Wow! What A Huge (And Apparently Legitimate) Spending Spree!

JackWESQ · April 13, 2008 2:34PM

Wow. This appears to be a HUGE and legitimate spending spree. Since March 14, 2008, I count mets-71 as having won 770 auctions here:

Crazy (But Good) Buying Habits of Mets-71

The grand total? How about $109,804.03 since March 14, 2008. Now, that's a lot of money. But sure, there are many cars that cost that much. But to spend that much on baseball cards? I guess the recession isn't affecting him. But beyond the money, how about trying to keep track of which auctions have been paid, which auctions have been received? Well, I guess he could always hire someone to do it for him.

/s/ JackWESQ

BunchOBull · April 13, 2008 2:38PM

That's intense. Anyone who is spending that much on cards is either in the business of doing so or has no other responsibilities to worry with.

Carew29 · April 13, 2008 3:56PM

I remember this guy from 06'. The buying spree started a year earlier.

gumbyfan · April 13, 2008 4:07PM

Looking through his completed auctions, I see almost all of the big name sellers in there: dsl, 4sc, bbce, milehigh, memorylane, etc. I find it interesting that with all that money spent, there wasn't one purchase from 707 Sportscards. Could this be their buying account?

Just a thought...
Craig

earlycalguy · April 13, 2008 4:16PM

<< Looking through his completed auctions, I see almost all of the big name sellers in there: dsl, 4sc, bbce, milehigh, memorylane, etc. I find it interesting that with all that money spent, there wasn't one purchase from 707 Sportscards. Could this be their buying account?

Just a thought...
Craig >>

one is psaok and the other for levi's wife is something like sleepswiththeboss or an abbreviation of that. maybe they have others....

storm888 · April 13, 2008 4:22PM

slpzwtheboss

Excellent buyer. Likes "private listings."

WinPitcher · April 13, 2008 4:49PM

Mets-71 is a great buyer and pays by check too. Al is the best!

Steve

cubfan89 · April 13, 2008 5:08PM

Maybe it's Jerry Seinfeld.

WinPitcher · April 13, 2008 5:29PM

Looking through his completed auctions, I see almost all of the big name sellers in there: dsl, 4sc, bbce, milehigh, memorylane, etc. I find it interesting that with all that money spent, there wasn't one purchase from 707 Sportscards. Could this be their buying account?

Craig, anything is possible, but IMO, not a 707 buying account, this guy is named AL and he lives in Queens NY. In an apartment no less!

And like I mentioned earlier he must spend his days writing out checks as that is all he has ever sent me for his purchases.

Steve

cubfan89 · April 13, 2008 9:15PM

He lives in an apartment too. This is too funny!

nam812 · April 13, 2008 9:27PM

Perhaps it's not an apartment, but a luxury condo in 1 of the buildings that he owns.

Stingray · April 13, 2008 9:32PM

Could be any one of these persons??

LINK

TheHun · April 13, 2008 9:51PM

who knew Dick Chaney not only hunts, but collects cards ?

need to get me some oil money ...

WinPitcher · April 13, 2008 10:15PM

Could own the building, all I know is the address I send cards to says
Apt 3 or some such thing.

Forest hills Queens.

Steve

Apartment 3 E to be more precise.

celesterussell · April 13, 2008 10:44PM

an apartment in Queens cost more than most houses in the United States......

Kurtman9 · April 13, 2008 11:19PM

He's won some of my raw cards recently. I agree with Steve. He's a great buyer. He really seems to be going after the low pops lately .. bidding strongly, especially on 62s.

packCollector · April 13, 2008 11:32PM

have sold to him as well and he has been around for a long time so this isn't a recent splurge . top notch buyer

WinPitcher · April 14, 2008 12:01AM

an apartment in Queens cost more than most houses in the United States......

My point was he lives in an apartment so his room to store things is limited.

Steve

Carew29 · April 14, 2008 12:49AM

Have you seen the size of those apts there?? You have to go outside the apt to change your mind(old joke)

ndleo · April 14, 2008 5:00AM

This reminds of the guy that used to go around shows in Michigan buying for Dimitri Young. At least that is what he said, based on what he bought (mostly black HOF'ers), I had no reason to doubt him.

NHLfightguy · April 14, 2008 5:08AM

You haven't seen a buying spree untill you have seen the bidder exquisite613 crush nba.com auctions on the MeiGray authenticated game used jerseys. I think the dude won every jersey from this past All-Star game and all the big names from past auctions. The guy might have a better game used jersey collection than the NBA HOF. It's nothing for him to drop $150,000 on one night . Then come back the next week and drop that same amount and get another set of game used jerseys. The guy has really furstrated many bidders who can never beat him. He pretty much cornered the market on some stuff.

Mickey71 · April 14, 2008 5:25AM

"Looking through his completed auctions, I see almost all of the big name sellers in there: dsl, 4sc, bbce, milehigh, memorylane, etc. I find it interesting that with all that money spent, there wasn't one purchase from 707 Sportscards."

I believe this means that he has common sense. 707's pricing is from Mars. I went through 707's online inventory the other day and to be honest I saw very few cards that were decent for the grade. Almost all low end stuff. Thousands of cards. Just my opinion.
Mickey71

mbothner · April 14, 2008 5:29AM

<< I believe this means that he has common sense. 707's pricing is from Mars. I went through 707's online inventory the other day and to be honest I saw very few cards that were decent for the grade. Almost all low end stuff. Thousands of cards. Just my opinion. >>

Levi has been in business a long time. He must be doing something right. I have got some nice '52 Topps high numbers from him.

celesterussell · April 14, 2008 5:35AM

Levi is great to work with and a nice guy. You need to cherrypick.

Or ask yourself sould I pay a little more but the card is there, no waiting via ebay.

Very professional, he has got the goods

julen23 · April 14, 2008 5:43AM

wow....

i am thinking his pockets are pretty deep,
especially if he pays by check.

j

Stone193 · April 14, 2008 6:58AM

The guy's my hero.

70chip · April 14, 2008 7:10AM

WOW, that dude must have some serious deeeeeeeeeep pockets, my jaw is on the floor and I am drooling on my shirt.

Big80s · April 14, 2008 12:56PM

I just got an MO in the mail from him (Mets 71) today - he won my 1975 O Pee Chee #90 Rusty Staub PSA 9 * (1 of only 1)
Paid quick too.

69Cubs · April 14, 2008 2:41PM

Truly one of the big boys!

Mike

PSASAP · April 14, 2008 4:52PM

Arthur he does as he pleases
All of his life, he's mastered choice
Deep in his heart, he's just, he's just a boy
Living his life one day at a time
And showing himself a really good time
Laughing about the way they want him to be

VitoCo1972 · April 15, 2008 9:17AM

Holy crap - and it continues - who is this guy? I just was outbid for a 67 Yaz (I bid SMR) PSA 8 by this guy. Is he cornering the market on vintage 8's???

Stingray · April 15, 2008 9:30AM

Nice Christopher Cross reference above.

This guy is buying a ton of PSA 8s mixed in with a few 9s?? Is there a method to his buying??

jimq112 · April 15, 2008 9:36AM

If he has megabucks, he's doing some great speculating. He's buying 8s, the highest cards that can bump in the psa system. Pick out the best chances for a bump, get even a small percentage of bumps, and he stands to make a lot of money.

The worst that can happen is he ends up failing and he's stuck with a bunch of low pop 8s.

ndleo · April 15, 2008 9:38AM

PSA 8's vintage stars are going for strong prices over the past 3 months. I guess people are selling their gold and oil and buying cards!

Prices have gotten so good that I decided to part with some of personal baseball collection and add to my vintage football.

JackWESQ · May 3, 2008 6:32PM

Well, it's good to see that Al is still going strong. In my original post, I noted that Al had won 770 auctions from 3.14.08 to 4.13.08 at a total of $109,804.03. Well (while there is a overlap of ten (10) days), from 4.4.08 to 5.3.08, Al won 703 auctions at a total of $94,698.94. Overlap or not, that still a lot of coin. Truly amazing ... and great!

/s/ JackWESQ

jayhawke · May 3, 2008 8:57PM

Like everyone stated, he is not a buying account for 707. He is a real collector.

metrotheme · May 3, 2008 9:22PM

I wonder if he shops at Royal Collectibles in Forest Hills, Queens. I'm very familiar with the area. Next time I am in the shop, I'll ask the owner. Does anyone know this guy's first name?

jay0791 · May 3, 2008 10:13PM

Where mr met lives and his address means nothing. Many many millionaires and even billionaires live in NYC apts......

All I know is he buys quality stuff....and has beaten me out on countless auctions...even when I thought I had a very strong bid.

He must be doing sets and also buys lots of yankees. Pays too much to anything other than a pure collector...however what he buys is usually a very good investment. All the power to him...I tip my hat.

TNTonPMS · May 3, 2008 11:00PM

"Perhaps it's not an apartment, but a luxury condo in 1 of the buildings that he owns."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Very possible , also it might just be the apartment they use just to store his stuff in

Some of those manhattan and queens condos are like 14 K a month ! and that is not even including maintenance fees .

JEEEEZIS !

I know property tax for some of the Apts on 62nd and 2nd is like 90 K a year ! that is staggering .

These people aren't swettin 150- 200 k , just pocket change for them

TNTonPMS · May 3, 2008 11:03PM

It's funny , when I walk inside some of these condos .

I don't live all that badly , but seriously when I see how some of these folks are living , with some of the views of the city they have , I go into culture shock

I say to myself . . . . damn you're livin like a pig

julen23 · May 3, 2008 11:49PM

indeed

SportsItUpCards · May 4, 2008 1:23AM

<< It's funny , when I walk inside some of these condos .

I don't live all that badly , but seriously when I see how some of these folks are living , with some of the views of the city they have , I go into culture shock

I say to myself . . . . damn you're livin like a pig

>>

Anthony,

Have you ever seen the Arches at Cobble Hill? You get a great view of Manhattan from there.

Its a damn shame that they make condos out of a church

I'm talking about the one close to Long Island College Hospital in Brooklyn.

Giovanni

digicat · May 4, 2008 2:01AM

I've been the underbidder to auctions won by Mets-71 several times. In fact, several times, my "gotta-have-it" bids weren't enough.

Then again, his gotta-have-it bid probably has a few extra zeros at the end than mine!

WinPitcher · May 4, 2008 3:16AM

mets-71, AL is the best!

Steve

jayhawke · May 4, 2008 5:28AM

It is good that we are respecting his privacy and not posting his full name, occupation, address, ss, height, weight, eye color, etc.

Carew29 · May 27, 2008 2:53PM

and the spending spree continues..........

nightcrawler729 · May 28, 2008 3:48AM

Just looked at the 700 auctions he has bid on in the last 30 days (including ones which he wasn't the highest bidder - he hasn't lost a SINGLE auction

Allen · May 28, 2008 4:05AM

So this guy probably bids $10,000 on every item haha. I would love to go on a spree like that.

VitoCo1972 · May 28, 2008 4:13AM

<< So this guy probably bids $10,000 on every item haha. I would love to go on a spree like that. >>

I wouldn't. I mean he obviously has the money - but that's a great way to get screwed. What if you get a couple occasions where someone else does the same thing and you wind up paying quadruple or more than what something is actually worth? I'd love to know what he's going to bid on next so we could test the theory.

fandango · May 28, 2008 5:11AM

<< 

<< So this guy probably bids $10,000 on every item haha. I would love to go on a spree like that. >>

I wouldn't. I mean he obviously has the money - but that's a great way to get screwed. What if you get a couple occasions where someone else does the same thing and you wind up paying quadruple or more than what something is actually worth? I'd love to know what he's going to bid on next so we could test the theory. >>

who is we? i dont want to be stuck with a PSA 8 that you won for $10,001 and its worth $500.......

obviously he knows the risk of bidding to the moon on every auction, and it hasnt deterred, or slowed him down....

i heard of a dude(may be this guy) who won the small NY lotto for $4 million and is a huge card collector...maybe thats him....

if any of us had an extra $1mill, wouldnt you go on a 6 month spending spree for things you like? i would

JackWESQ · May 28, 2008 5:24AM

<< It is good that we are respecting his privacy and not posting his full name, occupation, address, ss, height, weight, eye color, etc. >>

Agreed. I sold something to him and that's about as much I'm going to divulge.

/s/ JackWESQ

Wow! What A Huge (And Apparently Legitimate) Spending Spree!

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