Card conundrum

[carlsonjok]

Originally Posted by savedfrommyspokes

The second lot was "as described" and the unexpected card was well within the listing's description.

The OP was awkwardly worded, but if I sussed it out correctly, you got a $1000 card mistakenly included in a lot that would otherwise be worth $350. The notion that the valuable card fits within the technical description of the lot strikes me as motivated reasoning. You are trying to lawyer your way into surreptitiously taking advantage of the seller's second error while concurrently trying to get him to make correct his original error (unrelated to the valuable card.)

From here, there is only one question that has to be asked and only one person who can answer it. That question is, assuming you keep the valuable card without telling the dealer, whether you can feel good about it when you look at yourself in the mirror. I couldn't, but I've always been something of a stuffed shirt.

[savedfrommyspokes]

Originally Posted by carlsonjok

The OP was awkwardly worded, but if I sussed it out correctly, you got a $1000 card mistakenly included in a lot that would otherwise be worth $350. The notion that the valuable card fits within the technical description of the lot strikes me as motivated reasoning. You are trying to lawyer your way into surreptitiously taking advantage of the seller's second error while concurrently trying to get him to make correct his original error (unrelated to the valuable card.)

From here, there is only one question that has to be asked and only one person who can answer it. That question is, assuming you keep the valuable card without telling the dealer, whether you can feel good about it when you look at yourself in the mirror. I couldn't, but I've always been something of a stuffed shirt.

I can certainly agree that the 1st post was not worded well. However, there is no possible way to know if this $1k card was intentionally or mistakenly included in the lot. On my end, this card was merely unexpected. Clearly this seller has problems accurately describing the contents of the lots offered, perhaps the seller's only error was not mentioning in the second lot's description that this $1k card was included. Either way, I decided to keep the NAD lot without a discount, viewing both lots as a single transaction.

So, I feel just fine looking in the mirror when receiving a card with higher-than-expected value, in which the card aligns with the listing's description, without reaching out to the seller to confirm it was indeed supposed to be included in the lot. It's understandable that not everyone would agree with this stance.

However, if this seller were to contact me and disclose that this card was sent in error and I denied that I had the card or ignored the seller's message altogether, yes, I would not feel good about my decision. Since I have received no messages on this topic from the seller, again, I feel just fine about my decision to keep the card w/o me contacting them.

[carlsonjok]

Originally Posted by savedfrommyspokes

However, there is no possible way to know if this $1k card was intentionally or mistakenly included in the lot.

Actually, there is a very easy way to know that. You could ask. Of course, that runs the risk that he may be deceptive in his communications and that would complicate getting to the desired outcome.

[RCMcKenzie]

The reason I said I don't really understand, is because I don't have enough information.

HA had a lot last week that I was looking at. !952 Topps lot of 140 cards, around vg. They showed 8 commons, and did not list the numbers. The lot went for a lot more than I bid. If they included a Mickey Mantle in the lot, I think it's okay to walk away with it.

[savedfrommyspokes]

Originally Posted by RCMcKenzie

The reason I said I don't really understand, is because I don't have enough information.

HA had a lot last week that I was looking at. !952 Topps lot of 140 cards, around vg. They showed 8 commons, and did not list the numbers. The lot went for a lot more than I bid. If they included a Mickey Mantle in the lot, I think it's okay to walk away with it.

I prefer to not provide any additional information on the purchase or seller, as over the years the lots have been a source of variations that have been included in previously purchased lots.

[steve B]

I would probably just think of it as two lots from a single transaction.
If I'd bought them at an in person auction that's what they would be.

I'd keep both, even viewed individually, sometimes things work out, sometimes they don't.


A couple examples,

I bought a big batch of British cigarette cards on ebay. Probably a couple thousand. They're usually found in sets, and nice condition. These were not listed as sets of being in good shape, and in fact weren't. They were as the pics showed. Still a big bunch of pretty neat stuff.
ANd the packing material! at first I was nervous, as it appeared to be a large flat rate box full of 91 Score baseball..... Some of which had gotten damaged when the box bounced around the postal service. The lot I bought was buried inside the sacrificial junk wax.
And on the bottom? A complete 92 score set in a binder and pages.
I sold the "packing material" at a yard sale for more than the whole lot plus shipping.

Bought a block of four stamps for a pretty good price. Dealer that has a rep for not exactly having proper descriptions, but who does huge volume and misses varieties often enough to keep an eye on.
Package arrives, and it was a block at one point, but isn't it's two pairs. Looked closely at the scans, and knowing it's not really a block I can see how the listing employee carefully place them to look like the block it was advertised as.
Now the catch. One of the stamps has a variety I want. The catalog value for a block is a lot more than I paid, but the catalog value for two hinged singles and two not hinged singles is higher still. So I didn't get what I expected, but actually got a more valuable group of stamps. that were the exact ones I'd bid on... (I did sort of really want a block thought... )
I called them like their listings say "any problems call us!" Ok then.
Laid it all out for him, and he was like "and? What do you want? " I told him I would keep them, but wanted him to know about the underhanded listing as someone else would probably not do the math a make a whole thing out of it. (and maybe just maybe some understanding and a free shipping coupon or a small discount- even lie $1-2 would have been cool. )
Nope, he seemed annoyed. Like literally "ok, whatever. what else can I do for you?"

Just said nope just wanted you to know like your listings say, any problem call us. Bye.

[savedfrommyspokes]

Originally Posted by carlsonjok

Actually, there is a very easy way to know that. You could ask. Of course, that runs the risk that he may be deceptive in his communications and that would complicate getting to the desired outcome.

Based on your posts, it is clear that you do not agree with the fact that I am keeping this card, which is perfectly fair. To help me understand where you are coming from, please share your parameters as to when a buyer should contact a seller in regard to an unexpected card found in a lot.

[carlsonjok]

Originally Posted by savedfrommyspokes

Based on your posts, it is clear that you do not agree with the fact that I am keeping this card, which is perfectly fair. To help me understand where you are coming from, please share your parameters as to when a buyer should contact a seller in regard to an unexpected card found in a lot.

Let me put it this way. I am nobody to you, so whether I agree or disagree shouldn't matter to you. And apparently it doesn't, so all good. But, let me explain how I think about it. First off, I am a post-war, mid grade, raw set builder. I am not made of money and I am always looking for good deals. Acquiring the big ticket cards for sets necessarily means other hobby activity have to stop for an extended period of time. It takes me years to complete sets.

If I go to a show and a dealer has a box labeled “100 miscellaneous 1955 Topps - $500” it is natural (for me anyways) to assume that it is a box of commons. It may have some minor stars, but it's mostly commons. 1955 commons may be selling in other contexts for $6 or more each, and it is possible that he mistakenly underpriced them. But, It is more likely that he is just pricing them to move, so looks like an deal to me. Now, say I get home and find a 1955 Jackie Robinson mixed into that lot. I’m presented with one of two conclusions:

1. I can assume he meant it to be there because that ’55 Jackie *is* technically a miscellaneous card, feel relieved that I don’t have spend 4 months of hobby budget to get a copy, and keep my windfall on the down low. Or…
2. He made a mistake by including it, because if he had so intended and has at least two functioning neurons inside his melon, he would have noted that on the box’s label that it included one of the keystone cards in the set and possibly priced it appropriately.

Of course, it may be a cognitive failure on my part, but I can’t get to the first option without mental gymnastics and the lawyerly parsing of words. YMMV

[steve B]

Originally Posted by carlsonjok

Let me put it this way. I am nobody to you, so whether I agree or disagree shouldn't matter to you. And apparently it doesn't, so all good. But, let me explain how I think about it. First off, I am a post-war, mid grade, raw set builder. I am not made of money and I am always looking for good deals. Acquiring the big ticket cards for sets necessarily means other hobby activity have to stop for an extended period of time. It takes me years to complete sets.

If I go to a show and a dealer has a box labeled “100 miscellaneous 1955 Topps - $500” it is natural (for me anyways) to assume that it is a box of commons. It may have some minor stars, but it's mostly commons. 1955 commons may be selling in other contexts for $6 or more each, and it is possible that he mistakenly underpriced them. But, It is more likely that he is just pricing them to move, so looks like an deal to me. Now, say I get home and find a 1955 Jackie Robinson mixed into that lot. I’m presented with one of two conclusions:

1. I can assume he meant it to be there because that ’55 Jackie *is* technically a miscellaneous card, feel relieved that I don’t have spend 4 months of hobby budget to get a copy, and keep my windfall on the down low. Or…
2. He made a mistake by including it, because if he had so intended and has at least two functioning neurons inside his melon, he would have noted that on the box’s label that it included one of the keystone cards in the set and possibly priced it appropriately.

Of course, it may be a cognitive failure on my part, but I can’t get to the first option without mental gymnastics and the lawyerly parsing of words. YMMV

I've bought lots like that.
Some were things that were not much at the time but ended up being good. Like a monster box of hockey that included an entire Gretzky rookie year Topps set. At the time the $50 was very reasonable, but not an absolute steal.


Another was in a different hobby where small differences matter. (actually I've had a number of things like this in that hobby)
I was looking at a lot on ebay, and one stamp looked like a really expensive one. Did everything I could to be sure of it, and decided I wasn't crazy or seeing what I wanted to see.
Got it in, and that one was in its own little envelope that stated the catalog number and that it needed a certificate.
A few years later I did actually send it off and it got a certificate as genuine (all they did at the time)
So several hundered dollars of catalog value in a $30 lot. And the dealer knew for sure it was there. My dealer friend said sometimes they just don't care, like if the seller usually did stuff that was much more expensive their time to send it off might not be worth it!