There are times when shilling is used to form an undisclosed reserve, and while I find it irksome, I don't lose sleep over it. If that Mantle card mentioned typically sells in the $25-30K range and people are prop bidding (shilling) it to 15-16K, I'm not all that bothered. Yes it shows an artificial interest in the card that may spur activity, and I wish it didn't happen, but I don't get all bent when I know there are 3-4 guys that are going to be there in the end making legit bids in the FMV range.
I am among the minority that doesn't soak and would prefer to not have soaked cards. That being said I don't look so negatively at soaking that if it is a card I really want and is seldom found, I would turn my back if the Seller told me it had been soaked. Don't know how I'd feel if they developed a soak-o-meter that could tell me which of my cards had been soaked--I think I would try and replace them but can't say for sure.
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If we are to have another contest in the near future of our national existence, I predict that the dividing line will not be Mason and Dixon's but between patriotism and intelligence on the one side, and superstition, ambition and ignorance on the other. - Ulysses S. Grant, military commander, 18th US President.
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