban you for selling his prints. I'm sure if you're interested in knowing the number, you could just ask the seller?

jojobadass · Thu Sep 04, 2008 10:25 am

I think he's trying to stimulate fantastic internet conversation, like:

"what number is it?"

or:

"what is the lowest number you have?, I only buy low numbers"

or everyone's favorite:

"I only buy numbers divisible by 18, can you help me out brah?"

pjtaper · Thu Sep 04, 2008 10:28 am

A lot of artists don't like flippers... some artists keep track of what number they sell to who... if it shows up on ebay, the artist won't sell to them anymore...
PM me if you want more details...

ricv64 · Thu Sep 04, 2008 10:31 am

jojobadass wrote:I think he's trying to stimulate fantastic internet conversation, like:

"what number is it?"

or:

"what is the lowest number you have?, I only buy low numbers"

or everyone's favorite:

"I only buy numbers divisible by 18, can you help me out brah?"

maybe he has more then one and is worried that the buyers heart is so set on that number ?

ruer · Thu Sep 04, 2008 10:53 am

pjtaper wrote:A lot of artists don't like flippers... some artists keep track of what number they sell to who... if it shows up on ebay, the artist won't sell to them anymore...
PM me if you want more details...

That was my first assumption....but didn't think that many artists have the time to hunt down flippers and find a way to not sell to them.

username · Thu Sep 04, 2008 2:49 pm

I'm pretty sure jojo is correct on this... or for the slower of you all.. the opposite of correct.

edgar · Sun Oct 19, 2008 12:57 pm

jojobadass wrote:
"I only buy numbers divisible by 18, can you help me out brah?"

calicollector · Sun Oct 19, 2008 1:20 pm

I've covered the number in an auction before. For me it's because some people don't like the tracking of particular prints. Tracking sales and averages here is one thing (and a good thing), but having everybody know what was previously paid for #23 is another. If number 23 is listed on this site as having sold at a certain price, and the owner decides to sell, then listing it as number 23 in the auction means a couple of things... It gives away the owners anonymity as the previous buyer (and shows that they may have either overpaid previously or gotten a steal and are now flipping for profit), and it shows that particular print has exchanged hands a few times- more handling, more shipping, more skepticism of its condition. No? I'm sure others have a different opinion or do it for another reason. The flipper theory previously mentioned also makes sense to me- it hides the seller's identity to anybody who might be tracking that kind of thing.

Mon Oct 20, 2008 3:34 pm

calicollector wrote:...but having everybody know what was previously paid for #23 is another. If number 23 is listed on this site as having sold at a certain price, and the owner decides to sell, then listing it as number 23 in the auction means a couple of things... It gives away the owners anonymity as the previous buyer (and shows that they may have either overpaid previously or gotten a steal and are now flipping for profit), and it shows that particular print has exchanged hands a few times- more handling, more shipping, more skepticism of its condition.

this is one of the things i LOVE about the tracking here, seeing specific print numbers' sales history. it's a lot of fun on the obey prints, around 2005-2007, where the same print may have sold for $100 in 2005/6 and was later resold in 2007/8 for 10-15x the first sale!

observing this doesn't change what i buy for. i never pay more than i want to, and knowing the previous bloke made a killing off me just means he got a good buy not that i got screwed.

OG example #1 ^ Giant Bomber 96 Fairey - 1st
2006-01-04 $100.99 82 eBay
2008-04-03 $1136.00 82 eBay

OG example #2 ^ Obey Giant No Runs, No Drips 99 Fairey - 1st
2005-07-16 $49.99 82 eBay
2008-04-05 $710.00 82 eBay

hey both are print #82, how cool is that??

sunsetbrew · Mon Oct 20, 2008 3:38 pm

I almost sold my house this year. One buyer came up with a low ball offer and the reason for the low price was that I was making too much money on it.

Mapman · Mon Oct 20, 2008 3:54 pm

sunsetbrew wrote:I almost sold my house this year. One buyer came up with a low ball offer and the reason for the low price was that I was making too much money on it.

I wouldn't sell to them on principal alone!