Biggest steal you ever saw on ebay?

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Posted By: Ben

lot of 25 (or so) mixed lot of e90-1 caramels and e92 dockmans, all commmons but all in vg'ish BINed on ebay for $150. This was abt 4-5 yrs ago.

and then a week later, same guy lists a e92 matty BIN $90, and a wagner for less BIN at or around $200 and I dont think many ppl viewed the auctions because they were all BINed almost immediately.

That's #1,

#2- A Boston Garter Lajoie, the black and white one, in a ebay live auction buried in a lot of post cards about half a year ago. Didnt even say boston garter in the auction title or description, and I came across it by fluke! Unfortunately, I waited until the just before the auctions went to the floor before I bid, so it was brutal when it went for $900!! Unbelievable steal. Had a poor cut top edge, if I remember correctly.

Those are the two biggest steals I've seen on ebay, but it's likely not more than a few people even got to see them. Might be cool to hear about all the great secret BIN triumphs that we've either seen or had ourselves in the past.

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Posted By: zach

Not a BIN but a steal on ebay....

Ended at 100 bucks with one bid, me. I was really suprised, you see reprints go for more. I also picked up a 1958 Hires Test Issue card a wee bit ago for only 25 bucks in ex or so.

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Posted By: Anonymous

I remember about 5 years ago, i got a PSA 6 Addie Joss E93 card for 27.50. i think i got a great deal. also got a lot of baseball cards, and one card was a Ty Cobb t205 card. it was crazy!!!!! for i think under 100 bucks

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Posted By: Brian C. Daniels

in 98-people were pulling stuff out of their garage and posting it enjoying receiving anything for what they had! I won two California plein air impressionistic painting by well known listed artists with lots of auction records I sold for so much more than I paid for them it isn't funny. The sellers had no idea what they were selling and no idea how much their parents or grandparents paid for the paintings either~

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Posted By: jay behrens

You were about 2 years late for catching eBay when it first hit the scene. Thanks to being a toy collector with son collecting Pez dispenser, I found eBay a few months after started it up. Just wish I had been collecting cards at the time.

Best BIN I got was a group 6 N2 Allen & Ginter Indian Chiefs that included 2 of the very rare variations. It cost me $50. One of the vatiations came back as an SGC80 which I later sold for $800. After seeing commons in the same grade close for almost same price, I'm scared to think how much high grade varaitions are going for now.

Best baseball BIN got I was when I first got back into baseball cards and snagged a nice lot of assorted caramel cards, including an e93 Collins and an e97 for $30. The seller had almost zero feedback, so I amsure that scared some people off. I made out like a bandit as the Collins came back an SGC70

Jay

If you can sue a band for making you want to commit suicide, can I sue Barry Manilow for turning me into a wuss in the 70s?

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Posted By: David Vargha

For me, I won a Buchner Gold Coin of Orator James O'Rourke in SGC 50 this year for the BIN of $150.

DavidVargha@hotmail.com

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Posted By: john/z28jd

Lee,i dont know if this is the same card you mentioned but about 3 years ago i BIN'd an e92 Dockman Matty for $60.I went into the chatroom later that night and people were talking bad about the person who won that card,not realizing it was me.When i told them it was me they started talking worse

I think Jay Miller got the best deal on ebay buying a t206 Keeler batting which eventually graded an sgc96 and he sold for about 10 times the amount he originally paid

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Posted By: T206Collector

...was about a year and a half ago. I BIN'ed a mixed lot of pre-war cards for, I think it was, $280. The lot contained a PSA 4 T206 Keeler portrait, a raw T206 Bresnahan w/ bat, a Topps T206 Buyback of Tinker Bat Off, a strip card of Ty Cobb, a strip card of Tris Speaker, a few common T205's, including 2 or 3 Topps buybacks, and one or two other common black and white strip cards. Well, I later sold the Keeler for $200; the Bresnahan graded an SGC 70 and is part of my permanent collection; the strip cards got me about $100-$120 total; I still have the T205's; and about two weeks ago I sold the Tinker Buy Back on ebay for over $400. That was a good find -- the kind of find that makes you pat yourself on the back and tell yourself that you must be the smartest most cleverest baseball card collector in the world. And the kind of find that makes you check the new listings on ebay once an hour or more.

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Posted By: brian p

Some great deals I have seen on ebay...a Baseball Bats card in a group of about twelve other vintage cards with some HOF'ers that went for under $10.00 (with shipping!), a 1918 Zeenut with coupon in about EX that was BIN'ed for $50.00, a 1916 D381 Fleishmans in a group lot that went for just over $20.00, and a group of about 80 1922 and 1923 Zeenuts, pasted in an old magazine that went for about $750.00, which included the Jim Thorpe.

Brian

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Posted By: Josh K.

My two best deals (though the second was a heritage auction not an ebay auction):



I bought this lot for around $75. The Schang graded an SGC 80 and sold for about what I paid for the lot. The other commons sold for an additional $50-70. The Hoyt graded out an SGC 60 and resides in my collection - I figure its worth around $300-400.




I won this lot for $240 last year.

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Posted By: Anonymous

100 unopened packs of 1951 Bowman 1 cent football cards mixed in with a bunch of small toys.He listed in a toy category, and I offered him $2,500 to end the auction early. Flipped the packs for $10,000.

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Posted By: Glen V

Once found a Derby Cigar with a BIN of $75. Clicked on the link to snatch it up, and saw that Leon had just bought it.

Also there were those T206 Broadleaf 460 backs with $250 BINs a few years back.

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Posted By: Chris Counts

I once paid $90 for about 25 Diamond Stars with nice corners and a half dozen HOFers. Curiously, they were advertised as trimmed, and I still thought they were worth the price. It turned out they weren't trimmed and when I had several graded, they came in at 6s and even a 7.

I once bought 1955 Bowmans of Kaline, Rizzuto and Campanella in Ex-Mt for a $1.99 BIN each. The seller sent me an email admitting that he intended the $1.99 figure as a minimum bid, not a BIN. Without any prompting on my part (I never expected to actually see the cards in my hand), he offered me one of my choice (I picked Kaline) at $1.99 and I happily accepted.

These are just the best of many nice deals I have found on eBay. If anybody ever claims the days of great deals are over, they're not paying attention. I am constantly amazed by what I find out there ...

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Posted By: Anonymous

Hey Josh,
Are you selling any of the E93s? if you are drop me a line enforcer505@hotmail.com
Thanks

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Posted By: Paul

I picked up my E97 color Joe Kelley on ebay for about $40. It looks ex-mt, but is very slightly trimmed at the top. A fellow board member was the seller. He did not hide his disappointment but was a perfect gentleman in completing the transaction.

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Posted By: Rhys

In 2000 I missed out on a Cameo Pepsin Gum Pin of Bid McPhee, final Price $325, also a Cameo Pepsin of Cap Anson for $900.

In 2000 I also was the underbidder on a G&B Buffington at $800.

In 2003 I bought an SF Hess David Orr for $600 with an 1887 American Association guide (It is the one Terry Knouse now has for sale graded by GAI at a 3.5 for about $4500).

I bought an uncatalogued set of 1910 Southern League player Cabinet style cards for $400 for nine cards and sold them for about $2500 the next day.

I bought a single signed Bill Klem baseball about 3 months ago for $37. If you dont know his isgnature it looks like Mr. Miagi wrote on the ball, but Mastronet sold it authenticated so it was real.

There are so many items from the good old days of ebay that can be told but those are few I remember well, probably because most are the ones that got away.

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Posted By: Darren J. Duet

Ebay-----Free
Internet Service-----30 bucks a month
Computer with all the latest hardware and software-----$2500
Finding a Sports Co. of America Babe Ruth with 1927 Copyright for <$400-----Priceless

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Posted By: warshawlaw

"a group of about 80 1922 and 1923 Zeenuts, pasted in an old magazine that went for about $750.00, which included the Jim Thorpe"

I was an/the underbidder on that lot. I just could not afford to go higher at the time. Still kicking myself every chance I get.

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Posted By: J Levine

When it started I was on within a few weeks and found many cards (many of which I wish I still had)...

in my records from 1996 and 1997

T205 Matty for $5.50
T206 Johnson portrait for $11.00
'52 Topps group of 20 high numbers $5.50
1887 Old Judge Irwin batting $10.50
Sealtest group of 2 for $18


Joshua

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Posted By: Jeff

I picked up a 1939 version of the United States Card Collectors Catalog by Jefferson Burdick, the book that eventually became the American Card Catalog. It was mislisted in the book section, and I picked it up for $2.50. Needless to say when I sold my hobby publication collection a few years ago I got considerably more than that.

Jeff

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Posted By: Nick

raw '51 Connie Mack All-Stars Mickey Cochrane for just under $75 - it's now in a PSA 5 holder
SCD 9 (when it was a real grading company) '60 Lake to Lake Dairy Red Schoendienst for $26 - it crossed to PSA 9
PSA 6 '59 Topps Dolan Nichols No Option Line variation for about $3 (including shipping) (SMR is $75)
'60 Morrell Meats Drysdale (raw, in G condition) for $1
PSA 6 '52 Mother's Cookies Mel Ott for $61
PSA 7 '50 Remar Bread Dressen for $15
Tattoo Orbit Self-Developing Frank Pytlak (raw, but with the best contrast I've ever seen on one of these) for $16.50
PSA 6 '71 Topps Greatest Moments Bob Gibson for $22
10 '36 Goudey Wide Pen Premiums for about $13, including 5 HOFers, 2 of them in EX.

I've had a few great pre-war buys off of NAXCOM too, including a raw '40 Play Ball Charlie Gehringer that's now in a PSA 6 holder for $23.50.

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Posted By: Chris Mc

I recently picked up two raw Rogers Peet sport album cards of Jack Sharkey(boxing)$9.59 and Ed Wittmer(football)$8.59 that both graded Sgc 84. In addition was a Walter Hagen $109 that graded Sgc 84 and Walter Johnson $260 that graded a Sgc 80. All cards were in the wrong catagory listings on Ebay.

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Posted By: tbob

Paul- How long ago did you pick up that E97 Kelley? You're right, that was a steal...

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Posted By: Bill

In 1998, I just discovered Ebay and I won a lot of all 48 T206 Southern Leaguers. My wife wanted to kill me because she had to place the bid because I had to go to a meeting at the time the auction was to end. She said "how much do you want me to bid". When I returned home from my meeting and realized that I had won the lot for $1825, I immediately started listing the 48 Southern Leaguers that I had in my collection. I ended up selling my cards for around $1300, which means I upgraded my cards for about $500.

When I received the lot of Southern Leaguers I was thrilled with the condition of the cards. They were much nicer than the scan on ebay. This is about the time I decided to get my nicer T206's graded by SGC because I like the look in their holder, so I gradually got all 48 graded by them. Only 6 cards came back lower than SGC 60 with, 1-88, 4-86, 1-84, and 5-80. Wish I could come across more deals like that.

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Posted By: JimB

T206 King,
Any interest in selling or trading for that E93 Joss? If so, drop me a line at:
james.blumenthal@oregonstate.edu
Thanks,
JimB

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Posted By: Dan Koteles

E107 Lajoie buy now a true and legitimate gvg small and barely noticable corner crease 1100.00 bIN, i asked if he"d take 1k and Brockelman snapped it !

Teaches you a lesson ,if some looks to good to be true ...Buy
IT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!

Ugh!!!

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Posted By: Ben

Dan K, I remember that infamous night on ebay, when Levi Bleam listed all those e107 HOFers with low BINs...

Lajoie for $1100
Bender, Mcginnity, Willis, and another I can't remember, each with BINs for $550-600.

I didn't get any of them, but several board members did. What a bunch of steals! Very un-Levi-like.

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Posted By: Daniel Bretta

I think the biggest steal I ever saw on ebay was the unopened Fan Craze set that sold for less than $10,000. I think the winner had the cards graded and turned around and sold the set in a Mastro auction for $50,000+.

There was a big steal on ebay this week, but I'll let the winner come forward if he wants to.

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Posted By: Anonymous

Hey,
Sorry the Joss isnt for sale, i gave it to my brother for a bday present. sorry,
Bill

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Posted By: Dan Koteles

unlike Levi to give a deal, but I surely regret not snapping it !

Happy Thanksgiving to you and the rest of the board.

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Posted By: Andy Baran

I am the current owner of the E107 Lajoie that Levi sold on Ebay for $1,100. I worked out a deal with Scott B for the card before he even had time to pay Levi for it. Scott made a very nice profit, and I got a card that I had wanted for a long time. With today's E107 prices, it turns out that I also got it for a steal.

Believe it or not, I actually found a Peck & Snyder Reds card (which I have since sold to Hal) and my E107 Wagner on Ebay. I secured both cards privately after they failed to meet their reserves.

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Posted By: Bottom of the Ninth

I was the one who got that amazing Fan Craze set. There was a second one purchased from the seller shortly after the close of the ebay auction. I will credit our very own Leon with the biggest steal that I know of. Two words...Trucker Boy! BTW, Leon was the underbidder on the FC set.

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Posted By: Julie Vognar

(because JC didn't get home in time to raise his snipe bid... REA.

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Posted By: Mike

My 1914 Cracker Jack Christy Mathewson in 2003 for $1500.00. And I remember some people on this board thinking I over paid for it.

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Posted By: Anonymous

what grade was the mathewson?

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Posted By: warshawlaw

I won a Kopec Cigarettes athlete for $3.25. One of the rarest sports T cards.

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Posted By: Mike

The Mathewson came back a SGC 10 due to a clipped corner, otherwise a very presentable card.

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Posted By: Anonymous

crazy, i have noticed GAI's grading are all over the place. SGC is alot better by my books. looking at cards that have corners gone, and GAI grades them 1.5 or 2 is rediculous.....(saw some on eBay that just past)

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Posted By: Bruce MacPherson

I remember the Lajoie as "the one that got away". Scott B. bought it about two minutes before I logged on to ebay. It was not Levi, but his partner who was in charge of selling those cards. I ended up buying a few VG commons from that lot off him at the AC national for about $200 each. I was going to buy that low grade Bender but he wouldn't budge from the $450 price. Oh well. Biggest steal for me was probably a T213-3 overprint bender a few years ago for $50. The seller didn't have a back scan so people probably thought it was a trimmed card.

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Posted By: warshawlaw

but I picked up a T213 Cobb for a T206 price. I always thought that was a deal since they are way tougher to find.

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Posted By: Anonymous

its funny how prices go up every year for the same card.

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Posted By: Ryan Distelrath

I acquired a 1962 Fender Stratocaster with the original fiesta red paint on it. Put a buy it now price of 2 thousand dollars. It sold within 15 minutes. I got this guitar for free and tried to get it looked at in the local music store, but they referred me to somebody down the road in Nashville who is an expert at appraising guitars. I didn't take it in to the man (D'OH!!!)... Come to find out I could've gotten around 8 thousand for it. Ah well.. easy come, easy go I suppose.

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Posted By: J Levine

Sheesh...there is a name I have not seen in years (Hi Ryan)...Ryan was one of the first members of OBC (oldbaseball.com) if I recall and I am pretty sure I traded with him at some point...good to see you still active in the hobby.

Joshua Levine

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Posted By: Dan Koteles

I actually had a chance that morning. Like a big dummy
I emailed Levi and asked if he would take a grand and
I would hit the buy it now. ANytime a deal looks too good to be true ,dont hesitate. HIT IT !!!!!

I heard shumbody paid 15k....wow !

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Posted By: Andy Baran

Dan,

If you are still talking about the E107 Lajoie that Levi was selling, then whatever you heard is not true. I bought the card from Scott B the day after the auction for an amount that was above market price at the time, but no where near $15K. I still own the card, but would consider offers on it.

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Posted By: Rhys

Last night I was watching a John Tener official National League baseball box on ebay. Easily worth a minimum of $200-$250 but forgot to bid on it. End price...... $1 plus shipping! That is one of the best bargains I have ever seen on ebay!

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Posted By: Dan Koteles

well that confirms that "a" typical individual was
getting my goat for my misfortune. Trust me ,i had
at least 3-4 minutes....uggh !!!

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Posted By: Al Crisafulli

About a year and a half ago, I was browsing through T206 auctions when I came across one of those guys who tries to pass off T206 reprints as real. You could see his buying/selling patterns - he'd buy up reprints, list them as authentic, and then use the proceeds to buy shiny cards. In this one auction, he was selling a whole lot of "authentic" T206s - a Wagner, a Plank, etc...

...except some of them WERE real! The bidding was very light, and I got it for something like $150. When it arrived, there were about 20 reprints, but a bunch of authentic HOFers as well - Eddie Collins, Rube Waddell, Addie Joss, Rube Marquard, Frank Chance, and 3 or 4 others, plus a handful of authentic commons and two different Hal Chase cards.

I was pleased, because the seller was obviously so intent on cheating people (he had some other lots of "authentic" reprints being sold that same day) that he missed out on the opportunity to actually make some decent money the honest way. If I remember, his other lots sold for a few dollars each. Had he just listed the authentic T206s individually, he would have brought in plenty of money.

-Al

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Posted By: Dan Kravitz

I have to start out saying that I have been burned quite a few times on Ebay. For me, I have learned what works and what doesn't. I only buy from reputable sellers, I use Paypal when available, and I usually buy graded cards. Even with my rules of engagement I still disappointed myself by going after something that is just too good to be true. OK now that that's off my chest (I feel better), I can tell you my greatest Ebay deal. I purchased a raw M101-4 "shoeless" Joe Jackson from a guy with OK feedback. I thought the card was trimmed & I had spent more of my kid's college fund on crap, so I took the card with to the Ft. Washington show to have SGC grade it. The card came back a 50. With that deal I think Ebay and I are finally even.

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Posted By: Jon Canfield

Five years ago, there was an L1 Leather of Johnson up on eBay - decent condition. I remember watching, waiting, watching and waiting... I bid with a few seconds left and someone sneaked a bid in after me an won the auction... selling price - $1250 (and change). I should have just bid a little higher!