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PUKE!

Some poor sap walked into Burbank Sportscards today
and unloaded a monster raw vintage collection and Rob drolled and
gobbled it up. Included in this collection was a complete
1951 Bowman set. Avg. grade ex - ex-mt. There looks to be about
20,000 cards and nothing older than 1967. Aside from the set,
the cards ranged from commons to superstars with condition from
VG to NM. I saw a lot of NM or NM-MT cards that I thought would be
great for the registry. I was holding 1965 Mantles, Aaron, 1960 Mantles, Banks, etc
as I was chit chatting with Rob. Saw some old sets with Honus Wagner, but couldn't
tell what they were....just beat up. He said this was the largest vintage collection he
ever bought. I don't know what he purchased the collection for,
and I'm sure it was dirt cheap. He usually gets away with robbery. I'm envious; envious
at the fact that BSC got it because I don't like them although I only stop by to pick up
supplies and beckett. I bought 1 card today to finish a set and saw all these vintage
he was going thru. It actually looked like fun going thru so many cool old cards. Hope
the seller got some good cash. Just thought I'd share my story for the day.

Comments

  • WinPitcherWinPitcher Posts: 27,726 ✭✭✭
    image
    Good for you.
  • magellanmagellan Posts: 2,099 ✭✭✭
    It's gotta be a great feeling to make a buy like that. About the best my partner and I ever did when selling at shows was a lot of '57's (less than 100) probably EX or so for the most part and a lot of 68's (maybe 200-300) that were mostly Ex-Mt to Nr-MT. I'd love to come on to a collection like Burbank got.

    Dave
    Topps Heritage

    Now collecting:
    Topps Heritage

    1957 Topps BB Ex+-NM
    All Yaz Items 7+
    Various Red Sox
    Did I leave anything out?
  • AxtellAxtell Posts: 10,037 ✭✭
    And you know for every deal like this that comes through their door, they must probably deal with 1000 other people who think their cards are worth 100x their value.

    I have noticed BSC prices to be very high, even on commons...I bought some cards from them to work on my Buccaneers history set, and their prices just seem very steep.
  • mudflap02mudflap02 Posts: 2,060 ✭✭
    And don't even THINK about walking in there wihout first having printed a list of the cards you're interested in from their beckett site.
  • I feel kind of sorry for people who take their collections to card
    shops. It's like a little fish swimming directly to a shark's mouth.
    You think they would have other options in trying to obtain the most for their valuables. I guess it's a way to obtain quick cash; but it does make me wonder what they're feeling inside when they do have to sell for whatever reason.
  • AxtellAxtell Posts: 10,037 ✭✭
    You also have to wonder if they know of any other alternative...they figure the card shop is their only avenue, or that the 'hassle' of dealing with a classified ad isn't worth it.

    Perhaps they were an inheritance, they just wanted em gone, who knows...but you know the owners of that shop (a) eyes lit up like a kid at christmas and (b) were laughing afterwards...can only imagine the profit margin on a deal like that.
  • Years ago (1994ish), I was in a card shop in Orlando and this old man came in with 3 shoe boxes of cards (I was searching through some commons to complete my set) he spoke to the owner, who took him into the back of the store and about 20 minutes later, the old man came out with a check. So I had to ask what was in the boxes and the owner grined ear to ear and said "you won't believe what he had". Then I got a sick feeling in my stomach. He went to the back, returned with the shoe boxes, open the lid of 1 of the boxes, I stuck my head over the box to look in, never said anything to him and went to my car to get my credit card and came straight in and bought about 2k worth from him and I could have bought 5k more if my card would have held it....I bought '56 J. Robinson, '55 Banks, '56 Killebrew, '57 B. Robinson, about 125 or so 1958 commons, '65 Carlton, '66 Palmer and a nice run of '65 highs. I just couldn't help thinking that he probabley never paid the old man as much and I gave him for 1/3 of 1 box....And I've always wished to have ran into that man before he made it into the store. There goes my stomach again!! :grrrr
  • But in that case, you'd just be switching out the card shop owner with yourself. You wouldn't have given that old man "fair value" for his cards. I don't think any of us would.
    Ted Williams, Willie Mays, Tom Seaver, Mike Schmidt, George Brett, Bob Gibson, Lou Brock player collector
  • Yeah, I know!

    But my collection would look so much betterimage


  • almost everyone in the LA area hates burbank. However, they usually have the card you need. They charge way way too much for anything. You hardly ever get a card for less than book. The problem I have had with them is that they keep your credit card info on file. They have a catalog of everyone's info kept on file. Not sure if that includes your credit card if you order via beckett.com, but it does mean that they have your address sitting on an index card in the shop. The shop itself has tons and tons of cards, they breakdown almost every single new release. When I go there now, I just pay with cash because I don't like doing the credit card thing. If you want cards cheap, don't go there. Rob isn't too bad of a guy, but his dad can be pretty rude.
    Running an Ebay store sure takes a lot more time than a person would think!
  • Oh, I agree! I think when it comes right down to it, we'd all like to stumble across something like that...even if it means paying someone a % of what it's true value may be.
    Ted Williams, Willie Mays, Tom Seaver, Mike Schmidt, George Brett, Bob Gibson, Lou Brock player collector


  • << <i>almost everyone in the LA area hates burbank. However, they usually have the card you need. They charge way way too much for anything. You hardly ever get a card for less than book. The problem I have had with them is that they keep your credit card info on file. They have a catalog of everyone's info kept on file. Not sure if that includes your credit card if you order via beckett.com, but it does mean that they have your address sitting on an index card in the shop. The shop itself has tons and tons of cards, they breakdown almost every single new release. When I go there now, I just pay with cash because I don't like doing the credit card thing. If you want cards cheap, don't go there. Rob isn't too bad of a guy, but his dad can be pretty rude. >>



    I'm from Florida and when I went to LA on vacation, I made a special trip to Burbanks just to see how great it was. At the time I was working on a 1972 baseball set and needed mostly high #'s. They pulled out a box of about 500 high #'s and every one was O/C. I ask them if they had any better ones, they said
    "No, the better ones we send to PSA and they sell fast". So, I left w/out buying anything. Very impressive collection, but my only problem is with the grading. In todays age of running a magnifier over cards, how can you sell things (from website/beckett) with a EXMT or better attitude. I'm sorry, but if I wanted EXMT, I would ask for it, or NM, NM/MT, MINT, etc....to large of a range for me!
  • As usual another thread without the true facts.Without getting into opinions of Rob ,his dad, the shop...etc
    About the only true facts in Eagle eyes thread is that Rob picked up some cards.Dont know where he got all his info but its wrong.
    So Eagle eye is gonna bash Burbank on these boards but will still go in there and pick up supplies and maybe a card he cant find anywhere else.WEAK!
    I have had nothing but positive experiences in the store.
  • I don't trust the grading at burbank. They tried to pass of a card with a slight crease as EXMT on me once. Either the kid was stupid or they thought I was blind!! It's hard for me to even trust people on ebay's raw grading either. It's a nice storefront, but the prices are too high for the condition of the cards. The word of mouth around LA is not favorable, but they must rely on mail orders for business and walk ins.
    Running an Ebay store sure takes a lot more time than a person would think!
  • EagleEyeKidEagleEyeKid Posts: 4,496 ✭✭
    So Eagle eye is gonna bash Burbank on these boards but will still go in there and pick up supplies and maybe a card he cant find anywhere else.WEAK!

    Burbank is very close to my work and I go there to pick up Beckett issues and buy
    supplies. There are other card shops but I'm not going to drive an extra 15 miles
    during my lunch hour because I dislike Rob. I don't have a deep seeded hatred for
    Rob. His dad Steve is actually pretty nice and we've gotten along. I used to buy products from him a long time ago but that has stopped due to high prices he charge and everything is strictly at book even for off grades. He thinks everything in his shop is mint. I've seen the way he's treated his customers. Even when
    folks come in with boxes of commons because they simply don't know and are trying to sell,
    his arrogance and the power to belittle someone makes them wish they never entered his shop.
    Yes, he'll treat you great if you have great stuff to sell. Face it, it's his shop and he can do whatever
    he wants with it. He comes from deep pockets and this is more of a playground for him than anything
    else. The card I picked up is a modern 03-04 card. It is not rare or anything. Yea I probably could of
    gotten it at any other shop, but I was there. If you think this is bashing, fine. I'm just sharing what I
    saw.
  • Despite my dislike of burbank, the store is a clean. The area is ok. So I can understand getting a few things there once in awhile. Guess a lot of people bash a lot of places that they continue to go to. My all like to complain sometimes. At least there is some place that you can get cards. About half the shops from 20 years ago are gone now.
    Running an Ebay store sure takes a lot more time than a person would think!
  • AxtellAxtell Posts: 10,037 ✭✭


    << <i>As usual another thread without the true facts.Without getting into opinions of Rob ,his dad, the shop...etc
    About the only true facts in Eagle eyes thread is that Rob picked up some cards.Dont know where he got all his info but its wrong.
    So Eagle eye is gonna bash Burbank on these boards but will still go in there and pick up supplies and maybe a card he cant find anywhere else.WEAK!
    I have had nothing but positive experiences in the store. >>



    What's not factual here? People have expressed that they have looked at cards that were described as near mint when they were far from? And why is it weak to buy supplies there, if it's convenient? I am sure he's not buying a lot of inventory there....

    How is that not the facts...these are people's experiences.

    What, do you work there or something?
  • NickMNickM Posts: 4,895 ✭✭✭
    You can pick up deals at BSC. You just have to look through his discount boxes. I picked up a 2001 Topps Heritage SP of Tony Gwynn (high Beckett of $12) in one of his quarter boxes, along with a number of other cards that had high Beckett prices of between $2 and $5 (including some hard-to-find regionals and food issues).
    I also pulled a '78 Carew Topps Vintage Buyback from a dollar box.
    Oh, if you'e buying someone you're sure is going to go up dramatically in the next issue or two of Beckett, he has them, and their price is probably based on current Beckett.

    Nick
    image
    Reap the whirlwind.

    Need to buy something for the wife or girlfriend? Check out Vintage Designer Clothing.
  • >>It's hard for me to even trust people on ebay's raw grading either.

    Things I do
    1)keep a spreadsheet of purchases which includes raw cards. In the seller field I put a comment
    about how their grading compared to standard. (too many are "graded 1 to 2 grades too high)
    2) put a comment in their feedback about their grading especially if accurate.
    3) put a comment in their feedback if they stand by their overgrading and make no effort to do anything
    (it involves a red color)

    I noticed that for most of the, for example 1964 Frank Robinsons in eBay stores most sellers
    just give a pic and don't list a condition anymore.
    ebay:1967topps
    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
  • "At the time I was working on a 1972 baseball set and needed mostly high #'s. They pulled out a box of about 500 high #'s and every one was O/C. I ask them if they had any better ones, they said
    "No, the better ones we send to PSA and they sell fast". So, I left w/out buying anything"

    I don't see a problem here. If you are trying to put cards in empty sleeves in your book, you get the cards if the price
    is right. you work on quality later. I'd say they are doing the right thing - taking the good ones and sending to PSA
    ebay:1967topps
    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


  • << <i>"At the time I was working on a 1972 baseball set and needed mostly high #'s. They pulled out a box of about 500 high #'s and every one was O/C. I ask them if they had any better ones, they said
    "No, the better ones we send to PSA and they sell fast". So, I left w/out buying anything"

    I don't see a problem here. If you are trying to put cards in empty sleeves in your book, you get the cards if the price
    is right. you work on quality later. I'd say they are doing the right thing - taking the good ones and sending to PSA >>



    Nope!...no problem, I just can't believe that someone is sitting on that many cards that MOST people won't touch, and still calling them NM or Better. And I'm not talking 70/30 O/C, I'm talking MISCUTS, Diamond Cuts, 90/10's, etc.. I myself, don't believe in FILLER cards. They are a waste of money, get the quality you are looking for or forget it until the right one comes along. FWIW...
  • AxtellAxtell Posts: 10,037 ✭✭


    << <i>I myself, don't believe in FILLER cards. They are a waste of money, get the quality you are looking for or forget it until the right one comes along. FWIW... >>



    I bet not everyone agrees with you.

    Not everyone can afford a mint card for every set they are building...for many, having the card is what they care most about.
  • I don't like the idea of a filler card. The problem with filler cards and then upgrades is that you always want a even higher upgrade. I guess that's what some people want. Go from PSA 6 to 7 etc. However, I have decided it's more cost effective to merely decide to build grade or better set, (PSA 5 or better) that way you don't have to keep spending more money on a set you already have. I did the filler thing with my 1955 Topps All American set, now I have one entirely graded PSA set that rates out the registery at GPA of 5.51. People have better one's but so what. Due to my upgrading I now have an enitre second master set with only a few graded. I didn't start off wanting even EX cards, but then I got a few and they looked rather nice, so I decided to get at least PSA 5's. Now I have an entire set just setting there, I haven't decided if I want to part with it, mainly because the set is devalued as whole. Complete set high book is $3800, but the breakdown price is around $5600. Guess I should break it up and sell it off and then reinvest in another year set.
    Running an Ebay store sure takes a lot more time than a person would think!
  • RipublicaninMassRipublicaninMass Posts: 10,051 ✭✭✭
    I did the same with my 55 topps baseball set. Bought nice lots, extras, bunches of Dodger's and Red Sox, and lost money on GEM bullsh$$%$. Upon total completion of both PSA and RAW set, I am going to sell the ex+ extra commons, the vg-ex complete set ( 3 or 4 graded stars 4-5s I have upgraded to entirely 6 set). Then take the money, and upgrade my Clemente (PSA 2, hopefully to a 6) and start something else. PHEW! But I did by fillers when I first started at the age of 15. I just couldn't afford to spend the money on 7-30 dollar commons. Now that I think back I should have image I ended up with 20-30 PSA 4's and 1 or 2 I didn't bother grading. I wouldn't waste my money on fillers anymore, but for someone on a budget, probably a good idea.
  • LJB17LJB17 Posts: 252 ✭✭
    I have never been to Rob's shop nor bought anything from him, but he has always been an upstanding person with me. The guy is running a business and paying for all that square footage/overhead is not cheap. He deserves to get as high a price as those are willing to pay and buy for as low as those are willing to sell. We all do the same thing. I don't think Rob would ever take a 10k collection and give a guy $50 for it, but he may only give them 2-3k. Business is business in all walks of life.
    Looking for 77 cloth 9s and 10s.
    54 Red Hearts
    and now 64 Stand ups
  • anyone go to Beverly Hills Shop run by Matt on Robertson near Pico in LA?
    Running an Ebay store sure takes a lot more time than a person would think!
  • Matt has a bunch of vintage too. Just have to ask. A decent amount of memorabilia in back as well.
  • yeah but he's too high on a lot of items. He only dropped his prices right before he got married!!
    Running an Ebay store sure takes a lot more time than a person would think!


  • << <i>

    << <i>I myself, don't believe in FILLER cards. They are a waste of money, get the quality you are looking for or forget it until the right one comes along. FWIW... >>



    I bet not everyone agrees with you.

    Not everyone can afford a mint card for every set they are building...for many, having the card is what they care most about. >>



    My god!...I'm not trying to argue with you. No, I can't afford Mint cards either. I have maybe 30 graded cards in my WHOLE collection. I'm just trying to say, if I'm going to put together a set, regardless of condition, I'm not going to buy something below that condition. Right now I'm working on a 1958 set in EX/MT or better, which means I'm not going to go out and buy a VG/EX card just to fill the whole. Why would I spend money on a card only to turn around and replace it later? I'm not like most on this website, I only collect cards, I don't sell them. I have no need to have EXTRA's of anything that I'm going to have to buy. If someone happen to give them to me, then great! In a perfect world, I would own 1 of every card. I'm just not the kind of person who goes around looking to upgrade what I already own. To me card collecting is not about having what you want, its about wanting what you have!

    Take care,
    Mark
  • image

    Everyone should buy the quality THEY can afford (or desire).

    However, when it comes to collectibles, there is that
    famous saying.........(oh boy...here it goes!)

    " The bitterness of low quality remains after the
    sweetness of low prices is forgotten"

    image
  • GriffinsGriffins Posts: 6,076 ✭✭✭
    You can get some steals at Burbank- they don't know their stuff that well, so I've done pretty good on rarer variations they didn't pick up on. But I agree for the most part it's not worth the drive, unless its just a few minutes.
    BH Cards grossly overgrades, but it's typical of card shops that have been around for a long time. Scumbi did a rundown of shops on the Westside a few months ago and he was bang on with BH.
    They all all a huge improvement over the original card shop, ADCO in Hollywood. The meanest, crustiest old guy you could ever imagine. He despised kids, disliked adults and probably kicked dogs when no one was looking-if the dog was small enough.
    The hobby has changed a lot over the boom years of the late 80's, but most or all of these shops haven't kept up with their own business. It's almost like there are 2 different types of collectors- those that deal mostly with card shops and the Shop at Home Network, and those that deal with Ebay and auction houses and grading companies. In the end I think the former will eventually disappear, leaving only the latter.
    In my opinion it won't be a moment too soon.

    Always looking for Topps Salesman Samples, pre '51 unopened packs, E90-2, E91a, N690 Kalamazoo Bats, and T204 Square Frame Ramly's

  • AxtellAxtell Posts: 10,037 ✭✭


    << <i>
    My god!...I'm not trying to argue with you. >>



    Who was arguing?

    Your point seemed to come off as if anyone who purchased filler cards or cards that were not up to stuff was somehow beneath you is all. I was simply trying to bring out the other side of the hobby.

    No argument intended image
  • As a trans-Atlantic collector, can I say that I have had nothing but positive experiences with Burbank and Steve in particular. I have filled lots of holes in my collection all in one place & if the card they have is OC or otherwise not up to scratch, they will always send a partial refund in cash with the order.
    Baseball HOF Autographs
    Topps Baseball 1967
    Mike Payne's 300 Great Cards
    MVPs in their MVP years
    and T206???
  • A761506A761506 Posts: 1,309 ✭✭✭
    In several more years, these collection sell offs will become more and more frequent, as the boomer generation retires and dies off. And with the way the majority of people handle inheritences today, even if there is a kid or grandkid who collects, the cards are still likely to be sold off so all the siblings can split the cash, and the collector in the family in most cases won't be able to afford to buy out the collection. So, the money-grubbing kids will take their deceased fathers treasured collection to a local card shop where they will walk away with a couple thousand dollars for a collection worth 10-20X what they just sold it for.

    Additionally, retirees may be forced to liquidate cards they have owned for decades out of necessity, as they may not have a pension and Social Security is not providing enough income. Sad, but that's what going to happen.
  • On the subject of card shops in LA, I've always had a good experience at Santa Monica Sports Cards on Santa Monica Blvd. They are always very friendly; great atmosphere. They charge full retail like all the other shops, but it's nice to go in and get some supplies and see what else is new.

  • WinPitcherWinPitcher Posts: 27,726 ✭✭✭
    Not to name anyone specifically, just a general observation. I wonder how many of us that work each day would just give away our time and efforts to our bosses or clients? Many of us just do not understand what it takes to keep a brick and morter shop running. To say that a certain dealer got 10k worth of cards for 2k is absurd. First off, when a person goes into a shop with a collection of say 2000 cards he/she wants cash. The collection in most cases was bought piece meal and do you really think that just by a casual look that your assesment is correct? The dealer, unless trusted has to scope quickly and make an offer. The seller can decline such offer and move on to another shop, show whatever. To badmouth dealer's in general the way many of us do around here yet at the same time (through the other side of our mouths) say "wish we got that deal" is hypocracy at its finast. Last time the plumber/electrician/lawyer/cpa/etc/etc sent me a bill it was at full retail. Why is the card/collectable dealer treated differently? Just my observations from posts that I have read here.

    Steve
    Good for you.
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