The Auctions That Really Gripe Me On eBay
bobsbbcards
Posts: 3,254 ✭✭✭
Hi,
Of course all of the "my Grandpa's estate" auctions, shilled auctions, counterfeit auctions, etc. are annoying, but we gripe about these auctions all of the time. These are my top three annoying auctions (the ones that literally make me cringe):
(1) Xmas Rack Packs -- I challenge anybody on the planet to show me an ad for these "packs" more than 5 years old (maybe less). I remember when these first appeared on eBay. Seemed to come out of nowhere and I was impressed. Then it seemed that the cards in the racks were in about EXMT condition. OK, I was less impressed. Then we were told that someone "way back when" (someone at Topps perhaps) must have gathered up the cards each year at Xmas time (to celebrate the birth of "X"), put them in rack packs and sold them to the kiddies. Right. Then why aren't there any ads for them? Maybe the kiddies loved them so much that they didn't open them or sell them until 1999 or so (when they were no longer kiddies). Who bids on these? Are they really bidding on them as unopened packs, or would they bid just as high if I stacked up 12 1950's cards in three stacks and hinted that there might be a Mantle in the middle.
(2) 1969 Topps White Letters Cards That Never Were -- Why do some sellers assume that every Topps BB card issued in 1969 with white used for the lettering must be some rare variation? THEY'RE NOT!!! There are 23 WL varations in 1969, all between card #440 (McCovey) and card #511 (Segui). If your card is not in that range (< 440 or >511), then "Go Fish!". You don't have a white letter card. I'm sorry, I meant to say that you DO have a white letter card, it is just not a variation! Buy a catalog for X's Father's sake! (Ditto for 1958 Topps Yellow Letters).
(3) 1968 Topps 3-D Cards That Never Were -- Can't tell you how many times I have found someone listing a Kellogg's card as a 1968 Topps 3-D. If I hadn't seen so many, I would call myself a liar (I still might). You would think that the seller might check to see that Willie McCovey (not to name names) was not one of the players in the '68 3-D set. You would also think that they might notice that the back of their card says KELLOGG'S!!! I think wishful thinking is just peachy. If I had a card (any card) and I tilted it side to side and it looked more dimensional than 2, I would immediately think I had the greatest thing since sliced bread (and maybe since non-sliced bread). It would have to be worth at least $1,000, so therefore it must be from '68 (and be rare). Again, buy a catalog if you are going to sell cards on eBay. Or I can loan you mine.
I will stop now. Please post auction types that pi-dollar-dollar you o-eff-eff. Thanks for your time.
Bob
Of course all of the "my Grandpa's estate" auctions, shilled auctions, counterfeit auctions, etc. are annoying, but we gripe about these auctions all of the time. These are my top three annoying auctions (the ones that literally make me cringe):
(1) Xmas Rack Packs -- I challenge anybody on the planet to show me an ad for these "packs" more than 5 years old (maybe less). I remember when these first appeared on eBay. Seemed to come out of nowhere and I was impressed. Then it seemed that the cards in the racks were in about EXMT condition. OK, I was less impressed. Then we were told that someone "way back when" (someone at Topps perhaps) must have gathered up the cards each year at Xmas time (to celebrate the birth of "X"), put them in rack packs and sold them to the kiddies. Right. Then why aren't there any ads for them? Maybe the kiddies loved them so much that they didn't open them or sell them until 1999 or so (when they were no longer kiddies). Who bids on these? Are they really bidding on them as unopened packs, or would they bid just as high if I stacked up 12 1950's cards in three stacks and hinted that there might be a Mantle in the middle.
(2) 1969 Topps White Letters Cards That Never Were -- Why do some sellers assume that every Topps BB card issued in 1969 with white used for the lettering must be some rare variation? THEY'RE NOT!!! There are 23 WL varations in 1969, all between card #440 (McCovey) and card #511 (Segui). If your card is not in that range (< 440 or >511), then "Go Fish!". You don't have a white letter card. I'm sorry, I meant to say that you DO have a white letter card, it is just not a variation! Buy a catalog for X's Father's sake! (Ditto for 1958 Topps Yellow Letters).
(3) 1968 Topps 3-D Cards That Never Were -- Can't tell you how many times I have found someone listing a Kellogg's card as a 1968 Topps 3-D. If I hadn't seen so many, I would call myself a liar (I still might). You would think that the seller might check to see that Willie McCovey (not to name names) was not one of the players in the '68 3-D set. You would also think that they might notice that the back of their card says KELLOGG'S!!! I think wishful thinking is just peachy. If I had a card (any card) and I tilted it side to side and it looked more dimensional than 2, I would immediately think I had the greatest thing since sliced bread (and maybe since non-sliced bread). It would have to be worth at least $1,000, so therefore it must be from '68 (and be rare). Again, buy a catalog if you are going to sell cards on eBay. Or I can loan you mine.
I will stop now. Please post auction types that pi-dollar-dollar you o-eff-eff. Thanks for your time.
Bob
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Onlychild, Ahmanfan, fabfrank, wufdude, jradke, Reese, Jasp, thenavarro
E-Bay id: greg_n_meg
I personally hate the auctions that claim in the title something like Jordan RC Gem Mint 10, and then you see the Fournier Estrellas card graded PRO 10. Or, lately, there are a lot of auctions for a Topps Glossy Barry Bonds card made in 1987 that there must have been 10000000000 printed, since they are on Ebay in full force. Yet, every auction for one of these cards says its "rare".
<< <i>Rare compared to grains of sand on the beach, drops of water in the ocean, stars in the universe. It all depends on your perspective! >>
Actually, there are more 1987 Topps Glossy Barry Bonds cards than stars in the universe, but there are not more graded Glossy Bonds cards. That is what makes them rare.
I want to add another gripe to my list:
(4) Population Report Spin -- Auctions that use the Pop report to make their items seem far rarer than they really are. For example: Picture an auction for a 1979 PSA 7 Jim Todd card. Auction might read:
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1979 TOPPS JIM TODD PSA 7 (ONLY 12 GRADED HIGHER IN THE HISTORY OF TIME AND SPACE)
BUY THIS CARD NOW OF JIM TODD. HE WAS A REAL BASEBALL PITCHER. THIS CARD OF HIS IS IN SUCH FANTISTAC CONDISION THAT GOD HIMSELF COULD NOT BUY 13 CARDS THAT WERE IN BETTER SHAPE. USE BUY-IT-NOW OF $149 BECAUSE I MIGHT END AUCTION EARLY CUZ IT IS THAT GOOD.
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Same is true for ONLY PSA 10 (1 of 1) cards where NOBODY ELSE IN THE HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSE COULD CARE LESS IF THEY GOT THAT CARD GRADED OR NOT! True about all common cards in modern sets where there are no PSA Registry pursuers. Registry nuts change all of the rules.
bobsbbcards SGC Registry Sets
<< <i>but by and large, the crappiness of the spelling is in direct correlation to the crappiness of the item for sale. >>
And don't forget the ALL CAPS LOOK. PEOPLE WITH CRAP TO SELL DO NOT KNOW HOW TO TURN OFF THE CAPS LOCK KEY. I WANT TO WRITE TO THEM AND SAY IT'S THAT BUTTON ON THE LEFT BELOW TAB!!!!!
bobsbbcards SGC Registry Sets
Scott
T-205 Gold PSA 4 & up
1967 Topps BB PSA 8 & up
1975 Topps BB PSA 9 & up
1959 Topps FB PSA 8 & up
1976 Topps FB PSA 9 & up
1981 Topps FB PSA 10
1976-77 Topps BK PSA 9 & up
1988-89 Fleer BK PSA 10
3,000 Hit Club RC PSA 5 & Up
My Sets
Now collecting:
Topps Heritage
1957 Topps BB Ex+-NM
All Yaz Items 7+
Various Red Sox
Did I leave anything out?
<< <i>I also hate sellers that waste time by not putting qualifiers in the title >>
Aaagh! I had forgotten about that one. I can't click the Back button fast enough when I bring up one of these auctions. It is one of the few situations that will make me curse in front of my toddler!
bobsbbcards SGC Registry Sets
You are right on. Can't argue that these are at least an annoyance if not a full fledged nusiance. But they don't bother me they way they get to you.
Take a valium. We know how old you are. It's not good for your heart. Happy belated birthday.
Fuzz
<< <i>It's not good for your heart. >>
Beans are. Thanks for the birthday wishes.
bobsbbcards SGC Registry Sets
Exact same card sold by me after I upgraded
Yeah, I know, I should have put it in the title, but I was up front about it in the description and didn't hide it behind a bunch of colors. I still can't figure out if I got shilled on the first one, but I do know that I got raped when I sold it
1967and 1973 Topps baseball wantlists (any condition) welcome. Once had the #14 ATF 1967 set. Yet another collector like skylaneflyer, gimel1 who made it to the completion of 1967 only to need the money more than the company of 609 close friends.
Looking for oddball Norm Cash and Cleon Jones stuff, and 1956 team cards
Are you saying some Bible guy raped you? Now, that cracked me up. He must be related to that X guy in the opening post. That is a crappy turnaround but I have been there and done that.
Great thread.
Brent
Bo Jackson Basic(#1) and Master(#1)
Bob Feller Basic(#4)
Sam McDowell Basic(#1)
2004 Cracker Jack Master
My Ebay Store
Looks like they cut a picture out of a book, put it in a screw down, then put some fancy label on it, and it's a mint 9 rarity!
<< <i>1980 PSA 9 Nolan Ryan
Exact same card sold by me after I upgraded
Yeah, I know, I should have put it in the title, but I was up front about it in the description and didn't hide it behind a bunch of colors. I still can't figure out if I got shilled on the first one, but I do know that I got raped when I sold it
"Sorry no photo, I don't have a scanner, but trust me this card is Mint!!!!"
And then you look at seller's other items, and it turns out he does have a scanner for those cards that don't have a defect.
Scott
T-205 Gold PSA 4 & up
1967 Topps BB PSA 8 & up
1975 Topps BB PSA 9 & up
1959 Topps FB PSA 8 & up
1976 Topps FB PSA 9 & up
1981 Topps FB PSA 10
1976-77 Topps BK PSA 9 & up
1988-89 Fleer BK PSA 10
3,000 Hit Club RC PSA 5 & Up
My Sets
Brian
<< <i>Search ebay for 1969 topps VARIATION and look at the #47 Popovich card being hawked as a White Letter. The seller swears its a white letter. >>
Title of auction:
1969 Topps VARIATION #47 $$RARE$$ PSA 9+ MINT $$$
Worth 10x regular price! VALUED at $420.00+ $$$$$$
Either the "$" key is stuck on his keyboard, or he is selling RARE DOLLARS and a PSA 9 mint card (which it is not even a PSA card at all) which includes MINT DOLLARS. The card is worth 10x regular price (a $42 ungraded common?) for a grand total of $420 + some more DOLLARS. I'm not sure I can resist bidding on all of those DOLLARS!
In the seller's defense, the word PAUL is clearly white. That alone should be worth more $$$$$.
bobsbbcards SGC Registry Sets
"All evil needs to triumph is for good men to do nothing."