Monday, Jan. 2, 2017 — As with many collectors I know, we often neglect to delete the eBay auctions that have ended. There are times when I will go back through completed auctions and save those pages on my hard drive — particularly when it comes to the rare keys that don’t show up often.
Sadly, eBay limits the number of auctions one can follow at 200 — a figure that includes both current and ended listings. I watch a lot of auctions, to say the least. And in the last few months, there have been several keys I pursued but came up short — either in my highest bid or the amount of cash in hand from which to make that highest bid. Here’s a list of some of the keys I list as “the ones that got away.”
AUTOMORSE. The auction for this rare key ended Dec. 26, and I was sure I was not alone among those who were watching it. Holiday festivities delayed my getting to check this auction before it closed, and there was only a single bid — the $500 minimum bid. Yes, I have spent a week kicking myself. The seller never used the word “Automorse” in the listing, which may have prompted some to miss this one — or perhaps other potential bidders were up to their giblets in Holiday Cheer. The truth is I didn’t really have it in my budget to spring for the key, but if I could have picked up the Automorse for this price range, I would have done so in a heartbeat.
HULIT TELEGRAPH KEY. I knew when I saw this show up on eBay that it was likely going to go for a price in the upper reaches of the collector 
stratosphere — but I planned to get in on the bidding. I have a paid-for Jeep Wrangler, its worth something, right?
What an absolutely beautiful key in as-found condition — with a case no less! The Hulit’s mechanism was of a wound mainspring clock-type action. The key had two levers, but used only a single contact, which, according to its advertising “prevented split characters.” Other attributes for the key include elimination of “operators paralysis” and a claim the key was endorsed “by Press, Commercial and Railway Operators.”
With 26 bids on the key, the selling price of $2,147.88 was significantly more than I would have been able to pay — at least without selling my Jeep, which I strongly considered.
VIBROPLEX NORCROSS BUG. These don’t show up often on eBay, and as you might expect, a nice complete key attracts collectors like crazy. I actually put in the last bid 3 seconds before the auction ended, but another buyer had submitted a higher bid 4 seconds before my bid. I was going out on a financial limb here but I felt I needed to give it a shot. My final bid was “close, but no cigar” as the key’s final sale price was $908.99. The seller 
was located in Council Bluff, Iowa — a town with a history of its own in Amateur Radio circles.
BUNNELL GOLD BUG W/CASE. The only problem I had with this key was the fact the auction ended 10 days before Christmas — a time when my wife and I (and our finances) were still recovering from Christmas shopping. If I recall correctly, its selling price of $525 was a Buy It Now, a little rich for my finances at the time, but an excellent key nonetheless. The listing states the parts are all original, but the terminal nuts on the key appear to be chrome or nickel-plated; both of the Gold Bugs I own have brass terminal nuts that match the rest of the key. Despite this observation, the key is a keeper.
HONORABLE MENTION.
SPEED-X 320-001. Not a rare key, but a classic key that sold cheap ($20 + S&H)
VIBROPLEX VIBROCUBE. Yes, the key I said I wouldn’t likely ever buy. An unmolested standard Vibrocube sold Dec. 19 on eBay for $112. For that price I would have been happy to add it to my shack.
1948 VIBROPLEX ORIGINAL. I didn’t need another Original model, but this key was in near-mint condition, with the original case. The seller posted close-up photos that showed the key had no real wear; clearly it spent most of its existence in its case. Just a beautiful in as-new condition. At $110.26 I consider it steal.
1979 VIBROPLEX CHAMPION, SIENNA BROWN. The color of the base is what makes this key desirable. Vibroplex’s most common base color was the grey color they had used since the late 1950s. This key’s near-mint condition made it well worth its $88.99 sale price. Missed it by THAT 
much getting back to the auction in time to bid.
MECOGRAPH MODEL 3. Another key I need to add to my collection. This example in as-found condition was worth its $280.99 sale price when it sold Dec. 5th. Key looks complete.
MCELROY S600 SUPER STREAM KEY. What a Christmas gift this key would have been! It was not a mint condition key, had years of grime and some rust on the base, but I would have gladly paid its $96 final bid. There’s another S600 on eBay that the owner refinished the plated base, and I probably would have considered doing the same. The paint could always be stripped and the base replated. Live and learn (and bid often).
AUTRONIC PADDLE. I own a couple of these paddles, and I’m not sure why but I love the look and feel of them. When I see one like this one sell for $42 and change, I think to myself, “Self, how did you miss this one??”
POUCELL ELECTRONICS EL-KEY. I own one of these single lever paddles, but never really put it to use. But the price was right on the one that sold Nov. 16 — $31.11 for a nice, clean example.
K8FF QRP PADDLE. In 1997, K8FF won a key design contest sponsored by the Northern California QRP Club. The club kitted his design and sold it as one of their line of QRP-related kits. I bought my first one more than 10 years ago at a hamfest and I recognized it as the K8FF key. When I see one appear on eBay (or hamfests) I usually buy them. I missed this one that sold in mid-November. The key soon became the Vibroplex Code Warrior Jr., and is still produced by the company. I own a couple of standard Code Warrior Jr keys, plus the Chrome Warrior with the brushed chrome base. The key is also available with the “Blue Racer blue” color base. The company previously offered a version of the key with an aluminum base, but it was discontinued. The K8FF version was a good buy at $38.
NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS. The hunt for additions to my shack will continue into 2017, and my plans are to do a better job of photographing and cataloging the keys I already own. I also plan to do more non-traffic net CW operating, and to operating my HW-16 and my Tempo 2020 more, and leave my FT-2000 alone for a while. Its time to get back to basics.
73 es HNY de KY4Z … SK …. dit dit …