Show me your "steals"

[SethY]

In contrast to the thread stickied above and the other ones I have seen on the board, I am wondering how many true "steals" you have gotten on cards. This obviously is not criminal, but is just some high dollar or even lower value cards that you think you got at an incredibly low price. My recent pickup of this Cy Young T206 made me think of this thread, it would be cool to see what other guys have gotten at amazing prices.



Just picked this up for a cool $175. Even though the condition would get me a PSA 1 or SGC 10/20 at the highest, the OM back makes it quite a good deal!

How about you?

[birdman42]

Seth,

What's turned out to be my best deal came at the Chicago National about 10 years ago. $38.

My worst deal? The guy had another, and would have sold me the pair for $75. I passed, because now "I already had one." At least it wasn't a Peckinpaugh. I think.



Bill

[Bicem]

(just kidding!)

[Leon]

I paid pretty good money for this at the time, around 11k. Today it looks like I did ok on it...

.

[deadballera]

bought for $30 or so....and sold it last year

[pete zouras]

Steals are few and far between in my collection, except for stuff I collected from when I was a kid. I picked this up for $10. Polar bear back.

[Kawika]

Won this baby for about $425 in 2004. I thought that was a steal even then (although any "gain" has been offset many times over by other items upon which I have seriously overpaid).

[jb217676]

I think these are two steals. The 1940's Mel Ott blotter was $20.00 and the 1970's Louisville Slugger bank (autographed bat version) was $30.00.

[timn1]

The most mind-boggling steal I got was late on Saturday at the first National I ever went to, I think in 2001. I walked by a booth manned by people I didn't know, who had had most of a T206 set for sale. I had glanced at some earlier but felt they were too high. This time as I walked past I saw a new sign: "T206 collection $995." Just out of idle curiosity I asked how many they were selling for that price, as I could see they still had a bunch. "All of them-- we want to get on home." My jaw hit the floor and I said "Sold." I left them what cash I had in my wallet but I had to rush off and borrow the rest from a dealer and good friend of mine, Ron Barrett. I was afraid they would be gone when I got back but the people and the cards were there.

For my $1000 (I didn't ask for the $5 back) I got 297 T206s including about 60 HOFers and Southern Leaguers. 1 Young, 1 Matty, 1 Lajoie, 1 Johnson, the Elberfeld and several other tougher cards. The fronts were mostly EX or so. Some had been pulled from an album and had a varying amounts of paper loss. Others had been cut from the album with the backing. Those I soaked off carefully over the next couple of weeks, and they came out beautifully. This is still the bulk of my T206 (near-)set. If I had gone past that table five minutes later, I'm sure they would have been gone-- For once my timing was perfect!

Since I can't show all of those, I'll add a pic of my other great steal: M101-5 Becker. Rare variation -- less than 10 copies known. Bought for $40 in a group of graded commons at the old Fort Washington.

Tim

[collectbaseball]

There's really nothing better than a good steal... I know I've had a bunch but this one sticks out in my memory -- it was on ebay listed as something like "American League signed ball" and I got it for $25 or so. Turned out to be a 1957 Orioles team signed ball featuring Hall of Famers Brooks Robinson in his first year and George Kell in his last.

[Jacklitsch]

Stevens Cabinet (on the left) picked up in a shop in Cooperstown maybe 20 years ago for $50

[bbcard1]

Not Vintage, but at a recent Chantilly show, I found a 1983 Topps Traded set for $1. I absolutely didn't need it. I remembered paying probable $50 for mine, so I couldn't let it pass. A little later I'm standing by a table and a guy comes up to the dealer and says," I have been looking all over the room and I'd really like to have a Topps Traded Strawberry rookie, you wouldn't have one would you." The dealer said no, and he started to wander away when I put on my toughest negotiating hat and said,"I doubt you'll find a single, but I have a set. You are going to have to be satisfied with letting me double my money on it though. That will be $2." The guy was thrilled. The dealer didn't mind because having these high dollar transactions go on in front of his table is good for business. Funny thing was, the guy only had one $1 bill and a hundred and I didn't have change. I told him to go do something nice for somebody he doesn't know. Granted I may have gotten $20 off of it on ebay, but a good story is worth more than $20.

[Al C.risafulli]

Five hundred bucks, raw, on eBay. I watched it for a week, drooling.

It's not a Peck and Snyder, but I did all right, percentage-wise.

-Al

[Wite3]

A cautionary tale to dealers....and totally true (a few board members saw me within an hour of buying this and can attest to the purchase).

Was at a small mall show in Las Vegas about 10 years ago. Nothing really there...I think I was happy with buying a couple of Bell Brand Dodgers. I was gazing at a table that had a few mid '70s cards in a bargain box and a lot of shiny new stuff when an older gentleman walked up and asked the dealer a question. The dealer essentially told him to wait while he was talking with another dealer. When he finally asked the older man what he wanted the man said he had some cards to sell...he took out a binder with some 1992 Donruss Nolan Ryan cards in the front. The dealer took a look at the first page and told the guy, "I don't buy that junk," and turned around. The older man said that he had some old Pirates programs and some older cards but the dealer essentially ignored him. I didn't. I asked what programs...he said Pirates from the 40s and 50s. He then asked me if I wanted to see them. I told him yes and we went to a bench in the mall. We sat and looked at the programs and he told me about going to Forbes Field and making the "long" drive to Crosley one year to watch the Pirates and the Reds. He also had a local paper clipping from 1951 of him holding cards and talking about buying and trading baseball cards. I asked him if he had any of those old cards still...he said sure, right here at the back of this binder. I flipped to the back and he had a bunch of 1941 Playball cards. He told me he would sell me the Playball cards for whatever I had in my wallet. I had $12 but I told him I would go to the ATM. I took out $300 (all I was allowed) and handed it to him. He said it was worth it just to talk to someone who knew the game and could appreciate the cards.

I had just bought a vg+ originally collected, one owner 1941 Play Ball Set. I talked to Earl a few other times over the next couple of years and bought a few programs. He also owned an autograph book that contained 100s of signatures of Pirates from Wanger to Maz! I could not get him to sell this to me but that was okay. I love this set.

Joshua

[ChrisStufflestreet]

Picked this one up for about $12 in '92...



It's a W512 card from 1926. They normally have the player's complete name and team listed, but I'm fine with 80% of the card.

Not the prettiest card, but a Bambino from his playing days is sweet at that price.

[cobblove]

My favorite steal at a show.
In 2000 or 2001 cant remember but it was the national in chicago that year. I walked around the 2nd day of the show looking for something to buy. I was manly interested in pre 1975 wax. I found one dealer who had tons of 1950s-1970s wax, Not Mark Murphy. And he had everything price about right. But he had half a box of 1973 topps baseball all series at 55.00 a pack. I think he was wax fromthepast but not 100% sure. I said will you take 550.00 for the last 12 packs and the box? He said sure. So Im walking around in this show with this box. And I walk past another wax pack dealer and he said what do you got there. So I showed him. He said are you interested in selling these. And I said well mark murphy list them in SCD for 150.00 each what will you give me, he said well I normally buy from him at those prices so how about 125.00 a pack. SOLD!! Had the box for no more than 2 hours. Easiest 1000.00 Ive made. And it was off 2 dealers at the same show. LOL

[Bobsbats]

I bought this Ruth for 400.00....partly because I only had 100.00 and could only get 300.00 from the ATM.....not too bad.

Baseball pictures 630.jpg

[Bobsbats]

Also bought this one for 75.00....but recently parted with it for pretty good return.
Baseball pictures 482.jpg

[E93]

Jeff, You are too funny. JimB

Originally Posted by Bicem

(just kidding!)

[wrapperguy]

Luckily, my Dad and I have been going to shows and hunting for baseball stuff since the 1983 Chicago National. Back then, you could run ads in the newspaper or find nice items at garage sales.
1 - At a garage sale, Dad found about 250 beautiful 1965 Topps football cards including 5 Namath rookies, 4 of which we sold via Mastro over the years that graded 7 or 8. At the same garage sale, Dad bought 2 1959 White Sox World Series programs.
2 - Ran an ad in the Chicago Tribune for "Baseball Items". Went to a guy's house who had created a scrapbook from the late 1930's, which was my Dad's hey day. Dad and this guy had a ball just reminiscing and I loved listening to all the good stories. The man sold us his scrapbook for $50. In it were cut up R310 Butterfingers of all the stars of the day. On the second to last page, sitting there in photo corners was a beautiful T222 of Walter Johnson. Sold via Mastro 5 years ago and helped pay for my oldest son's first year of college.
3 - Dad would go to a local shop in Des Plaines, the suburb right next to Rosemont, home of the Chicago Nationals, and got to know the owner well as they were contemporaries. Dad goes in the shop one day about 15 minutes after a guy had come in with some 1930's stuff. Dad paid $300 total for an EX National Chicle complete set, half of a 1938 Goudey set, and a bunch of 1939 Playballs.
4 - I did my teaching in a well-to-do North Shore suburb of Chicago. In between classes in 1984, I am looking in the classifieds and see a garage sale advertising "baseball stuff" being held in a more wealthy suburb. I figure what else do I have to do on a Saturday morning? I am the first guy there and immediately see a deck of cards that have "Philadelphia Athletics" on them. The owner asks me if I like baseball stuff. I say sure, and he replies "The good stuff is inside!" He has a dozen Black Bats dating back to the mid-1930s, 65 autographed baseballs, and a near complete run of press pins with duplicates from 1911-1961.
Amazingly, I had stumbled upon the garage sale of Bill Harridge, grandson of American League president, Will Harridge! Dad and I went back later that week and helped him identify most of the autographed balls and bought 4 of them. I bought and later sold the Black Bats. The press pins were too expensive so I brokered the deal with Jim Johnston, one of the early press pin gurus. Those were the days!

[edhans]

Bought off ebay just 3 years ago. Photos were very blurry. When I blew them up I was stunned to see the back. It's now in an SGC 50 holder.

[3-2-count]

Picked up for what I think was a modest price of $800 bucks.

[dwr11]

My parents were antique dealers so I grew up going to Flea Markets, Garage Sales and Auctions. I have had numerous finds through the years but some of the better ones include 1915 PM1 pin of Eppa Rixey in a free box at a garage sale. A run of complete Topps sets from 1955 - 1961 for $100.00 each. I was only able to afford two of the sets at the time so I bought the 1956 and 1961 sets. A nice 1952 Red Man set with the tabs found in an Antique shop. I later sold this to 707 which I regret doing. Around 12-14 autographed team balls from the early 1960's for $5.00 each including two 1963 Dodgers signed balls. The best was probably a collection of hartlands some of which are included in this photo.

[lharri3600]

paid $88 for it!!

[triwak]

Not prewar, but back in the early 70's (I was a young teen), a buddy and me found a garage sale while riding our bikes. They had a HUGE box of cards from the 50's - 60's, selling for a penny a piece. We dug through it for about two days, until the man finally kicked us out of there! I probably spent a whole 25 cents. No telling what we left behind or didn't recognize? This essentially became the foundation of my HOF set. Here are some highlights:

[drdduet]

Leon has one of "mine"--1927 Sports Company America Babe Ruth, apparently unique variation--the other 1927 dated Ruth has a variation in bio line placements. Picked it out of Ebay as a Vg appearing copy of a Sports Co. of America Ruth for about $300, sold for $5K. A true hobby rarity, and important card.

My greatest "steal" was the purchase of about 20# of "fake" gold coins. Of them about 12# were real--go figure. I bought them online for a treasure hunt for my little girl's 3 year old birthday 4 years ago--shipping was a bear. I notified the "flea market group" that sold it to me, they didn't seem all that interested. Just a note--not all foreign currency is worthless!

[sox1903wschamp]

Not Pre-War but ranks up there for me as a steal. Back in College (mid 80's), me and a few buddies (of the card collecting nerd group on campus) would post signs around campus that we would buy old Baseball cards for cash.

We picked up some nice collections but nothing to knock your socks off. Another student told us they had about 50 or so cards from the 60's. So we were not exactly gung ho about them until we saw what they were.

Well, the cards were all 59 Homerun Derby and 59 Bazooka and in pretty nice shape. $60 bucks for all of them! Very nice and after being spilt 3 ways between us collectors, I managed 15-20 nice cards for $20 including a Bazooka Mays and Derby Aaron.

Also, when I was 12 or 13, my French Canadian next door nieghbor decided to throw out his childhood collection of early 60's Parkies. Being the card nerd from hell in the nieghborhood, I fished out about 300 cards out of the trash as my nieghbor gave me the evil eye. And he kept them in nice shape

[ChiefBenderForever]

Everything I win off ebay seems like a complete steal compared any auction house.

[Mikehealer]

Nothing fancy, but I did pick up both of these off ebay in the past year.
The Baker raw for $42 and the Lake graded PSA 4 for $52.
I still have the Baker but sold the Lake.

[Exhibitman]

Blurry scan on Ebay but the copyright notice rang a bell for me so I bought it. Turned out to be the 1st verifiable commercially-produced boxing card, pre-1870:



This came in a miscellanous "grab bag" lot of boxing cards in an old Lelands auction. Key to the set and now in an SGC 80 holder:



This is the only known example of the T220 silver border Mike Donovan card. Got it on Ebay in the pre-catalog days:



Someone posted a lot of 6 Weber Bakeries movie cards for $19.99 BIN. I BINed:



These pieces of original art flew under the radar in an auction:

--PC Back Exhibit Sammy Bohne



--W517 Bill Terry:

[Tim Fritz]

Not pre-war, but found a program from the Ice Bowl at a rummage sale here in Wisconsin about 3 years ago. In a lot of about 20 other magazines from the mid to late 60s (mostly SIs). Looks nice in my Packer and Badger themed sports room. One of a few nice Packer items I've gotten at rummage sales in past 10+ years.

[Rickyy]

I bought this at Bob Lee's Labor Day show in SF in the early 90's...for $120 which I thought was a lot back then... later got it slabbed in its present state. At the same show, I bought a 51 Bowman Willie Mays for $200 which came back a PSA 5. But I did pass on a T206 Magie (error) that was at least in Good condition that was priced at $500. Oh well can't win em all!

[wolfdogg]

Found an album in a shop back in early 90s that had T206s and various E cards, and a few Goudeys (probably 50-60 E90-1 that for some reason I didn't buy them all)......the dealer, obviously not knowing much about them (he knew the "big names") had them priced so I picked a few out including these-----for $50 E90 Speaker, T206 Marquard with Lenox back, T206 Herzog with Lenox back, '33 Goudey Berg and a T206 O'HARA ST.LOUIS!!!(it was trimmed all way around but oh well).........then the next week....same album....for $40 E90 Fromme, T206 Abbaticchio with EPDG back and T206 Duffy with Tolstoi back.....then for $25 E102 Miller fielding and E102 Zimmerman......he then told me there were 3 Old Judge cards in there that he had pulled out cause they were really old......he would only sell me one.....he said take your pick....$150 each......I looked....the 3rd card was GALVIN, PITTSBURG.....that one came home with me

One other steal was.....called a well-known dealer after he attended a large show.....said he had picked up about 25 Old Judges....he started calling them out.....about half way thru he said...."Hoy, Washington"....I said "STOP!!!!"....he told me the condition (which is VERY nice with stain) and said $80......guess where that one is now..........I later explained to him who Hoy was.....