You have to read this, although it might make you cry

KallMaloneSay · May 17, 2004 3:45AM

Lil' ol Vegas here had our Boulevard Mall show this past weekend, the weakest show in town, but since it's two blocks from my shop it's a good one to promote at with handing out fliers and business cards. Little did I know that one of the greatest buys/worst travesties in hobby history would take place.

I was speaking to a guy on Saturday who was from out of town and actually in Vegas for a vintage card collecting club which brought in members from all over the US (they have a website which was something like allcardcollecting.com or something). At any rate, he bought a minor card from me, can't remember what and said he'd stop by the shop right after since I told him we had a decent little array of oddball vintage like a Milton Bradley Ernie Banks, Topps Supers, and Exhibits.

When he came back about fifteen minutes later, my jaw dropped and my heart sank a little. He showed me a complete set of 41 Goudey that was a very solid EX condition (the Williams was EX-MT and the DiMaggio was probably VG-EX). I just thought wow, how much did he have to fork out for that? The total: $300 (yes this is a Three Hundred, I didn't accidentally omit an extra zero at the end). The set was in 9 pocket pages, which wasn;t the best means of storage, but obviously someone at one time knew a little enough to take care of it. I would guess it was found in the belonging of a deceased father.

The story goes that someone was walking around the show with the set, obviously having no clue as to what it was worth. One of the dealers who I think does the California Mall Show circuit (Charlie's Cardz) shrugged around with a price and said he'd be willing to give $300 for it. The owner of the set said he wanted to walk around and would think about it. Then the collector I met approached the set owner and said he would give $300 for it right there, I guess convincing the guy that $300 was the going rate for the set. And so it was...

This all took place about 50 feet from my table, and as it seemed the set owner was headed around to the rest of the dealer tables, and knowing the other dealers at the show I'm sure I would've won the bidding war and would have graded it, broken it up, and had it online.

Just for my sake of opinion, I don't mean to make the eventual buyer the bad guy in this case, he's a teacher who seemed alright. If I had to lay the blame it would be on Charlie from Charlie's Cardz. He seemed like a vermon to offer only $300, and with a fair amount of vinatge in his cases, he had to know a little of what the set was worth. I'm not trying to seem like I'm crying over it and the money I could've made (trust me, I would've given a much higher initial offer than $300, I wouldn't hesitate to offer $2500 on it, higher than that I would have to think a little since I don't exactly have Mile High, Madec, or Wentz typed money to offer). I've thrown my opinions out there, what do you guys think? Should we all just be happy for the teacher, is anyone to blame, is this a travesty or a blessing?
Jason

1420sports · May 17, 2004 3:49AM

A travesty and a blessing.

aconte · May 17, 2004 3:51AM

Happy for the teacher. Blame no one. Seller must of been happy or would not of sold. Next time
he should do a little homework first. Tough break...

aconte

koby · May 17, 2004 4:05AM

It depends how much persuading the teacher had to do and it depends how much lying the teacher had to do to acquire the cards. If teacher misrepresented the set as a $300 set, shame on him.

We have all seen Mr. Mint and other dealers at shows acting like used car salesmen and telling customers that cards are worthless when in fact they are very valuable. Hopefully that is not what happened here.

aconte · May 17, 2004 4:20AM

Koby,

I agree.

aconte

tripoli · May 17, 2004 5:08AM

From the seller's perspective, he just traded some old pieces of paper that cost him nothing and now has $300 to show for it. Enough to take him and the little lady to Cirque du Soleil....probably made his trip to Vegas more memorable.

dan

CON40 · May 17, 2004 5:50AM

Too bad the owner didn't do a little homework first... like go online or to a bookstore to get an idea of the set's value. At least in ended up in the hands of a collector, rather than a shark dealer and both parties are probably happy.

Spigrimace · May 17, 2004 9:01AM

Or maybe he just blew his last $10 at Black jack and jacked the set out of someone's house? A thug's not looking for a lot of attention or top $ on stolen merchandise. Just quick cash.

Vargha · May 17, 2004 10:29AM

Caveat emptor on this one . . . shame on the seller for not doing his due diligence.

SDavid · May 17, 2004 11:38AM

Antique dealers do stuff like this all the time. The only difference with cards is that it's relatively easy to determine their value.

But stories like that are why I have no sympathy for dealers who complain about ebay lowering prices.

ctsoxfan · May 17, 2004 11:46AM

<< But stories like that are why I have no sympathy for dealers who complain about ebay lowering prices. >>

Amen to that. When I hear stories like this, I feel sad for this hobby, which often seems full of dealers who are not simply out to make a living but rather beat their customers over the head with a club and rob them blind. It makes the few good dealers look bad by default.

Having said that, it is partially the sellers fault for not educating himself as to what he had. There is tons of information out there, if he had spent a few hours online doing some simple research.

Griffins · May 20, 2004 1:07AM

Is this the same set?
'41 Playball set for 300.

Dhjacks · May 20, 2004 1:21AM

When you read that link, make sure you scroll down to read the first
response.

aro13 · May 20, 2004 5:04AM

Guess Griffins beat me to the link by a few hours. Apparently, there are always two sides to every story.

WinPitcher · May 20, 2004 6:35AM

Im happy for the teacher......kall didnt you speak of a honus wagner card a few weeks back? whatever became of that?

KallMaloneSay · May 20, 2004 8:42AM

I think the first reply to that was meant to be a joke, it didn't look like a reprint set to my eyes. At least if it was sold for $300, it wasn't to the dealer who only offered that, guys like that are the ones who give those in my industry a bad name.

WinPitcher, I'm not sure if I spoke of any Honus Wagner cards. I did pick up a T206 a few weeks ago, but it was the most common one in the set from what I remember. Maybe one of my other multiple personalities is posting on the boards when he controls my body. How'd they cure that in the movie Identity?
Jason

34GoudeyCollector · May 21, 2004 4:46PM

The first response from Halleygator was a joke. Read farther down for the next response from Halleygator. It was a jealous poke at J Levine (the buyer of the 41 PlayBall Set)

Ken

YAYAIMHIPIMHIP · May 30, 2004 5:39PM

makes the whole industry look bad.

gemint · May 31, 2004 12:02AM

I think when a seller rediculously underpays for an item like in this case, they should be ashamed, even if the target willingly accepted the offer. I have to wonder what other unethical activities those types of dealers are involved in. I've seen too many little old ladies ripped off through the years in this hobby. The first was when I was at a show in the early 80s and saw a dealer cherry pick Mantles, Williams, Mays and others from a cigar box and buy them from an 80 year old lady for $10. I've seen these sharks in action and it's despicable how they operate. They'd rip off their own grandmother if there was a buck in it for them. They give the hobby a black eye. If they can make $5k or $10k on an item, why do they have to be so greedy and nickel and dime the target? I know this happens in all collectibles markets but it is a dark side of human nature.

(my 2 cents)

BigKidAtHeart · May 31, 2004 12:52AM

I hate that the guy got taken, but he did not really
lose anything since he did not really know the value
and is probably glad to have the $300 cash.

And since teachers make about 3 dollars an hour,
I for one am at glad that it at least went to him
and not the first dealer that he stopped at.

Mantlefan · May 31, 2004 1:50AM

Playing devil's advocate here......send them to PSA....all come back altered or trimmed. Now who's sorry?

goodriddance189 · May 31, 2004 1:54AM

that would be awesome and would serve him right

ctsoxfan · May 31, 2004 2:18AM

<< I hate that the guy got taken, but he did not really
lose anything since he did not really know the value >>

BKAH, I disagree. Part of a responsible dealers job is to appraise the collectible properly. That is why the person brought it to the dealer, to get an idea of its value, and sell it for a portion thereof. He was taken advantage of, and it is sad to read (but not uncommon, unfortunately).

WinPitcher · May 31, 2004 2:19AM

he says how much do you have. I tell him I can only give him three hundred out of my atm but the cards are probably worth thousands>

sounds like both seller and buyer were on the up and up to me.

Stone193 · May 31, 2004 2:55AM

<< sounds like both seller and buyer were on the up and up to me. >>

Win
Amen to that. How's your game going?
Mike

edit - bad grammar

YAYAIMHIPIMHIP · May 31, 2004 4:07AM

What happened to moral ethics?

WinPitcher · May 31, 2004 4:16AM

HUH??

YAYAIMHIPIMHIP · May 31, 2004 4:52AM

no way

Spigrimace · May 31, 2004 4:55AM

Full Disclosure. lol. Now this is beaurocracy at it's best!!....

Wouldn't it be funny if one needed to file a form with the SEC via Edgar for a Baseball card transaction.

And if reg FD covered cads: No one can trade a card in an active player until the boxscores have been released in a nationally recognized periodical so all buyers and sellers can have all the information they need to make an informed decision and doesn't have a disadvantage because they were not privy to such info.

Instead of CNBC, we could have BBNBC? NM-MTNBC?

Instead of weekly New jobless claims, we'd have weekly demotions to the minor leagues.

Instead of GDP (Gross domestic Product), we'd have GDRBI (gross domestic runs batted in)...excludes Montreal & Toronto so critics of this number says it was skewed to the low side when Vlad played for the 'spos.

Monthly New Housing Starts was Monthly Tom House Starts when he played in the 70's.

Monthly Existing Home Sales is Monthly Stadium Name Changes

And yes Alan Greenspan has already been at work. Instead of monetary policy, he plays core density policy....When home run production is low, he increases the ball's density of the ball to increase home run output. Conversely, when home run output is too hot, he let's a little air out of the ballon by softening the ball's core density. Unfortunately after the lethargic output of the 70's & 80's, the tightening of the core led to massive home run inflation in the 90's (See Canseco, Bonds, McGwire, Sosa, etc.) and Greenspan couldn't avoid a hard landing and hinted at a quick Giant softening move with his language used in the Barry Bonds is on steroids speaches. The move came suddenly at the end of April and has had a dramatic negative effect on the........Bonds market.

YAYAIMHIPIMHIP · May 31, 2004 5:46AM

Funny and sarcastic!

koby · May 31, 2004 5:52AM

<< Seller better beware that their just may be serious consequences to their actions...
I hi-lighted this for a reason.Later this week will that will go into effect!!! >>

<< Collectively at once will be a beheading instead of being slapped on the wrist twice at unknowingly different times.Hear that Tom Murry? >>

Who is Tom Murry?

Spigrimace · May 31, 2004 6:40AM

Yay,

I'm with you. The world is going to the sewer and it sucks. The internet doesn't help either. I had a subscription to a website where if by the time the subscription expired, they would continue to auto renew it and charge my credit card. That time was coiming and when I went to the site to cancel, when I clicked on "cancel my subscription" I got an offer for 3 more months and a button that says I agree. No cancel button, no cancel instructions or no other means to cancel. So I had to spend 1/2 hour looking for a number to call and did so with a purple face I was so hot. And (sarcastically) such a shocker.....this website is part of a publicly traded company.

Stone193 · May 31, 2004 7:15AM

<< Who is Tom Murry? >>

Koby
Who is Tom Murry?
Mike

koby · May 31, 2004 7:27AM

Mike
Good question.
I was trying to figure out who Tom Murry was myself when YAYAIMHIPIMHIP said:

<< I alone have 3 counts against this person.Now even if one only lost $5, it still adds ONE more to the pile.A few have filed against him in the past,but they didn't know about each other.Collectively at once will be a beheading instead of being slapped on the wrist twice at unknowingly different times.Hear that Tom Murry? >>

Koby

You have to read this, although it might make you cry

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