Posted By:
Dan McCarthyJim -- I realize it's a pretty new concept but in my experience it usually works out for the better.
While the skepticism is certainly warranted, and I agree that the cards (or the Doyle, at least) are likely not authentic. However, even if that is the case, immediately jumping to the conclusion that it's a scam is a little rash. I know if I found something that I thought was cool and potentially valuable but knew nothing about at a yard sale/antique shop/whatever (like this:http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290311981050), the logical first step would be to find some kind of forum catering to modern art and post something saying "Hey -- I'm new here and I found this pretty big colorful artwork, i think it might be a painting or lithograph. it's a circle with what looks like a bunch of splashes on it like paint was dropped while it was spinning around or something. Whoever made it signed it, its kind of scribbled but looks like "Dmin nit". Maybe the artist is african or asian? I dont know what kind of name that is. Anyway, its probably not worth anything but I thought i'd ask."
Maybe what I had bought was actually just a hi-res printout of a lithograph worth $15k, but since it's not in my area of expertise there's no way I could know that. Maybe it's actually a lithograph worth $15k. Maybe I had just become interested in modern art, but thanks to the seemingly unwelcoming community I'm turned away from it.
All I'm saying is that jumping all over what could be an innocent question rather than attempting to educate isn't really productive at all. Maybe some lurkers or people new to the hobby (I was both, pretty recently in fact) don't know what about the Doyle is so special and are curious. Maybe someone that does have a legitimate find is reading the board but decides not to post because they fear reprisal.
P.S. That's not to say that I don't appreciate the sense of humor all of you guys bring to the situation... all of the responses were good for a laugh!