1915 Babe Ruth rookie PSA 8oc: Think it's legit?
jrdolan
Posts: 2,549 ✭✭
Bidding is up to $42,000 at this hour on this Babe Ruth rookie. I doubt it's legit because of the used-car-salesman approach. He refers to a 1915 Ruth in the upcoming Sotheby's auction, even provides a link to it, but doesn't say anything about the history of his own Ruth or why he's not seeking a MUCH larger payoff in that kind of venue. Uh, maybe because you'd have to actually own the card and send it to Sotheby or Mastro? On that card, auction houses would be climbing over each other to sell it for you, and forfeit the seller fee to boot.
But more than that, I'm concerned about his history, which is 2 transactions in the last year, and none since August 2004. He does seem to have sold a couple cards in 2002, and a buyer called him "Alan" in feedback. A dormant account that's been hijacked?
He also only accepts money orders, with no mention of Escrow.com or any other process that would make a buyer feel safe. Maybe these bidders know who it is, but it feels scary to me.
But more than that, I'm concerned about his history, which is 2 transactions in the last year, and none since August 2004. He does seem to have sold a couple cards in 2002, and a buyer called him "Alan" in feedback. A dormant account that's been hijacked?
He also only accepts money orders, with no mention of Escrow.com or any other process that would make a buyer feel safe. Maybe these bidders know who it is, but it feels scary to me.
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That is one of my favorite Ruth cards! The centering is really bad and that should be taken into consideration - probably why it's not in a big auction?
There's so much crap going on, it's hard to tell good from bad sometimes. Wonder what he set the reserve at?
Happy Easter
mike
Need 1973 Baseball PSA 9's
Very well could be legitimate, but why choose ebay to auction something so valuable?
The most disconcerting thing to me is 2 transactions in the last year, none in the past 8 months, then suddenly a massively valuable item pushed out on eBay when selling through a reputable house would double or triple the take. It all smells like an unused account being kidnapped for unsavory purposes.
Money order only and no security process on a sale of this size? Just send a MO for $50K or more and hope for the best? Uhhh
The only possible positives are that this account did sell a couple cards three years ago, and it has a high reserve (which scammers usually don't bother with since they'll take whatever they can get).
"Pete Rose would walk through hell in a gasoline suit to play baseball." - Sparky Anderson
<< <i>Money order only and no security process on a sale of this size? Just send a MO for $50K or more and hope for the best? >>
That would be funny. You can't get a money order for more than $500 (American Express) at one of the stores I get them at around here, so you'd need 100 of them. It kind of reminds me of that scene in Animal House when Flounder goes into that store and asks "Can I have 10,000 marbles please?" "Can I have 100 money orders, $500 each please?". I wonder what kind of reaction you'd get?
Cataloging all those pesky, unlisted 1963 Topps football color variations Updated 2/13/05
<< <i>Reholdering would not generate a new cert. number; they use the old one. >>
But reholdered wouldn't have the hologram on the back - too many problems with this auction to seek out his reserve. He may be fishing for a level so he can consign it later, but the whole auction is kooky: hardest sell pitch is that the card shouldn't be o/c (which is crap), guy has no card history to speak of, flip is questionable, no history about how he got one of the most desireable cards in the world, he's in Las Vegas, and he's in Las Vegas.
If I wanted this card I'd be in my car speeding through the desert to see it. This auction has the clap.
Happy Easter, y'all.
"All evil needs to triumph is for good men to do nothing."
You make up your own mine.
HMM... And the highest bidders has only brought 10-15 dollar cards in the past. Then he is going to spend 42,000 ????
HMMMM...... Could it be the same person????
...1991 TOPPS Desert Shield Baseball Card Collector
.....Since 1991 HOOAH!
S1991TOPPS@aol.com ">myemailaddress
The card in the ebay auction is 8 OC. The one in Sotheyby's is a straight 8. Of course there will be a substantial difference in prices.
I think the people on these boards try too hard sometimes to find scams in large dollar auctions. Sure there are the obvious fabricated stories and fake cards. But the ones that look legitimate will still always be questioned; he stole the scan, he will switch the card, he doesn't have it.....
<< <i>I think the people on these boards try too hard sometimes to find scams in large dollar auctions. Sure there are the obvious fabricated stories and fake cards. But the ones that look legitimate will still always be questioned; he stole the scan, he will switch the card, he doesn't have it..... >>
... he hasn't sold anything since 2002 or bought anything since last August, and never anything very valuable, now he's got a Ruth rookie to sell with no history offered ... he'd rather not double his money through a major auction ... he'll only take a money order ... his top bidder is making the jump from $15 cards to $50,000 cards ...
Hummm. It all seems to add up to a huge red flag -- hijacked account most likely, with other IDs trying to increase trust in the card by pumping up the bids -- but who knows? I just know if I'm buying that card, I'm NOT sending him the money. I'm flying to Vegas to pick it up. And I might hire a PSA grader to meet me there and examine the slab and its contents.
<< <i>I think the people on these boards try too hard sometimes to find scams in large dollar auctions. Sure there are the obvious fabricated stories and fake cards. But the ones that look legitimate will still always be questioned; he stole the scan, he will switch the card, he doesn't have it..... >>
I'm no rabble rouser (any more), but, with all due respect, it's on these boards that informed collectors share insights into the MANY MANY scams on ebay - without taking any undue credit, and the warnings may go no further than these boards, by flushing out these possible scams we keep the crooks from running completely rampant and unchecked. Even with our diligence, this kind of deceit and fraud is all over ebay.
"All evil needs to triumph is for good men to do nothing."
So this individual chooses Ebay to sell this card. What about
the last guy who sold the Gretzky/McNall H. Wagner on Ebay?
Joe
-Bill Gates,1981
"With hurricanes,tornados, fires out of control, mud slides, flooding, severe thunderstorms tearing up the country from one end to another,& with the threat of bird flu and terrorist attacks,"Are we sure this is a good time to take God out of the Pledge of Allegiance?"" Jay Leno 2006
The seller has not sold anything on ebay in two and a half years. The leading two buyers usually buy ten dollar cards and small items. Not your usual FORTY THOUSAND DOLLAR customers, that's for sure. It might be real, but I would not take that kind of risk with all the inidcators that this might be a bad auction.
-Bill Gates,1981
"With hurricanes,tornados, fires out of control, mud slides, flooding, severe thunderstorms tearing up the country from one end to another,& with the threat of bird flu and terrorist attacks,"Are we sure this is a good time to take God out of the Pledge of Allegiance?"" Jay Leno 2006
Joe
-Bill Gates,1981
"With hurricanes,tornados, fires out of control, mud slides, flooding, severe thunderstorms tearing up the country from one end to another,& with the threat of bird flu and terrorist attacks,"Are we sure this is a good time to take God out of the Pledge of Allegiance?"" Jay Leno 2006
I guess if you are going to start collecting baseball cards, you might as well start off on the right foot with a forty-five thousand dollar card.
From rose-hof_selig-sob's eBay "About Me" Page: Real Ruth Rookie Link
rose-hof_selig-sob
From rose-hof_selig-sob's eBay "About Me" Page: Real Ruth Rookie Link