I reserved comment on this until the lot was over, but......
 

is there something off about the top border?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/E135-1917-Co...p2047675.l2557

WOW! Had I seen that I'd have been tempted to bid...seems like it went cheap?

I think it looks ok...slight diamond cut top to bottom?

It looks good to me. I see what you're seeing, but the angle on the top border matches the angle on the bottom border.

This is where we differ a bit. To me it seems the bottom is more even.

dunno? the top left corner is suspicious...only because the wear doesn't match the other 3 corners...but I still think it's ok.

With a PSA 4.5 selling for $65 K in 2013 where do you guys think this one would be if we assume it is trimmed?

EDITED TO ADD: Please don't respond with "$8 k"

Wow! If this is the real deal, what a score for the buyer. Looks like it lasted about 20 min before getting snatched up. I wonder if people are gonna start hounding the seller? I hope not, and hope whoever spotted it receives it.

Even if trimmed, gotta be worth more than $8K if properly listed/promoted. I'll venture a guess-- $12K-$15K+ trimmed, $30K+ if it grades numerically as a 2 or better (pure guesses). It presents really well regardless of whether it grades out numerically, and to my eyes, I also see the bottom slant as being similar to the top.

Another question: what does one look for to authenticate one of these cards?

Under/over on the number of times it's been rejected by PSA and SGC for being trimmed: 3.

To me, the slant on the bottom is even more noticeable than the slant on top. Look at this picture. I modified the colors a bit to make the card stand out. I think the card is good.

Even if it were trimmed though, I think the seller left money on the table (assuming it's real).

I don't doubt the card is real, but unaltered.......

One clarification. My observation about the top border of the card as opposed to the bottom was based on the front of the card.

No comment on it's legitimacy, but I love that he traced the creases with red lines in the scan....I wish more sellers did that.

In my opinion if it were real it would have been graded, trimmed or not. In any case not worth risking 8k on it. If it seems to good to be true it probably is.

Had i known about it...id have gladly paid 8-9k for it!

It is certainly a roll of the dice. I would tend to lean towards legit. With the sophistication of today's fakes, not worth the chance for $8k.

If I was seriously interested I would have tried to get a guarantee of it being unaltered. But as someone said it might be worth 8k in an AUT holder anyway. It's a nice card.

Trick for confirming a diamond cut versus unparallel edges: turn the image 90 degrees to one side (or turn your head). It becomes much easier to read on the side, it's an optical tool.

To me, this card appears to have a slight diamond cut, and the top & bottom edges seem pretty parallel.

Even if it is altered I would agree the price is still probably a good deal, if it came back as not authentic you are just out the grading fees which on a card like this is a few hundred due to the price level but no more since you would get your 8K back through eBay as it was sold as an original. Not much of a gamble really.

+1

and this is a five figure card even in an "a" holder. i wish i woulda seen it first, honestly.

The way our hobby is you will probably see it auction sooner than later. (I have no knowledge of who won it)

Heading is everything on Auction. PSA good if graded. tells me seller knows about grading and is not willing to grade, Or if he did it was rejected.

Probably still left money on the table either way though.