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Dave LevinThe history of the cards is this. The collection belonged to a 93 year old woman who is now in a convalesant home. Her daughter is in her late 50s and it is her husband who contacted me. The grand daughter told me she never even knew her grandfather collected cards. (very similar details to the Oregon find) They started going through her things, there is a ton of old stuff, she must have been a pack rat, anyway, they found this box of cards. The original owner was 12 to 16 years old when he collected based on something written down on a scrapbook. He grew up in Greenville Ill. and then moved to Indiana, which I guess explains why there are so many of the tougher cards from out west. They were still in a small cigar box, and were presented to me that way. I am guessing due to the condition that they spent many years tucked away in this box. These cards have never been circulated in the hobby, it is a fresh group of cards being resold for the first time.
I got a call about three months ago, guy said he had several hundred cards, did not elaborate to much on the details and did not really know the value of them. Unfortunately, I did not get his phone number and he did not call back as he said he would.
Then, last Monday out of the blue, he calls me again and tells me he spoke to me before about these. I had completly forgotten about it, but then he repeated something I said to him so I know he was telling me the truth.
Apparently he was asking around about the cards to find out what he had, and someone referred him back to me. He thought he had some valueble cards based on what some one told him. However, he really had no clue, just the obvious ones maroons and hall of fame guys. He had a davin and some other tough names which of course only the advanced collectors could tell him about, and he did not talk to any of them.
Someone actually offered to pay him $30 to $50 per card?
He still did not mention any of the names of players that he had.
We had a discussion and I gave him a low ball park of what I would pay on the cards.
Later that evening he faxed me a list of the names and teams. After I dusted myself off from falling out of my chair, I asked to see some images.
After that, I called and made what I thought was almost a fair offer. They were impressed with the offer but wanted to think about it. We spoke again the next day, we went back and forth and then a variable was entered into the equasion, a fly in the ointment if you will. The greedy brother. Or maybe they were just working me. Anyway, they said the brother was entitled to half and was talking to friends and figured if I offered X right off the bat they must be worth much more than that. He wanted to show them to some auction house in St. Louis. So, I figured this would be the end of that, so I upped my offer, still no go, and I finally asked them just to tell me what he wanted. It was significantly higher than what I offered, but how could I let this collection go? Anyway, I told them if I agreed to that number and flew out the next day with cash would we have a deal. After some more slight delays they agreed, and I flew out and picked up the deal on an all day four plane trip on Thursday.
So, there were 217 cards, nice lot, thats the story, and I am trying to get them priced as I have a lot of requests from many of you already. I will be at the national with what is left of them.
Thanks for your interest and support.
Dave
07-24-2006, 10:19 AM
BST and David Levin's N172 new find
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