Starting to get ticked off.....

gregm13

I want everyone's opinion. I'm working on my Dan Marino PSA graded basic and master sets and there are quite a few cards that are low pops - especially many of his rare/oddball cards. There is another Marino collector that appears to have limitless funds who I have e-mailed several times (talking about our collections) and he seems to be a decent guy. Anyways, whenever a rare Marino PSA graded card comes up for auction, I am guaranteed to be outbid by this guy - almost without exception. I have come to the realization that the only way I'll ever own a high grade "rare/oddball" Marino card is by submitting myself. Here's the kicker, after following his buying habits over the past year, it seems that he will buy any and all PSA graded cards that are rare/oddball. It's now to the point where he owns multiples of cards that I'm still trying to buy. Just this past weekend, two PSA 9 1984 Marino stickers were on E-Bay - and he outbid me on both. I'm a little peeved because I typically buy one of a certain card - especially if a high grade PSA graded card. I don't know why he has to own EVERY single card that's placed for auction. I can't decide whether he likes to prove than he has more $ than me - or he has a compulsive desire to own every card that's for sale. It's getting very old. I hate having to collect the second tier cards that are up for sale - i.e. the ones that he doesn't bid on.

Regards,

Greg M.

jrdolan

It could well be a compulsion rather than ego, though it could be both. Remember Mel Gibson in "Conspiracy Theory" -- he had to buy every copy of "Catcher in the Rye" that he came across.

Hubcap

Listen to yourself. Sounds like you want to own every single card. Maybe get a PT job.

Southsider

I could also be that he wants the best card for the grade. I've bought cards I already have in the same grade to compare and keep the better of the two or three or however many. Not all 8's, 9's, 10's are alike. But, I usually put the extras back into the marketplace. I take it your collecting rival doesn't?

jimtb

It's called capitalism. If you really want the card, outbid him. The alternative is to submit your own which can get costly and very time consuming when you're trying to find quality cards to submit. I do understand your frustration, I've had it happen to me a lot as well.

gregm13

<< <i>Listen to yourself. Sounds like you want to own every single card. Maybe get a PT job. >>



Nice answer - and as a matter of fact, I can well afford to spend the money but does it make sense to bid $100 to win a $2 card that's graded a PSA 9? The purpose of collecting a master set is to own ONE OF EACH CARD, which differs from owning every single copy of each card placed for auction. See the difference?

Greg M.

gregm13

<< <i>I could also be that he wants the best card for the grade. I've bought cards I already have in the same grade to compare and keep the better of the two or three or however many. Not all 8's, 9's, 10's are alike. But, I usually put the extras back into the marketplace. I take it your collecting rival doesn't? >>



I see your point - and I will buy a nice upgrade but I almost always sell the other. Once this collector buys the card, it's taken out of circulation forever.

Regards,

Greg M.

ajw

That does suck...but it looks like you're at #1 in both the basic and master registries, so you must be doing something right. The good news is that eventually there will be more graded and the price will have to come down...hopefully.

qualitycards

GREG - look at it this way, by having this guy bid crazy prices on Marino cards, it may propel other submitters to have their oddball Marino's graded and then you can get the excess at a fraction of what the other guy paid. There is no rush, be patient and it will benefit you in the long run...jay

Axtell

Wow...some of the hate in this thread is just nuts. I think the poster's intent was stating that he found it odd that this collector seems to be snapping up every copy, and not working with the other set collectors. What personally could he gain from having every card that is coming along?

Anyways, why the insults ('get a part time job' and 'bid higher')? It seems as if this hobby would be a bit more enjoyable if we all worked together to complete our sets, instead of nitpicking one another, and the insults over our collecting habits seems simply ludicrous.

sagard

I've had success in this type of situation by sending an email before the auction starts and offering not to run the person up if they are intending to bid. You can also offer to by duplicates of the desired cards that they may have. It doesn't do any good to get frustrated, just try to work with the person because most of use collectors are cool.

cardfan07

I have noticed some cornering the market activities by some people on ebay. At some point, it stops. It has nothing to do with bidding higher...we all have some ceiling in mind for a card we want.
Wait it out. Look at some of the oddball dealers on ebay...they tend to have a lot of other oddball stuff and will sometimes take wantlists or supply them to you.

koby

<< <i> I can well afford to spend the money but does it make sense to bid $100 to win a $2 card that's graded a PSA 9? >>





No

......but that is the genius of PSA's marketing, so ,many collectors do it.

ctsoxfan

<< <i>GREG - look at it this way, by having this guy bid crazy prices on Marino cards, it may propel other submitters to have their oddball Marino's graded and then you can get the excess at a fraction of what the other guy paid. There is no rush, be patient and it will benefit you in the long run...jay >>



Bingo! Once he already has one, you should be home free. And, I don't care how "oddball" it is, if it a Marino card - it is from the 80's or 90's...and, therefore, not exactly scarce by any definition. Another will always surface, just be patient.

Onlypsahockey

Maybe he has a good outlet in Miami and flips them for even more $$. Whatever the reason it's his (yours, my) perrogative to bid as much as he wants on whatever he wants. I do sympathize with your position as I have a tuff time picking up certain cards for one of my registry sets also. But to get pissed at the other collector does no good. Ride the wave and soon it'll subside.

Best of luck, Bob

ChrisKK

welcome to my world.... (1970 baseball)

.... just hope when he is done another doesn't come along to pick up where he left off.

chris

goudeygold

Market dictates price. Sure it may be a bit obnoxious, but he can try to control the market for certain cards if he likes. Personally I think its fine, keeps interest up and keeps others chasing his cards. In time you may be fine, just imagine trying to do this with 70 year old cards that are low pop even in mid grade. now you can figure why pre-war is so damn hot and will continue to do so. Lots of egos and buyers with relatively deep pockets. In the end it helps protect the value overall. So sit tight and bid what you desire, but don't try to win them all.

GG

mikeschmidt

I've often found with the oddball and piece-of-crap cards, that it makes the most financial sense to submit the cards/stickers yourself. If it's only a $2 card - why not get a $2 card, and spend the $6-$7 to get it graded? Heck - a lot of oddball sets and unopened boxes from the 1980s can be had for less than the price they were originally issued at. You might score a handful of Marinos - and you can often find a few other star cards that makes the box break worth the time and hassle....

~ms

gregm13

<< <i>I've often found with the oddball and piece-of-crap cards, that it makes the most financial sense to submit the cards/stickers yourself. If it's only a $2 card - why not get a $2 card, and spend the $6-$7 to get it graded? Heck - a lot of oddball sets and unopened boxes from the 1980s can be had for less than the price they were originally issued at. You might score a handful of Marinos - and you can often find a few other star cards that makes the box break worth the time and hassle....

~ms >>



I agree with you - but many of the oddball cards that I'm searching for are very difficult to find. There are nearly a dozen sets that were issued in the United Kingdom which are nearly impossible....also many of the mid to late 80's topps and panini stickers are very difficult to find - especially unopened boxes. Does anyone know any other good sources for oddball cards? There is one dealer on E-Bay that has a bunch - but that's my only sources besides scouring the E-Bay auctions.

Regards,

Greg M.

jimtb

I'm in the same boat with Trammell cards. He has almost 700 different cards, most from the 1980's when it was the oddball craze. I've resigned myself to not focus only on the master set. I'll take the cards as they come, but there is no way to get them all in a slabbed form (and probabaly not a good financial decision as well). Instead, I'm trying to build the best basic set that I can. Less cards, less money, and less frustration, like your feeling now. Hope this helps.
Jim

Vintagegolfcollector

Greg,

I know how you feel. I've had the same happen from time to time and it is frustrating. Hang in there and eventually he will tire of paying the high prices and you will get what you want at the right price.

Peter

phreakydancin

<< <i>I agree with you - but many of the oddball cards that I'm searching for are very difficult to find. There are nearly a dozen sets that were issued in the United Kingdom which are nearly impossible....also many of the mid to late 80's topps and panini stickers are very difficult to find - especially unopened boxes. Does anyone know any other good sources for oddball cards? There is one dealer on E-Bay that has a bunch - but that's my only sources besides scouring the E-Bay auctions.

Regards,

Greg M. >>

Have you tried ebay.co.uk? Their eBay categories are completely different than ebay.com's and searches in the usual sportscard categories we are used to will not cover both.