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What is a maximum bid?

Bidding · Revised 3 August 2026

VALÉORINE editorial artwork: small ivory planes ascending in even increments across charcoal

A maximum bid, sometimes called an absentee or proxy bid, is the highest sum you are prepared to pay for a lot. The system bids on your behalf in the ordinary increments, using no more of your maximum than is necessary to keep you in the lead, and stops when your maximum is reached.

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