Bidding at Auction

1. Go to the hindmanauctions.com home page and click the “Sign In” button in the top right hand corner.
2. Go to the bottom of the pop-up where it notes “Not already a member?” and click “Sign Up”.
3. Fill out the form with your contact information and desired password and click the “Sign Up” button.
4. You will then receive a confirmation to confirm and activate your Hindman account.

Register for an Auction

Before participating in each auction you must register for the specific sale in which you would like to participate. You can register for a sale online by clicking “Register to Bid” on the auction page, or in person at one of our auction previews. If a first time user, you will be prompted to create an account and provide the required information; if you are an existing Hindman user, you need only confirm the submitted details remain accurate and agree to the Conditions of Sale for the auction.

Live Bid Online

To bid live in any auction online, simply click on the auction of interest, and register to bid in the auction. Once your registration has been approved, you may login on the day of the auction to follow along and place your bids online by clicking on the “Place Bid” button, which will surface at our standard bidding increments.

The Hindman Auctions app allows you to browse upcoming sales, track, share or save your favorite lots, livestream auctions and bid live from your mobile devices. Our app is compatible with iOS and Android. Download the Hindman app from the App Store or Google Play to begin mobile bidding now.

Telephone Bid

Bidders may register telephone bid requests by logging into their account through the “Sign In/Sign Up” button in the top right corner of our website. You will find this feature when you “View Sale” from the auction schedule page.

Next, you will need to select the “Register to Bid” button, which will prompt first time buyers for additional information. Once you are registered, select
the “Register to bid live on the phone” button. Update your phone number if necessary in your account profile. A pop-up message will confirm that your phone request has been submitted and you will receive an email confirmation for your records.

On the day of the auction, a Freeman's | Hindman representative will call you approximately five lots before your item is scheduled to be sold. They will communicate to you the bidding activity and will relay your bids to the auctioneer at your discretion. Please note we can only accept telephone bids for lots with a low estimate of
$500 or above unless otherwise noted online. Telephone bids may be requested up to 2 hours prior to the auction start time.

Absentee Bid

An absentee bid is a bid that is left in advance with the auction house for the auctioneer to execute on your behalf. It should be the highest price you are willing to pay exclusive of buyer’s premium and applicable sales tax. These types of bids are often referred to as “written bids” or “order bids”. Absentee bids are always confidential, and bids are executed at the lowest price possible by the auctioneer according to reserves and competing bids.

If there are tied bids, the bidder who registered first is given precedence. All absentee bids are time stamped. You do not need to be present or available during the auction to participate as an absentee bidder. Bidders may place absentee bids online by logging into their account through the “Sign In/Sign Up” button in the top right corner of our website. You will find this feature when you click “View Sale” from the auction schedule page. Simply click the lot you wish to bid on. Next, you will need to select the “Register to Bid” button, which will prompt first time buyers for additional information. Once you are registered, select from the dropdown menu of bidding increments the highest dollar amount you are willing to pay exclusive of buyer’s premium. When you have entered the amount, select the “Place Bid” button. Bids may be placed online up to the opening of the lot for live bidding in the auction.

Bid in-person

Our auctions are free and open to the public with no obligation for attendees to bid. There is no need to come for the beginning of an auction and stay for the entire sale; you may come and go from the auction as you please. Registration requires your full contact information, photo identification, credit card information, your signature and agreement to the Conditions of Sale. Once the auction begins, the auctioneer will clearly announce the lot number and bid increments as the bidding begins and proceeds. To place a bid, raise your paddle to the auctioneer for his or her recognition. When all of the bidding is completed, the auctioneer will give fair warning, sell the item to the final bidder and announce the price and successful paddle number. When you are finished bidding on the lots in which you are interested, please return your paddle to the front desk, examine your invoice and make arrangements for payment and pickup.

Live + Online Auctions

A “Live and Online” auction indicates that all four types of bidding will be available: Online, Telephone, Absentee and In-Person. These auctions are also livestreamed from the saleroom, so you may follow the auction and view the auctioneer in real time.

Online Auctions

When an auction is categorized as “Online” you may participate through the Hindman Digital Bid Room and specific designated online 3 party bidding platforms available for the sale. In these instances, Live Online bidding and Absentee bidding are accepted, but In-Person and Telephone bids are not accepted.

Timed Auctions

When an auction is categorized as “Timed” you may participate on hindmanauctions.com, the Hindman app, and Live Auctioneers. Bidding is accepted for a defined period, with a clear start and end date and time. Unlike “Live and Online” auctions, bidders are notified should their maximum absentee bid be outbid and are given the opportunity to raise their bid amount. In these instances, In-Person and Telephone bids are not accepted.

During Timed auctions, a countdown clock is displayed on the Hindman Digital Bid Room page, the main auction page and on the lot level. These auctions have a “rolling close”, with each lot closing in a staggered manner after the previous lot. For these auctions, the countdown clock on the main auction page will be counting down to the close of the first lot. Individual lots will have their own countdown clocks, indicating the specific closing time for that lot. If a bid is placed within one minute of the closing time of a lot, five additional minutes will be added to the designated closing time for that lot. Please note that the extension of one lot’s closing time does not affect other lots’ closing times.

Amount	Increment
$100 - 1,000	by $50
$1,000 - 2,000	by $100
$2,000 - 5,000	by $250
$5,000 - 10,000	by $500
$10,000 - 20,000	by $1,000
$20,000 - 50,000	by $2,500
$50,000 - 100,000	by $5,000
$100,000 - 200,000	by $10,000
Above $200,000	Pattern Continues/Auctioneer's Discretion

 

All sales are governed by our Conditions of Sale. Please fully read and understand the Conditions of Sale prior to placing any bids. When creating an account online or submitting a bid form, you will be prompted to agree to our conditions of sale. Any questions should be directed to our Client Services department at 312.280.1212 or bid@hindmanauctions.com

On all lots except for those in Coins, Medals & Banknotes; Sports Memorabilia; Arms, Armor & Militaria; and American Historical Ephemera auctions we charge twenty-eight percent (28%) of the hammer price up to and including $50,000; twenty-seven percent (27%) of any amount in excess of $50,000 up to and including $1,000,000; twenty-one percent (21%) of any amount in excess of $1,000,001 up to and including $4,000,000; and fifteen percent (15%) of any amount in excess of $4,000,001.

For all lots offered in Coins, Medals & Banknotes we charge a buyer’s premium of twenty-one percent (21%) of the hammer price. Sports Memorabilia; Arms, Armor & Militaria; and American Historical Ephemera auctions we charge a buyer’s premium of twenty percent (20%) of the hammer price