thats the point with the reserve bid. No one but the seller knows it. The STARTING bid might be £300 but the reserve could be £800 the idea being that if no one knows what the reserve is they night unintentionaly bid over it ie the reserve is £700 but i buyer doesnt know this and puts a bid on for £800. Thats £100 the buyer wouldnt have paid if he had known the reserve.