2002 Topps 206 Wagner Bat Relic Cards

[BobC]

Originally Posted by Pat R

Bob,
This is what I think is most likely going on with this 0 feedback seller. He probably has one or more Wagner bat relic cards and he opened a new account on ebay to bid a couple up to create a false price level and he's going to eventually list one or more that he owns with high BIN's with another account he has.

I think his bidding has already had an effect on the prices if the $1900 sale is legit, as far as I remember I think the most recent sales have been in the 1k neighborhood.

That is what I was wondering as well Pat. What is so strange is how he somehow lucked out then and was able to do this to three different auctions for this same card all at once. I don't ever remember seeing more than one of these Wagner bat relic cards up for auction on Ebay at the same time in years, if not decades. And to have an underbidder supposedly willing to go to $6K+ on two of them is absurd. Like you, I figured these Wagner bat relic cards would be in the $1K range, at best. But then to have a third auction of a similar card that it seems no one legitimately bidding in the other two auctions can find, this is just too weird.

Anyway, it seems there was only the one underbidder willing to go to the $6K level on these, and with him/her winning that auction for one last night for $6,100, I would guess they've scratched their itch and aren't going to be bidding on any more of these going forward now.

I've heard others here on the forum discussing how the new, younger collectors out there seem to be really up with and into looking at comps when preparing to buy cards. So, if this one "0" feedback person was trying to establish a new, higher comp, they hit the jackpot with three of these cards being sold at virtually the same time. In which case we'll have to wait and see if there are suddenly other Wagner bat relic cards from the 2002 Topps 206 set appearing on Ebay at high BIN prices. If this supposed price manipulation is really what was happening, I can't believe the extent to which some people will go to make an extra couple of bucks. Unreal!!!

Anyway, here are the results of the three Ebay auctions for similar 2002 Topps Wagner bat relic card, in the order in which they ended, if anyone wants to look at what was happening for themselves.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/284804084891

https://www.ebay.com/itm/125316357421

https://www.ebay.com/itm/185421997238