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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>Peter_Spaeth</b><p>Cobby -- damned if I know. But as I stated in a prior post, I agree that at this point there is no evidence that any wrongdoing happened with respect to cards.
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>Cobby33</b><p>Agreed!
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>barrysloate</b><p>Most of the posts here are knee jerk reactions, so I wouldn't be throwing out any cards or boycotting anyone quite yet. I don't think running a telemarketing scam correlates to selling trimmed cards, but it might be fair to say the auction house could be financed with dirty money. It's easy to stock up on nice cards when the money used to buy them was stolen from old ladies and the disabled.
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>Brad</b><p><img src="/images/wink.gif" height=14 width=14>
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>rob</b><p>Guess I will throw out the wagner I just won in his auction.
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>Colt McClelland</b><p>Jim Crandall,<br /><br />You are what you are, and you continue to reinforce it through posts like those. I hope you keep it up so that you get kicked out of here. <br /><br />Peace be with you.<br /><br />Your friend,<br /><br />Colt McClelland<br /><br /><br />edited to add Jim Crandall's last name so as not to be confused with JimB, one of the truly great guys in this hobby.<br />
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>cmoking</b><p>everyone decides for themselves. There is no "we" when you are spending your own money. Nobody is going to decide how I spend mine, nor am I going to decide how someone spends their's. With that said, here are my personal thoughts for my money:<br /><br />(a) Do we no longer purchase from Memory Lane?;<br />I won't say no, but I will be very careful. I'll probably only bid on cards that I know are consigned and that I know the consignor. In the latest auction, I won a card which I knew who the consignor was, and that made me more comfortable bidding on it. It really limits my choices, but I'm comfortable with that decision.<br /><br />(b) What do we do with cards (graded and raw) already purchased from Memory Lane?<br />I personally will look through my records and review all the ones that I bought from them very very very very carefully. I'll have a friend of mine who is really good at spotting altered cards and ask him to please check them out for me. <br /><br />(c) Do we likewise blackball all auction houses subject to these allegations (this isn't the only one), because of the potential for some questionable cards?<br />Every auction house is different since they are run by different people. I'll try to judge them individually and see how comfortable I am bidding on their stuff. I know there are some auction houses that I will be very comfortable with and others that I won't bother to bid at all. But for me personally, I'll make a case-by-case decision for myself.
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>Cobby33</b><p>Very thoughtful answers. Thank you.
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>Scot Reader</b><p>DELETE
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>E, Daniel</b><p>If you do as the Dalai Lama would do whilst wading through all this doo-doo predicament, I'll do it too - and I'll take your word on it!<img src="/images/happy.gif" height=14 width=14>
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>Hal Lewis</b><p>Just so everyone knows...<br /><br />I have been told by someone I trust very much that it is DEFINITELY the SAME guy.<br /><br /><img src="/images/sad.gif" height=14 width=14>
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>Dan Koteles</b><p>what the eff is a Pai gow ?
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>Bottom of the Ninth</b><p>Dan,<br /><br /><br />I'm not sure but I know I would not ask JP as he does not seem to know either. <br /><br />Greg
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>Paul Moss</b><p>It's a game of poker where you make the best two hands, one two card, one five card, that both must beat the dealer's in order to win.
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>Griffin's</b><p><<what the eff is a Pai gow ?>><br /><br />Type of poker played at the Hollywood Park casino (where the card shows were until this year) that used dice along with cards.
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>JimCrandell</b><p>Wow--Paul Moss posting--Hey Paul--long time no see.<br /><br />Got any 1970 Kellogg psa 10s for me(ha ha).
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>Frank Evanov</b><p>"(a) Do we no longer purchase from Memory Lane?;<br />I won't say no, but I will be very careful. I'll probably only bid on cards that I know are consigned and that I know the consignor. In the latest auction, I won a card which I knew who the consignor was, and that made me more comfortable bidding on it. It really limits my choices, but I'm comfortable with that decision"<br /><br />King, I can't see myself doing any business with a convicted felon who scammed charitable causes. I wouldn't buy a candy bar from him, much less a valuable collectible. <br><br>Frank
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>MikeU</b><p>MemoryLane is the only auction company that does not list a single employee profile on their website. Even further, not one single individuals name or e-mail address is noted on the website.
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>David Vargha</b><p><font color=blue>I believe JP's e-mail addy is MemoryLaneInc@aol.com</font><br><br>DavidVargha@hotmail.com
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>brian</b><p>I've been a high end PSA set builder since 1996. I have easily spent over a million dollars on PSA cards(8 grade only)in an attempt to build my sets from the 40's and early 50's. I've easily consigned over a million dollars in vintage cards with Mastro, Goodwin, Memory Lane and all the top PSA dealers over the past 10 years. I've personally worked with J.P. Cohen of Memory Lane for the past ten years. J.P. Cohen is as respected within the hobby by the top collectors as much as any other dealer. How do I know this? Because the legends of our hobby like Charlie and Marshall have worked with J.P. Cohen for years and have trusted him with their personal collections. I have consigned hundreds of thousands with Memory Lane over the years and I have never ever come close to having one negative experince with J.P. Cohen. Over the years I have built a relationship with J.P. based on trust. I've certainly never spent one cent with Greg which is not to say that he's dishonest, just not close to being held in the regard that the top collectors regard J.P. Cohen and Memory Lane. Most collectors would be stunned to know some of the dealers still in the hobby that had reputations for carving up cards prior to PSA. That's the only reason I remained in the hobby, PSA at least gave me a sense of comfort versus some self serving dealer. I suggest every collector base their opinion on their personal experience, not someone's alledged background from years ago. As I mentioned, send Charlie or Marshall an email sometime. <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>Hal Lewis</b><p>Brian:<br /><br />I appreciate your input, and hope that you don't mind these questions as they are "hypothetical" and not meant to accuse:<br /><br /><br />1) As a consignor... wouldn't you benefit from a dealer or auction house who shill bids on the items for sale in their auction? I doubt the auctioneer would ever tell you he was doing this, and you as the consignor would never be harmed. In fact, you would profit and probably choose to consign with this auction house because he somehow gets consistent high results.<br /><br />2) As a high end collector, wouldn't you be a perfect target for someone who "doctors" cards and then has a contact or reputation that allows him to get them slabbed in PSA holders? Won't you admit that if someone did this to a card and then sold it to you in a PSA holder, you would never know it?<br /><br /><br />I think these are the fears that all of us have.<br /><br /><br />If a person is doing either of these things... <br /><br />then they can afford to be as NICE and COOPERATIVE as possible with people such as yourself. They would know that acting professional is the BEST way to deflect attention away from themself.<br /><br /><br />In other words... if you found out today that JP Cohen had sold you some PSA cards that were doctored... wouldn't your opinion of him change?<br /><br />But yet you will never bust these cards out to find out (and I don't blame you as I would never do this either).
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>brian</b><p>Hal,<br /><br />I think the smart collectors know that the best and safest way to maximize their sales is to consign them with a dealer to let them sell versus a "one shot" consignment in an auction.
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>Jeff Lichtman</b><p>Brian, I appreicate your spin on the issue. My only comments are: a) are the allegations contained in Greg's article only "alleged" as you say or proven? Sounds like they were proven (following a guilty plea) to me. And b) has anyone here once claimed that Memory Lane has run a crooked auction? Or simply that they feel that such a possibility could exist considering one of the principals had plead guilty to defrauding innocent citizens in a particularly slimy manner? And lastly, regardless of Greg's motivation in posting this, how does JP Cohen's recent past as a fraudster reflect negatively on Greg Schwartz?
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>barrysloate</b><p>Brian- I don't know who you are since you didn't include your last name, but something about your post concerns me. I will give you the benefit of the doubt and assume that all your experiences with Memory Lane, both buying and selling, have been positive. But now that this story has come to light, doesn't it make you feel just a little bit uncomfortable? Is it possible that J.P. Cohen is doing all these altruistic things because he already made all the money he will ever need and he is now doing major damage control? Wouldn't it be advantageous for him to come across as a model citizen as a way of covering up a very ugly past?
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>Martin Neal</b><p>If these J. P. Cohens are on and the same, how could anyone consider doing business with him. If he profited from these illegal activities and I am making an assumption that he did, then what else does anyone have to know about him? I don't care if he is an exemplery businessman and model citizen, he should be stripped of all assets and made to work for his good fortune like the rest of us. About 10,000 hours of community service would do him good. Even this would not repay the harm he has done to the needy people of the world. Do we really need this type of individual in our hobby?
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>JimCrandell</b><p>Brian,<br /><br />While I agree with some of your points, I disagree with some too:<br /><br />1)I have bought a lot of cards from JP. He also provided an unbiased and I think accurate opinion on a very large bb card trade I did about 18 mos ago. All my experiences have been positive.<br /><br />2)I have enormous respect for Greg Schwartz(BOTN). Noone has done more imo to bring to light some of the shady practices going on in the industry than Greg...undoubtedly at the expense of his business. Not many know more than Greg about where all the bodies are buried as well. Call Greg about who is doing what in the hobby--you will be surprised.<br /><br />3)I think that a felony conviction of defrauding innocent civilians is relevant to the hobby.<br /><br />4)Auction houses will split or give up part of the auction premium on high quality or expensive lots.<br /><br />5)I too bought at auction a lot of psa cards in the mid-90s and I was not "run up" as I can remember. In fact when I looked back on the prices I paid for these cards it was nothing short of unbelievable in many cases.<br /><br />Jim
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>rob</b><p>First off, I have no experience with the people mentioned in this piece but i have one piece of advice for those who have. Most of us are honest, hard-working people who hang around honest hard-working people. I had the unfortunate experience of hanging around people who werent such, but I had no idea, nor did any of my co-workers. In other words, we take people at face value, believe what they say, and expect it to be true. The fact is, criminals dont care who they lie to and how much they lie. It is a slippery slope and becomes almost second nature, even when dealing with friends and family - especially when dealing with money. But as honest people, we often do see the clues or expect it because we dont have the experience of mingling with these individuals. Its white-collar crime and it is the most difficult to discover, but when it is, it is usually pretty broad-ranging. I am not sayng anyone is a criminal here, all I am saying is things arent always as they seem, and just because you believe someone has always been honest with you and you want to believe them, it doesnt make it so.
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>David Vargha</b><p><font color=blue>I spoke with a good friend of mine this morning, Kaiser Soze, and you wouldn't believe some of the stuff he said that's going on in the hobby.</font><br><br>DavidVargha@hotmail.com
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>barrysloate</b><p>David- at this point I would pretty much believe anything. Would you care to share a few juicy morsels with us?<br /><br />Edited to say David made a reference to a movie I was not familiar with.
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>Al C.risafulli</b><p>Barry, you really need to see that movie.<br /><br />-Al
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>Max Weder</b><p>Great movie reference for this thread (although it did take me a while to get it)<br /><br />Max
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>Brian</b><p>Jeff - I stated that Greg's comments are allegations and obviuosly the articles speak for themselves factually. If you presume these articles are about the same J.P. Cohen then make a decision based on his past and choose never to do business with him or his company again. I'm focusing on my personal experince with J.P. Cohen over the last few years as a dealer in the<br />hobby. <br />Jim - I'm glad you had some great experiences with auctions in the past, so did I overwhelmingly. Everything I ever purchased from 1997-2001 was PSA "slabbed" and due to the demand at the time virtually every card appreciated. I did have a few purchases like paying $42,000 for an Eddy Mathews in an "8" in 1998 at the peak and then watching it sell for less than half of what I paid in an auction in 2001. <br /><br /><br /><br /><br />
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>barrysloate</b><p>Brian- I didn't mean "who are you" in any disrespectful way. I just didn't know who I was speaking to, that's all. Sorry if you took it the wrong way.
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>E, Daniel</b><p>Fair enough Brian.<br />But what a person does to thousands upon thousands of other people in a negative way, is much more relevant to me as a human being.<br />I'll take an honest man/woman every day over one who manages to ACT professionally.<br /><br />My advice, read the article again, think of your grandmother as being the one who was bilked out of $45,000, and then decide if that's a man who deserves your business.<br /><br /><br />Sincerely<br />Daniel Enright<br /><br /><br />Ps. See, a last name isn't so hard to type <img src="/images/wink.gif" height=14 width=14>
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>leon</b><p>Since you didn't put your email address would you please email me privately? Thanks a lot..... leonl@flash.net
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>Frank Evanov</b><p>Brain...again no last name....<br /><br />I take issue with several of your comments:<br /><br /><I>"He [JP]....has done me countless favors"</I><br /><br />....well then I guess you'd be returning the favor by posting in his defense here.<br /><br /><I>"What is Greg trying to accomplish here?"</I><br /><br />....Greg is supplying collectors with facts we need to have when we decide where to spend our collecting dollars. That info is very relevant here.<br /><br /><I>"I suggest each collector and dealer look themselves in the mirror and decide if they'd like to cast a stone and also have their alledged history posted."</I><br /><br />...absolutely yes. I am not a convicted felon and I have nothing to conceal in my history. Your assumption that everyone has something to hide might be the reason you are so willing to trust someone convicted of such serious charges.<br><br>Frank
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>barrysloate</b><p>Brian- to respond further I will tell you I have never done a nickel of business with Memory Lane, and must confess I didn't even know who J.P. Cohen was until I read the article posted on this site and went through the thread. So I am dealing here exclusively with first impressions. I do not have access to any facts, and I don't plan to convict him of any crimes. But we all make first impressions, and mine is: I don't like what little I know about him. If even a fraction of that article is true, he sounds like a real scumbag, and I don't think he and I will be getting together for a beer anytime soon.<br /><br />So I will repeat my question in that context: Despite whatever positive experiences you have had with him, do you feel any differently after reading that article? Do you think everything in it is false, and that he is in fact an eagle scout? Might at least some or most of it be true?
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>Brian</b><p>Frank - You are correct, I am responding to all the negative posts based on the posted article. Am I defending anyone's history here? No, just conveying my experience with dealing with J.P. directly.<br /><br />Have you ever purchased or consigned with Memory Lane directly? Do you have any experience in dealing directly with J.P. Cohen in collecting cards? Did you have a bad/negative experience on any transactions? Would you regard this guy as honest in your dealings? Prior to this article would you have reccomended J.P. as a dealer? Would you answer these questions for me?<br />At this point that's probably much more relevant and beneficial going forward. <br /><br />
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>Ryan Christoff</b><p>Brian, <br /><br />The least you can do is post who you are. Dropping names and claiming knowledge of lawsuits doesn't help us know who you are. Just post your name. Or don't post. I thought that was the rule, Leon. <br /><br />-Ryan<br /><br />(Ryan Christoff to be exact)
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>dennis</b><p>we all liked OJ too.......<img src="/images/happy.gif" height=14 width=14>
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>E, Daniel</b><p>the watchmaker down the road who turned out to be a nazi camp guard in Austria seemed like such a nice old man too! <img src="/images/happy.gif" height=14 width=14> And boy, could he really fix watches. <br />Daniel
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>leon aka dictator or "dick" for short</b><p>I emailed Brian (hi Brian) and he emailed me right back with his contact info. I don't mind not putting the name on the board AS LONG as he's willing to email right back with his contact info etc.... If anyone emails Brian and he doesn't email you back let me know and I will give you his contact info, that's only fair. He seems ok to me from the email I got but that's all we have ever communicated, that I am aware of. Most anonymous people that blast folks won't email back and then I delete, censor, ban etc....best regards
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>Brian</b><p>Ryan and Frank, here you go.
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>Jeff Lichtman</b><p>Brian, your postings are hilarious. You refuse to even acknowledge if the JP Cohen of Memory Lane is the same JP Cohen in Greg's articles -- yet you suggest that the conduct committed by Memory Lane's JP is "alleged" (despite the fact that he plead guilty to fraud) and that the very few handful of dealings that any one consumer might have had with Memory Lane or JP are more relevant than his incredibly sordid recent fraudster past? Dude, you're kidding, right? Since he's such a good friend of yours and he's done you so many favors, why not do him a solid now and call him up and find out whether or not he's the JP Cohen in Greg's articles? Wouldn't it be a shame for him to be taking such a beating out here unfairly? <br /><br />All that being said, JP paid his debt to society (though I'm certain he did not make full restitution back to his victims) and has moved on into a governmentallly-unregulated industry. Buyer beware, end of story.
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>barrysloate</b><p>Jeff- your key phrase is "governmentally unregulated industry." It's just for that reason that so many unethical hanger-ons have flocked to this business, because schemes and cons that wouldn't fly elsewhere work like a charm in the sports memorabilia industry.
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>Bottom of the Ninth</b><p>Brain<br /><br />The only allegation I have made is that JP must not be good at Pai Gow Poker if he was losing 50K a night. <br /><br />I cannot take credit for finding the articles posted above. They apparently have been up there for years and for some reason they only started to circulate yesterday. All I did was post them here as I felt they were relevant since they landed in my lap. I do not have the time or interest to go on a witch hunt. I leave that in more capable hands.<br /><br />None of the articles call into question the way in which JP Cohen runs his business today. I have not even made a comment about JP's conduct as outlined in these articles and I have not said anything negative about his current business practices. <br /><br />You admitted that you have never done business with me, which means we probably have never talked but you have been able to conclude my motive for posting this. In addition you stated that I know something about a situation involving Candiotti. You are wrong on both accounts. If mind reader is what you aspire to be, please do not quit your day job.<br /><br />Thanks to those who posted in an effort to show Brain the flaws in his logic.<br /><br /><br />Greg
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>Paul</b><p>Maybe it's a little off point, but I thought I'd offer my unique perspective on this -- the perspective of one of JP Cohen's (small time) victims.<br /><br />I live in Orange County, CA where the scam took place. I was young and naive the early 1990s, and making decent money for someone my age. I started receiving phone calls from various "charities" asking for donations. They all had "police", "fire dept.", or "veteran" in their name.<br /><br />At first, I made a few donations, always $25 a shot, which is what they asked for. After awhile, the calls became so frequent that it was a burden to even answer the phone, let alone write any more checks. So, I stopped the donations cold. One of the tactics used by the solicitors at this point was to remind me how "generous" I had been in the past. They were able to quote back to me exactly how much I had given. Since almost every call had been from a "different" organization, I wondered how the caller could have this information and became immediately concerned. I asked how they could possibly know how much I had given, and my concern only increased. He responded that he was actually a "representative" of a great number of charities. My concern moved to disguist with his answer to my next question. I asked him how much the "representative" agency keeps and how much goes to charity. After giving me a song and dance about how much goes to overhead, etc., he said that a "full 15%" goes to the charity. I nearly gagged. <br /><br />The calls kept coming for awhile, and just for fun, I always asked how much goes to the charity. The answer was almost invariably 15%. I've always been surprised I got a response, but I assume they were attempting to comply with some disclosure regulation.<br /><br />Anyhow, shortly thereafter, I learned from my co-workers that this was a scam that had been going on for awhile and that it was fairly common knowledge. <br /><br />Paul
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>Jeff Lichtman</b><p>The funniest parts of Brian's posts is that he takes a few swipes at Greg's morals and motives yet still won't even acknowledge that his good friend JP of Memory Lane is the guy in the articles Greg posted.
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>barrysloate</b><p>Paul- what is astonishing about your story is that as long as they were scamming you, why not tell you that 95% of the donation goes to charity? Who would consider giving any money if one thought that only 15% would go to the cause? They sound like really dumb scammers. I never give anybody money for anything over the phone, because you just don't know who is at the other end.
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>Brian</b><p>Jeff- I'm not an idiot and I responded the same way earlier. Obviously these articles state conviction and plead guily. I used the word "allegations" in referencing these articles as factual to this being the same J.P. I met J.P. as a collector not some social circle. My own personal experiences are based on him as a dealer.<br /><br />Answer these questions please:<br /><br />1. Have you ever worked with J.P. on a sale or a purchase?<br /><br />2. If so what was your experience?<br /><br />3. Would you reccomend him prior to this article?<br /><br />End of story for me. I'm not trying to defend these articles. I've never made it a practice to inquire into people's personal lives that I do business with. <br /><br />Bottom line on this: The collectors will speak with their actions. I have yet to see one NEGATIVE post on Cohen as a dealer. Please post your personal experience with him as a dealer. The articles are out and at this point we can make our own moral judgements. This is a sports collectible forum. Please tell me something relevant as a current dealer. Did he rip you off? Did he renege on you? Did you purchase altered/bogus cards from him? Is he a slow pay when buying or slow when delivering when you purchase? Give me something on him as a dealer over the past few years that you personally have experienced.<br /><br />Is that too much to request? That's all I did<br /><br />
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>Jeff Lichtman</b><p>Brian, I hear you re JP's recent history at Memory Lane. But again, you still seem unwilling to at least confirm if it's the same JP in Greg's articles. I don't consider the public criminal record of a guy to be a 'private life' matter. And I think such an egregious, long-running, nasty fraud that he was involved in is something that any rational person who deals with Memory Lane or JP would at least be interested in. All of your points are well taken and my position is that the good - and the bad - should be thrown into the hopper when making a determination on going forward with him in business. To suggest that only the past few years matters, however, is really a bit short-sighted in my opinion.
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>cmoking</b><p>Brian, you are forgetting #4, which is the MOST important question for collectors:<br /><br />4. Would you reccomend him after reading this article with your own money?<br /><br />Some may say no, some may say yes. Apparently, you would say yes. Good for you. I'll bet the majority that read this would answer in the negatory.
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>E, Daniel</b><p>Ahh Brian, the almighty dollar! If that is your only guide it is going to drive you into some very dark, dark corners.......and the people you are going to have to hold hands with, well, lets' just say that soap and water won't always make you feel clean afterwards.<br /><br />If you're trying to suggest or recommend that the only way we judge people is on whether or not they can manage to palm a buck or two, that's better left to the boardrooms of top100 companies and the cells of our public jails. This board relfects the hobby as it is experienced on a very personal level by collectors, otherwise we could just post pics. and dollar amounts and skip the chit chat.<br /><br /><br />Daniel<br /><br /><br />
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>Brian</b><p>Jeff - I just sent you an email. Would one of you please answer the obvious question?<br /><br />What are your experiences with J.P. Cohen as a dealer over the past few years?<br /><br />Who can give us some feedback on this guy as a dealer and auction house?<br /><br />We can "beat" on the articles endlessly, and we all agree they are very negative. I suppose at some point the articles should be discuseed on another chatroom and anyone who has actually dealt with J.P. as a dealer as I have can post their opinions of him as a dealer along with their experiences. Aren't you at least glad to hear that I was "dumb" enough to hand him over $300,000 in PSA cards at one time and I was never cheated or dealt with unprofessionally? Aren't you glad that I'm not posting experiences of getting ripped off by Cohen? Would you like me to lie? I can't comment on his or any other collector's past because I met every dealer as a collector.<br /><br />Please tell me your thoughts on this guy as a dealer.
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>B.C.Daniels</b><p>" Just so everyone knows...<br /><br />I have been told by someone I trust very much that it is DEFINITELY the SAME guy." quote from Hal<br /><br />(or do you already know?)<br /><br /><a href="http://sandiego.fbi.gov/bullpen/bullpen.htm" target="_new" rel="nofollow"><a href="http://sandiego.fbi.gov/bullpen/bullpen.htm</a" target="_new" rel="nofollow">http://sandiego.fbi.gov/bullpen/bullpen.htm</a</a>><br /><br />(hint:search result page*)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.sportsmemorabilia.com/bullpen-ebay.html" target="_new" rel="nofollow"><a href="http://www.sportsmemorabilia.com/bullpen-ebay.html</a" target="_new" rel="nofollow">http://www.sportsmemorabilia.com/bullpen-ebay.html</a</a>><br /><br /><br />Dave,<br /><br />Is he really?<br /><br />Under another name?<br /><br />He certainly did not post when I asked him to post on the practices of his company.<br /><br />If I was advising him, I would tell him to be honest. Alternative is not good.<br /><br />Jim<br /> <br />But Jim! smell the black roses*<br />there are others! shock! surprise! And YES JIm,THEY use aliases!!!!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.fbi.gov/hq/cid/fc/ec/sm/smoverview.htm" target="_new" rel="nofollow"><a href="http://www.fbi.gov/hq/cid/fc/ec/sm/smoverview.htm</a" target="_new" rel="nofollow">http://www.fbi.gov/hq/cid/fc/ec/sm/smoverview.htm</a</a>> ( the dealer is presently active even with his tramendous negative feedback*)<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />BcD <img src="/images/happy.gif" height=14 width=14>
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>Brian</b><p>E. Daniel - Nice post. Now tell us your experience with J.P. Cohen as a dealer. Have you ever worked with him? Any feedback regarding this guy as a dealer? As far as the almighty buck you idiot, it's not my job to police the hobby and make moral judgements for people like you. Now you are trying to parallel this with FORTUNE 100 CEO's? Where exactly is this going? I'm a scum bag because I report that I've had a positive experience in my dealings with J.P. Cohen? Again, give us collectors something relevant about this guy as a dealer. I think my experience helps collectors much more than your opinion of these articles. I'm not defending anyone's actions in these articles, just posting my experience in dealing with J.P Cohen and Memeory Lane. <br /><br />Please comment if you have any experience in dealing with Cohen directly. It's a simple yes or no, right?
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>Frank Evanov</b><p>I have dealt with JP as a dealer and I really <U>don't know</U> if I have been ripped off. Many of my "maximum bids" in the Memory Lane auctions have indeed gone to that level. Was I cheated? I honestly don't know. I did not use to think so, but with these new revelations...NOW I AM NOT SO SURE.<br><br>Frank
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>poorjackman</b><p>I have bought some lower-priced items from the company,<br>and never had a problem.<br><br>Nothing in the articles has influenced me in regard to<br>where I would spend money on collectibles.<br><br>The controversy would likely be rested if the person under <br>discussion simply said: <br><br>"This is the last time I am going to talk about this, but I want you<br>all to know that I have made some mistakes in the past,<br>and I have paid a heavy price for those mistakes. With the <br>help of friends and family, I have turned my life around<br>and intend to continue to make positive contributions to<br>the sports-memorabilia community. I value your friendship<br>and support, and I hope that you will continue to have <br>confidence in me as a participant in the hobby that we all enjoy."<br><br>For the folks who are not satisfied with that kind of statement,<br>further words would have no resolving impact either.<br><br><br><br>
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>E, Daniel</b><p>I love people who rant and froth in a 150 word diatribe, and then insist on the respondent restraining their reply to 1 word.......<br />So, here goes; Seeing someone make an absolute fool of themselves - barely able to untangle themselves from the English language and cogently reply to a post or understand its point.<br /><br />Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr - thump.<br />Here's your one word: Priceless <img src="/images/happy.gif" height=14 width=14><br /><br /><br />Daniel<br /><br /><br />Ps. Though I did hear that you stayed at a holiday inn last night <img src="/images/wink.gif" height=14 width=14><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Edited to remove "and swear", I know Brian would have liked to have placed a verb before the word 'idiot', but he didn't nonetheless......
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>barrysloate</b><p>To say Mr. Cohen has made some mistakes in the past seems like a bit of an understatement. Sounds like he made the same mistake, over and over again, to thousands of people, with very little remorse and without learning much from them. Perhaps there are many in the hobby who have had positive dealings with him, but the things he did in the past sound really, really bad. And we are not talking penny ante stuff either. Again I will add I do not know him; I've just been following this thread over the last couple of days.
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>Brian</b><p>Daniel - Just as I expected from you. You can't respond to my request regarding experience with Cohn as a dealer. Obviuosly proving my point that besides giving us your moral and ethical thoughts on these articles, you have zero first hand knowledge on this guy as a dealer. Like most self-rightous babblers, you just enjoy reading your words in print. As if your thoughts have now become the moral compass of this board. My very redundant point is what is your or anyone's on this board's experience with J.P. Coehn as a dealer. Any chance of giving me a 150 word plus response to Cohen as a dealer?
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>E, Daniel</b><p>Brian, your 150 words will be forthcoming as soon as you respond to all the other redundently asked follow up questions of you.......how does knowing that someone you deal with (and stand up for so very PASSIONATELY) STOLE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS from regular Joes and Jills, impact on your need to buy and sell cards from and through him?<br /><br /><br />Daniel<br /><br />
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>Brian</b><p>Daniel - Can't you get it through your "thick" head my point here? I don't get into Cohen's or any other dealer's personal business. Is it relevant if it's true? Yes, it is. At this point I'll assume it's all 100% true and give the guy the benefit of the doubt based on my personal experience until my next dealing with him. What is wrong with that?
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>Peter_Spaeth</b><p>One hears what you are saying. On the other hand, just as a general matter not specifically related to this situation, there comes a point at which some people would not want to do business with someone who crossed a certain moral line in other business or personal dealings. For example, I might feel uncomfortable buying cards from a convicted child molester even though he was a perfect gentleman in card transactions. Similarly, others might feel uncomfortable buying cards from someone who (apparently allegedly whatever qualifier you want to use) swindled innocent folks out of money on pretenses of raising funds for charities including sick children. It's just a matter of personal judgment, so your point, while valid, is not the only relevant perspective.
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>poorjackman</b><p>Daniel asked, in part:<br><br>"....how does knowing that someone you deal with ....STOLE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS from regular Joes and Jills, impact on your need to buy and sell cards from and through him?"<br><br>It would make me have some negative thoughts.<br><br>Then, the fact that the person was punished, pretty <br>much gets rid of those thoughts.<br><br>The system punished the person. The system represents<br>US. If we are not satisfied with the process, we might<br>as well just lock crime-doers away forever, or kill them<br>all. Punishing people further, AFTER the system has already<br>acted on OUR behalf, just is not the way it is done in<br>America.<br><br>WE give out lots of chances for people to do the right thing.<br>Sometimes it works out well, sometimes not. As far as I can<br>tell, from reading this thread, it seems to have worked out <br>OK in this instance.<br><br><br>
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>shane leonard</b><p>I have done a few transactions with J.P. Cohen and all of the transactions have been great. Did he shine my shoes after I bought a card from him? No. I really don't understand why it is important how he treats you, what he does for you or even who he screwed 18 years ago. I am buying cards that I need for my collection. Regards if the dealer has a bad hair piece or the whore that he has set up with him has a cocaine issue- If I need the card I am buying it. <br />Maybe I might be wrong here, but is it now important to not only have a card that is in perfect condition but also know the history of those who owned the card? <br />This hobby has become more of a pain in my ass than a time of pleasure and relaxing get-away from the day to day operations of life.
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>E, Daniel</b><p>No, in fact now that you have managed to admit that none of what Mr Cohen may have done in the past will affect your future dealings with him, I can very clearly state that I have never knowingly bought or sold an item to Memory Lane Inc. If the articles mentioned in this post are accurate, I will never do so in the future. My opinions about doing business with him are clearly based on character or lack of - and not proffessional, and I'm extremely comfortable including such criteria in my judgment processes.<br />I assume you understand how strange your incredibly tenacious defense of JP Cohen at every turn may appear to others, not only those with a moral compass.<br />It's near apoplectic, and suggests more than just a passing need for a fair hearing on Memory Lane practices. But, your motivations are your own and truly hard to judge based on what you have written thus far.<br />Good luck with your collecting, just don't come on to a chat board and demand to tell people what they can and can't think, do, or say.<br /><br />I haven't done so in this thread, but am clearly incredulous at your outbursts and thinking. Fortunately for us all this is America, and you are free to mouth off as much as you like.<br />Look forward to hearing something from you about sportscards in the future.<br /><br />Daniel<br />
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>Brian</b><p>Poorjack and Peter,<br /><br />After I hear more facts or speak with him directly I will make my own decisions going forward. It's simple, I will either continue working with someone that I have had a solid card buying/selling relationship over the years with or based on his history prior to the hobby choose not to work with him. Hopefully I'm answering your questions. Does someone's past influence my decision on working with them in the current? Absolutly it does, but I've worked with him for years and now we are addressing thse articles. I think this is going to play out rather quickly regardless of our opinions. I certainly respect your thoughts.<br /><br />Good luck!
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>Brian</b><p>Daniel - It wasn't my intent to try and influence anyone's thinking on this subject. All I did was convey my personal experiences with Cohen as a dealer. I suppose you must be glad that I'm not saying I had a horrible experience with him? <br /><br />Do me a favor, and edit you comments about me learning the telemarketing from J.P. for my business. It's a very slanderous comment and unless you can support that statment I think it's best that you remove it.<br /><br />Is that a fair request?<br /><br />I appreciate your opinions and thoughts.<br /><br />Good Luck!
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>E, Daniel</b><p>Certainly fair enough.<br />And I absolutely AM glad you have not had negative experiences dealing with him, I wish all fellow collectors only positive experiences (except where they outsnipe me on a really needed card <img src="/images/happy.gif" height=14 width=14>)<br /><br />Leon, how do i get back in to edit a message once the 'edit message' link has disappeared?<br /><br /><br />Thanks<br />Daniel
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>barrysloate</b><p>Daniel- you need to log back in, and then you will get the "edit message" at the bottom.
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>leon</b><p>You need to email me privately with your contact info in the next few hours or I will be forced to delete your posts....thanks
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>warshawlaw</b><p>At the National last year. I found ML to be charmingly old school in the sense of "my cards great, your cards bad" dealer approach to my offer of some vintage cards for sale. My response was basically "then don't friggin' buy them"; they bought them rather than let me walk. I did find it rather amusing when one of the sales reps (not JP) started to lecture me on the rarity and value of the British ciggie boxing cards they were auctioning off.
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>Ryan Christoff</b><p>I think most of you who are defending JP Cohen are missing the point here. I can understand and appreciate why someone who has had all positive experiences with him would want to defend him. I respect loyalty, but that loyalty seems to be blinding some to the real issue, at least as I see it. <br /><br />Go back and read Frank's post above. That is the real issue, if you ask me. It's not about whether or not a Memory Lane card has been trimmed or not. The fact is, how can anyone know they haven't been scammed in their auctions? <br /><br />How can anyone who has ever left a max bid at Memory Lane not wonder if they were bumped up a bid or two, even if it wasn't all the way to their max? Of course, one could wonder this with any auction house, but how can you possibly not see how there would be a greater chance of being scammed from the auction house run by someone convicted of defrauding thousands of people out of thousands of dollars over a number of years? <br /><br />The faithful JP Cohen supporters might still bid away in Memory Lane auctions, but I'll bet quite a few bidders no longer will. If you are a consignor and unaware of Cohen's fraudulent record, don't you think that might be pertinent information you'd like to have before deciding to consign your material to an auction house that will now be losing some portion of its registered bidders? <br /><br />Memory Lane auctions might have always been on the up and up, but I'd honestly be surpised if they can survive at all now. Maybe that's the price you pay for having an auction run by a convicted con artist. <br /><br />Some of the diehard JP Cohen fans remind me of Robin Williams in "The World According To Garp" when he and his wife are looking at houses to buy and a plane crashes into the one they happen to be looking at as they are standing there. Robin Williams says something like "We'll take it! The odds of another plane crashing into this house are astronomical!"<br /><br />This guy's been ripping people off his whole life. How could he possibly keep doing it now that he runs a major auction house, right?<br /><br />-Ryan
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>whitehse</b><p>once again its arguments like this that make me glad I dont have the money to participate in auction house auctions. When you have so much money at stake why are any of us surprised when a certain element of society gets involved.
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>Jeff Lichtman</b><p>A person using an alias "poorjackman" (who I don't believe has ever posted here before - sound like anyone else supporting JP here today?) stated:<br /><br />"Daniel asked, in part:<br /><br />"....how does knowing that someone you deal with ....STOLE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS from regular Joes and Jills, impact on your need to buy and sell cards from and through him?"<br /><br />It would make me have some negative thoughts.<br /><br />Then, the fact that the person was punished, pretty <br />much gets rid of those thoughts."<br /><br />So you're saying that just because JP was punished and sent to prison for his decades of defrauding innocent people that you have absolutely zero concern that he might still be defrauding people today in his unregulated auction house? Just a couple years after being released from prison? Seriously, you know you don't believe that and you know that you have a very thinly veiled bias wouldn't you say?<br />
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>leon</b><p>You might want to keep asking those questions of Poorjack, quickly. His anonymity time is running out. I only wonder if it's only irony in the way the name sounds and the way "JP" sounds? PJ=Poorjack and backwards could be .....it's only a thought....
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>barrysloate</b><p>You might be right Leon. I don't understand someone making controversial posts anonymously. They have no meaning to me if they are not connected to an identifiable person.
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>Peter_Spaeth</b><p>Poorjackman's post did not strike me as either controversial or persuasive.
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Very interesting reading
Posted By: <b>leon</b><p>Poorjackman has politely contacted me via email. He is not JP. He has no axe to grind but does want to stay anonymous. I told him not in this thread but in others he can do that. If anyone "has" to know who he is email me and I will email him and we can see how we can do it. I do want to protect each person but within the forum rules. I would prefer no anonymity in this thread. Call it the dictator's priviledge but it is what it is.....Peter- I hear ya....I just don't want anonymity in this thread though...best regards
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