T218 Tolstoi

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Posted By: RC_McKenzie

Sometimes I'm embarassed when I win stuff on ebay that's too cheap. The seller has sold a lot of scarce boxing cards recently and he placed a T218 Tolstoi in ex+ in the "extra featured" category. I may be mistaken, but I think that costs $50 to list it that way. I won the card for $12.50? I feel like I'm ripping the guy off.

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Posted By: Jeff S

Obviously I have no idea what the seller's motivation was for featuring an inexpensive item, but some sellers do so when they are selling a large number of items, all of which are worthy of view, but none are particularly expensive. Featuring one item and having a note in the description saying "please check out my dozens of other rare memorabilia auctions this week" is great advertising, and the cost of the listing upgrade pays itself off over the course of dozens of auctions, not just one. Of course, it's best if the one featured auction is a more valuable card that should be featured anyway, but it doesn't always work that way.

Or the dealer could be an idiot.

Who knows.

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Posted By: Hankron

Selling one eBay, I find that one item will sell way less than I had expect and another will sell for way more. Invariably, it all evens out and I end up being satisfied. So you shouldn't feel bad for getting a deal.

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Posted By: Hankron

Hey Jeff, I looked up Cap Anson at baseball-reference.com and saw your name as Anson's sponsor. Pretty cool.

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Posted By: RC_McKenzie

I believe the card just slipped by. Adam Warshaw had stated on this board that these backs are rare for a T218, but that they don't command a premium because not many collectors realize the scarcity.

I probably paid "market" value although I believe both the seller and I assumed it would sell for at leat 5X more. The seller has only sold about 8 cards in the last 2 months, so I guess he's a collector. I double-checked the "featured" listing and it costs only $19.99.

Hankron is right about ebay balancing out. I'm definately still in the red in my transactions. Later

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Posted By: warshawlaw

Any T218 Tolstoi is rare. Are you sure it is a T218 and not a T220?

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Posted By: Jeff S

David,

I was feeling generous the day I decided to donate to baseball-reference...I not only have Anson, but a handful of 19th century stars.

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Posted By: RC_McKenzie

Adam it's auction # 2720912488. It's the same seller who has sold a few t224's and the Red Sun boxing card. The card I just bought is another T218 Harry Stone, like the one I bought in your lot from last month. I wonder if it is just a coincidence or if some specific cards carry the Tolstoi back while others do not.. i.e.- Do you know if it is possible to collect a full set of T218 Tolstois?

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Posted By: B C D

that will cover the cost of the featured listing option

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Posted By: warshawlaw

The literature that lists the Tolstoi brand does not reference any set shortening, although no one I know has obtained more than about 20 different cards.