Posted By:
Aaron M.Well, like the poster who originally started this thread, it's unfortunately too late to do what you should have done: not bid.
Unless $8,000 to you is like $8 to me and the financial loss is inconsequential, then you have fallen for one of the most common scams on E-Bay. 1952 Topps Mantle's are reprinted (with increasing quality) in astronomical numbers and then sold as original or "I have no reason to believe it's not original" condition on E-Bay to a novice sucker or experienced collector whose quest for a bargain has clouded his judgment.
I mean, just ask yourself one basic question: with a card that is worth thousands of dollars, why would this seller not spend the relatively nominal amount and have it graded and authenticated by PAS (or the like) prior to selling it when doing so would increase his sales price by thousands (or tens of thousands) of dollars?
If you've read this thread, then you already know the answer.
Basically, if you had been determined to bid on the card prior to its end, you could have contacted the seller and asked him if he would be willing to make the sale contingent on the card being authenticated by PSA. He would have come up with some cockamamie reason why he couldn't and that big of a red flag might have dissuaded you from bidding.
You have somehow bid $8,000 on a commonly reprinted card without doing so, so it's Plan B: Forget about meeting him in person. Just offer to cover the cost of having the card graded by PSA. If he receives the card back from PSA graded and authenticated, then you complete the transaction. No problem. If it doesn't, then you both walk away and neither leaves negative feedback.
When he declines this offer for one reason or another, then do NOT send the money! Say you have serious reservations about the card's authenticity and are voiding the sale and agree to not leave negative feedback. If he leaves you negative feedback, again, it's lesson learned.
But do not, under any circumstances pay for that card unless it comes to you slabbed by PSA, SGC, GAI or even BVG.
Good luck and let us know how it goes.