Dan Matthews - Auction Tips Column
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Dan Matthews grew up in central Illinois. Naturally, he started his career as a farmer, but found he really liked buying, collecting and reselling antiques. He started working at an auction house part time and it wasn’t long before he became certified as an auctioneer. He retired from farming in his 40s and started his 2nd career working for a company specializing in farm toy and antique tractor auctions.
When he auctioned his first petroliana collection in 2000, he knew he had found his niche, reading everything he could find on the subject. He soon became the ‘expert’ people came to when trying to value an item. Today, he owns Matthews Auctions, which specializes in auctioning petroliana and automobilia. He is also partners with Joey Whiteside in The Authentication Co. (TAC), which grades and certifies the authenticity of petroliana and automobilia collectibles. DanM@MatthewsAuctions.com MatthewsAuctions.com MatthewsTAC.com |
Some of Dan's Articles: Auction Tips Column
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Grading Condition Correctly and Consistently:
Issue #17 Jul/Aug 2021 Creating a rating scale that is easily understood was a daunting task. Different experts all have different opinions. My goal is always to convey the condition of an item as closely as I can and do it the SAME way EVERY time. Consistency is important so that everyone will be confident in the grading assigned to an item, whether it is purchased online or in person at an auction or event. Below is the definitive grading system we came up with in 2003. 9.5 to 10 - Absolutely a mint sign, no imperfections (I never give a "10). 9 to 9.4 - Almost perfect, may have a factory flaw or almost no damage; if there is any, there will be none in the field, the only chips will be around the edge, great gloss. (The field is 2/3 of the total area, starting in the center of the sign). |