Last year I received notice that the USGS was cashing in on the copper value of the engraved printing plates that were used to print the historical quad maps.
They were going to be available individually to bidders, with the remaining auctioned off in bulk.
Did anybody here bid on a printing plate?
I was not aware of such a program, but I sure would like the opportunity to acquire a couple of them!
Do you have any links to USGS about this?
Jeff
imaudigger, post: 332542, member: 7286 wrote: Last year I received notice that the USGS was cashing in on the copper value of the engraved printing plates that were used to print the historical quad maps.
They were going to be available individually to bidders, with the remaining auctioned off in bulk.
Did anybody here bid on a printing plate?
"If you want to own a truly unique artifact of mapping history, go to the GSA auction site to join the bidding. The bidding for the current sets closes on April 1. Due to the volume of sets in storage, a second round of the donation process and sale is scheduled in the next few months."
Also would love more info on acquiring one.
toivo1037, post: 332575, member: 973 wrote: Also would love more info on acquiring one.
Here is some more info for those interested:
http://www.usgs.gov/blogs/features/usgs_top_story/usgs-engravings-offered-to-the-public/
http://www.gislounge.com/usgs-map-engravings-sale-summer/
Check the files here:
ftp://ftpext.usgs.gov/pub/er/va/reston/Engravings/
FYI:
The last round of public auctions some went for $3-400, most went for $800-$1200, and a few $3-5k
toivo1037, post: 332617, member: 973 wrote: Here is some more info for those interested:
http://www.usgs.gov/blogs/features/usgs_top_story/usgs-engravings-offered-to-the-public/
http://www.gislounge.com/usgs-map-engravings-sale-summer/Check the files here:
ftp://ftpext.usgs.gov/pub/er/va/reston/Engravings/FYI:
The last round of public auctions some went for $3-400, most went for $800-$1200, and a few $3-5k
Where did you find info on past auction prices?
I'm having a heck of a time figuring out what category the plates would be under and what date round 3 will be listed for bidding.
Never mind. Figured out they are listed under "Copper Plates"
Higher prices than I would have expected.
I've got a box full (+/- 100) of old (printing dates of 1910 - 1928) quad sheets that are crumbling. I'm trying to figure out a way get them to someone who would like and preserve them. Mostly Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee and Alabama.
Andy
Per USGS
"As reported on the GSA Auctions web site, the US General Services Administration (GSA) sold (auctioned) all 467 sets that were offered.
åá The successful bids totaled $335,617. (USGS understands that the proceeds go to the United States Treasury.)
åá The mean (average) successful bid was $719 per set.
åá The median successful bid was $600 per set.
åá The highest successful bid was $5,050 for a set; the lowest was $270 for a set.
åá The ranges of successful bids per set by quartile are:
o Quartile with the highest range of bids: $5,050 - $719 (per set)
o Quartile with the second highest range of bids: $719 - $600 (per set)
o Quartile with the third highest range of bids: $600 - $460 (per set)
o Quartile with the lowest range of bids: $460 - $270 (per set)"
3. For the last auction, GSA listed the sets under the "Jewelry & Exotic Collectibles" category on GSA Auctions. USGS does not know if they'll be listed under the same category for the next auctions. However they're listed, the category should be easy to spot: It probably will be the only category that suddenly has about 450 or more items.
These are definitely all going for more than scrap prices.
I wonder though if they didn't sell plates for quads that cover large cities and prominent features first.
More than I'd pay for a plate. The original prints are much more interesting, although they do not command high prices due to massive publication. I look up right now and view my framed 1908 update of the original 1893 SEATTLE SPECIAL 1/62,500 quad on the wall, acquired in 1974; Seattle has changed a bit since then. Got dozens more, preliminary quads where half of the quad is white space, some from the 1800's in various Washington State locales, lots in the early 20th century.
A careful campaign to acquire ancient quads over the years? Nay, while working for a Central Washington County, the records administrator decided to "clean house" and my task was to haul the boxes to the dump when I discovered a box of really old quad sheets still flatted out (not rolled) from a file drawer in a portfolio box. I asked if I could keep them and Mr. Bureaucrat said "it's all garbage, I don't care" so now they're mine. Turns out in the mid 20th century every County in the State got a free update from USGS no matter where they were in the State. Now I see some on EBay for like $5.00 to $20.00, not a good ROI. Much more fun to peruse them with locals on visits, where the great granddad proclaims "That's where our farmstead buildings were back then, now it's a mall parking lot". Lately the current quads have eliminated passable jeep trails, former public access rights, bowdlerization of place names like "Whorehoush Meadows, N*gger Gulch and Squaw Tit Hill". Entire towns have disappeared. Isn't our heritage worth preserving? Apparently not, except my tiny collection.