The prices at auctions with fees are just too stupid as a buyer. I think the shock of that California auction still looms. The last three auctions I went to were a few years ago and they were pulling stupid money for crappy machines. I stopped going or looking at auctions for that reason. It seems I am not alone.

The shill bidding at Winston Salem auctions was very bad. I started to pay attention to the groups. If the owner did not shill bid they would bid on each others games to help each other out. Thats not an auction. I went to a pa auction and bid on a star trek next generation machine. I was the high bidder at $2750. It went to fair warning and a guy then bid $3750.. it was the operator. He did that to the indiana jones stern machine as well. That stalled at 2800 and just like before, fair warning and $3750 was bid again.
Another auction I was bidding on a south park in NJ. . It was at $1400 I raised my hand and he said I bid $2000 and was looking for $2100. I stopped the auction and said I did not bid $2000. That same auction company got me for a $300 bid increase at another auction. I was the only one left on a monopoly. My bid was $1800. When it came time to pay it was $2100. He said there was another bidder and I did not see it. If you go as a buyer pay attention to everything. Its nuts.