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Vintage CloutMy compliments to "Bigfish" for being the voice of reason on this issue! Timeout gentlemen...and let's all take a deep breath and re-think this whole scenario. Folks, no one ever knows for sure why any card gets "x" price in one auction and then "y" price in another. There are a coutless number of variables that are factored into the final "hammer' price of a valuable baseball card. There are a significant number of high rollers in this hobby and they are the individuals that typically set the tempo for the final cost of a high end vintge card. Think of the possible scenarios...did any of these collectors take a bath in the stock market one particular week (very possible in theis day and age!)? Does the collector have a "gripe" with a particular auction house and will absolutely not bid on any of its lots? Does a collector have a favorite auction house (we all do I'm sure)? Are people away on vacation? Is their economic staus suffering within a particular month? Personal problems occuring whereby buying cards is secondary in their life at any given moment? The list goes on and on.....
....I myself, as a serious vintage collector, have suffered on many occassions paying a higher price for a card that eventually appears in another auction for up to 25% less! Unfortunately this is the nature of our business, and the VARIABLES responsible for such pricing disparities are endless. Collecting cards is a wonderful hobby for me and I know all my fellow "54" board members feel the same. Fingerpointing and false accusations over an extended period of time will only result in the eventual demise of the vintage card industry. In unity there is strength, and we should all take a step back as well as a more positive attitude and "engage our brains BEFORE we engear our pens".
I only say this because I would hate to see senseless bickering, whether it is grading issues, pricing, etc. be the ultimate cause of our hobby's downfall. Best of luck to all of you fine people in your future collecting endeavors!