Sintercafe Auction
Why this auction exists The other harvest
The Artisans Same hands, second season
In Costa Rica's coffee regions the women who pick, sort and cup the harvest do not stop working when the picking ends. They weave, turn clay, work silver and carve wood.
Apply to bidThe Impact Fueling the next harvest of women leaders
Every bid directly funds the International Women’s Coffee Alliance (IWCA). Your purchase removes financial barriers—funding key certifications, leadership training, and global competition access so these women can thrive year-round, both in the coffee fields and in their art.
How to take Part Your Path from Field to Fine Art
Register on V-Auction
Create your free bidder account on the V-Auction platform. One quick registration gets you a digital paddle number so you can bid on any lot instantly.
Discover the Craft
Browse every lot with complete transparency—including maker details, region, materials, craft techniques, and hours spent creating. What you see is exactly what you get.
Bid from Anywhere
Bidding opens days before Sintercafé and runs online 24/7 on V-Auction. Place your bids from anywhere in the world—you don't need to be in Costa Rica to win.
Collect at Sintercafé or Ship Home
Attending Sintercafé? Pick up your winning piece directly at the event breakfast. Joining remotely? We will safely pack and ship your piece anywhere worldwide (shipping calculated at checkout).
FAQ'S
Our FAQs provide insights to make your coffee sourcing experience seamless and enjoyable. If you don't find what you're looking for, feel free to reach out —we're here to help guide you!
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Register and create a V-Auction Account
- To join any V-Auction event, you must create a V-Auction account. During registration, you'll need to agree to our Auction Platform's Terms & Conditions. This step ensures we can verify your identity and that you understand and accept our policies.
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Accept the Bidding Agreement
- Each auction has its own bidding agreement. To place bids and order samples, you must accept the specific agreement for the auction you wish to participate in.
- Please complete the application with as much information as possible to facilitate the review process.
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Discover more auctions!
- Your V-Auction account grants you access to all coffee auctions hosted by V-Auction.
- Remember, you must apply to bid in each separate auction, even if you already have an account.
If you have any questions or need assistance, please reach out to our support team sintercafeauction@v-auction.com. We're here to help!
A. The most important part of any auction is the bidding. Specialty coffee auctions work as a 'Helmsman' style auction also known as multi-unit. It works like this:
- Open bidding starts and continues on all lots simultaneously until each and every lot has received an initial bid.
- As soon as each lot has received a bid, the auction clock for each lot, starts ticking down from 3 minutes towards zero.
- Every time a bid is placed, the clock resets to 3 minutes remaining.
- Once the clock reaches zero, the auction is over and the winners are declared.
This means the full value is achieved for each and every coffee in the auction. This is because the outcome for each coffee is tied to the outcome of the auction as a whole. The more people bid, the more the coffees remain available across the whole auction. This means the producers will receive good value for their coffee and we will all contribute to the sustainability of their farming.
A. Bids can be made in one of three ways:
- Next Suggested Increment: Click the "Bid" button, then "Confirm" to bid at the next increment.
- Higher Amount: Enter an amount higher than the current increment in the text box, click "Bid", and then "Confirm".
- Auto Bidding: Set a maximum amount you are willing to spend. The system will automatically bid on your behalf up to this amount. If the bidding exceeds your set amount, you will need to place another auto-bid to continue.
A. Payment for auction lots is due in full within 15 days after the auction date. Please ensure you are familiar with the Terms & Conditions you agree to when registering for the auction.
If the winning bidder does not pay within this time, the lot will be offered to the second-highest bidder.
After the auction closes, we will contact you to arrange payment, contracts, and shipping. Once agreed upon, payment can be made via bank or wire transfer. Other options are available and can be discussed as needed.
For destinations not served by our certified coffee importers, full payment is required before the coffee leaves the country of origin.
Questions About the Auction?
We're here to help!
Feel free to reach out to us via email, and our team will get back to you as soon as possible.
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