What would you do (or have done) to get that hard to find card?
frankhardy
Posts: 8,143 ✭✭✭✭✭
I finally found a card for my Cardinals team sets that I have been looking for approximately 4 or 5 years. I thought I would have to pay quite a bit for one if I EVER found one. These things are pretty much impossible to find. It was a 1989 Topps Double Headers Test Met/Yankees Keith Hernandez. Why a Met/Yankees test issue for my Cardinals collection? Because these tiny cards feature the players rookie card on the opposite side of their miniature 89 Topps card. Well, Keith Hernandez's rookie card was with the Cardinals in 1975. I ended up getting it for free and then making money in the process.
Here is what happened. I had been looking at an entire box on Ebay that had been listed for $249 BIN/BO. It had been listed for at least 3 years, maybe more. There was no way I was going to pay that kind of money for just one little Keith Hernandez card. I had asked the seller multiple times if he would sell individually, and every time he said he would say no. Well, about three weeks ago, I found a mis-titled Ebay auction for an entire box. The title was missing "Double Headers". It just said something like "1989 Topps Mets/Yankees Test Rare" or something like that. Well, I won the entire box for $77. I figured I could open up the box and sell the remaining 23 cards and probably make money. The ironic thing was that in the mean time, that box that I had been watching sold for a $225 best offer. So, I contacted the seller asking him to get me in contact with the buyer. He did. The buyer wanted $30 for the Hernandez. That was when I told him that I had a whole box and that I would just open mine up, but that I preferred to buy his Hernandez for $20 so I could resell my box. He did some research and was stunned that I had only paid $77 for my box. He then offered to buy my box and send me the Hernandez. I sold the box for $130 and got the Hernandez for free.
Any similar stories out there?
Here is what happened. I had been looking at an entire box on Ebay that had been listed for $249 BIN/BO. It had been listed for at least 3 years, maybe more. There was no way I was going to pay that kind of money for just one little Keith Hernandez card. I had asked the seller multiple times if he would sell individually, and every time he said he would say no. Well, about three weeks ago, I found a mis-titled Ebay auction for an entire box. The title was missing "Double Headers". It just said something like "1989 Topps Mets/Yankees Test Rare" or something like that. Well, I won the entire box for $77. I figured I could open up the box and sell the remaining 23 cards and probably make money. The ironic thing was that in the mean time, that box that I had been watching sold for a $225 best offer. So, I contacted the seller asking him to get me in contact with the buyer. He did. The buyer wanted $30 for the Hernandez. That was when I told him that I had a whole box and that I would just open mine up, but that I preferred to buy his Hernandez for $20 so I could resell my box. He did some research and was stunned that I had only paid $77 for my box. He then offered to buy my box and send me the Hernandez. I sold the box for $130 and got the Hernandez for free.
Any similar stories out there?
Shane
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As some of you know, I have been a die hard collector of international soccer cards. Many of the countries I purchase cards from have extraordinary postal fees. For example, one card from Italy may cost up to $10 to post to the USA. Similarly, postage from Argentina for a few cards have run in excess of $40.
The circumstances are often a dilema as some of the cards I have either never seen before or may never have a chance to obtain again. But that's what collectors do. I have been fortunate to write several articles on my research and have benefited from having a unique collection.
There have been times I've kicked myself for not jumping on a card I have been looking for - maybe seeing two up for auction at the same time - only to not see one again for 3 or 4 years.
Like FRANK, patience can be rewarding ... or agonizingly frustrating. Having collectors on this forum that I can sell my other sports cards to has made it easier to pursue my passion.
cheers
Wish I had something to share.
One thing that seems to happen - I can be waiting for a long time for a certain board game - then - finally - one comes up - in OK shape - I buy it - and the next day one will show up that's in super shape for the same money.
That's the collecting game.
Shane
Looking to BUY n332 1889 SF Hess cards and high grade cards from 19th century especially. "Once you have wrestled everything else in life is easy" Dan Gable
The Mira cards are from Italy - and although not expensive per card, the postage is killer (see above).
<< <i>Did you see Legendary's latest auction? I think they had a bunch of old baseball board games. >>
I did Shane.
Thanx for asking. Didn't buy anything tho.