Mastro

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Posted By: Andy Baran

I sat this one out, but I'd love to hear how others did. Anyone willing to share?

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Posted By: runscott

The prices were so incredibly high that I didn't even participate on auction night.

Taking a positive attitude: next time I will consign my items to Mastro. If I can't win any of their auctions, I'll at least make a heap of $$$

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withdrawing my board exit until Elliot gets back and we see what his thoughts are. BTW, editing posts isn't an acceptable solution (in my opinion)

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Posted By: Tom L.

Nobody is going to get a steal in these auctions, but I think there are a number of lots that went for below (sometimes well below) Standard Catalog prices. The exceptions always seem to be the unique items like the Wagner Baltimore News or historical 19th century stuff (the kind of stuff that I like).

But if you are looking to buy a lot of cards for resale, I think there are still quite a few good deals to be had, especially on non-graded cards post-1930.

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Posted By: John(z28jd)

Im gonna start calling you the Terry Felton of auctions Scott(just in case everyone doesnt know, Felton went a career 0-16 in 4 seasons for TBob's Twins back in the early 80's)

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Posted By: runscott

But I spoke with someone who collects '50s cards, who was looking for lots to break up for re-sale, and he said there were few deals to be found.

I was particularly interested in the t206 and caramel lots. Just to be fair, here's one lot that went at a reasonable price: http://www.mastronet.com/index.cfm?action=DisplayContent&ContentName=Lot%20Information&LotIndex=24987

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withdrawing my board exit until Elliot gets back and we see what his thoughts are. BTW, editing posts isn't an acceptable solution (in my opinion)

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Posted By: TBob

Scott- I agree the E95 set price was an abberation. There were a ton of low and midgrade caramel cards which went for out of sight prices, HOFers and commons too.
John- I suffered from the Terry Felton disease also, going 0 for the auction. Some of this stuff is available on ebay at better prices and nicer condition. I understand the true rarities going for a ton but when you have cards described as VPR (very poor, a new one for me) getting VG prices, something is out of kilter. There was a large collection of caramel cards with many, many VPRs which went for an incredible sum. Also a T206 near set without the Big 6 which contained a "whopping" (according to Mastro's definition) 3/4 in mangled shape still went for over 9 grand with the commish. Amazing...

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Posted By: B Hodes

I was desperate but there were a few lots I was interested in and I was easily shut out. That t205 Cy Young was out of this world (both the card and the price). The fact that I pay a additional close to 10% because I am in Chicago makes these auctions really expensive for me.
By the way if anyone won ITEM 1119 (the smaller T202 lot) I would be happy to help them defray the cost (by buying a card or two of course)...

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Posted By: Scott M

Well, I guess is all relative - if I had say 5 or 6 Million sitting around earning 5% I'd gladly take half of that 5% and blow it on cards each year - which would make the prices in the auction irrelevant.

Of course since I'll be heading back to work tomorrow, that isn't the case. I went 0 for 0 as I refuse to pay $75 for the priveledge of bidding.

Seriously, I actually think that in many cases people will pay a premium for the sheer quantity of vintage material they can accumulate at one time. If your a highly paid corporate exec with little time or live in a rural part of the country - the ability to in essence get 7 or 8 starter sets at once is attractive. At the end of the day, pieces of cardboard are worth whatever someone is willing to pay and this auction house has some buyers willing to pay.

Regards

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Posted By: Tom L.

Here are links to a couple of lots that I thought were still pretty reasonable:

http://mastronet.com/index.cfm?action=DisplayContent&ContentName=Lot%20Information&LotIndex=25001

http://mastronet.com/index.cfm?action=DisplayContent&ContentName=Lot%20Information&LotIndex=25026

http://mastronet.com/index.cfm?action=DisplayContent&ContentName=Lot%20Information&LotIndex=24351

Plus, even the Wagner Baltimore News card, while it may be off condition, is probably unique or one of only a few in existence. How much should a unique Wagner be worth? Or how about a unique complete, Darby Chocolate box with 2 HOFers that don't even exist as single panels? Seems like if people are going to pay well over a thousand bucks each for a number of different T206 cards that are nowhere near as rare, then the prices these sold for were probably reasonable as well:

Baltimore News Wagner:

http://mastronet.com/index.cfm?action=DisplayContent&ContentName=Lot%20Information&LotIndex=25012

Darby Box with Speaker and Evers:

http://mastronet.com/index.cfm?action=DisplayContent&ContentName=Lot%20Information&LotIndex=25154

Not that I can afford them, but only one guy on the planet will own each of them now.

Just my opinion,
Tom

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Posted By: Bill Cornell

I won a single lot out of the 9 I bid on: 1117, which has a bunch of rare/scarce/uncommon T205's and a few T207's I wanted, along with an SGC 80 T200 White Sox that will be looking for a new home. Put in a bid at 10:30EST last night fully expecting not to wake up on the plus side; I've got only low-grade buyer's remorse today, so no complaints.

The group of 80 trimmed T206's that went for over 6K w/juice gets my vote as most amazing lot - the cards are trimmed, for Pete's sake! Maybe a PSA skeptic took that plunge. Or a future opportunist.

Mastro is, by and large, terrific, but if I was running the place, I'd make 2 changes: stop with these "grab-bag" lots and please, please, please end the auctions earlier in the day so we can avoid sleep deprivation.

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Posted By: TBob

I think both Tom and I agreed this was one of the few great deals available.

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Posted By: jeff

and i didn't even get 6k for it! i'm getting in line behind Scott to start consigning to these guys...

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Posted By: Julie Vognar

I fell by the wayside both nights, on two lots I didn't really want, but thought i might be able to afford (Jackson van Oeyen photo; ten little die cuts).

But GOOD NEWS! You don't have to WIN to keep getting catelogues; you just have to BID. I really checked it out carefully.

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Posted By: petecld

Julie,

Did you read the fine print? It says once they find out, say, via an internet chat board, that you are only bidding to get another catalog there is a $50 per year fee. Just kidding.

I was so sure I would be outbid that I went to bed my usual time but I did find out I actually WON a lot in Mastro!

Lot #1415 - 12/18 Hartlands.

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Posted By: Marty

They were not real old, but I picked up #851, the 52B Mantle, 51B Mays, 51B Williams. I thought that these were fair. I also paid high and got the Glendale set. I thought that the #1156 40 and 41 Playball sets were buyable. I also thought that the #1996 1935 National Chicle 6 PSA 8, were reasonable for the grade.

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Posted By: David

I got a variety of lots that I thought were good deals (no cards, which helps explain). And I can now say I'm the proud owner of Tommy Ladorda's balls!

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Posted By: B Hodes

I think Bill got it right -- from the seller/auctioners' perspective the grab bags generally don't bring the best prices. Hence, they also may be the best deal as well. Now that everyone can (if they want to put up with the hassle) sell via ebay these lots are not just for dealers -- collectors can pick up a lot for a few cards they actually want and sell the rest...
Of course they assume some risks as sellers and still pay those pesky winners/bidders percentages plus postage plus (in some cases) sales taxes...etc.

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Posted By: David

I agree with Bill on the ending times. I'm a night owl by nature, live on the West Coast in the Coffee King of the world and it's still comical how late the MastroNet auctions go. I can only imagine how it is for some in NYC. Perhaps the best plan for you Easterners is to go to bed early and get up at 5am to check their bids. You probably even have time to take a shower and heat a hearty breakfast. The guy I feel sorry for is Doug sitting by the MastroNet telephone all that time, like a lonly teenager on a Friday night.

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Posted By: Scott M

Well a trimmed 1915 cj Wagner just sold for over $650 on ebay tonight. So maybe the prices for those Very Poor lots were actually a steal.

Regards

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Posted By: TBob

I congratulate the Mastro winners and tip a cold one to those of us who tried our gamest but lost.
On the "grab-bag" issue, the inclusion of one card, an E90-3 Gandil, in a lot of 67 cards caused me severe heartache. I was trying to win a couple of tougher T207s neatly thrown in but had to compete not with other T207 collectors but with the Black Sox collectors of the world plus the caramel card completists who know exactly how rare Gandil is in that set (E90-3). Add a T207 Weaver (not exceptionally difficult) to the mix and a T206 Gandil (easy) and the lot went for about a lot more than many thought it would.