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#1
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I thought of this earlier, an interesting way to share stories. What would you call the best decision or decisions you made as an autograph collector, what big regret(s) do you have? Because I’ve felt both.
My best decisions have to be two of them: I went to the Moeller Show in Cincinnati in November 2022 and added a couple of Sports Illustrateds, as SI is my main collecting focus, but for my 1987 Topps project, I added Tom Browning at that show, and he was gone a month later. The next one is I went to NBA Crossover in Indy back in February and got two SIs signed - one by Dominque Wilkins, and earlier that day, Bill Walton, who sadly left us on Memorial Day. Both SIs are two of the cornerstones of my collection. My biggest regret is not starting with SIs sooner. I’d been collecting autographs for about 15 years before I decided to expand and go all in with SIs in July 2019. I had about eight signed before then. I’d gotten many autographs on other items, while people who’d signed other stuff for me had since passed away or their show prices are now higher. I’m around 130, and I’ll be getting more signed soon, but man, I would’ve loved to have started sooner. Which regret(s)/good decision(s) describe you in this hobby? Last edited by Topps206; 09-14-2024 at 11:58 AM. |
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The one regret that comes immediately to mind was being offered the absoulte finest known autographed examples of the '33 Goudey Ruth and Gehrig. The Ruth was $15K, Gehrig $10K. If I could only have predicted the autographed card explosion a handful of years later. Remember, a signed '52 Topps Jackie could have been had for next to nothing at that point. I felt the dealer's prices were too high for that era (and they were), so stupidly passed. I could have turned my $25K into $2.5M.
Last edited by BillyCoxDodgers3B; 09-13-2024 at 04:58 PM. |
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Agree with Billy. Signed cards I need that I passed up for being $2000 or so not that many years back are 10,000+ now and I will never fill those holes in my collection
I am glad I bought that Bowman rookie from Keating maybe 6 years ago for $4000. Alittle paper loss on front but who knows what it would go for now. That was the most I ever spent at that point. |
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I was at a National in the 1990s in which Wilt and Bill Russell were both
signing. I am a huge Wilt fan, and I passed up both players because the lines were long and I prioritized looking for cards. Whoops... Trent King |
#5
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Regret selling a few of my signed cards about 10-12 years ago when my interests somewhat changed. After waking up to what I truly love in the hobby, I've been back on the signed card hunt for the last 7-8 years and I sure miss my signed '47 Tip Top Berra and Spahn (^^I think Michael has it now^^), and my '52 Topps Mays.
I'm definitely thankful I didn't sell my '51B Mantle and '34G Greenberg. This thread feels like a therapy session, as it's good to discuss our losses. |
#6
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Great thread!
Many of you on net54 may know that I have collected tickets to no-hitter games and perfect games for many decades. Currently I have tickets to almost 250 different games dating back to 1901. I also love autographs, but for many years, I was uncertain that I wanted to get the pitchers of these no-hit games to sign their tickets, and instead keep the tickets in original condition. Tough collecting dilemma. ![]() Along the way, I made the decision to get all of the perfect game tickets signed by each pitcher. When opportunities existed, I chased down no-hit pitchers at Anaheim Stadium, Comerica Park and Jacobs Field and had them sign the tickets to their no-hitters. I recognized that several no-hitter pitchers passing closed the door on the opportunity to get some of my no-hit tickets signed.... HOF'ers Warren Spahn and Hoyt Wilhelm as well as Lew Burdette come to mind. A watershed moment occurred in 2006, when MAB Sports in NJ announced the Pitcher Perfect show. Over 30 pitchers that pitched no-hitters and perfect games would be signing at this show. The chance to secure so many no-hit autographs in one weekend was too much to pass up, so I flew to NJ and had a great time meeting all these pitchers. I also became a huge TTM collector and sent letters to many of the no-hit pitchers and asked if they would sign their no-hit ticket. Amazingly, this worked out very well. In addition to subsequent shows that featured no-hit autograph signers, I am happy to report that of the 248 different no-hit game tickets in my collection, 174 of these are signed by the pitcher. ![]() ![]() 40 of these tickets are signed by pitchers that have unfortunately passed over the last 18 years. ![]() Best decisions: Getting the no-hit tickets signed Biggest regrets: I wish I began this quest sooner, as I missed some opportunities to get some of the older pitchers when I had the chance. Last edited by Scott Garner; 09-14-2024 at 07:33 AM. |
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#8
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I'm a younger collector, so definitly haven't been doing at as long, but man I wish I found SCF.com for TTM earlier, I could've gotten Kershaw and Trout man! Ah well, at least I can buy them with adult money now.
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#9
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. Minor regret compared to the wonderful examples shared above, especially as mine is one based on greed, but my biggest regret is not selling my vintage autograph collection sooner. So many times I considered it, and even had my finger on the send key with inquiries to some of the leading vintage dealers at that time. But never could. Guess the desire to pursue the hunt was still alive. Afew years later, finally followed through although taking a significant haircut in sales proceeds. I would imagine many other collectors and dealers alike may have a similar regret regarding a specific item or collection. But otherwise, I have no regret in having sold my collection as it was time to move on, and possibly freed loved ones from having do so in my absence, with absolutely no knowledge of who to approach or what a fair price might be for the collection. |
#10
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My biggest regret is not being born, oh, about 70 years earlier, so I could have collected every major issue from Goudey on forward straight out of the packs and had them signed right away.
Other than that, not writing to more of the old-timers when they were still around, and wasting money on a bunch of modern cards when I could have bought a handful of vintage ones. I probably saw Johnny Pesky half a dozen times over the years in Ft. Myers, or at McCoy or Fenway, and never once took him a card from his playing days. I have plenty of cheap photos and posters signed by him, but what I'd give for a 1948 Leaf. On the other hand, I'm glad I started my signed 1953 Topps project when I did (July 2014) because there were still over 40 players left then who were answering their mail, and corresponding with them was one of the highlights of this project. I don't think I have ever regretted pulling the trigger on a card I needed, either. About a year and a half ago, the most difficult one, Howie Fox came up, and I paid the sticker price, which almost made me sick and I thought it would be a while before I could look at it without cringing. 'A while' ended up being less than two months, because then the second most difficult card (Vern Bickford) came up, and sold for almost twice what I paid for Fox, and suddenly I didn't feel bad any more.
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Signed 1953 Topps set: 264/274 (96.35 %) |
#11
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I'm not so sure Bickford ranks as second-toughest, anyway. Yes, an early death, but also a very accommodating signer. I think Hal Rice would be tougher, potentially among others. He was unable to sign the last 40 years of his life after sustaining injuries in a car accident. Bill Norman is another that comes to mind who I'd rank above Bickford. Likely others, but these are two off the top of my head.
Last edited by BillyCoxDodgers3B; 09-17-2024 at 09:14 AM. |
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Huh? What were you selling that you and these other collectors and dealers would have taken such a haircut by not selling earlier. Haven't most things appreciated in value over time?
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#13
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I returned to the hobby after a 15 year break. I spent money on sending in new OMLB to be signed for private signings. The autos came out great, but later (never seeing daylight)...would fade badly
![]() Last edited by GoCubsGo32; 09-19-2024 at 11:59 AM. |
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. Hank, the majority of my collection was vintage Detroit Tigers ballplayers. So many common, less common, and obscure player autographs. So I immediately limited the interested market to Tigers (although some played for other teams too). Market has continued to be strong for HOFers, especially Ruth, etc. And Hugh Jennings has held up extremely well too. But for comparison sake, I'll reference the tougher 1955 Dodgers I also had in my collection. Bert Hamric, Karl Spooner, Frank Kellert. Generally I found that both selling prices and interest was stronger for those three in 2015-2018 when I was thinking of selling than in 2022 when I did sell. Every once in a great while someone will post in BST some interest in buying 1955 Dodger autographs, but I do feel interest has waned over the years. And I think there are generally less collectors of less/obscure ballplayers now than when I started 25-30 years ago. Perhaps Jody Birkholm would like to weigh in with his experience. |
#15
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Couldn't agree more regarding the '55 Dodgers. Over the timeframe you reference, there seem to have been more cuts and 3X5s surfacing for the tougher team members and asking prices have been lower, too. I'm holding on to mine as opposed to giving them away. Not sure what happened.
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#16
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My best and worst involve the same item.
About 20 years ago, I spotted a 1951 Bowman Mickey Mantle rookie graded GAI 2 and with a rookie era autograph offered on Ebay with a $1000 BIN. I knew the autograph was authentic as Mike Guiterrez who authenticated autographs for GAI in the early days had authenticated the autograph. I assume the seller just thought someone else had written Mantle's name on the front of the card and that was the reason for the low BIN. So, I won it and got it in a week or so. I relisted it for $2000 and it immediately sold. Card has never reappeared on the open market but autographed examples with Mantle's card show era autograph bring $100K in today's environment so a rookie era autograph would obviously be worth more. Oh well, a thousand dollars profit is still a nice profit but oh what could have been!! |
#17
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My best and worst decisions are forever paired with this Grover Alexander signed baseball. The ball also featured Babe Didrickson and was signed at a House of David game sometime in the 30s.
I saw on eBay. The auction had an extremely blurry photo but I thought I could make out Alexander on the sweetspot. The description offered no information other than the ball had belonged to the seller's family for quite some time but they didn't know whose signature was on it. I paid $80. When I got it, I knew I was right about my feeling. I then sold it for $2,000 and have regretted it ever since: ![]() |
#18
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Worst choice-On 2nd thought from 1965 to 1968 I went to visiting team hotels in NYC and wrote to all living HOFers and stars and wives of deceased HOFers from Smallings books and purchased all other HOFers I ould get that way. Then when I became a hippie in 1969 I sold the whole collection signedd auto books, cards, cuts, yearbooks 3x5's etc to a dealer named Max that some of you remember for $250.
I wish I could even remember all of who I had. I remember Jackie Robinson on Topps cards and a Jimmy Collins but I had 100s if not thousands |
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I think the pressing question is: have you seen any of the better items resurface in the marketplace over the last 55 years? I'd be particularly interested in if the Jimmy Collins reared its head.
(One thing for people to be extremely careful about is that very early examples of James "Ripper" Collins have a different formation than the autograph he later employed. Signed "James Collins", they have been confused as being HOF Jimmy, even by authenticators.) |
#20
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My biggest regrets are mostly centered around autographs that I didn't get, indlucing:
On the good side, I was able to get quite a few older HoFers in person and TTM before they passed. Ted W, Joe D, Ali, Mays, Hank, Jim B and others.
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Working Sets: Baseball- T206 SLers - Virginia League (-1) 1952 Topps - low numbers (-1) 1953 Topps (-91) 1954 Bowman (-3) 1964 Topps Giants auto'd (-2) |
#21
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#23
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For me it was getting this extremely rare Promo P4 Diamond version signed by Billy Ripken. This is not the B1 version one found in the comic book. Sadly I can't remember who the amazing fellow member was who made it happen. Over the years I have posted some silly rare 89 Fleer Billy Ripken cards. Because of that the awesome gentleman PMed me and said he was going to an event with Billy and asked if I would like him to get a card signed for me. Not only did he have Billy put my name on it he would not take anything for doing it for me.
Last edited by bnorth; 09-23-2024 at 04:06 PM. |
#24
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Biggest regrets:
1) I was able to get a 1931 US Tour of Japan ball for a great price. The ball had a beautiful Lou Gehrig signature. A few years later, I sold the ball for a $1000 profit. I've sold many items I owned and find that I miss almost none of them. At the top of that short list is this one. 2) A few years back at the Atlantic City Nationals, a dealer randomly asked me if I wanted to buy a Gehrig signed photo. I think it was $2950 or so. It was a great looking piece. I'm not sure whether it was a Type I photo but it was obviously vintage. I passed instinctively as I was thrown off by someone randomly offering me an item. I'd love to have that one. The positives remain to be seen. I bought a few items with eyes towards players making the Hall of Fame. Still waiting... ![]() |
#25
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I sold a handwritten letter from Bud Fowler to Charles Comiskey in about 2019 for $10,000 thinking "If this guy was ever going to make the Hall of Fame he would already be in." They changed the election rules and he made the Hall of Fame the next year. At least it is on display now at the Negro League Museum so people can enjoy it, but it hurts a bit.
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Be sure to check out my site www.RMYAuctions.com |
#26
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I think another good decision I can add was getting Pete Rose on a Sports Illustrated cover in Cincinnati in November 2023. He left us not even a year later.
He was on a bunch of them, and I'd have liked to have gotten others signed, too, but his April 8, 1974 edition is not only my favorite cover of his, it's my favorite SI cover period. R.I.P., Pete. |
#27
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Back in the early 1980s, I worked at a card store in San Diego, CA. A relative of a former major leaguer, if I remember correctly, George Cutshaw, brought in some baseballs that George had received during his playing days.
The balls included a single-signed Ty Cobb, a Honus Wagner, a Jim Thorpe and a Babe Ruth. Also included was one signed by both Cobb and Wagner, and one I think signed by Ruth and Thorpe. I was around 20-21 years old at the time, and couldn't afford them. The store owner put an ad in SCD, and sold the single-signed balls for I think, $300 each, and the dual-signed ones for $600 each. It still kills me to this day! Steve
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Successful BST deals with eliotdeutsch, gonzo, jimivintage, Leon, lharris3600, markf31, Mrc32, sb1, seablaster, shammus, veloce. Current Wantlist: 1909 Obak Howard (Los Angeles) (no frame on back) 1910 E90-2 Gibson, Hyatt, Maddox |
#28
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One other regret is a 1941 LIFE Magazine that I had signed by Ted Williams.
Back in 1981 or 1982, Ted was a guest speaker at a sports banquet in San Diego. I caught up with him as he was walking through the parking lot of the hotel/convention center, and he signed the magazine, with a beautiful, BIG signature; I couldn't have been happier! Fast-forward to the early 1990s. I had never been happy that I wasn't able to properly display the magazine, as back then, there was nothing that would hold a large magazine the size of LIFE. So, I reluctantly consigned it to, get ready for it..........Coaches Corner! Back then, they had huge 20-page auctions in SCD. Well, I sent it to them, along with some of the 1980s NIKE posters that I had gotten signed, on consignment. I basically got next to nothing for any of the items. Oh, another item I consigned at the same time to CC was an old Chesterfield Cigarettes LIFE Magazine ad that I had gotten signed by both Ted Williams and Stan Musial. Steve
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Successful BST deals with eliotdeutsch, gonzo, jimivintage, Leon, lharris3600, markf31, Mrc32, sb1, seablaster, shammus, veloce. Current Wantlist: 1909 Obak Howard (Los Angeles) (no frame on back) 1910 E90-2 Gibson, Hyatt, Maddox |
#29
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#30
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I’ve thought of another good decision - 2020, as the world was being shut down, I sent in a Leon Spinks SI a private signing, and I’m guessing quarantine delayed the signing, but got it back signed a few months later. He was gone in February 2021.
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#31
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How did you know about Hal Rice? I heard a story someone finally went to visit him and he was in a wheel chair. Nobody had known for a while he was unable to sign. I am glad I had started my signed 52 set over a decade ago, and although trying to finish was probably based on my own hubris, I came to my senses. I sold at what I think is close to the top of the market, and at the top of my estimate via auction. Best buys....1952 signed mantle on ebay. Within an hour of listing, my brother in law drove over and picked it up the card in person. 1952 signed jackie on ebay, owner stated it failed psa/dna quick opinion. It passed when I sent it in person. That was an uncharge email I won't soon forget
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"Trolling Ebay right now" © Always looking for signed 1952 topps as well as variations and errors Last edited by Republicaninmass; 10-02-2024 at 06:34 AM. |
#32
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I have to know these things; it's what I do! I honestly can't recall where I learned about it, but I've known for ages. I remember writing Rice as a kid and predictably not hearing back. The information wasn't known at that time. I recall that the address used was his son's.
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#33
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I believe Dave Cameron told me that story, but inserted himself as the person who went to the home.
Yes, it IS our job to know. This is the compelling argument for people starting a signed set. The information is priceless. Any reason why there is NO signed 1952 topps Throneberry? Some recent late in life signatures on other items have come up, but.nobody has ever seen a signed 1952 topps. I realize it's a High number, but COME ON MAN! I don't believe one doesn't exist. Now, Al Benton or Milt Stock may not. My 2 guesses on the impossible cards. Sent from my SM-S918U using Tapatalk
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"Trolling Ebay right now" © Always looking for signed 1952 topps as well as variations and errors |
#34
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Stock was a non-signer later in life; he also had somebody occasionally ghosting his TTMs, likely the wife. He was Eddie Stanky's father in law, BTW.
Still, Stock was more responsive TTM in the early-mid 1950's, so you'd think there might be a couple copies of that card around. There has to be. Benton was also a responsive signer, but it's always felt like what you see dates from even prior to 1952. He appears mostly on team items like album pages. Stock didn't seem to sign as much team-related stuff when he was coaching. |
#35
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#36
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Thanks for your input. I was sure there was at least a campy or 2!
I also felt people may have remembered billy meyer from the Rockwell painting, and at least 3 have been graded by PSA. He was the one card I was told from the onset "did not exist" Sent from my SM-S918U using Tapatalk
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"Trolling Ebay right now" © Always looking for signed 1952 topps as well as variations and errors |
#37
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Sent from my SM-S918U using Tapatalk
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"Trolling Ebay right now" © Always looking for signed 1952 topps as well as variations and errors |
#38
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I've noticed more than once that the cards for any set that "do not exist" often don't seem to be the players who died shortly after the card was produced (until a copy or two is rediscovered)! There are more Bickfords out there from various sets than one might imagine. The 1956 Topps Dixie Howell is a good case in point as well, although the 1957 & 1958 cards are far tougher. Depending on the set in question, guys like Ellis Kinder and Vern Stephens seem somewhat plentiful relative to their death dates. They both died in '68, but I'd venture the majority of the cards they did sign were autographed during their careers as opposed to later on. |
#39
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Completely agree! Some of these guys, more so the nuances with the 52 set, weren't even in the majors anymore. That would mean a TTM would have been the only method of obtaining a signature.
Sent from my SM-S918U using Tapatalk
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"Trolling Ebay right now" © Always looking for signed 1952 topps as well as variations and errors |
#40
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Not on the same level of difficulty as the above, but Vern Stephens and Jim Gilliam I always either just miss, or am the underbidder. Gilliam I'm especially surprised by; he is plentiful on issues from later years and hung around the game for the rest of his life. Stephens I was able to land without too much difficulty on every other card I needed (1949-1952 Bowmans) but he is much scarcer on his 1953 Topps. Must've been a high number thing, for both of them.
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Signed 1953 Topps set: 264/274 (96.35 %) |
#41
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The best decision I made was selling my balls! My signed ROMLBs that is! I sold them before they could fade! (Which we all known they will do over time) same with signed bats, the sharpie always bleed into the wood over time. Or just faded!
Next up I’m in the process of selling off my signed 8x10 collection as the resale value on them sucks! Will be happy to just get what I can get for them and just move on from them. In regards to signed 8x10 photos, As the old saying goes, ain’t no one got time for that! (Really no one in the hobby collects them anymore it seems) |
#42
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While postcards, vintage notebook/autos on paper material last nearly forever (not so much these days with modern pens, but more so fountain pen era and prior). We have documents written on paper from the 11th century that look like they could've been written yesterday. ![]()
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I have done deals with many of the active n54ers. Sometimes I sell cool things that you don't see every day. My Red Schoendienst collection- https://imageevent.com/lucas00/redsc...enstcollection |
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#44
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I sent them all in to a consignment service.
Last edited by homerunhitter; 10-07-2024 at 08:23 AM. |
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