Transparency & Trust

Auction Rules & FAQs

Your guide to bidding, payment, shipping, and everything in between. SWAU is committed to a fair, transparent auction experience for every collector.

Authenticity Guarantee

Every item is authenticated by SWAU and guaranteed for life. If a concern ever arises, SWAU will repurchase the item at its original sale price.

20% Buyer's Premium

A buyer's premium of 20% is applied to all winning bids, regardless of the payment method used.

7-Day Payment Window

Payment is due within seven days of the auction close. Accepted methods include PayPal, credit card, and wire transfer.

All Sales Final

All auction sales are final and returns are not accepted, with the sole exception of verified authenticity concerns.

Detailed Auction Rules

Select a topic below to view the full policy details.

Items marked (SWAU) in the title originate from a SWAU witnessed signing or have been personally examined and verified by SWAU Authentication. Each piece is affixed with a tamper-proof hologram.

All third-party items offered through the SWAU Auction have passed SWAU Authentication and carry a lifetime guarantee. Should an authenticity concern ever arise, SWAU will repurchase the item at its original sale price. The SWAU authentication team maintains sole discretion on whether an item is eligible for auction — the mere presence of a third-party certificate of authenticity does not guarantee inclusion.

A full SWAU Letter of Authenticity (LOA) and SWAU Authentication Hologram Sticker are available for every auction item at a discounted rate, as these pieces have already been pre-screened. Add-on options are presented during checkout. Please note that LOA and hologram numbers are cataloged in separate databases and will not match. Hologram stickers are placed on the back of photos without exception.

For authentication inquiries, contact authentication@swau.com.

All bidders must register before placing bids. New bidders may be required to provide credit card information in advance at SWAU's discretion. A valid email address is required — bids or wins associated with an invalid email will be cancelled.

Bidding opens immediately when the auction begins and takes place exclusively on the SWAU Auction website. Phone, email, and in-person bids are not accepted.

Minimum bidding increments scale with the current bid price. Bids entered below the applicable increment will not be accepted.

Current Bid RangeIncrement

$0 – $50$1

$50 – $100$10

$100 – $500$25

$500 – $1,000$50

$1,000 – $2,000$100

$2,000 – $5,000$250

$5,000 – $10,000$500

$10,000 – $20,000$1,000

$20,000 – $50,000$2,500

$50,000 – $100,000$5,000

If you believe a bid was placed in error, contact us promptly with sufficient time remaining before the auction closes. Erroneous straight bids may be refunded, but a winning bid is final and cannot be reversed.

A proxy bid allows you to set a maximum amount you are willing to pay. The system will bid automatically on your behalf, in accordance with the increment rules, up to your specified maximum.

Example

If an item is at $100 and you place a proxy bid of $300, the displayed bid remains at $100. If another bidder bids $200, the system automatically raises your bid to $225. If a competing bid of $325 is placed, you would lose the item.

Any bid placed within the final five minutes of an auction extends that item's closing time by an additional five minutes. This process repeats until no new bids are received in the final five-minute window, ensuring every bidder has a fair opportunity to compete.

Certain lots may carry a reserve price set by the consignor. If bidding does not reach the reserve, the item will not sell. Proxy bids placed on reserve lots will automatically bid up to the reserve amount on your behalf.

All bids are denominated in United States Dollars (USD). International customers may convert their payment to their local currency at checkout.

All items are shipped with full insurance, signature confirmation, and protective packaging. Please factor shipping costs into your bids before bidding.

Domestic (U.S.)

Standard 8×10 shipments start at approximately $25.

International

International shipments start at approximately $60. If your checkout displays an unusually high charge (over $100 for a standard item), please complete your payment and email us — we will promptly refund any excess.

Combined shipping is available, especially for international orders. Complete your orders and contact us if duplicate shipping charges were applied — we will issue a refund. For the safety of shipments, not all items can be combined (e.g., 3D items typically cannot ship with flat items).

SWAU uses the following collectibles grading scale. While our team has decades of experience, grading can be subjective — please reach out before bidding if you have specific condition questions.

GradeDescription

NMNear Mint — Exceptional condition with minimal to no flaws.

EX/NMExcellent to Near Mint — Very minor imperfections.

EXExcellent — Some minor defects present.

VG+/EXVery Good Plus to Excellent — Light defects, presents well.

VG+Very Good Plus — Moderate defects, but overall solid presentation.

VG/VG+Very Good to Very Good Plus — Noticeable wear.

VGVery Good — Significant defects visible.

GD/VGGood to Very Good — Heavy wear and notable issues.

GDGood — Extensive wear and multiple problems.

By default, no item is graded as "Mint."

Sticker & LOA Tiers

Authentication add-ons (hologram stickers and Letters of Authenticity) are priced by the number of signers on each piece. When checking out, select the appropriate tier based on the number of signers. If an incorrect tier is selected, SWAU will adjust the invoice accordingly.

Add the correct number of stickers to your cart for each item you wish to have authenticated.
Apply sticker add-ons to each item individually during checkout to avoid confusion about which items should receive stickers.
VIP members must still add the correct quantity of stickers to their cart — one sticker in the cart does not cover multiple items.

Personalization Removal

A personalization removal add-on is available for eligible items. Certain items — such as encapsulated pieces, index cards, and certain photo finishes — are excluded and will not display this option.

Purchasing the add-on does not guarantee successful removal. If removal is not feasible, the add-on fee will be refunded.
SWAU is not liable for any damage incurred during the removal process. By purchasing this add-on, you accept all associated risk.
Bidding is always on the item in its current, as-is condition, personalization included.

Payment for all winning bids is due within seven (7) days of the auction close. Available payment methods vary by final sale price and typically include PayPal, credit card, and wire transfer. Gift cards and promotional codes are valid only on the SWAU Signings / Inventory store and cannot be applied to auction purchases.

Non-Payment Policy

Failure to pay within the allotted period will result in forfeiture of your winning bid and suspension from all future SWAU auctions and private signings. Voiding a sale does not relieve the bidder of their obligation to pay all applicable fees (including seller's and buyer's premiums). Unpaid balances accrue interest at the maximum rate permitted by law, and the bidder agrees to cover all collection and attorney fees incurred by SWAU.

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick answers to common questions about shipping, add-ons, consignments, and more.

Standard processing time is 5–7 business days. Orders that include add-ons (hologram stickers, LOAs, or encapsulation) may require additional handling time as outlined in the questions below.

Points and discount codes are valid only on the SWAU Signings / Inventory store. They cannot be applied to auction purchases.

The auction and signings divisions operate out of separate locations, so orders cannot be combined. However, we can ship your auction win to a SWAU signing — please provide your order number, placement notes, the send-in address, and a screenshot of your order. Meeting the signing deadline is your responsibility.

LOAs are produced by a separate division and ship independently. For international orders, LOAs are sent in bulk batches, which may add processing time. Please allow a few additional business days for delivery.

International LOA orders: LOAs are shipped in bulk to our facility before individual overseas orders are dispatched.
Hologram stickers: Attaching stickers requires additional processing. Standard placement is on the back of items; if that is not possible, SWAU staff will use professional discretion.
Encapsulation & Grading (Funkos): These items are sent to a separate facility and will ship directly to you from SWAU Authentication.

Please allow processing time for new entries to be uploaded. All hologram numbers are typically added within a few weeks of the auction close. If yours is still missing after one month, please contact us.

SWAU cannot speak for third-party authentication companies. Please direct any database inquiries to the respective company.

We would love to help you sell your collection! Visit our Sell page to learn more and submit your items for consignment.

All items are fully insured. Please email us clear photographs of the damage to the item, the inner packaging, the shipping label, and the outer packaging. Important: Damage must be reported within 15 days of delivery for an insurance claim to be filed. Do not discard any packaging, as it is required for the claims process.

Our team is generally available weekdays from approximately 12:00 PM to 7:00 PM EST. Consignment inquiries are handled on a rolling basis, while customer service requests are addressed during business hours.

Yes, we can arrange a pickup location in the NJ / NYC area. Overseas drop-off is not available.

We can open a frame upon explicit request, though this is done at your own risk — we cannot guarantee reframing, as some frames require specialized tools. Encapsulated items (e.g., CGC comics, PSA slabs) cannot be opened; the sticker add-on will be refunded for these items. We recommend ordering a signed LOA instead.

We assess each Funko based on signature authenticity and exterior box condition. While we examine items for window swaps and note them when detected, we cannot open every Funko for a full inspection due to condition and time constraints. If this is a concern, please ask about a specific Funko before bidding and we will inspect it personally. Returns are not accepted for window swaps.

Yes, we are happy to combine shipping. Complete your orders, then email us if a duplicate shipping charge was applied and we will issue a refund. For the safety of shipments, not all items can be combined — 3D items typically cannot ship with flat items.

Yes. Our encapsulation facility is located in Texas. Orders are first marked with tracking to that facility. Once the item is encapsulated and on its way to you, the order is marked as fully fulfilled with a final tracking number.

Final Terms

All SWAU Auction sales are final and returns are not accepted, with the exception of authenticity concerns outlined above. Your participation in the SWAU Auction constitutes acceptance of these rules as well as SWAU's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

If you have any questions, please contact us before placing any bids.

Still have questions? Our team is here to help.