The one that got away... Show Yours..

[Blunder19]

I was wondering what everyone considers their card that got away... the 1 card you sold, or traded, and has you wishing you could go back in time and stop yourself.

If you have a pic of it that would be great.. if not I'd be interested in just the story...

Heres mine, something about the name on top of the Elberfeld that has me wishing for it back... sold as part of my 520 complete set.

[Steve D]

Back in 1990, I was a young staff sergeant in the U.S. Air Force, just returning to the states after two years in Germany. I needed money to buy a car and furnish an apartment, since I had to (and wanted to) move out of the barracks.

I had a sizable pre-WWII card collection, and decided to sell all of the cards. Included in the group was an N172 Mike Kelly (Chicago portrait - Bare head) and a T227 Ty Cobb, along with a 1954 Topps Hank Aaron and a 1954 Bowman Ted Williams. There were many other cards including all the T206 Hall of Famers, N28s of Clarkson, Kelly and Keefe, an E90-2 Honus Wagner and a T3 Walter Johnson. I sold them all at a card show in Houston TX in January of 1991, for $2,700.

Over the past decade, I've managed to re-obtain examples of most of the cards, but the ones that have eluded me, and probably will for some time, are the N172 Kelly, T227 Cobb, and the 1954 Aaron and Williams.

If I could go back, those are the four cards I'd keep.

Steve

[Blunder19]

Cool story Steve.. GL with getting them back... its part of the hunt we all enjoy

[Jason Carota]

T210-8 Berger (Mobile.) I sold it, along with 30 or so other Old Mills, when I decided to really focus on my Red Sox collection. One of the most amazing pictures on a baseball card ever produced. Not an action shot, just a player that looks like they are relaxing under a tree after a Saturday afternoon game. Unfortunately, I don't have a scan available.

Maybe someday I'll pick another one up.

[B O'Brien]

In 2001 we needed some cash to cover some of my back to school expenses, due to a change of taste on my part. I sold off a ton of stuff, but one sticks out more than the rest.

I sold a PSA 3 T206 White Cap Matty with an Old Mill back on ebay to a gentleman in Seattle, who was a pretty big Mathewson collector and had some stuff on display at the stadium when it opened up (if anyone knows him, let me know!!).

This was the first Prewar card I landed back in the early 90's. I got the Mathewson, $300 and the prettiest 1963 Mays you have ever seen in a trade for a 1955 Clemente. That was a monster deal for me, I was 16 or 17 and living in WVA, so T206's didn't pop up everyday.

If anyone happens to know where this card may be today, or know the collector mentioned above, drop me a line.

Thanks,
Bob
upperhandisforemost@yahoo.com

[Steve D]

Thanks Jamie.

Another part of the story, and I'd say the coolest part of it, regards a 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth #53.

Back in 1979, my mother bought me two cards at a local San Diego CA card show...the Ruth, and a '33 Goudey Lou Gehrig #92. They were in poor-fair condition, and cost $100 for the pair. Well, when I sold all the cards in 1991, the Ruth and Gehrig were included in the mix.

Fast-forward to 2003. My mother died and left a tidy inheritance to my sister and I. I used my portion of it to reenter the pre-WWII card market. I was also by this time, established on ebay.

One day, I'm searching ebay, and come across a 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth #53, graded PSA 1. As I'm looking at the card (both front and back scans were posted), I noticed that this card was without a doubt, the exact same Ruth #53 that my mother had bought me in 1979, and that I sold in 1991. All the creases, stains and discolorations were identical!

Needless to say, I won the card, and it will forever remain in my possession.


Steve

[fkm_bky]

In 2007 I was let go from my sales position and needed to sell some cards until I was back earning a full income again. The one I regret selling most was an E96 Mack that had a pencil signature on it. I purchased it originally being told the autograph wasn't authentic. I never had it graded. After selling it the buyer sent it in and it was authentic. It was nice to at least own it for awhile!

Bill

[Orioles1954]

I had that E96 Mack! I bought it on Ebay and submitted it to JSA and GAI, and the autograph was rejected twice. Someone on N54 bought it from me, re-submitted it to GAI and this time it was deemed "good". That card has since parted from his collection.

[Orioles1954]

I regret selling/trading this one and hope to get it back someday.

[Hot Springs Bathers]

Some of those stories sound VERY familiar. In 1990 I sold my T206 near set of 489 and a T205 and about 100 other T-E-M cards set to help on a house down payment.

The biggest mistake was in 2005 though. I was able to buy 80 percent of the original sale back and kept it two weeks before selling it again at more than twice the original selling price.

While still holding the check in my hand my heart hit the floor. I had resisted starting over all those many years because the first time through in the 1970s & 80s was so much fun, I didn't think it would be the same. Now five more years down the road, much older and very settled I would love to go back to stop the second sale more than the first. I didn't need the money the second time through.

Sitting here now with 50 of each set, the mountain top seems a long way off!

[wolfdogg]

Found a T210 Old Mill Joe Jackson (the exact one pictured in the Standard Catalog) for sale about 12 years ago for under $10K......didn't buy it....