Weekly Roundup: Thank G-d! Now You Can Buy Watches And Precious Metals Right Here At Riverside Green Edition

When the nice people at Hodinkee changed their business model from "selling ads on a website that writes about watches" to "selling watches on a website which writes about watches", I have to confess that I wasn't totally sold on the wisdom of that idea. Retail is a tough business --- much tougher than "influencing", and much more unforgiving when it comes to evaluating the balance sheet. I've seen firsthand lately how much money some of the influencer/promoter parasites want for their attention. A lot of these proposed contracts are in the six-figure range. It's tough to make that kind of money selling special-edition Swatches on your website.
Or is it? Maybe I should find out for myself. I have a few things I'd like to sell over the next months; the nice people at Guerilla Gravity are finishing my MegaTrail much earlier than I'd expected and I'd like to make some room for it in the basement. (I also have to pay for the thing.) Before I list these items elsewhere, I will throw them up here. Unlike Hodinkee, most of what you see here will be cheaper than it would be elsewhere. What's coming up? Uh, I have no idea offhand, but it could include:
Some precious-metal proof and bullion coins;
Various rare guitars in the $3k-12k range;
"Doubles" of my Japanese guitar collection;
A variety of new-with-tag clothing and shoes from Borrelli, Allen Edmonds, Turnbull&Asser, Brioni, and others;
Quite a few vintage issues of Panorama, Roundel, R&T, CAR, and other magazines;
Press materials and dealership brochures for various exotic and non-exotic vehicles of the Nineties and Oughts;
And... watches! Of course watches!
We'll start the party with a very expensive coin and a very cheap watch. I should point out right up front that these shameless exercises in hucksterism will be limited to about one per fortnight. Other than that, the site will continue as before.
I have an ungraded Palladium proof 2018 coin from the US Mint. I'm the original owner, having been lucky enough to have my online order accepted some thirteen seconds after the item went live. (I was at a McDonald's, which is statistically not unusual.) APMEX wants $2,975 as of the time of this listing. I'll sell you mine for $2,800 shipped. And there's a potential bonus here. I've been too lazy to get the coin graded. If you do so, it could add fifty percent or more to its value. I make no representations as to whether it's a 69 or 70 or whatever; I couldn't tell the difference. This will come to you in the original US Mint box and shipping materials.
I also have a (IRONY ALERT) Swatch HODINKEE Sistem51 Generation 1986, which was the watch used in my not-exactly-glowing review on TTAW this week. Brand-new examples sell for $275. I bought two, sold one at the market rate, and wore the other. It's yours for $200 shipped.
If, for some reason, you want BOTH of these items, it's $2,900. So you get the coin for under market with a collectible watch thrown in --- and I don't have to visit a precious-metals dealer, which is one of those experiences which fills me with dread.
Last but not least, I have four $300 Japanese guitars still available. Leave a comment or email me to get the current stock list; we started with eight of them but they are going fast. One of them is a Westone Spectrum ST that is identical to this $465 shipped example.
Alright, that's the end of the sales pitch. FOR NOW. As always, thanks for your patience with me. One final note, since some of you are exceptionally compassionate people who can't help but worry about me: There's nothing wrong here at Riverside Green, no financial emergency or illness or anything like that. I'm just trying to pay for a few bike-related things without engaging in deficit spending, that's all.
* * *
This week at Hagerty, I upset a lot of readers by having the gall to mention bicycles. The 600-horsepower Bronco article didn't draw any ire.
For Mr. Farago, I reviewed the Sistem51 HODINKEE. Should I have tried to sell this watch online before I gave it a one-star review? Nah. If you buy it and enjoy it, that will show me how stupid I was to let it go!