When passing on a card is a good thing
 

Every so often we see threads asking what cards do you regret passing on, so lets change that around. What cards or deals are you glad you passed on?

A few years ago at one of the Philly Shows a dealer had a W554 Gehrig that I was interested in when I just starting on the set. I wanted to make a trade, but in the end the dealer wanted around $2k in trade including a few D304s and a few caramels including my E92 Nadja Miller. I'm glad I didn't do the deal as the Miller card is now part of Nadja set and another has not come up for sale since. I've since bought a copy of the Gehrig, but still thankful I didn't make that trade.

I was underbidder on a whole bunch of the signed T206 cards that turned out to be fake. I have since tried to move on entirely from autographs.

u gotta rub that e92 nadja miller in...don't you!!!!

There was one card I remember seeing in a collection and telling the owner that if he ever wanted to sell it, please let me make an offer. He consigned it to auction instead and I ended up owning it for half of what I would have offered him directly.

Karma
 

thats it in a nutshell!

Not vintage but many years ago I went into a dealers shop and he had a 1968 Nolan Ryan rookie card for sale. He wanted $1000. I told him I would take it if he paid the sales tax. He wouldn't do that so I didn't buy it. Since I am a Cubs guy and just wanted it to have it, I am glad I didn't buy it since that money has been spent on vintage Cubs since then.

I was the underbidder on a card on ebay in 2008 that sold for 4800. Only 2 copies of the card is known, and I always kicked myself I didn't go higher. Earlier this year I won the exact card in REA for 1/3 of the price.

Many, many years ago when I knew even less than I know now, I was outbid on a beautiful uncut sheet of Fro-joys. In color!

The stamp guy I go to gave cards a try in 87. Bought some nice stuff. One thing he had was a Ty Cobb letter. Great condition, cobb stationery, green ink. The first page was pretty straight stuff, thanks for writing, good to hear from a fan etc.
The second page.... was a bit rough but exactly the sort of stuff Cobbs rep was at the time.
He wanted 700, and I seriously considered it. Having to do better on some classwork and a couple small car repairs delayed the saving up, and it sold.

I now know that it was probably a total fabrication by Stump.

Pretty glad I didn't end up buying it.

He also had a photo of Fenway park signed by "some front office guy" That also sold. I ended up finding it at a show years later and while it's Fenway, the signature on the back is Frank Navin.... yeah, just "some front office guy" :)

I passed on a 1932 Babe Ruth schedule? card several years back. I think it had Goudey on it or something. It sold for 15k+ two different times and I was the underbidder both times. It turned out to be fake. :eek:

Not a card, but in my quest to complete the Ron Lewis "Living Legends" set, I found a complete set at the most Recent REA auction. It ended up going for $1500. A couple of weeks ago I documented how I stumbled onto a complete set on eBay for almost 1/3rd of that price. Sometimes it works out!