My two large cents on this:

Both John and Leon are right. Yes, the majority of collectors know this site and read it, but clearly not all do. Leon, I introduced you to an old time collector this week, you spoke with him on the phone. I mentioned Net54 to him and he had no idea what it was. And he's been collecting vintage cards for decades. I had a very good customer who used to place significant bids on tobacco cards in every auction I ran. He didn't even know how to use a computer, and had to phone his bids in to me. And he's been around for decades too. The number of people who know this site is growing every day, but there are still many collectors who aren't aware of it.

Should all auction houses advertise here? Of course, it's not expensive and it reaches a ton of collectors. Would it have had an affect on the Plank? Probably not, that card wasn't an "all-there 5", and many serious bidders chose not to go any higher. But I always advertised here before an auction and would unquestionably recommend it to someone who doesn't.

John
 

John, I thought a smart fella like yourself would recognize hyperbole when you see it versus a "naive, uninformed" LITERAL statement ....

It's true when many people started their large collections years ago, Net54 may not have existed....

However in today's day and age of google search engines, smart phones and wifi, one may say that a serious collector who has NOT FOUND THIS SITE is
"naive and uninformed"

Cheers

I wasn't talking about Greg Businneau when I used the term "bumbling idiot". I will just leave it at that. A rounding error huh? :) Sounds like you think I need a price increase!!

in defense of greg, its not like his auction isn't written up on the net in popular places. it was in a psa article here. i know of many boxing collectors, many old timers who don't use a computer, or very sparingly and sparingly or never use email. They are not blooming idiots, or uninformed idiots, or idiots of any stripe and they do just fine finding what they want to buy.

http://www.psacard.com/Articles/Arti...-today-july-25

Opinion..
 

Too many auctions/auction houses. I can't keep them all straight - and even though I'm enrolled with most (.. I think), I can't keep track of who has what, when, and when it ends.

BTW - you know the market shrinks as the costs go up. In other words, there are far fewer people with the means to buy a Plank in that condition than, per say, a Dots Miller in a common back 2. That said, IMO - any chance you have to reach even one potential buyer in a cost effective manner should be at least considered. Word of mouth alone from one member here to someone who may not be, but in the market for that card, can be the difference in thousands (next bid increment on that card)

Do banner ads drive sales? To some degree, I believe so - but it's more about merchandising and top-of-mind awareness than "clicks" (unfortunately too many advertisers seem to only look at "clicks" and "leads" unless it's an ego buy on mainstream mediums like TV, Radio, Newspaper, Billboard, etc). These are two important factors that more than a few members have mentioned in not even being aware of Greg's auction or end date this go-round. I will add myself to that list BTW.

Would the banner ads have made them aware, take note and bid? Who knows for sure, but I'd rather look at it from this point - not having them here, not advertising here certainly played a role in potential buyers NOT being made aware, not being in the game.

"The Real Housewives of Net54". Here's what my 3 yr old thinks about the nagging and bickering:

At the start of 2013, my Dad told he was ready to consign his collection of about 300 pre war cards he has been sitting on for 50 years. I did tons of research (how I found Net 54), and found all the auction houses I could find (there are a lot of them). I am computer savvy. I scoured the internet.

Not once did I come across a hint of a trail of Bussineau's auction house.

So even if he doesn't need to advertise for buyers, advertising to newbies who have a bunch of items they might want to consign might be a good idea.

Leon, all joking aside if the advertising is as effective as you say and I have no reason to doubt you. I would say yes an increase isn’t a bad idea because those prices seem a little cheap.

Scott,

Sorry must have missed the hyperbole as you continued to explain your case.

Also perhaps I was too busy reading your PM to me. You know the one where you rambled about your higher education and stacks of degrees, the one where you wanted to know if I was a silver spoon baby or a self-made man?

Scott the only reason you can send me PM’s like the above is because I as collector choose to share from my collection. If I was like others I would be unknown to you and you would have no idea about me or my collection. Not unlike the many you claim don’t exist because they haven’t found an internet chat site.

Scott me saying your statement was uniformed wasn’t a personal attack against you. I was simply disagreeing with you and felt it was a naïve blanket statement that wasn’t true. I think I explained myself in a civil manner to you as well.

So do me a favor please don’t be gentle and vanilla on the public forum then fill my inbox with snappy attacks and cheap shots. You have something to say want to take a shot at me do it publicly. In simple terms due to my overall lack of higher education…grow a pair say it for all to read or just don’t say it. :)

I think it is a bargain at this price. Great deal for the buyer...bad for the seller.

In my work as a stock broker, I was quite surprised to learn just how many of our wealthy clients avoided computers and the internet altogether. Typically these were the firm's older clients. They were, of course, highly intelligent, and well-educated, but for one reason or another, they felt intimidated by the technology, and politely declined when I offered to help educate them. They were still able to conduct their business successfully by employing what we might consider antiquated means.

I might be making an educated guess here, but it would not surprise me in the slightest if there were similarly hobby enthusiasts, with quite extensive collections, who did not use the internet, or partake in discussions on forums like this one. However, I would expect that to change. While investment firms are willing to do whatever is necessary to help their clients achieve their goals, the hobby is changing, and with the precipitous drop in the number of "brick and mortar" card shops, these old fashioned collectors will be forced to adapt in order to continue on.

Not my style....if I have something to say to someone and I feel nobody else would care, I send a PM...that's a PRIVATE message if you forgot what PRIVATE meant....wasn't me calling someone naive and uniformed because I DISAGREED with their statement....

Well Scott I never said “you” personally as a whole were naïve and uninformed I only implied I felt that way about your comment in this thread.

Not your style huh? Right your style is to hide behind PM and send messages such as the below because I disagreed with a comment you made and dared use the terms naïve/uninformed to voice my disagreement.

http://photos.imageevent.com/piojohn.../fandingus.jpg

I find it odd for such a beacon of genius in an otherwise drab world of dullards such as myself. That a simple comment like the one I made to Leon would get under your skin and have you of all people resort to my junk is bigger than your junk PM’s. Seems like a very pedestrian use of one’s time especially from someone as brilliant as yourself. My apologies Scott looks like I have a lot to learn about class, culture and style from folks like you another reason I’m glad I found Net54 to share my collecting. :rolleyes: Until then my style is to call out the above because the above is not needed here or anywhere.

If you say stuff like the above to me or any member don’t expect to hide behind a PM while keeping a polish for the folks on the main page, man up. In the end not only will I let folks know but with the low price of the banner ads I may just take one out and tell them that way. :)

Good day to you professor Fandango.

I do not read this board nor participate any more. Unless someone sends me a direct link to view like this one. I rarely buy anything and I have a very small budget and I am a zero in the hobby with a few cards to my name. Dan Mckee.

P.S. I agree completely with John unfortunately, and the Legendary folks will be the first to tell you, the auction sales in major catalog auctions from this board's active members is a small percentage of the hobby. Mark Theotikus correct me if I am wrong.

In the 90s I won a '15 PSA 7 Cracker Jack Alexander out of whatever auction Bussineau was then running, maybe it was Superior I don't recall. This was before high resolution internet pics. The card came and it was unbelievably wavy and obviously had been soaked if not trimmed. You could have surfed on it; I showed it to Steve Rocchi at a show and he burst out laughing. Bussineau refused to take it back, even when a PSA dealer who knew him pretty well intervened on my behalf. For a lousy little grand, as the line goes, he cost himself a customer.

Scott, he got his ticket the old fashioned way....eating a shitload of cheap chocolate bars....it 's all in the numbers man....eventually you'll hit gold. They still cover Probability & Statistics in college right?

I have no intention of entering this fray, but will say I find fewer things more off putting than the 'ole "my junk is bigger than your junk" conversation. I don't know what it is but since I was younger, and then especially in college (meaning when a bunch of 18 year olds were given an opportunity to re-write and/or boast about their pasts.. lots of HS "legend" types in the dorms), I have been annoyed as hell by this.

Now as an adult, living in a city I love, but also one filled with its share of big braggadocious egos, it still really annoys me. It always seems like the same perpetrators telling the same dinner stories over and over. I think they imagine they're being subtle when they drop the "while I was studying at___" as an intro to an otherwise unrelated story. I like to think I've developed a good radar for this junk. There was a recently banned board member (no name mentioned) who loved to go on about his level of education, his degrees and college grades. I felt no need to voice my annoyance, but it (and other things) really made it hard for me to ever empathize with the other stuff he had going on... all of which may have been very valid and/or otherwise compelling.

My only sibling, my older sister graduated HS in 3 years, went to a top tier school, graduated a dual major, then earned an MD and JD simultaneously. She is now a successful vascular surgeon at a very good university hospital. She is impressive to me, and even more so because she never brags, and would definitely never use her pedigree and/or intellect as fuel to make someone else feel lesser. My dad and several aunts/uncles are PHDs, my wife and all four brothers in law are JDs. I myself have a simple bachelor's degree, and am 100% content with it. Others I know, like my father in law have been very very successful without a college degree. Quality is definitely not measured by how many degrees you have. Good people are good people, and wannabes are wannabes. Being proud of your accomplishments is fine, being confident is great.. but to this outsider, it is almost never impressive if you have to tell someone it's impressive.

Damn.. maybe I entered the fray:eek:.. I guess my goal now is to speak no further.

Oh... and to the original topic (Plank). I got my email notifications from Greg Bussineau Auctions and am now kicking myself for not looking at the auction closer! I've bought a couple items from him, one auction, one from his website and have been happy with both.:)

ADDING: John, please keep posting your cards, I think I speak for most in saying we love seeing those things!

Huggins and Scott has opened
and they have a PLANK
1909 Phil Carm E95 and includes some other nice beauties-- wish it was broken up. Im starting to fall in love with pre-war :D
http://www.hugginsandscott.com/cgi-b...l?itemid=59597

Thermometers have degrees and do you know where they stick those?

The banner ad thing is interesting. I never click on them and as most of my viewing is done on an iPad, I scroll right past them/it.

The banner ads get my attention over the long haul, keep me up to date as to which auction house has an auction going on. And if a new company advertises I'll notice it.

I'm not an active bidder or consignor so they don't get my money. But I work well as an advertising guinea pig.

One thing about this site, as opposed to facebook or CNN.com, is all the advertising is directly related to the site. No dating or testosterone ads here.

You obviously haven't seen our newest advertiser? A Viagra commercial :)

http://williamgregory.net/images/laughing_2.gif there goes the neighborhood.

The Greek philosopher Socrates lived off a large inheritance and didn't possess any advanced degrees. That didn't stop him from making a rather large contribution to western civilization.

The Kardashians live off a large inheritance and don't possess any advanced degrees.........lipstick on pigs.

OMG, we're comparing the Kardashians and Socrates? I can't wrap my head around that one. I need to go look at baseball cards for a while. :eek:

I think mentioning anything Kardashian on this board should be grounds for suspension/dismissal...but I'm guessing Leon's busy at the national right about now?!

......but Pete, she likes baseball, and she has nice teeth!:) Dave.

As a Giants fan, I have to admit that this is the first time I haven't minded looking at somebody in a Dodgers uniform :)

I suppose as long as she doesnt open her mouth...except to show her nice teeth...its ok?! :p

Dan is correct however Legendary is not the only auction house who would state the active members here make up a very small percentage of the hobby.

This is because they sell Lee Trevino's signed golf gloves and Derek Jeter's practice jerseys.. If they list a T210 Orange Border, someone who reads, or has read this board bought it.

Why is Kim Kardashian defacing that beautiful Rawlings baseball?

As of this morning we have 4,724 registered members, all of which I have manually approved upon them sending their contact info in an email to me. And that is only counting the "Bruces" as 1 !!. Other than that we have 28 active advertising banners. Whatever that small percentage is, those are what our numbers are. Everyone can think what they want, it's America!!

Personally, I think in the pre-war space we have a large percentage that at least read the board. As for the whole baseball card collecting hobby, it's a very small percentage.

And Hi from the National!! Had a great day in sales yesterday but couldn't get away from the table too much. Hopefully will be able to walk around more today. Wish everyone could be here with us.

I wrote active, not registered, users. By active, I am referring to those who post with some regularity.

Banners should be just as effective to those who just read, as those who post. But I agree with you, not very many people actually post everyday, that's a very small fraction of the number Leon posted.