BIN vs. Auction

[Rob D.]

I'm a firm believer in sellers asking what they want and letting the chips fall where they may. They own the cards, so let them set the price. We have no idea whether they overpaid for a particular card, really don't want to sell unless they get their stated price, etc.

That being said, I simply can't explain a couple of cards I've seen during the past year. I know that eBay BIN stories are like "bad beat" stories from poker players: Everyone has one and thinks his is the best, and few other people really want to hear about it. Unfortunately, I'm going to tell mine anyway.

Last summer I noticed for the first time as a BIN (with a best-offer option) a T206 Lajoie with a Tolstoi back, PSA 5. Nice card. BIN = $2,495.95.

I like to think I've got a decent grasp of what Lajoie cards sell for, even without checking VCP. But I figured maybe I missed something. VCP has one recorded sale of $717 for this card in this grade, in October 2008. I had seen another sell early last year for just north of $900. So where the seller came up with $2,500, I have no idea.

Last year I made (I think) three offers -- $900, $1,000 and $1,100 -- which were automatically rejected immediately. I shrugged and figured the seller was using the card to draw attention to other cards he really wanted to sell. No big deal. Then last month I see the seller had relisted the card for the same price.

Against my better judgement I send him a nicely worded e-mail complimenting him on the card and explaining that I am interested in buying it if he's interested in selling it. I make an offer of $1,200 -- 33 percent more than I've ever seen this card sell for. I pass along the prices I've seen the card sell for and explain that while I'm willing to overpay for his card, I simply can't go anywhere near the neighborhood that he's asking.

His reply was that we're too far off in price, so there's no way we could reach a deal.

As far as I can tell, I think I'm the only sap who has made offers on the card (at least through the "Make an offer" option).

This experience and a few others that followed the same scenario are the main reason I rarely bother with sellers who list their cards at such outrageous prices. Again, I'm sure they have a strategy. I'm just not following it.