Happy Festivus! Airing of Grievances

[parkplace33]

December 23 is Festivus! Time for the annual airing of grievances. What grinds your gears in the collecting hobby?

This year, it is the new EBay authentication that includes already graded cards. I don’t get it.

[Eric72]

The thing that grinds my gears most severely:

Fraud in the hobby.

Whether the bad actor is a card doctor, shill bidder, or garden variety thief, they destroy a part of the hobby every time they rip off a collector. I realize this has been part of the hobby since there has been a hobby. Still, it angers me.

[butchie_t]

Buying a card on eBay and expecting it to be the card depicted in the offer. Only to get the card and find out that the card delivered is NOT the card pictured and no mention that the picture is not the actual card you will receive.

And CELLOPHANE TAPE on card holders with delivered cards. That crap needs to be outlawed… Painters tape works just fine.

[RCMcKenzie]

Originally Posted by butchie_t

And CELLOPHANE TAPE on card holders with delivered cards.

Scotch tape. 100% agree. #1 answer.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by Eric72

The thing that grinds my gears most severely:

Fraud in the hobby.

Whether the bad actor is a card doctor, shill bidder, or garden variety thief, they destroy a part of the hobby every time they rip off a collector. I realize this has been part of the hobby since there has been a hobby. Still, it angers me.

I second that emotion.

[brianp-beme]

All these folks celebrating Festivus a day early!

Brian

[Johnny630]

The Sports Card Industry Pushing the Vaults and Turning the Hobby into an E*trade type Brokerage House for Your Cards! WRONG! I want my Assets as they call them in my hand or bank box not some clandestine bunker in Delaware!

[todeen]

the phrase "Hangers are Bangers" for modern packs/cards on Twitter is absolutely stupid. I never think of cards when I read that on Twitter.

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[G1911]

The people defending fraudsters, and advising other people to drain their 401K’s and spend everything they have pumping cards for the benefit of the people giving the advice.

[Seven]

My Main grievances:

1. Fraud in the hobby whether it be card or autograph related
2. "Investors" that buy fractional shares of a vintage card.
3. The amount of modern sets.


To expand on number 3, not that I really purchase modern nowadays, but on the whole there are way too many sets to keep track of and it will do more harm than good to our Hobby.

[Mark17]

Auction houses that don't describe flannel jerseys completely.

Many AH are occasionally guilty of this. Latest example I've found:

https://goldin.co/item/1966-boog-pow...needs-sigxu2gc

Nowhere in the description does it mention the NOB is removed. For a collector and certainly for an investor, this is a major thing.

I've had discussions with 2 major AH in the past couple of years about this. Both have said that if they don't mention any restorations/alterations, I can assume the condition is all original. My reply was that with those items, I'd have a better comfort level (and they'd likely realize a better price) if they would simply put "all original" in their listing. Sometimes they do, sometimes not.

[jethrod3]

Third party authenticators. I understand that they might have to collect more money to insure and ship an expensive card vs an inexpensive card, and maybe I'm missing something and am just a grumpy old man! But I still have a problem with the fact that most of them have a sliding scale for grading and slabbing cards based on value, when in most cases, it takes the same amount of labor and same cost of raw materials to grade and slab a $20 card as it does to grade and slab a $20,000 card.

Having said that, I would happily pay extra for authentication or grading in the case of a card or other piece of memorabilia that might need extra research to be done if the piece is rare or has never been documented.

[perezfan]

Originally Posted by Mark17

Auction houses that don't describe flannel jerseys completely.

Many AH are occasionally guilty of this. Latest example I've found:

https://goldin.co/item/1966-boog-pow...needs-sigxu2gc

Nowhere in the description does it mention the NOB is removed. For a collector and certainly for an investor, this is a major thing.

I've had discussions with 2 major AH in the past couple of years about this. Both have said that if they don't mention any restorations/alterations, I can assume the condition is all original. My reply was that with those items, I'd have a better comfort level (and they'd likely realize a better price) if they would simply put "all original" in their listing. Sometimes they do, sometimes not.

+1 to this!

[theshowandme]

Pelican cases on dealers showcases when I’m trying to look at cards

[pete zouras]

affixed to reverse of signed t206s

[jingram058]

PUT A FREAKING PRICE ON IT! HOW HARD IS IT?

I've got a f$@#king offer for you, you ignoramus!!!

[GoCubsGo32]

Paying $5.99 for shipping--and then receiving a PWE instead.

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

NFTs. What's wrong with all these people paying actual money for something that doesn't physically exist? There are no limitations to the stupidity of society.

[todeen]

I price an item, and buyer asks for my best price.

I always reply: I don't negotiate against myself.

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[Snowman]

For me, it's just all the complaining and negativity in this hobby. It's a lot more fun when you focus on the good. I'm having a blast building sets.

[raulus]

Originally Posted by Snowman

For me, it's just all the complaining and negativity in this hobby. It's a lot more fun when you focus on the good. I'm having a blast building sets.

I’ll second that motion.

Does complaining about complaining verge on hypocrisy?

[jingram058]

When and why did car dealers start being called stores? Yet another example of stupid BS.

[jingram058]

If you want to be a collector and in a hobby, collect beater cards. Personally, I love them, because I am not a card speculator.

[BRoberts]

Originally Posted by jingram058

When and why did car dealers start being called stores? Yet another example of stupid BS.

Also, where did all these damn clouds come from?!?

[Snowman]

Originally Posted by raulus

I’ll second that motion.

Does complaining about complaining verge on hypocrisy?

Yes, yes it does.

[Ray Van]

Am I still allowed to air a grievance on Dec 24?

For me, a Canadian collector, it's eBay's Global Shipping Program. It adds unnecessary costs to me as a buyer and I am 98% likely to pass on a seller's item if shipping is from the GSP. Lose/Lose situation.

My most recent example was an item won from the UK that cost 9.99 GBP, then the GSP tacked on an additional 21.30 GBP!!! My mistake for not noticing but I actually won three items from the same seller - the first two were sent together via regular post for a combined 9.00 GBP shipping charge (not unreasonable), the other went through the GSP where I got charged the ridiculous shipping cost. And guess which package arrived first and which one I am still waiting for? Does not make sense.

[Yoda]

Ebay's authentication program. Humbug!

[bobbyw8469]

Originally Posted by todeen

I price an item, and buyer asks for my best price.

I always reply: I don't negotiate against myself.

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That is when you add money to the price. The buyer will be like, but you went up. That is when you said, "This price is the best price for me".

[brewing]

Calling 1949 Leaf’s 1948.

[Bigdaddy]

I'm tired of folks who confuse opinion with facts.

It's a fact that Mickey Mantle cards in general command higher prices than Willie Mays. It's an opinion that Mantle was a better CF than Mays.

Other than that, I'm good. Proceed.

[raulus]

Originally Posted by Bigdaddy

I'm tired of folks who confuse opinion with facts.

It's a fact that Mickey Mantle cards in general command higher prices than Willie Mays. It's an opinion that Mantle was a better CF than Mays.

Other than that, I'm good. Proceed.

Query:

Is the 311 Mantle’s status as a double print fact or opinion?

[Snowman]

Originally Posted by raulus

Query:

Is the 311 Mantle’s status as a double print fact or opinion?

That's one way to spin it. Another is that it is a double-printed short-print card. Twice as many 311s as 320s, but still far fewer 311s than 111s.