Would Have, Could Have, Should Have. (What If?)

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Posted By: John

Ok Topic # 2

If you collect long enough you’re bound to get offered cards or run across auctions with cool lots. We all have stories of the good ol’ days. When prices were cheaper, you were offered a great deal but had no money at the time, or just missed out on a huge find somewhere. Or maybe your story is a simpler one you just plain forgot to bid on a lot or talked yourself out of bidding on a particular item. Or even you sold something you wish you had back. Now your decision bums you out here and there or haunts you on a daily basis.

So lets here Em’ network 54 board what “Dunderhead” mistake did you make. What decision did you rationalize at the time but now regret. Or to quote Dr. John “were you in the right place at the wrong time” Think of this like an AA meeting sometimes there’s comfort in groups!

And if you are the person who got the card or lot that one of our poor posters poured his heart about. Please feel free to post your reply and rub it in. Have no fear I assure you that very few of my fellow collectors here are suicidal about their decisions, you won’t push them over the edge.

Have Fun!


My most memorable story was one from my collecting past. And its one that nags me to this day. In usual fashion my parents were nice enough to take me to Gettysburg for the weekend of searching antique & flea markets for cards and such. I always loved Gettysburg we would spend half the day searching for junk and the rest of the day I would bring my bike and ride around the battlefield.

One of the last shops we visited right across from the Lincoln dinner (best pie around). A frequent stop of mine for non-sports t-cards. I made my way to the front counter to ask the weekend person on duty that day if he had the items I was looking for. A few minutes passed and one of the many traveling Gypsy’s or dealers who would rent space from time to time made his way up to me. I asked and showed him many pictures of cards I had Xeroxed (B&W). He said no too most of my bad B&W images, but then stopped me at a Xerox of a T206 Phelps. And said or your just a little too late and scurried away to the front counter in a panicked fashion.

When he returned he explained that an older gentleman was just in and had a black doctors bag full of them. He went on to further explain that he instructed the man that the normal dealer who bought this stuff was off this particular day and to come back later. Well as my young heart beat around 500 time faster than normal. The man explained to me and my family what the gentleman looked like, and that he mentioned going to a few more shops that afternoon. Well with our description in hand my family and I made a complete sweep of every shop in the town. Asking everyone at every shop if they had seen this man. A sweep that would have made the FBI proud. And believe you me if I would’ve had the authority to set up roadblocks and perform vehicle searches at the age 15 I would have.

To this day I still don’t know if I was the victim of a sick & twisted antique dealer prank. If so at that time there was probably nothing I could have done. But if you know for fact that I was a victim of a cruel joke I know I can take the dealer now the guy has to be in 80’s now. The really bad thing about this deal is that I decided mutually with my family that afternoon that would eat first and then head over.It makes me wonder if I hadn’t insisted on having desert would I have been there in time, was my Wagner in that bag! To this day I don’t eat blueberry pie!!

P.S. If you’re the guy with the bag or you’re the guy who got the bag…. I ask you please let me know did you have the Wagner in that black bag? When I was 15 I was sure you did.



So That’s Mine What’s Yours?