Posted By:
Brian McQueen
I don't think that Bob did anything that several others didn't do to try to secure the card. That's just kinda how it goes with Ebay auctions sometimes. I believe it was the seller's decision to yank his auction down and start the new one up. This was a decision that he/she made because of the interest people were showing in the Bernard. I think Bob just happened to be in the right place at the right time when that took place. It's a nice deal for Bob, a disappointment for myself, Steve and other interested parties and, bluntly put, a bad move for the seller. As for Bob's win, all I can do is tip my hat and say "well played, sir."
I guess from now on, when I see a card on the bay that I need, I might write the seller and say something along the lines of "Do yourself a favor and let the auction play out. DON'T end it early if you want to achieve the full value of what your card is worth" When cards that are tough and needed by several people like this come up, there's really no way of placing a value on it accurately until after the auction ends. Anyone who tries is pretty much just pulling a random number out of a hat.