Universal Philatelic Auctions

HOW TO BID:

1. Simply pick any lots that interest you and enter your bids ONLINE or download and use our POSTAL BID FORM to enter the maximum amount you are prepared to pay. Upon those you are the highest bidder, you will be successful.
2. BID ON AS MANY LOTS AS YOU WANT AND LIMIT YOUR TOTAL EXPENDITURE. Using the LIMIT box on the bid form ensures maximum chance of success. Combine with STAGGERED PAYMENT SERVICE (£60+) for maximum purchasing power INTEREST FREE.
3. By PLACING A LIMIT BID you can LIST THE LOTS in order of your preference in any sequence instead of numerical order. This service is ideal for making the most of a limited budget and costs you nothing more.
4. We regret we cannot service LIMIT BID FORMS for less than £60. If you want to spend less please enter your bids as normal. Please remember that the only extra added to your purchases is the delivery charge.
5. The Auctioneer will bid on your behalf free of charge and buy at the lowest possible price, subject only to other bids received or reserves, at one bidding step above the second highest bid.
6.  Bids below 80% of ESTIMATE ARE RESPECTFULLY DECLINED.
7. In no circumstances will confidential bids be disclosed to third parties.
8. “BUY” BIDS ARE NOT ACCEPTED as this is unfair to other bidders. If you are prepared to pay a multiple of the estimate price for a particularly rare item please enter your maximum price – but beware another bidder may recognise special value in the same item – so please only enter the maximum you are prepared to pay.
9. Unsuccessful bidders will be notified AFTER all lots have been despatched.
10. Please remember that UPA is an auction not an Approvals Service. The auctioneer reserves the right to refuse bids from clients regularly treating UPA as an Approvals Service. The auctioneer’s decision is final. Placing a bid is acceptance of these terms. This does not affect your 10 day NO QUIBBLE full refund guarantee.

FAIR BIDDING STEPS POLICY (Bids in pence will be disregarded)

• Up to £40 in £1 steps
• £42 to £80 in £2 steps
• £85 to £300 in £5 steps
• £310 upwards in £10 steps

ESTIMATES

1. Estimates are based upon condition and current market value. If you are keen to win an item for your collection we suggest you bid Estimate or over. The winning bid may still be below estimate depending upon other bids received. It does not necessarily mean you will pay more – rather it enhances your chance of success.
2. All estimates and catalogue prices are in £s Sterling and all catalogue prices are S.G. unless otherwise stated. We will state where another catalogue is used and if a foreign currency will show the value in Pounds Sterling equivalent.

REALISATIONS The realisations list will be printed in the next catalogue. Telephone enquiries gladly answered from the Monday morning following the sale close.

CATALOGUES

1. Catalogues are FREE to regular successful bidders. They will “build” into an important source of accurate price data.
2. If yours is a NEW contact/enquiry you will receive the first CURRENT catalogue and the NEXT catalogue FREE OF CHARGE. If you have NOT bid in either YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE a third catalogue unless you SUBSCRIBE
3. SUBSCRIPTIONS: £16 IS THE MINIMUM subscription covering supply of the next 3 catalogues wherever you live, despatched airmail if overseas. If bidding from a prepaid catalogue please do NOT FORGET to request £5 deduction from your invoice.
4. Our catalogue policy is to “reward” regular clients with an important real price reference guide.

VIEWING

1. We do not offer POSTAL VIEWING as we offer an unequivocal NO QUIBBLE full refund guarantee, provided only that lots are returned promptly and in the same condition as despatched.
2. Photocopy service is available at 20p per copy + postage. Last date for photocopies 4 days before the sale closes. We cannot photocopy 100s of items!
3. You are welcome to phone and ask a describer to call you back with a verbal description with the item in front of him or her so that they can answer any specific enquiry you may have. Please be very careful to give your full telephone number with code and Lot Nos. on the answerphone. Limit 10 verbal descriptions per enquiry.

PAYMENT

1. NO LOTS are despatched until payment is received.
2. Payment is due upon receipt of our invoice.
3. For fastest despatch we recommend payment by VISA or MASTERCARD ONLY (No surcharge payable in our auctions.) We particularly recommend this to our overseas clients as it is cheaper and quicker than obtaining bank drafts and the bank automatically converts your invoiced amount charged into your own currency.
4. Clients enclosing a signed blank U.K. Sterling cheque payable to UNIVERSAL PHILATELIC AUCTIONS and dated for the day of the auction, endorsed “NOT TO EXCEED XXXX POUNDS STERLING” should allow for appropriate postage cost for delivery (see Delivery for fixed charges) in order to receive prompt delivery. Cheques from clients not known to us will be cleared first. Unsuccessful bidders cheques will be defaced and returned.
5. Overseas clients may remit by bankers draft, drawn on a UK clearing bank in Pounds Sterling ONLY. US$ cheques can be accepted but may take 28 days to clear. We regret no other currencies are accepted.
6. STAGGERED PAYMENT SERVICE is offered to clients making total purchases of £60 upwards and is ideal for LIMIT BIDDERS. There is NO EXTRA CHARGE for this service but lots are only despatched upon completion of payment or subject to status (i.e. long established UPA client.) To participate you MUST ADVISE US UPON YOUR BID FORM and enclose three signed cheques with your bid form dated at monthly intervals, the first for AUCTION DAY, for total purchases up to £250 (over £250, four equal cheques accepted.) ALTERNATIVELY please instruct us to charge your Mastercard/Visa.
7. Our company Giro A/C # 489 6815 is in the name of NWPJ LTD. Please be sure to advise us “AUCTION PAYMENT FROM... (YOUR NAME & COUNTRY)”

DELIVERY

1. To keep costs “tight” we regret we may not be as quick as some.
   Please allow up to 28 days from receipt of payment for despatch of your lots

2. We shall endeavour to post by the most suitable means relative to value.
   Free insurance covers all countries excluding Nigeria, India, Pakistan and South Africa *.

3. There is a SPECIAL POSTING INSTRUCTIONS box upon the BID FORM.

FIXED POSTAGE/PACKING COSTS

UK CLIENTS: (regardless of weight) FOR ANY INVOICE UP TO:

• £50...ADD £2
• £50 TO £100 ADD £3
• £100 TO £250 ADD £4
• £250 upwards ADD £7.50
  INSURANCE IS FREE

OVERSEAS CLIENTS: (regardless of weight) FOR ANY INVOICE UP TO:

• £50...ADD £2.50
• £50 TO £100 ADD £3.50
• £100 TO £250 ADD £6.50
• £250 upwards ADD £11.50
  INSURANCE IS FREE *