[kailes2872]

I wish that I would have posted this yesterday. I woke up today thinking that I was going to liquidate everything and this thread helped me snap out of the funk a bit and think about a plan. My pride was hurt and I was spinning a bit. I was looking at the stuff and it made me ill. i wanted it gone. I probably sold the lot for too cheap on BST last night and now have $30-$40 in Ebay fees as a result of stopping the auctions. From the above thread, it looks like I did the wrong thing pulling them down. It was less than 24 hours ago, but it was still pulling down after I had them listed. Hopefully, I have paid my last stupid tax on the lot. Between the opportunity costs lost on the lot last night and the fee for pulling down, I need to add $100-$150 to the original total when I keep track of how far I can claw back.

When you add in the PMs offering to sell my collection, it has been an interesting few hours to say the least, but I will heed the advice of the board and proceed with a plan.

My plan will be his:
1.) I will get a new scanner. We have a 3-1, but it sounds like there are better ones designed for listings. If someone could throw out a suggestion, that will be a top priority.

2.) Step away for a brief time and get rid of the emotion.

3.) Red Man's - sell individually with good scans (54 cards total)

4.) 1953 Bowman Color - sell card #1 (nice shape), Musial, Hodges, Rizzuto
and Wynn individually. Sell the rest as 10 card common lots starting at $9.99
(54 cards total)

5.) 1950 Bowman - Sell stars individually. Sell others as 10 card common lots. (175 cards total) starting at 9.99

6.) 1951 Topps Red Backs - Sell stars individually. Sell others in 10 card lots (26 cards total) starting at 9.99

7.) 499 '59 Topps nice grade. Sell stars - roughly 20 individually, sell high numbers (non-star) individually, sell others in 25 card lots. starting price of $9.99

8.) 380 1966 cards. Very few if any high or SP's - mid grade. Sell stars (Mantle, Aaron, Jenkins, Sutton) individually, all others sell as 50 card lots starting at $9.99

9.) 520 1967 cards - Sell stars (Mantle, Killebrew, Robinson, etc.) individually, sell the few SP's (Cash/others), individually, sell the commons in 50 card lots starting at 9.99

10.) 662 1969 near set. Sell stars individually (trimmed Mantle, all others except Ryan and Jackson), sell others in 50 card common lots. Maybe sell all leader cards as a lot? Very crisp grade

11.) 1970 - 3 different groups totaling approximately 1900 cards High Grade - pull and sell all stars individually. All others sell as 50 card lots starting at $9.99

12.) 385 1972 Cards - Strong Grade - 50 card common lots. If there are any stars I will pull them and list them, but I don't think there are many if any. It is a great group of cards for a set builder though...

13.) Autographed Card Collection - Call Auction House and leverage their expertise. this is not a focus for me, so apparently, I under value these. I will let them take these and find out what the market will bear.

14.) Autograph pictures and cuts of guys like Cool Papa Bell, Earl Averill, Babe...Herman, Gabby Harnett, Smokey Joe Wood, Leo Durocher, and a couple others that I can't remember off the top of my head - leverage with AH (just not sure which one as I know REA deals with high end stuff and this might not be of interest to them)

15.) Hubbell Auto Bat, Ball, Glove - same as above.

16.) Gomez Bat, Same

17.) I am not sure yet of the autographed photos of Mays, Mantle, and Joe DiMaggio (especially if there are questions of the authenticity despite the COA). Also autos of Dan Marino, Reggie Bush (2) , Tim Tebow, Dan Marino, Ray Lewis (2), and a few others that I can't remember off of the top of my head. I think I will just post as a BIN or BO, but not sure. (I am keeping Peyton, Marvin & Reggie - it might not have been worth 14k, but it was in my wheelhouse of Colts).

18.) Pre War - mostly cheap low end stuff. 10-12 common T206's I'll probably give to Conner as he builds his Monster. Trying to sell the felts in the BST auction. cut up strip cards. I will post on BST, but I don't think that they have much value as they are cut up. Rudy York Head's up I will sell individually. The 36(?) Goudey that has 4 on the page - Dazzy Vance - sell individually. 33/34 Goudey, give to Conner as he becomes the pre-war expert in the family.

19.) 1956 Jackie Robinson (VG) (2) Sell individually, Warren Spahn, individually, 20+ doubles sell as a lot.

19.) Berra Rookie - sell individually

20.) 48 Feller - sell individually

21.) 1954 Bowman Commons (approximately 20) Sell as Lot.

22.) 48-52 Bowman (approxmiately 20) sell as lot

22.) 1952-1955 Topps - Keep in anticipation of building those sets.

I have a bunch of assorted 10's and 20's of each year - not sure if I should consolidate those and sell as a shoebox lot over multiple years or if I should sell them as a lot on the year. Minimally, by the time I get to early 70's, I should combine the years.

24.) I have a small number 3-5 Hires Rootbeer cards. Those might be okay to sell them by themselves.

25.) Aaron auto ball and Mays auto ball - keep and put them on a shelf below my (already owned) Mays/Aaron autographed picture. I will do the display that has the ball with the card display of both of them.

26.) 56 Topps 175 or so - keep and use this as my basis to build the set. when I get off probation.

27.) Mantle/Williams auto framed picture - keep, Mantle/Mays framed auto picture - keep

28.) Berra 49/50 Pin, sell on Ebay as auction if it does not sell on B/S/T


That looks like everything. The Commons, while commons, are nice solid grade. Hopefully, the lots will bring more than the minimum - but that will be a big determining factor as to how much I get back.

Let me know if you think if the lots seem like the right size. I can do individually. It will be a grind, but if the feeling is that it will be value worth the effort, then I will do it - I just anticipate a bunch of unsold lots if it happens that way.


Lessons Learned/Next Steps:
1.) Breathe - assume the deal will be worse than advertised/overvalued. Don't box myself in the corner with a sight unseen commitment

2.) Corallary to #1. If I get there (in the unlikely event an opportunity like this happens again), and it is not as imagined or advertised, change scope, shape of money, cherry pick if allowed, walk if necessary.

3.) Get Conner to work on using the new scanner and make it a project with the two of us.

4.) Thank my lucky stars for my dear wife and treat her to a nice dinner.



I will start separating out lots in the near term as I get time. Then, in a few weeks/months, I will begin posting. I think that I will post them slowly - i.e especially the 70's as I don't want to lose track of which lot I posted and send the wrong one. I think that I will put the Red Man's up later rather than sooner, as if it proves to be more profitable than I think it will, I would love to keep these and the 70 Bowman's - but more than likely they will go up.


So that is the plan. I am thinking clearly and grateful for the Net54 board members. I have only been here since February and I have learned so much. The haze is lifting today and I will sleep well tonight for the first time in a week.

Thank You