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Posted By: <b>Hal Lewis</b><p>Anyone?<br /><br />I just woke up at 6:00 EST and the auctions for the first night are closed. <br /><br />How long did they extend... and did anybody here get anything good??

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Posted By: <b>Hal Lewis</b><p>Whoever won THIS had the right idea:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.mastronet.com/index.cfm?action=DisplayContent&ContentName=Lot%20 Information&LotIndex=45517&CurrentRow=1" target="_new" rel="nofollow">http://www.mastronet.com/index.cfm?action=DisplayContent&ContentName=Lot%20 Information&LotIndex=45517&CurrentRow=1</a><br /><br />Bid high as heck and then GO TO SLEEP at 11:00 since you OWN IT with NO extended time period! <img src="/images/happy.gif" height=14 width=14><br /><br />It may cost more, but it saved a few hours of sleep.

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Posted By: <b>ockday</b><p>so it was another all nighter.I did manage to win a couple of lots...the N310 Mayo boxers set, OJ Kid Nichols and a couple of hockey sets.<br /><br />Alan

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Posted By: <b>Dan Koteles</b><p>did I do well winning the Boston Garter Evers at 3076.00 ?????<br /><br />Iam happy , but thought that it was a little low despite it's problems.<br /><br />Opinions please.<br /><br />

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Posted By: <b>Scott Forrest</b><p>Nice-looking card and rare as hell.<br /><br />I'm still high on only one lot, and don't expect to win.

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Posted By: <b>andy becker</b><p>dan <br />nice card! even better price! congrats!!! <br /><br />i won one lot <img src="/images/happy.gif" height=14 width=14> ....and was underbidder on three others <img src="/images/sad.gif" height=14 width=14><br /><br />maybe tonight will be better

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Posted By: <b>Mike Williams</b><p>Outbid on all 7 lots! Ya gotta ask yourself "E" card collectors, is now the time to unload a few pieces? Prices are (and have been) insane!<br /><br />Maybe tonight...and for what it's worth (and slightly OT), the full page REA Ruth "Baltimore News" image is stunning! I'd like to see more full page images!<br /><br />Take care all,<br /><br />Mike

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Posted By: <b>Jim Clarke</b><p>Nice win Dan! I almost had an itchy trigger finger on that lot... But then I looked at all the other lots coming up in the future and decided this one must get away... Got shut out last night. Saving $$$ for PCL and 19th century stuff... JC

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Posted By: <b>Texas Ted</b><p>Your title of Masto Wins??? would be slightly more fitting as Mastro Wins!!! The true winner in this is clearly the one raking in all the fees. Ah that sweet juice.<br /><br />Ted<br />He who so shall, so shall he who!

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Posted By: <b>Dan Koteles</b><p>thanks for the assured responses and the congrats, even though I have alot of back ground in pre war, your opinions mean alot, thanks again.<br /><br />Good luck to all as well !<br />-Dan

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Posted By: <b>Josh K.</b><p>Do you think I got a good price on this lot <img src="/images/wink.gif" height=14 width=14><br /><br /><a href="http://www.mastronet.com/index.cfm?action=DisplayContent&ContentName=Lot%20 Information&LotIndex=45404&CurrentRow=1" target="_new" rel="nofollow">http://www.mastronet.com/index.cfm?action=DisplayContent&ContentName=Lot%20 Information&LotIndex=45404&CurrentRow=1</a>

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Posted By: <b>Peter Thomas</b><p>In an earlier thread I think someone asked how this card looked (Wagner) I think that Jim B answered that it looked like 200K. I guess he was right.

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Posted By: <b>leon</b><p>Nothing personal here but if you have 235k of disposable income to spend on "a" baseball card does it really matter if it's a good buy? Again, not trying to be a dick but ......really...<br /><br />ps....relative to other card prices it probably was...and it is a very nice looking Wagner as they go

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Posted By: <b>andy becker</b><p>...josh was kidding...or maybe just "joshin'"

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Posted By: <b>Mal Content</b><p>picking on wealthy people and complaining about how they buy their Wagners. <img src="/images/happy.gif" height=14 width=14><br /><br />

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Posted By: <b>Josh K.</b><p>I thought the winking smiley face would make it obvious enough that I was kidding. Unfortunately for me, I do not have 200+k lying around to spend on bb cards.

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Posted By: <b>leon</b><p>I didn't know....I don't remember who all of the millionaires on the board are....sorry bout that....it's still a nice Wagner as they go....not my cup of tea but still a sweet card

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Posted By: <b>Julie</b><p>were trimmed with a fingernail scissors. Spelling?<br /><br />But then I don't have 200,000 dollars of disposable, or any other kind of, income lying around and yes, I knew Josh was kidding. But SOMEBODY won it...

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Posted By: <b>Judge Dred</b><p>Josh, The buyers premium alone for the Wagner would be enough to choke a lot of collectors budgets...

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Posted By: <b>TJ Schwartz</b><p>As a signed book collector, I feel I stole this lot on Wed at 1561. Died in 1891 and book published in 1888. Very nice addition to my collection. TJS

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Posted By: <b>Josh K.</b><p>The juice on the wagner would choke my budget for the next 5 years. <br /><br />

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Posted By: <b>Dan Koteles</b><p>Im a with ya on the Wagner, them tops are trimmed or otherwise explain the 2000 bangs against the wall and that's how it turned out. The bottom edges look beveled to the same perfection, oh well.

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Posted By: <b>barrysloate</b><p>Looking at some of the Mastro bids, particularly the high grade complete sets, I don't think price and value are even factors. You have a group of extremely wealthy people wanting certain things and they probably don't really know what the lots are worth but they do know they have to top the existing bid, and so they do. The market is very skewed towards these high end buyers and the general collector is completely shut out, often not even close. The only hope is these guys may burn out and some normalcy will come back to the market. I no longer actively collect but the issue is moot; I could no longer compete so why even bother. Collectors on budgets are competing with gazillionaires and will lose out every time.

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Posted By: <b>Scott Elkins</b><p>And to think I believed the market had "topped out" three or four years ago when I let all of my rare type cards and rare backs go!<br /><br />From what I have seen the 1 1/2 years I have been back into vintage collecting, I believe the prices are only going to keep rising. I remember when I got back, I swore I wouldn't bid above certain amounts. After not winning, I have thrown that option out the door.<br /><br />I have been pondering lately whether to narrow my collection down or not (don't think I will ever quit collecting again - I could probably quit smoking first!!!). That seems to be the way my collecting is now headed, as I cannot afford to collect everything these days. Looks as if I will keep my Croft's Cocoa collection and around 50 other caramel cards I really like because of the nice poses or backgrounds and sell everything else over the next couple of months. This way, at least I can have the money to bid and win items I really want or need when they do come up for sale.

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Posted By: <b>Andrew Parks</b><p>I picked up the E95 Matty.

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Posted By: <b>Hal Lewis</b><p>I bought back a card that I had sold years ago for a lot less.<br /><br />I guess absence made the heart grow fonder.<br /><br /><img src="/images/sad.gif" height=14 width=14><br /><br />Buy High, Sell Low - right?

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Posted By: <b>Will</b><p>I bid on two lots and won both. I picked up the 1915 Zeenut Lefty Williams and the 1925 Zeenut Tony Lazzeri.<br /><br />

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Posted By: <b>Texas Ted</b><p>I snagged one auction, and frankly it was the one I wanted the most (a large lot of postwar Dodgers). Included were 16 high number 52 Topps cards and high number 49 Bowmans. That is not of real interest to this board but important to me. All of the prewar stuff went over my limits in the last couple of days. I have tried to be disciplined in my bidding, but I may have to relax that if I ever hope to win anything.<br /><br />If anybody here got any of the big lots of pre war cards and want to flip some of the doubles and leftovers quickly let me know via email. I don't much care what it is, as I want to learn by handling as many as I can before I venture into them in any big way.<br><br>Ted<br />He who so shall, so shall he who!

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Posted By: <b>Brian</b><p>I won the only lot I seriously bid on. I am very happy with the closing hammer (right at my limit). This is my first Mastro win. BTW, Tbob -- we should talk...<br /><br />Brian

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Posted By: <b>Peter Thomas</b><p>won a 6 card zeenut lot, 3 graded SGC 5 and 3 ungraded with Harry Hooper descibed as vg, all with coupons.

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Posted By: <b>Hal Lewis</b><p>As usual...<br /><br />I won two items on which I had placed "MAX BID" limits long ago...<br /><br />and I won BOTH of them EXACTLY at my high bid.<br /><br /><img src="/images/sad.gif" height=14 width=14> <img src="/images/sad.gif" height=14 width=14> <img src="/images/sad.gif" height=14 width=14><br /><br />Just too damn coincidental every stinkin time.<br /><br />

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Posted By: <b>jay behrens</b><p>Hal, look at this way, you know your market well and know the breaking point bid that no one will top. Just think if you were the underbidder in auction, you would probably feel a lot worse.<br /><br />Jay<br><br>I've just reached Upper Lower Class. I am now officially a babe magnet for poor chicks.

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Posted By: <b>Hal Lewis</b><p>I am never again using Mastro's max bid. NEVER.<br /><br />

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Posted By: <b>Scott Elkins</b><p>Robert Edward and 19th Century Only. These are the only two major auctions I have ever won items for less than my max bid in!

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Posted By: <b>martin dalziel</b><p><br />I've won in Mastro for less than my max bid. I've also had my max bid beaten, but always by just one more bid. My takeaway? I've got a fairly good read on what a lot will go for and what it will take to win that lot. I don't think i'm<br />at all unique in that regard, hence that's why a lot of max bids end up being the winning bid.

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Posted By: <b>Texas Ted</b><p>Maybe just luck, or maybe my Max was higher than it should have been.<br><br>Ted<br />He who so shall, so shall he who!

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Posted By: <b>Hal Lewis</b><p><br />Martin:<br /><br />The difference in my situation is as follows:<br /><br />FIRST - I am bidding on certain items that do NOT have a "set" price, like "one-of-a-kind" rare items that could sell for anywhere between $25,000 and $60,000. <br /><br />SECOND - I placed my Max Bid SEVERAL DAYS before the auction ended... yet someone else WITHIN HOURS had run my bid RIGHT UP to the max... and THEN STOPPED... and then NEVER BID AGAIN!!!!<br /><br />-------------------------<br /><br />Who on Earth would bid on something THAT HEAVY and THAT EARLY to take it up to $33,000...and NOT take "one last shot" at getting it for $34,500 in the very end???<br /><br />Especially a one-of-a-kind item where the "value" of the item is whatever it sells for in the auction? No way to "lose" money.<br /><br />---------------------------<br /><br />Ask yourselves THIS question:<br /><br />If you REALLY wanted that 1914 Babe Ruth card in the REA auction.... and MONEY WAS NO OBJECT...<br /><br />and you had bid it up like crazy a WEEK before the auction closed...<br /><br />and it had NOT gone up any higher since then...<br /><br />wouldn't YOU take one more crack at it during the extended period???<br /><br />After all, we are talking about situations where the bidder can clearly afford the price anyway... <br /><br />so there is NO EXPLANATION for how my "max bid" got raised all the way up ONE WEEK before the auction ended and then NEVER again.<br /><br /><img src="/images/sad.gif" height=14 width=14>

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Posted By: <b>Hal Lewis</b><p>OK, heck... I'll put it to the public:<br /><br />If YOU were the person who increased my Max Bid on this card from $13,000 to $28,000 in a 5-minute span a FULL WEEK before the auction ended...<br /><br />PLEASE LET US ALL KNOW.<br /><br />No hard feelings, since if you truly exist then you wanted the card and I commend you for trying.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.mastronet.com/index.cfm?action=DisplayContent&ContentName=Lot%20 Information&LotIndex=45729&CurrentRow=1" target="_new" rel="nofollow">http://www.mastronet.com/index.cfm?action=DisplayContent&ContentName=Lot%20 Information&LotIndex=45729&CurrentRow=1</a><br /><br /><br />In fact, if you exist, then you are probably angry because you were only ONE bid away from winning it.<br /><br />BUT DO YOU EXIST?????<br />

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Posted By: <b>martin dalziel</b><p>I have to agree with you Hal, that doesn't look or sound right at all. I had watched that Plow's Mathewson from the beginning and had notice the sudden halt in bidding. I expected to get up yesterday and see that it had flown through the last bid i had seen. <br /><br />I was thinking perhaps given that its only a sample of two, that it was just luck, but you're right, if i was the underbidder by one bid with days to go, then i absolutely would have taken another shot or two at it. <br /><br />Nice card, btw<br /><br />

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Posted By: <b>john/z28jd</b><p>Actually some people bid everything early on a card because they want it but they want to see have time to see what else they want if theyre not the high bidder.The underbidder couldve said let me try for the Mathewson because i really want it but then when their max wasnt the high bid they just moved onto something else.Ive done that in auctions,even on ebay,ran it up as high as i wanted to go and if i wasnt the high bidder i just moved on even if it had 4 or 5 days left.<br /><br /><br />If it makes you feel better i didnt come within 4 bids of winning anything and 3 of my 4 max bids in REA have been topped,the others at my max with only 2 weeks to go

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Posted By: <b>Craig</b><p>I was happy to pick up the Bresnahan portrait t206. It has been a long time since I was able to add to my t206 hofer run.<br />The interesting thing about this thread is hearing what everyone won not if they won an anonymous item! <br />Thanks for sharing Hal. Great, tough card even if it is not Matty's rookie. Now what else did you win?

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Posted By: <b>warshawlaw</b><p><img src="/images/happy.gif" height=14 width=14><br />Congrats to all winners.<br /><br />Peter and Will: Respect! those Zeenuts were NIIICE and it took some serious bids to get them. I was out long before the closing and watched gape-jawed as they spiraled upwards. Now, who snagged the other lots? <br /><br />Barry: I hope people who may be buying a bit blindly develop a love for the hobby and are inspired to stay in it rather than going away. Besides, a rising tide lifts all ships, so to speak; I ain't cryin' over record prices and publicity.

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Posted By: <b>Richard Masson</b><p>I am perfectly happy with this one and a few Zeenuts, especially when compared to the price of the Mathewson. I thought for sure Hal was the one buying the Weaver and the Cochrane zeenuts (had to be someone with a first card fetish).<br /><br />

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Posted By: <b>marty</b><p><a href="http://www.mastronet.com/index.cfm?action=DisplayContent&ContentName=Lot%20 Information&LotIndex=46236&CurrentRow=1" target="_new" rel="nofollow">http://www.mastronet.com/index.cfm?action=DisplayContent&ContentName=Lot%20 Information&LotIndex=46236&CurrentRow=1</a> <br /><br /><br />I bought this lot of 152 T207's for resale. I was planning on sending some of them in to SGC to be graded. The problem that I see is that SGC has only graded about 40 and PSA has graded over 1300. I feel that a lot of prewar cards sell higher in SGC holders, but with PSA having such a large population of this issue, I do not see how I can pass up on PSA for grading. What is everyone's opinion. If there were even a third as many SGC as PSA, I would probably go with SGC.

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Posted By: <b>Brian</b><p>For personal collecting, I am sure SGC would be the overwhelming selection. I assume you are asking which company will provide greater resale potential?<br /><br />Your analysis of the populations make sense, sounds like more "slab set builders" are using PSA. At least the pop reports indicate this is true.<br /><br />Unfortunately, I don't collect T207s. Just wanted to make sure I was following your logic.<br /><br />I am sure others here can give you a more informed opinion.<br /><br />Good luck, its a great lot of cards,<br /><br />Brian

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Posted By: <b>Glen V</b><p>I picked up the 1926 Zeenut lot of 29. Anyone here win the large Zeenut lots? I wouldn't mind some trades for some of the other years...

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Posted By: <b>Peter Thomas</b><p>Glen I would be happy to trade a 27 Zeenut 5 for a 26 Zeenut 5. That still leave me 1 more to trade for another year if anyone else is interested. Peter

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Posted By: <b>Peter Thomas</b><p>PSA has holders that fit most T207's and they look OK, but the oversized ones do not fit and they will put those in the damn baggies. If you send them to PSA clearly indicate that you do not want the cards in baggies. If they run out of the right size inserts they will also put them in baggies. You will not get what you want for the cards in the baggies.

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Posted By: <b>jay behrens</b><p>I'd say go with SGC. It is going to be cheaper, and I am sure more than a few of registry people go thru the SGC listing looking for crossovers. Let them foot the big PSA bill. You won't much, if any difference in what they sell for. The other thing to consider is that if you use PSA, you basically saying that all their shady business practices are OK. Let someone else spend their money with PSA. With vintage cards, there is little price difference, especially in the mid ranges.<br /><br />Jay<br><br>I've just reached Upper Lower Class. I am now officially a babe magnet for poor chicks.

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Posted By: <b>Hal Lewis</b><p>John:<br /><br />I agree that the person who bid up the Mathewson MAY have been someone who "shot his wad" and then moved on and decided to buy something else...<br /><br />but think of how BIG of a coincidence it would be.<br /><br />This particular card is one-of-a-kind and has NO SET VALUE... so it is "worth" ANYWHERE from $1,000 to $50,000... depending on how crazy people want to get.<br /><br />SO... how could it be that TWO STRANGERS (me and this other bidder) just OUT OF THE BLUE selected the exact same dollar amount as the "max" we would pay for this card?<br /><br />Pretty Big Coincidence.<br /><br />---------------------<br /><br />Just like when someone starts a thread on here about how much a card (1914 Ruth, T206 Wagner) will go for in an auction.<br /><br />The guesses are ALL OVER THE PLACE.<br /><br />How STRANGE is it that the ONLY two people in the WHOLE WORLD who wanted this card really bad were both willing to spend the EXACT same amount and NOT a dollar more?<br /><br />I smell a rat. <img src="/images/sad.gif" height=14 width=14>

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Posted By: <b>tbob</b><p>I thought it was just me, Hal. Welcome to the S.S. Paranoia. (just kidding). Seriously I can't tell you how many times I seem to have won cards at my max bid, when I do win that is. It's kind of eerie and makes you think it is not always a coincidence.

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Posted By: <b>Hal Lewis</b><p>SERIOUS QUESTION:<br /><br />Has ANYONE ever finished as an underbidder but then been offered the item by MASTRO later because the winning bidder did not finalize the deal on time???<br /><br />This is typical of every Ebay shiller... who drives up the price with some "make believe" buyer... and then offers to sell it to the actualy bidder for their last bid (which was of course their MAX bid).<br /><br />This is a sure sign of shilling...<br /><br />so I hope that it has never happened with MASTRO, since that would seem suspicious.<br /><br />ANYONE ever had it happen??

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Posted By: <b>Jim Clarke</b><p>How do you know that the max bid was the same as yours? I thought when people just peck away it says you are either high bidder or you've been out bid? Maybe they stopped where you did but you had the higher bid in? I remember I ran up a lot you were on (not knowing it's you of course)on the Boston Team Cabinet from 8K to 16K and I had know way of knowing how much higher I had to go so I stopped. If I would have known one more bid would have taken it, I probally would have done it.

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Posted By: <b>andy becker</b><p>i would never, in a "blind" (where the competion is unknown) auction, accept a "second chance" offer. <br /><br />i have seen lots sell for high (very) amounts, only to magically resurface in same company's next auction. <br />i'm sure there is a % of bad debt incurred by these major auction houses....but i have wondered the same thing in the past (i too ride the ss paranoia).<br /><br />anyway, it is a great card hal. live and learn.<br /><br />i am TOO JEALOUS of whomever won the 1911 zeenuts and the high grade obaks. congratulations.<br /><br /> <br />

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Posted By: <b>Hal Lewis</b><p>Doug Allen has graciously and promptly responded to my concerns and has offered to have the underbidder contact me to absolve my fears.<br /><br />He was very polite and understanding, and not accusatory or defensive at all. Very professional.<br /><br />Jim: You are correct, of course, in that ANYTHING is possible. It may be that someone had NO CLUE and just stopped bidding.<br /><br />I may just be paranoid... but didn't you at least wait until the END of the auction to start pecking away at that card?<br /><br />That's the only thing that bugs me about this one.<br /><br />It sat at $13,000 for weeks... and then I place my Max Bid and someone comes out of left field to MATCH it a few hours later... with a week left in the auction.

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Posted By: <b>scott brockelman</b><p>hal,<br /><br />i think to calm your anxiety, the 1st person to contact would have been doug allen, not query the board as to the bid history, they can only surmise to the actual happenings like yourself. sort of like "misery loves company". why not get the facts and be done with it. your posts and queries were 1/2 a step away from accusing mastro of shill bidding, which carries a much greater loss than gain on their part, which is what you were insinuating, but you were smart enough legally not to put that in print,as a question cannot be construed as a statement, just leading.<br /><br /><br /><br />scott<br /><br />

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Posted By: <b>Brian</b><p>Andy,<br /><br />I won the high grade Obaks. I am very eager to receive them. I feel fortunate to have won a single lot in this auction. I didn't mention it in my earlier post because I am generally clumsy & forgetful...<br /><br />Now, its on to sweating REA <img src="/images/happy.gif" height=14 width=14><br /><br />Brian

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Posted By: <b>Hal Lewis</b><p>Scott:<br /><br />As you point out, I am not accusing anyone of anything.... unless the facts come out.<br /><br />If 15 people respond and say that they have been offered "second chances" to buy things from Mastro, then it will be telling. As of yet, however, nobody has acknowledged this. That certainly bodes well for Mastro.<br /><br />On the other hand, nobody has come forth on this board and admitted to being the "other bidder" on the Matty card.<br /><br />I don't want to think that anything "rotten" happened... but I also am telling 100% the truth on how the bidding happened on this card and how weird it was to me. <br /><br />All I said was that I am never going to use the "Max Bid" function again. I certainly didn't say that I wouldn't be bidding in Mastro auctions, nor did I encourage anyone else to pass on them. <br /><br />I just think it is safer for one's "conscience" to stay up and bid all night rather than use the "Max Bid" feature and end up wondering "what if?"<br /><br />

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Posted By: <b>Ryan Christoff</b><p>I won the big Zeenut lot and Warshawlaw's favorite Ruth exhibit.<br /><br />-Ryan

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Posted By: <b>Hal Lewis</b><p>If someone has a Max Bid entered for $50,000 for a particular card...<br /><br />and someone else goes in and enters their Max Bid for $25,000...<br /><br />would the sales price of the card be $25,000 to the guy who bid $50k...<br /><br />or would it be the next highest bid increment ($27,500)??<br /><br />On EBay, the underbidder would bid $25,000 and get a message telling him that he was NOT the high bidder... and the sales price of the card would be the EXACT amount of the underbidder's bid.<br /><br />Isn't that the same for all of these auctions??<br /><br />

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Posted By: <b>Ryan Christoff</b><p>It would be the next increment up.<br /><br />-Ryan

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Posted By: <b>quan</b><p>on ebay if my MAX bid on an e98 old put cobb was $5500...and somebody else bid $5500 also, I would win it for that amount. However if my max bid is $7000 then it would be the next increment. I think this also applies to Mastro as I do get messages stating "your bid was placed at $2000 but you are not the high bidder since a previous bid was entered for that amount"...<br /><br />

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Posted By: <b>TJ Schwartz</b><p>I've known Bill for 15 years. I've won lots in almost every auction he has had. I've NEVER been offered any second chance buys. I've NEVER felt I've been shill bid. Mastro is one of only a few auction houses I'll deal with. We all know there's shill bidding on almost every important and sometimes not, eBay lot, yet we still bid. Bill is as integrous as they come. Always treated me right.<br /><br />BTW, in my next 'On Your Side' column in Tuff Stuff, I will be writing about a new ebay scam making the rounds. Ebayers are being send second chance offers on expensive lots from people that have nothing to do with the item. I bid 3500 on a card that eventually sold for 6K. Lo and behold, a few days later I received a SCO and I was the SIXTH underbidder. The seller was one that I had done numerous deals with. I called him and he had no idea it was happening. Who knows how many suckers sent $$$? HUGE SCAM! TJS

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Posted By: <b>John</b><p>Just a thought Hal maybe someone collects cards and doesn’t visit this forum, or may not want to brag about being the under bidder on such a $$Heavy$$ lot. <br /><br />I also agree the people at Mastro have always been good to me. But even if there was a chance of a shill issue going on? You said Doug would have the under bidder call you. That would make you feel better? Couldn’t they just have any person call you? <br /><br />Beautiful card all the same you should be proud.I’m very jealous.

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Posted By: <b>Hal Lewis</b><p>In hindsight, I should have just contacted them directly and asked about it... although my concern was that they could just tell me anything and I wouldn't know whether anyone else had been told the same thing or not.<br /><br />I am VERY GLAD to hear that nobody has received any "second chance" offers from Mastro. That speaks volumes for their shop.<br /><br />It is in their "auction rules" that they are allowed to offer second chance sales to underbidders when someone fails to pay... but apparently they have realized that this is probably not a wise move publicity-wise.<br /><br />------------------<br /><br />I'm sorry that I went public with my concerns.<br /><br />I guess I am just so used to EBay, where a Max Bid is almost ALWAYS topped at the end.<br /><br />Maybe the third-party sniping services would make people feel better about my situation???<br /><br />That would also require a DROP DEAD end-time to the auctions... which I would like as well.<br /><br />WHY NOT have these things be like REAL AUCTIONS where every item ends at a SET TIME?<br /><br />If every item ended 2 minutes apart...<br /><br />they could do 30 items an hour...<br /><br />so they could sell 1,440 items in a 48-hour period.<br /><br />-------------------------<br /><br />This would obviously require a "Max Bid" or even better, a third-party snipe service, because some items would end at 4:48 in the morning...<br /><br />but the way they do it now....<br /><br />EVERY ITEM ENDS AT 4:48 IN THE MORNING!!!<br /><br />This has NEVER made sense to me.

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Posted By: <b>Hal Lewis</b><p>And NO... nobody at Mastro threatened me in any way to apologize or retract. They have all been very nice and explanatory. In fact, they always have been.<br /><br />I guess I just have a way of guessing what certain items are worth long before an auction ends.<br /><br />Maybe I can start a price guide for one-of-a-kind items? <img src="/images/happy.gif" height=14 width=14>

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Posted By: <b>warshawlaw</b><p>That's a really nice card. <br /><br />But Mastro's description is still wrong. Other cards in the set prove it, as nearly all are athletes and others whose heydeys were the 1924 Olympics and/or 1924 championships. A few examples:<br /><br />Yakima Canutt: Inducted into the Rodeo Hall of Fame of the Rodeo Historical Society (a support group of the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum) in 1975. 1917, 1919-1920 & 1923 World All-Around Rodeo Champion. In 1924 he started working in films, playing bits, stunting, and finally starring (albeit in incredibly cheap independent oaters such as 1927's The Iron Rider). Source: Leonard Maltin's Movie Encyclopedia, <a href="http://www.us.imdb.com/name/nm0134831/bio" target="_new" rel="nofollow">http://www.us.imdb.com/name/nm0134831/bio</a><br /><br />Charles Jewtraw: Jewtraw was the first athlete ever to win a gold medal at the Winter Olympics. He won the 500-meter speed skating championship, the first event at the 1924 "Olympic winter carnival" in France, which was approved by the International Olympic Committee. He was the national outdoor champion in 1921 and 1923. Source: <a href="http://www.hickoksports.com/history/speedskatehof.shtml" target="_new" rel="nofollow">http://www.hickoksports.com/history/speedskatehof.shtml</a> (National Speed Skating Hall Of Fame)<br /><br />Edward Gourdin: A standout track athlete at his high school in Florida, Edward (Ned) Gourdin attracted national attention as a long jumper. He broke the World mark in 1921 with a jump of 25-foot-3. That same year, Gourdin won the pentathlon of the National Amateur Athletic Union. He won first place in three events: the broad jump, the javelin throw and the 200-meter dash. Following a successful collegiate career, Gourdin competed in the 1924 Olympic Games in France. He captured a silver medal in the running broad jump. Source: ivyleaguesports.com<br /><br />Jack Dempsey: Listed as world chamion on the card, he was defeated by Gene Tunney in 1926 and by the early 1930s was retired in all but name. The championship, meanwhile, had passed through multiple hands. I also recognize the Dempsey image as one from a photo shoot that ended up being used on two of his 1925 Exhibit cards. <br /><br />By 1932, when this series of cards is alleged to have been issued, Exhibit Supply Co was already onto a 1932 set of champions in a different format. It is not likely that they would have printed two such sets. <br /><br />Finally, if you look at the Ruth card itself, he is wearing a pre-1925 uniform, which is fine except that Exhibits of Ruth had the correct (navy cap) uniform for Ruth for several years before this issue's supposed date. <br /><br />The 2006 SCD big book will have a corrected description of the card, so if you plan to have it slabbed, you may want to go with the earlier date so you don't have to resubmit.

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Posted By: <b>Julie</b><p>I watched an ex-mint T3 keeler go for $350, much to my regret, and then in his next (online) auction), it was back. The card didn't measure quite right, but Mastro guarenteed it was untrimmed. This time i won it...for $900!<br /><br />I'll never understand auctions, I think my co-bidder may have been R Christoff, because he kept me up all night, bidding at widely spaced intervals, and didn't really get started bidding until initial bids were closed (I did this also--the lare start business)).

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Posted By: <b>HW</b><p>I have a feeling that this is not over and it will be interesting to see how this ends.<br /><br />Hopefully either Hal or Mastro will supply the name of the underbidder in order to put my mind at rest.<br /><br />I hate to say it, but depending how this turns out, I have lost a great deal of respect for one of the parties involved.

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Posted By: <b>Craig</b><p>I'm sure Hal and Mastro are fully aware of privacy laws.<br />I certainly wouldn't ( and I'm sure others feel the same) want my bids divulged to anyone else without my permission. Heck a lot of people on this board won't even fess up to what items they won. Do you think they would want anyone knowing what they bid on?<br />Besides if you truly believe that Mastro manufactures bids ( which I don't) it is not a great leap to suggest manufacturing a mythical underbidder to allay a winning bidder's fears.

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Posted By: <b>JimB</b><p>I have been bidding in Mastro auctions for years. I have placed max bids that on lots that I won below my max bid. And I have been underbidder on some pretty significant lots. I have never been contacted for a second chance after the auction.<br />JimB

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Posted By: <b>davidcycleback</b><p>I have no knowledge of the inner workings or details of their auction process, but have not personally seen evidence of anything wrong. I have bid for perhaps 5 years and have had my bid maxed out, but have also had it beaten and won at price below my max bid.<br /><br />MastroNet does a lot of advertising, regularly appears on the national and international news (I read about the PSA8 T206 Wagner on the BBC), and has a solid reputation, so they get a lots of bidders and lots of bidding.

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Posted By: <b>Adam J. Baxter</b><p>If anyone on the board won lot # 1848 1910-27 Vintage Card Collection (433) and have plans to break it up, I may be interested in some or all of the really low grade 1913,and 1915 thru 1923 Zeenuts.<br /><br />About 20 or so featured in this lot fall into this "worst of the worst"category with torn corners, major creases, missing chunks, punchholes, etc. These are the ones I'm interested in.<br /><br /><br />Thanks,<br />Adam<br /><br />AJohnBaxter@aol.com

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Posted By: <b>MioshiUmeki</b><p>Placing a max bid at that amount meant that you were very willing to buy the card at that price. If you're unhappy now, perhaps you should not have bid in the first place. <br /><br />I won five lots, and four were below my max bids.

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Posted By: <b>John Spencer</b><p>As much as I love looking lustily at the amazing stuff that Mastro features in his main auctions, I fear that I can no longer compete with the prices he fetches. I am now 0 for 24 in his last 5 or 6 auctions I bid in for the simple reason I cannot match some of the truly amazing bids that come in. I think I will be sticking in the future to the smaller auctions houses, eg. Lipset, 19th Century, Sloate etc. where winning prices realized seem to have some relationship to market trends or perhaps sanity. Also, there is usually an assortment of mid-grade material in these auctions which is normally absent in Mastro's with the exception of large mixed lots which usually don't interest me.<br />And, Hal, I was not surprized that Doug allen was cordial and professional when you spoke to him. He damn well should have been; you are a big time player and he doesn't want to lose you as a bidder.

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Posted By: <b>warshawlaw</b><p>as amused as I am by the results, I not only don't expect to win, I don't even expect to bid on Mastro's stuff. I COULD pay some of the prices; I don't WANT to do it. Lately, even when I seriously watch an auction and anticipate a certain result, the actual price usually beats my estimate. By a lot. Must be slowing down in my old age <img src="/images/happy.gif" height=14 width=14>

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Posted By: <b>barrysloate</b><p>John- One of the things I noticed about this auction is that most of the larger lots that dealers look to buy and break up were complete or near complete sets, many among the finest known. As such, you are bidding against well-healed collectors who really aren't paying close attention to the price. I think Mastro gets great prices but someone looking for value is completely priced out. I spend hours figuring the maximum I can pay for a lot and it typically goes three to five increments above it. At this point I feel I am just wasting my time. Hey, it's fair and square, but a small group of very wealthy people seem to be buying up everything good. Either that will change one day, or the average collector/dealer is priced out forever. Only time will tell.

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Posted By: <b>barrysloate</b><p>Hal- on a different note, I can tell you as someone who has run many auctions that leaving your max bids a week before the end can't possibly help your chances of getting a lot at the best possible price, and often hurts it. You are just setting a target for another bidder to keep raising his bid until he reaches his limit or finally tops you. I found first hand that when bidders left very large ceiling bids early in my auctions, they did rather poorly, and in many cases remained high bidder for perhaps ten days and then lost the lot in the last hour. If a lot reaches your limit with a week to go, then that's a good time to leave your final bid and be done. But why not wait until you are ready to go to bed on the last night and then leave your max bid. I think it has more impact at that time. I was always happy to receive a max bid early in my auctions, but if a collector actually asked if that was a good strategy I would tell him to save his max for the last possible moment. That's just my opinion looking from the inside out.

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Posted By: <b>Tom Boblitt</b><p>many lots from Mastronet, sometimes just slightly below my max or right at my max. I've never gotten a second chance offer either. <br /><br />I think one of the things that Mastronet has done is that by marketing and promotion, they've drawn SIGNIFICANTLY more people into the market who have SIGNIFICANTLY more disposable income than many of us (or at least ME). These folks seem not to hesitate to spend that money and spend it at levels that most of us would not feel comfortable to spend it at. <br />Lots that would have typically gone for $5K a year ago routinely go for $8-$10K now. Unfortunately, it's just a fact.<br /><br />Another phenomenon I think happens is that SO many people (myself included) bid SO early now just to get their number in on lots, that they mushroom in those first week to week and a half.<br /><br />

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Posted By: <b>jay behrens</b><p>A big reason I got out of the hobby in 1991 was for those very reasons. The big auction houses started getting into the action and they could get much more for items than I ever could. I took that as my queue to get out, along with the pressure I was getting from the future ex-wife.<br /><br />Jay<br><br>I've just reached Upper Lower Class. I am now officially a babe magnet for poor chicks.