Listed at multiple AHs?

[Snapolit1]

I was following an auction last night on Pristine Auctions for a signed Gehrig Ruth ball. Signatures were very faint but readable. I thought maybe it would be the only signed Gehrig Ruth ball I would ever possible own so watched it. Didn’t get it.

What was very odd was I googled the ball and it seems to simultaneously be for sale at 7 or 8 other places. I didn’t verify but all seemed to be current listings. Was the same ball with the same PSA and JSA certs.

Do auction houses just try to sell stuff that’s out there in the market even if they don’t possess it? Maybe like some clearing house where you post something and a desired price and anyone who wants to try to sell it can. I did notice on Pristine last time I looked “reserve not met”. Odd.

Maybe this is a common practice and I never realized it.

[Leon]

I think there are definitely sellers trying to sell things they don't own (yet). I have seen that before. I don't think I have seen an AH try it before this.. Kind of weird if you ask me.
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[CardPadre]

Not sure if this is the item, but Pristine Auctions is strange. Many of their auctions/best items do have reserves and they don’t even have possession of those items.

So “reserve not met” and “this item ships from an approved vendor” are common things to see there. As are items being listed over and over and over and never selling.

So whoever this particular “approved vendor” is, they can also sell the item elsewhere it seems. I can’t figure the whole system out, but I stopped even looking at Pristine once I realized this wasn’t a standard auction house situation.

[Snapolit1]

Yep, that’s it. I went searching to learn something about the actual ball they signed, and found it listed elsewhere all over the place. I guess they just list stuff subject to a reserve that they believe they can then acquire the item and turn a profit.
Last I looked the bidding was at like $2400, and that clearly wasn’t going to get the job done.

I met a few of their people at the east coast national. Nice folks and I’ve enjoyed using their app. They sell a ton of stuff, all sports, but over 95% of it is modern. Lots of signed jerseys, helmets, etc.