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How Many people can afford these auctions

In the last month I have gotten catalogs from Memory Lane, Lelands, Superior and Mile High plus Mastronet has one going on as I write. There is some tremendous stuff for sale. I love looking through the catalog as much as a Victoria's Secret catalog. Unfortunately I have as much of a chance of a threesome with the models on page 44 in the Victoria's Secret catalog as I do buying anything from those auctions. (alright 0% with the models and 2% with the auctions). How many people on this board can afford most of the stuff. I know that a lot of gets flipped over right away on E-Bay. There never seems to any great deals and the 15% or more juice usually puts a kabash on anything that looks like a good deal. You can say it is Christmas season and people will be spending, but whose wife or girlfriend is going near an auction board like that and if they actually found out what some of that stuff goes for your collecting days would be over.
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    NickMNickM Posts: 4,896 ✭✭✭
    There are great deals to be found in some of the auctions. Just choose your items carefully.

    Nick
    image
    Reap the whirlwind.

    Need to buy something for the wife or girlfriend? Check out Vintage Designer Clothing.
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    GriffinsGriffins Posts: 6,076 ✭✭✭
    15%? those days are rapidly disappearing. 17.5% up to 24.5%- plus shipping and sales tax.
    The fact that a lot of these lots show up on ebay at a profit is a testament that they don't sell for their max.
    In answer to your question, way too many!

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

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    ndleondleo Posts: 4,078 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Sometimes these big ticket auctions seem like a pyramid scheme to me. Ultimately there has to be a sucker....er collector that gets stuck with the overpriced stuff.
    Mike
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    Stone193Stone193 Posts: 24,351 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I'm well aware that I'm a spectator in these auctions and don't mind.

    I like getting the catalogs and save them - they make a good reference.

    I agree with Nick - if one is careful, one can pick up a few gems at a good price - even with the high BP.

    Also, I have learned to be patient and stay within my "price range." Eventually I may find the item at my price - and if not? I can always look at the catalog! image

    Happy Thanksgiving
    mike
    Mike
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    calleochocalleocho Posts: 1,569 ✭✭
    There are not that many deals in premier auctions anymore.

    I would think people who buy their items on Mastro have no intention to resell anytime soon.
    "Women should be obscene and not heard. "
    Groucho Marx
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    AllenAllen Posts: 7,165 ✭✭✭
    How do you get on a mailing list for these catalogs?

    I know there are probably a few guys on these boards who buy that high end stuff.
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    jackstrawjackstraw Posts: 3,750 ✭✭✭
    I think they get your name through PSA? I get them and have never bought anything from them. I two am just a spectator in these high end auction houses.
    Collector Focus

    ON ITS WAY TO NEWPORT BEACH, CA 92658
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    RedHeart54RedHeart54 Posts: 2,271 ✭✭✭


    << <i>How do you get on a mailing list for these catalogs? >>



    I'm sure you can just request their catalogues if you write them. On the other hand, I'm pretty sure they trade their clients' list with one another. I used to buy quite a bit from Superior, alas, I now get Mile High, Sothby's, etc etc. Unlike most unsolicited mail, I don't mind high-end card auction catalogues. They are good reference books and are a pleasure to read while in the can.
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    << <i>In the last month I have gotten catalogs from Memory Lane, Lelands, Superior and Mile High plus Mastronet has one going on as I write. There is some tremendous stuff for sale. I love looking through the catalog as much as a Victoria's Secret catalog. Unfortunately I have as much of a chance of a threesome with the models on page 44 in the Victoria's Secret catalog as I do buying anything from those auctions. (alright 0% with the models and 2% with the auctions). How many people on this board can afford most of the stuff. I know that a lot of gets flipped over right away on E-Bay. There never seems to any great deals and the 15% or more juice usually puts a kabash on anything that looks like a good deal. You can say it is Christmas season and people will be spending, but whose wife or girlfriend is going near an auction board like that and if they actually found out what some of that stuff goes for your collecting days would be over. >>



    Actually I am looking at several lots in the Leland auction and have bought from them in the past. I may buy to sell the whole lot, or buy to sell most of one lot and help defray the cost of keeping one or two items in a lot. There are deals if you look for them.

    As for the wife, well I must be lucky. I have received a few gifts from my wife that were purchased at auction after showing them to her.
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    tkd7tkd7 Posts: 1,799 ✭✭
    Recently purchased a card at auction that fit into a set I'm collecting and sold for around the SMR price (including premium). I don't intend to resell it anytime soon. I used to think that those auctions were out of my range, but bargains can be had (except maybe Sotheby's and Mastro).

    I like getting the Sotheby's catalogue. I go to the private preview and drink enough free Dewars to make it worthwhile.
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    Lothar52Lothar52 Posts: 2,664 ✭✭✭
    Thats it...im going to start saving my money in the bank... and start cutting cards out of catalogs and putting them in toploaders....nobody will know if they are displayed on the wall with the back to the wall!! MUWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHHA !!!
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    I was just reading through this old thread, when I came upon this quote:

    "There are great deals to be found in some of the auctions. Just choose your items carefully."

    I agree. For some people, there are GREAT deals to be found at the major auctions. If you choose your items carefully, you can find a real treasure. Particularly when you can win an item, sell it to someone else, take their money, never ship it to them, and then ignore their emails.

    Do you agree, Nick?

    -Al
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    mudflap02mudflap02 Posts: 2,060 ✭✭
    I'll make the popcorn.
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    Stone193Stone193 Posts: 24,351 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>I'll make the popcorn. >>


    Just remember, real men don't eat quiche!

    image
    Mike
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    Pass some of that popcorn over here. I'm just sitting around, watching the boards, when the question popped into my head for some reason.

    -Al
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    Stone193Stone193 Posts: 24,351 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>Pass some of that popcorn over here. I'm just sitting around, watching the boards, when the question popped into my head for some reason.

    -Al >>


    Personally, I'm partial to caramel corn.

    Especially homemade at the mall and not bagged.

    If you like Al, I'll send you some.

    mike
    Mike
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    Mike, I have some of those bags of Helmar caramel corn, that I bought for the cards inside. The cards are cool, but the caramel corn is second-rate. Probably better than Cracker Jack, but not as good as Fiddle Faddle or Poppyc**k, and definitely nowhere approaching Moose Munch.

    Orville Redenbacher used to have microwave caramel corn - not sure if they still do. The bag came with this giant Mary Jane that you were supposed to lay on top of the popcorn before putting it in the microwave. Problem was, I'd open the bag and eat the Mary Jane, and be left with a useless bag of unsalted popcorn kernels. What a waste of money. Nothing like spending money on something and getting nothing in return.

    -Al

    PS - CU made me put the asterisks in the above word. Is that funny, or what?
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    Stone193Stone193 Posts: 24,351 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I agree with the caramel thing - that's why I was talking about Karamel Korn that's made fresh - it's just like going to the State Fair and getting it from the guy as he's making it in the vat.

    Ya can't beat it! I agree, the Poppy and Fiddle are pretty good.

    mike
    Mike
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    Have you ever eaten a 1957 Topps three-card uncut panel?

    -Al
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    GriffinsGriffins Posts: 6,076 ✭✭✭
    I haven't. I hear once you order them they can take a long time to get served. Sometimes you have to serve the server to get yours.

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

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    theczartheczar Posts: 1,590 ✭✭


    << <i> agree. For some people, there are GREAT deals to be found at the major auctions. If you choose your items carefully, you can find a real treasure. Particularly when you can win an item, sell it to someone else, take their money, never ship it to them, and then ignore their emails. >>




    ok Novacent, I'll bite. something tells me there is a story here. please share but hold the popcorn, I'm on Atkins for the New Year...
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    WinPitcherWinPitcher Posts: 27,726 ✭✭✭
    That was the story.


    Steve
    Good for you.
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    << <i>something tells me there is a story here. >>



    I don't know if there's a story, I was just attracted to this thread. I don't get to read the threads here as often as I used to, so sometimes a good one slips by me.

    Anyway, Nick seems to understand how to get bargains at the major auctions. I was just wondering if he thought a good way to get a deal would be to win an item at a major auction, and then sell it to someone else - but never deliver the item. Seems like someone could make a hefty profit that way, and I was just curious as to Nick's thoughts on the matter.

    Then someone offered popcorn.

    -Al
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    WinPitcherWinPitcher Posts: 27,726 ✭✭✭
    image
    Good for you.
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    pandrewspandrews Posts: 7,598 ✭✭✭
    image

    i bought my ticket..
    ·p_A·
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    Stone193Stone193 Posts: 24,351 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>Have you ever eaten a 1957 Topps three-card uncut panel?

    -Al >>


    No but I did use a 57T card that I got from the Polo Grounds to eat ice cream - they're tagline: "cards so clean you can eat of them."

    Is this a great hobby or what?
    image
    Mike
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    Mike, I am convinced that you are the nicest guy in the hobby.

    Ever had someone steal money from you?

    -Al
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    ctsoxfanctsoxfan Posts: 6,246 ✭✭
    Excuse me, any popcorn left?

    image
    image
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    I'll sell you some. Just Paypal me $94 and I'll send it your way ASAP.

    -Al
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    Stone193Stone193 Posts: 24,351 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>Mike, I am convinced that you are the nicest guy in the hobby.

    Ever had someone steal money from you?

    -Al >>


    Hi Al

    I apologize - I guess I was just slow on this one - someone has some splain'n to do!

    No more popcorn for me - just plain talk.

    mike
    Mike
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    alnavmanalnavman Posts: 4,129 ✭✭✭
    and they said you couldn't find good entertainment anymore.....I've sold my TV's and radios and even my son's new PSP......send me more popcorn......image
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    yankeesmanyankeesman Posts: 945 ✭✭✭✭
    I actually just picked up a nice lot in the latest Mastronet auction. I am a 1927 Yankees collector and they had a lot of four game used bats from 1927 Yankees players. Got the bats for around $250 per bat. The players were Walter Beale, Ben Paschal, Dutch Ruether, and Pat Collins. Not huge names but great pick ups for almost 80 year old lumber in my opinion. You just have to look carefully. I'm also with a previous poster in that even if I didn't every buy anything, the catalogs make great reference material for game used stuff especially.
    Don Mattingly, Yogi Berra, Thurman Munson, Brian McCann and Topps Rookie Cup autograph collector
    www.questfortherookiecup.com
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    On the topic of expensive auctions, does anyone bid in the Random Treasure auctions (from Mastronet)?

    The only things that I would be interested in are maybe some of the magic or movie posters. There's a spectacular looking Houdini poster in the current auction (81" by 106"!!). I can dream.

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    I'm all done with my popcorn, but Nick still hasn't been here to answer my question. Anybody got a beer?

    -Al
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    WinPitcherWinPitcher Posts: 27,726 ✭✭✭
    image

    here ya go AL

    SD
    Good for you.
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    ctsoxfanctsoxfan Posts: 6,246 ✭✭
    Sure - and I won't even require you to send me anything via PayPal.

    image
    image
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    MantlefanMantlefan Posts: 1,079 ✭✭
    Hmm...Nick M pulled his "Buy an auction item, then Sell it to a friend, but Don't ship it" ploy on me as well. The old "BSD".

    I countered the "BSD" with my "Have PayPal suspend your account Unless you ship the 1957 Topps panel to me" strategy. I call that the "PU" Nick approach..

    Guess what....I got my panel.
    Frank

    Always looking for 1957 Topps BB in PSA 9!
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    Sigh.

    Unfortunately, I pulled my "Knucklehead Gave him the Benefit of the Doubt:. The old "KGBD".

    And now Paypal is doing their "Too Late to File a Complaint". Or the "CYA".

    So Nick gets to "Get off Scott Free". Or "GSF".

    And all I can say is "Friends shouldn't do Unfair things to each other."

    -Al
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    pandrewspandrews Posts: 7,598 ✭✭✭
    that really sucks.. nick always seemed like a cool guy to me..
    ·p_A·
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    ctsoxfanctsoxfan Posts: 6,246 ✭✭
    Wow - you guys get really creative when the beer comes out!

    image
    image
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    Stone193Stone193 Posts: 24,351 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>I'm all done with my popcorn, but Nick still hasn't been here to answer my question. Anybody got a beer?

    -Al >>


    Well!!!!

    Now we're talkin!!!!

    image

    Nothing better to go with that leftover popcorn than a Long Neck Bud!!!

    image
    Mike
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    MantlefanMantlefan Posts: 1,079 ✭✭
    Newsflash......Nick M. spotted at LAX seeking flight to country with no extradition treaties with USA....
    Frank

    Always looking for 1957 Topps BB in PSA 9!
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    GriffinsGriffins Posts: 6,076 ✭✭✭
    Not possible- in December he was facing a Federal Indictment for representing a terrorist of some sort. Or so he told me.
    No one that nervous would ever make it past TSA security.

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

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    << <i>Sigh.

    And now Paypal is doing their "Too Late to File a Complaint". Or the "CYA".
    -Al >>

    If you paid via paypal and USED YOUR CREDIT CARD, then call them directly and they will work for you to get this money back

    it worked for me, and I got a full refund of a $400 purchase in a week. And paypal just had to deal with it.
    image
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    Stone193Stone193 Posts: 24,351 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>

    << <i>Sigh.

    And now Paypal is doing their "Too Late to File a Complaint". Or the "CYA".
    -Al >>

    If you paid via paypal and USED YOUR CREDIT CARD, then call them directly and they will work for you to get this money back

    it worked for me, and I got a full refund of a $400 purchase in a week. And paypal just had to deal with it. >>


    Theo
    You are correct and I did that once - it was after the 30 day period. But, the only problem is that the person has to have money in their account for them to get. What if the person has cleaned out their paypal account?

    mike
    Mike
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    Unfortunately, I did not use a credit card.

    See, when I do business with friends, I kinda throw caution to the wind.

    You guys rock, by the way.

    -Al
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    Stone193Stone193 Posts: 24,351 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>Unfortunately, I did not use a credit card.

    See, when I do business with friends, I kinda throw caution to the wind.

    You guys rock, by the way.

    -Al >>


    I will be frank here as long as the cat's outa the bag.

    I'm surprised with Nick - I have always found him to be a good guy and a good contributor over the last few years that I have been here.

    I'ld sure like to see him honor his committment to Al and come on here and say a few words.

    I would respect him for that and I'm confident that everyone here would be forgiving.

    mike
    Mike
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    MantlefanMantlefan Posts: 1,079 ✭✭
    I'ld sure like to see him honor his committment to Al and come on here and say a few words.

    I would respect him for that and I'm confident that everyone here would be forgiving



    Yes to the former.....not so sure about the latter!
    Frank

    Always looking for 1957 Topps BB in PSA 9!
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    Amen to that. Fool me once...

    Very interesting to note that Nick hasn't been on CU since early December. I'm sure at this point he is aware of this thread, and I'd love for him to either come on here or contact me privately to explain himself.

    -Al
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    UPDATE:

    I received my panels in the mail today, postmarked January 6.

    Thank you, Nick.

    -Al
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