Great Lakes Auction House?

SidePocket

Anyone bought from them? What was your experience (with raw cards)?

Bosox1976

There have been a few threads here over the years on them. Very good marketing - that is, they put an excellent spin on whatever they are selling. If a card is Near Mint or better they always state it. If it doesn't say a grade, expect below NM. They have a very loyal following with many repeat feedbacks - and their items tend to fetch very good prices.

Some here think that their wording is deceptive, but I am one who thinks it is simply expertly worded. But remember, if it doesn't say NM - it isn't.

SidePocket

Thanks Bosox. Think I can I feel safe that they don't trim?

Bosox1976

Raw cards commanding NM prices is their market. Trimmed would be too risky to their business model. I think that they are a safe bet - plus, as I recall, they have some sort of decent guarantee/return policy (or at least they used to).

Bosox1976

For what it's worth - here is an example of how I believe they do business:

"Somebody" buys this very distinctive PSA 6 Ted Williams, then another very distinctive, eerily similar, Ted Williams appears here (ending soon).

Absolutely nothing wrong/illegal/immoral. Crack out a card that PSA has said untrimmed, unaltered & original, then tout the card's finest attributes, minimize or ignore the flaws, provide a picture rather than a scan, use excellent lighting and photography - and let the market decide what it is worth. It obviously works for them. Easy to guarantee, because they have faith in PSA.

I'll bet this card makes them $250.

SoFLPhillyFan

Bought a 59 Aaron raw last year. Their description of the corners was a little sketchy. Something like "average wear for the age." Don't remember if they gave it a grade.

It graded a 6. Needed a seven and lost money on the resell.

My mistake. Centering was great and I overestimated the corners in my haste to buy.

Fast shipping and good packaging.

No worries about trimming on that particular card.

SoFLPhillyFan

<< <i>For what it's worth - here is an example of how I believe they do business:

"Somebody" buys this very distinctive PSA 6 Ted Williams, then another very distinctive, eerily similar, Ted Williams appears here (ending soon).

Absolutely nothing wrong/illegal/immoral. Crack out a card that PSA has said untrimmed, unaltered & original, then tout the cards finest attributes, minimize or ignore the flaws, provide a picture rather than a scan, use excellent lighting and photography - and let the market decide what it is worth. It obviously works for them. Easy to guarantee, because they have faith in PSA.

I'll bet this card makes them $250. >>



There you go. Guess that's what got me.

Thanks for the example. Good to know.

chaz43

<< <i>For what it's worth - here is an example of how I believe they do business:

"Somebody" buys this very distinctive PSA 6 Ted Williams, then another very distinctive, eerily similar, Ted Williams appears here (ending soon).

Absolutely nothing wrong/illegal/immoral. Crack out a card that PSA has said untrimmed, unaltered & original, then tout the cards finest attributes, minimize or ignore the flaws, provide a picture rather than a scan, use excellent lighting and photography - and let the market decide what it is worth. It obviously works for them. Easy to guarantee, because they have faith in PSA.

I'll bet this card makes them $250. >>







Watch them. I have won a few from them and sent a couple back. The picture they use is NOT very good and it's a "far away" pic on purpose. They tread the line well so I would be real carefull on any future buys. chaz

CDsNuts

They buy slabbed and sell raw at a profit. Amazing but true. Assume the card you're considering probably graded a grade or two below what it looks like in the scan.

Lee

stevek

What I don't think buyers are getting here is that it's most likely this seller already did resubmit the card to PSA and it came back the same grade, so now he does the "crack and sell as raw" routine - if a card did grade higher because of his "maintenance" on the card, then of course he keeps it slabbed. Looks to me like he's got a number of shill bidders as well. Really - best to avoid this seller in my view.

parkltd

Bought a 1966 Pete Rose from them two years ago in "EX-Mt" condition that was trimmed.....contacted them but got absolutely no response.Will never do business with them again. If I'm not mistaken,their feedback on Ebay is private....no wonder.

parkltd

Correct the previous post...it was a 1964 Rose

ctsoxfan

Do they have private feedback now? They didn't recently, I remember watching a few of their auctions...but the same thing happens here as happens with another Ebay raw seller (fairway?) - you essentially have to pay all the money for a raw card (i.e. if it looks like a PSA 7, you will pay at least PSA 7 prices, if not PSA 8 prices), yet you bear all the risk if you are trying to grade it yourself. If the cards were really that nice, the seller would have already slabbed it, don't you think? Otherwise, you are joining in with other buyers in the hope that it will grade for more than you paid, and they rarely ever do.

chaz43

<< <i>What I don't think buyers are getting here is that it's most likely this seller already did resubmit the card to PSA and it came back the same grade, so now he does the "crack and sell as raw" routine - if a card did grade higher because of his "maintenance" on the card, then of course he keeps it slabbed. Looks to me like he's got a number of shill bidders as well. Really - best to avoid this seller in my view. >>




Excellent point on the shill bidding. Not really sure but it just seems awful odd that they get top dollar all the time. chaz

stown

Their feedback is NOT private:

Feedback Link

This could become an issue if there's a unnoticable "flaw", which would have given the card a lower grade per PSA standards.

For example, my '55 Aaron:



I crack it and let him consign, bet you the ding won't get mentioned nor seen is his photo.

Bosox1976

Well, the Ted Williams card ended. I was wrong - he only made $115 before the juice on that one.

Linky

bobbyw8469

Whatever became of this seller?

secretstash

@bobbyw8469 said:
Whatever became of this seller?

He retired and sold his business to a guy named Gary Moser. LOL