Stolen/Lost 1968 Topps 3d Clemente PSA 10

Morgoth

While attending the Chicago show last weekend I was at a dealers table when another collector approached wanting to know if he still had his 1968 3D Clemente PSA 10. Upon learning it was not at that dealers table (dealer said he gave the card back) the collector proceeded to file a police report claiming the card was stolen. PSA was notified and he did have the cards serial number.

Really feel bad for the guy and hope he has insurance as he paid $40,000 for it.

WinPitcher

Are you saying someone left a 40k card with a dealer, then returned back at the table to
pick it up and the dealer said he had already given it back?

Yikes.


Steve

storm888

We shall all keep an eye out for it.

slantycouch

Wow that seriously sucks.

Morgoth

Steve, no I don't believe that happened at all. The dealer is one of the best guys out there. He said he handed the card back to the collector, the collector doesn't remember getting it back. He had it in a little velvet sack and took it out to give to the dealer. The dealer never had the sack, both the sack and card are gone. Sounds to me like he didn't watch his bag close enough and someone got into it.

Also, how would you steal something if you were the last known person to handle it, seems like a high risk theft to me if that is what someone thinks happened. I am sure the police will ask some questions but it's gone until someone trys to flip it.

lawnmowerman

$40,000?? Why in the world would he leave the card at a dealer's table?

That is just crazy to me


edit: I assume to sell it but still, I wouldn't have left it.

slantycouch

I don't know anything about that issue, but if you crack it and try to sell it raw, is there any way to prove that it's the same card? I assume a 10 doesn't have many distinguishing marks.

Morgoth

He didn't in my opinion. The dealer was the last person he remembers showing the card too. He went back hoping he left it there by mistake, obviously he was pretty shook up but didn't accuse him of anything when I was there.

Morgoth

Yeah if it was a savvy collector that got it, it would be pretty easy IMO to get rid of it. Lets all hope its a stupid crook who tries to sell it to Memory Lane or a local card shop. I am sure at some point it would then make it's way to either ebay or some auction.

WinPitcher

Slanty cracked out I don't think it is a 40k card any longer.

I would imagine it is because it is in a PSA 10 slab.

The trick would be too crack it out and submit it raw and get the same
10 grade. That way the cert number is different.

Guy has 40k card and just treats it non chalant?

Steve

slantycouch

<< <i>Slanty cracked out I don't think it is a 40k card any longer.

I would imagine it is because it is in a PSA 10 slab.
>>



Good point... but then again if I was a crook and didn't pay a dime for it, I'd probably be happy with getting rid of it at a raw price and moving on...

Boopotts

Right now,somewhere deep in the bowels of Yuma, Az., a guy who just found about TPG two weeks ago is putting his six freebies together, of which one is a minty '69 Clemente 3D that he bought at a flea market for $2.50 in 1981. I imagine that guy's opinions on PSA are going to tilt towards the unfavorable in about four days' time.

tsalems1

Im sure that on a regrade, if it came back a psa 9, that would bring in good coin as well

Morgoth

I would venture to guess he left his bag with all his cards in it vunerable for a few minutes. The big mistake was flashing that card to a dealer to begin with. Unless you were working on a major deal, no reason to show it off as I am sure there is no question of quality on a PSA 10. I would bet someone saw it and waited until he sat down the bag or wasn't paying attention and knew right were to go to get it.

Chicago area shows are notorious for thieves. Every show I attend I here of at least one major card dealer being ripped off. Seriously, next time in Chicago ask the dealers about it.

Morgoth

Boopotts you are correct in that the next one if there ever is will get a courtesy call to the police to make sure he can provide some provenance for his card. Again, this card is exceptionally rare and most have been found so it should have a pretty good chain of ownership by the time it hits PSA but Boopotts situation could happen.

Gonblott

The thief will probably crack and re-sub hoping for a 10, so he can have a different CERT #.

stevek

Wonder if the show had a security camera viewing the theft - i guess the cops would have looked at the tape by now if it existed.

JackWESQ

Using the PSA registry, there are six (6) PSA 10s out there. Here's one of them:

/s/ JackWESQ

bobsbbcards

<< <i>Using the PSA registry, there are six (6) PSA 10s out there. >>


You're assuming we can trust the pop report. How many of those 10s were cracked out so someone could try for an 11? Hmmm?

slantycouch

<< <i>

<< <i>Using the PSA registry, there are six (6) PSA 10s out there. >>


You're assuming we can trust the pop report. How many of those 10s were cracked out so someone could try for an 11? Hmmm? >>



Haha nice.

Morgoth

Not too hard to figure out who's it is based on their collection but this is a good place to relay that info as I am assuming some who look here might be ones buying a card like that in the future.

gemmintrarities

Thieves aren't stupid. Who is to say that they won't crack it out and do a little minor damage to it, to lower it a grade or two. That would really throw people off of your trail, and you still would get good coin.

Also, this guy is not too bright if he allows a 40K card to be stolen from him b/c he doesn't remember what he did w/ it.

Boopotts

<< <i>

<< <i>Using the PSA registry, there are six (6) PSA 10s out there. >>


You're assuming we can trust the pop report. How many of those 10s were cracked out so someone could try for an 11? Hmmm? >>




Spinal Tap joke coming courtesy of one of the resident wits in three, two, one...

killingdream

Not to sound too harsh but the guy that brought that card there sounds like a real moron. If I was carrying a $40,000 card I'd also be carrying a accompanying firearm or have someone with me who was carrying one. In addition that card would never leave my sight , not for a second. The guy was asking for it. Come to think of it this almost sounds like a insurance scam.

GDM67

<< <i>

<< <i>

<< <i>Using the PSA registry, there are six (6) PSA 10s out there. >>


You're assuming we can trust the pop report. How many of those 10s were cracked out so someone could try for an 11? Hmmm? >>



Spinal Tap joke coming courtesy of one of the resident wits in three, two, one... >>

"Well, it's one higher, isn't it?."

Honestly, I thought of it back on page one...

dude

The Chicago Show is a notorious haven for thieves. I've talked to numerous dealers who've been ripped off doing that show, either cards or even a money box and they all seem to think it's several guys working as a team where one guy draws in all the workers at one end the table to distract them while one or more of these miscreants steal items at the opposite end of their area. Several dealers from the western states told me not too long ago that they were considering to quit doing this show for this very reason. One of them lost 2 raw vintage Mantles this way.

Stingray

I think PSA will be on the lookout for any 3D Clemente coming in for grading in the near future and doing a little checking on the submitter??

dude

<<I think PSA will be on the lookout for any 3D Clemente coming in for grading in the near future and doing a little checking on the submitter?? >>

Sadly, I think the guy is out of luck. Unless there is ironclad proof to identify that specific card, no one can realistically step in when the next 3-D Clemente is submitted and assert that this is the same stolen article.

jeffcbay

I'm still trying to figure out how this card is worth $40k. Sad story about the dealer though. This was an obvious scam. I'm sure the card will pop up soon.

EDIT: Never mind, I just read this in the SMR "A PSA Gem Mint 10 Clemente sold for $40,197 in 2008" ...holy crap!

Stingray

<< <i>I'm still trying to figure out how this card is worth $40k. Sad story about the dealer though. This was an obvious scam. I'm sure the card will pop up soon.

EDIT: Never mind, I just read this in the SMR "A PSA Gem Mint 10 Clemente sold for $40,197 in 2008" ...holy crap! >>




Wonder how many of these cards where made at all, I believe these were really just a test card and not released??

RonBurgundy

What killingdream said.

No card worth more than $1000 would ever leave my sight. Never.

leathtech

<< <i>While attending the Chicago show last weekend I was at a dealers table when another collector approached wanting to know if he still had his 1968 3D Clemente PSA 10. Upon learning it was not at that dealers table (dealer said he gave the card back) the collector proceeded to file a police report claiming the card was stolen. PSA was notified and he did have the cards serial number.

Really feel bad for the guy and hope he has insurance as he paid $40,000 for it. >>



Why would anyone just have this card on them at a show? is it possible he had the card insured and paid someone to steal it? Not saying this happened I just can't understand why anyone would just have this card on them in such an open public place.

jrinck

"Excuse me... young, shady looking person that doesn't look like he belongs here... yeah, you... could you be a darling and hold this $40,000 baseball card for me while I go grab a soft pretzel?"

jimq112

At some of the small shows I used to go to, the dealers would talk back and forth about the occasional nice card that walked in.

If that happened and the guy got pointed out, it would be pretty easy to get someone distracted. 2 people working together could steal that card, and knowing it was in a special sack would make it easier. You wouldn't have to go rooting thru all his cards, just grab the velvet sack and move along quickly.

If I had a chance to buy that card raw, and didn't know one had been stolen, I would buy it and keep it raw. I would be too worried about losing it.

I just hope the guy had insurance to cover it, chances are good that he never sees it again.

DavidPuddy

This whole story stinks of fraud.
1: Over paid for card
2: Showed 40K card in public setting
3: Didn't seem to have the card secured at all times
4: Economy in which many people need money

Insurance SCAM.

yankeeno7

I wonder if he was the winner of this one from the last Lelands auction cuz that one with the juice went for 40K+...
Lelands 68 3D Clemente PSA 10

Morgoth

No way it was a scam. First the guy has the best Clemente collection in the world, period. I heard that from every dealer I talked too. I talked to him actually before it happened as he walked around because he was buying Pirates and Clementes. Wasn't all that friendly but oh well. You can't fake the look of panic in his eyes when he realized the card was gone guys.

Battersbox

There is more to the story. After doing everything you mentioned, he went back to his hotel. When he got there he was told that he had dropped something on the floor when he was there earlier and it was picked up and turned in at the front desk. He got his card back and then went back to the dealer he had accused and apologized profusely.

Morgoth

awesome end to that story. Glad he found it. I don't know if he accused the dealer but did say he put him as the last "known" person with the card in the police report. Dealer is a really good guy so I knew it wasn't him that did anything wrong. I just figured it was a typical Chicago show theft.

Morgoth

Again, how do you drop that card though, I mean really? He is super lucky to get it back.

WinPitcher

I bet the person that found it had no idea as to the value of it.

Steve