View Full Version : An Hour of Indecision
We have all been there, but there I was mindlessly trolling Ebay when suddenly I was presented with my favorite t206 card, ole' John McGraw, portrait without cap (item 121809531.) I confess to being a bit rattled, because it was raw and beautiful and I no longer had a copy. It was in an auction format with a mb of $500. The dealer had pretty good feedback and told an interesting tale about an estate find of over a 100 vintage cards (yeah, I know) and this was the first of that bunch. It sort of had a ring of truth about it and, my God, wouldn't that be a good thing for us vintage freaks. To cut to the chase, I was the only bidder at the mb and won it. The card, at least from the scan, looked fine with a bit of foxing on the reverse. Time will obviously tell since it obviously will go to a grading company and with that blazing red background SGC will be the choice. Yoda
P.S. This totally irrelevant but is anybody else a bit tired of Flo of Progressive insurance. I see her constantly on TV, internet advertising and now my dreams. Woman, be gone!
pawpawdiv9
11-15-2015, 09:02 AM
Item: 121809531733
Wow that is a nice red background.
Hope you dont mind me posting the pic of it for ya bro
http://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/4W0AAOSwI-BWPmP4/s-l1600.jpg
JohnP0621
11-15-2015, 09:07 AM
Great looking Card. Please send an Update Post once the grade comes in.
John P
ullmandds
11-15-2015, 09:28 AM
Beautiful card and best of luck but I am not liking the top and bottom borders .
edhans
11-15-2015, 09:37 AM
Beautiful card and best of luck but I am not liking the top and bottom borders .
+1. I looked closely at it as well and didn't bid since it looked trimmed to me.
RaidonCollects
11-15-2015, 09:41 AM
The edge at the bottom left of the card looks a little suspicious, no expert on trimming though. I'm hoping that it isn't trimmed, best of luck.
Owen:)
Stonepony
11-15-2015, 09:46 AM
It looks trimmed, but gorgeous card. Congrats on the pickup
Yeah, trimming at the top with the roughness plus the little bat ear on the right edge kept me spooked for my hour of indecision until I said the hell with it, got to take a chance once in a blue moon, and pulled the trigger. Even if it comes back authentic I figure it is probably worth $500 and the adventure is priceless.
T206Collector
11-15-2015, 10:07 AM
Looks trimmed to me.
z28jd
11-15-2015, 10:13 AM
Whenever cards looked trimmed to me, I try to get a good view of the corner and look for the "bat ear", which is almost inevitable with a slight trim. This card has that telltale sign on the top right corner, which you can see great in the scan provided. So I'd say it is more than likely trimmed
rainier2004
11-15-2015, 10:13 AM
That is great color and color is my top priority in cards...
I am also quite tired of Flo...
Stonepony
11-15-2015, 10:30 AM
Yeah, trimming at the top with the roughness plus the little bat ear on the right edge kept me spooked for my hour of indecision until I said the hell with it, got to take a chance once in a blue moon, and pulled the trigger. Even if it comes back authentic I figure it is probably worth $500 and the adventure is priceless.
It's all about you and the card!!!
JustinD
11-15-2015, 11:45 AM
Yeah, trimming at the top with the roughness plus the little bat ear on the right edge kept me spooked for my hour of indecision until I said the hell with it, got to take a chance once in a blue moon, and pulled the trigger. Even if it comes back authentic I figure it is probably worth $500 and the adventure is priceless.
At times I think we all obsess too much about perceived value per a catalog and forget that these cards are really only worth what they are to one person that day.
I congratulate you on finding something that you enjoy and if that happens the cost be damned! :)
Thank you, Justin, because that is exactly how I feel.
Jewish-collector
11-15-2015, 04:01 PM
If you like it and it's worth the money to you, then sometimes you just gotta say WTF :D
mybuddyinc
11-15-2015, 04:08 PM
I don't think it's trimmed --- and I like Flo :)
Great card !!!
Eric72
11-15-2015, 04:25 PM
I am probably wrong; however, think the card stock is too white, the red is too uniform in color, and McGraw's portrait looks washed out. I vote fake.
Best regards,
Eric
Edited to add that it could be the scan.
Top right corner looks suspicious. Any way to post a pic of the back? Hope it's not a blue Sweet Cap back.... :p just kidding....
Check the reverse scan via the original Ebay item number. I thought that maybe the bit of rough touch on the top right might be a marker that it wasn't trimmed but who the hell knows. Tired of thinking about it. Enough for one day.
bcornell
11-15-2015, 07:28 PM
Time will obviously tell since it obviously will go to a grading company and with that blazing red background SGC will be the choice.
Before you submit the card, you might compare it to some other T206's for educational purposes. It's always easier to learn about cards when they're raw. As other posters have said, this card looks altered on both the top and bottom borders.
Bill
D.P.Johnson
11-15-2015, 08:22 PM
At first I thought it was trimmed, and then I thought it was fake. Finally, I thought, "Why would someone trim a fake card"? IDK...
bcornell
11-15-2015, 08:38 PM
At first I thought it was trimmed, and then I thought it was fake. Finally, I thought, "Why would someone trim a fake card"? IDK...
It's not fake. The scan is super bright, but that helps to show the dot pattern that you'll see with every real T206. Follow the lines on both the top and bottom borders: they're wavy. Someone got ahold of this card when it had slightly bigger borders and did some poor surgery on it.
McGraw link (http://www.ebay.com/itm/1909-T206-John-McGraw-Portrait-NM-MT-GORGEOUS-RAZOR-SHARP-Guaranteed-/121809531733?hash=item1c5c69f355%3Ag%3A4W0AAOSwI-BWPmP4&nma=true&si=U3E5ucKUzyqZsXmWaPvks%252B2XrrI%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557). Putting aside the card for now, look at how that description screams badness: "estate find"... "my husband" (deceased, incapacitated, derelict, or something else)... "this card is GUARANTEED AUTHENTIC" (crazy number of exclamation points following)... "Perfect card for someone to have graded" (just not her).
Don't pay $500 for that. It's going to end in tears.
Bill
chaddurbin
11-15-2015, 09:07 PM
it's a BLAZER of a trimmed card, guaranteed to be a pro 9...not sure how much that's worth.
Flo is flo, but what about those Sonic guys? Two guys hanging out all the time at Sonic at Happy Hour? weirddd
Bpm0014
11-16-2015, 09:52 AM
100% not fake. It's real for sure.
Mountaineer1999
11-16-2015, 09:54 AM
I like Flo and the Sonic guys! I just want to know what is going on with Matthew McConaughey and his Lincoln?!
I love the card too.... hope it grades out for you!
Okay, I'll jump on the bandwagon and say that I'm sick of Flo as well, and also that Geico gecko. GET OUT.
PolarBear
11-16-2015, 12:55 PM
$500 is basically PSA 4-5 money for that card. Trimmed, it's probably worth PSA 2-3 money at best.
Just my take on it but I'd be sending it back for a refund. File a SNAD claim if you have to since it was not described as trimmed.
steve B
11-16-2015, 03:26 PM
I think it's good, but won't get a grade.
Looking at the back the lower edge has a rough spot that sticks out that lines up with the rough cut spot on the upper edge. That's pretty typical for a chipped blade on the cutter. I'd be surprised if SGC will give it a grade. One of mine with a rough cut didn't.
And factory cuts can be even worse.
http://www.net54baseball.com/picture.php?albumid=123&pictureid=7029
Won't even try that one it's factory but just too odd for TPG
Steve B
Bruinsfan94
11-16-2015, 04:30 PM
$500 is basically PSA 4-5 money for that card. Trimmed, it's probably worth PSA 2-3 money at best.
Just my take on it but I'd be sending it back for a refund. File a SNAD claim if you have to since it was not described as trimmed.
100% agreed. Its real but trimmed. I actually think it would be worth less then a 2-3. I have a gotten ender and Duffy for the Price of a 1 that looked just as nice but with a trim. I wouldn't worry about it being fake but that was a shady listing.
I'll say the card is not trimmed, just a result of a bad set of blades, as both top and bottom have the same cut which fit together like a puzzle. All of the cards cut with those blades on that strip would have the same cut. That being said, it's possible that the TPG's won't holder it as they simply don't know what they are looking at.
.... That being said, it's possible that the TPG's won't holder it as they simply don't know what they are looking at.
Wouldn't be the first (or second) time.
Cliff Bowman
11-21-2015, 06:20 PM
This totally irrelevant but is anybody else a bit tired of Flo of Progressive insurance. I see her constantly on TV, internet advertising and now my dreams. Woman, be gone!
I could never get tired of the AT&T girl.
vintagetoppsguy
11-21-2015, 06:36 PM
I'll say the card is not trimmed, just a result of a bad set of blades, as both top and bottom have the same cut which fit together like a puzzle. All of the cards cut with those blades on that strip would have the same cut. That being said, it's possible that the TPG's won't holder it as they simply don't know what they are looking at.
I agree with this, but I think it will get a grade.
JollyElm
11-21-2015, 07:10 PM
I guess I'm going against the grain, because at least once a day I do a Google search for "Flo Progressive Naked."
I guess I'm going against the grain, because at least once a day I do a Google search for "Flo Progressive Naked."
Where's the link?
obcbobd
11-22-2015, 08:15 AM
$500 is basically PSA 4-5 money for that card. Trimmed, it's probably worth PSA 2-3 money at best.
Just my take on it but I'd be sending it back for a refund. File a SNAD claim if you have to since it was not described as trimmed.
Wouldn't think you could file a claim as the pictures that show it as being (possibly) trimmed are in the listing.
The adventure continues. Late yesterday my favorite mailperson, Jackie, delivered Mugsy, well-packaged and, frankly, I felt relief simply because he arrived at all, which my first concern. Of course, I was all over it, and had already written down all of the observations from the learned members of the board to assist in my analysis. Unfortunately, my electron microscope was broken, but I do believe the card to be genuine. As far as trimming, I just don't know. I have looked at a lot of T206's in my time and if it is trimmed, the trimmer is one clever doctor. At the top right edge there is definitely a small bat ear, always a tell tale sign of trimming, but also just a bit of paper disturbance on the opposite reverse which could be faulty blade cutting, which somebody has already suggested. It measures fine, in fact, a tad o/s. May I please have opinions on which grading service should have the pleasure of Mgr. McGraw's presence while they determine his fate. Wouldn't it be wonderful, if for once, the seller's story was gem mint and she or whoever is sitting on a bunch of nice prewar cards about to hit the marketplace. I can dream.
PolarBear
11-22-2015, 11:44 AM
Wouldn't think you could file a claim as the pictures that show it as being (possibly) trimmed are in the listing.
It wasn't "described" as trimmed though, so it's "not as described".
It really doesn't matter anyway though. Ebay will accept a not-as-described claim for anything. It's a de facto return policy, just as ebay designed it to be.
Forget Flo, now I have a new pin-up girl, Lily, the ATT lovely that graces the TV from time to time. I am sure that nobody else noticed but me that, behind that sweet face and computer brain, she has a knockout figure. Flo, eat your heart out. God, I need a life.
PowderedH2O
11-24-2015, 10:58 AM
Glad you like the card! I actually like Flo, but my favorite is Melanie Paxson who is in Red Robin and Fiber One commercials. Not even sure why, but I think she's adorable.
MikeGarcia
11-25-2015, 05:51 AM
Glad you like the card! I actually like Flo, but my favorite is Melanie Paxson who is in Red Robin and Fiber One commercials. Not even sure why, but I think she's adorable.
...I haven't so much as given a second look at any other woman since "Weeds" went off the air....and I think I'm not alone here...
......oh . and if the seller actually has ninety-nine other cards from that 'find' , you would do well to stay in touch with him/her...I'd be parked in the driveway with a briefcase full of green...
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