The one that got away...

[Republicaninmass]

Few years back on Ebay I missed a signed 55 topps Gil Hodges, have only seen one other since and borders were trimmed off. Still forget why I didnt/couldnt bid.

[Zach Wheat]

Not many regrets...but one would be a nice full set of Type I & II V-61's (1922 - known as Neilson's Chocolates). It was a beautiful set with all the stars. Type I's are more difficult to find - probably because of their paper stock.

Went to bid it...and it was gone. I have never seen another complete set. And rarely see any of the more difficult to locate Type I's.

Regards,

[hcv123]

I am a HUGE Clemente collector. I saw the card raw for the first time at the first Robert Morris College show I set up at. It was offered to me by its owner at ~20% over book. I was very new and naïve in the dealer role and tried to offer him half book - he laughed and said if that's what I was offering, I didn't know what I was looking at. WOW was he right. I came to learn over the next couple of years that the 1958 Kahn's is far and away the most difficult Kahn's Clemente and one of his most difficult cards in ANY condition. The condition that one was in was not to be believed. It was later purchased by a friend from the dealer who was smarter than me at the time. My friend had it graded - it came back a 6 - still the only 6 with none higher and one of a handful graded. In a moment of insanity he sold it to someone else for A LOT of money. He has been trying to buy it back since. Ouch that hurts! Not as much the money as I had it in my hands (literally) and let it walk away the condition it was in would go nicely with the rest of my Kahn's cards!

[the 'stache]

Originally Posted by hcv123

I am a HUGE Clemente collector. I saw the card raw for the first time at the first Robert Morris College show I set up at. It was offered to me by its owner at ~20% over book. I was very new and naïve in the dealer role and tried to offer him half book - he laughed and said if that's what I was offering, I didn't know what I was looking at. WOW was he right. I came to learn over the next couple of years that the 1958 Kahn's is far and away the most difficult Kahn's Clemente and one of his most difficult cards in ANY condition. The condition that one was in was not to be believed. It was later purchased by a friend from the dealer who was smarter than me at the time. My friend had it graded - it came back a 6 - still the only 6 with none higher and one of a handful graded. In a moment of insanity he sold it to someone else for A LOT of money. He has been trying to buy it back since. Ouch that hurts! Not as much the money as I had it in my hands (literally) and let it walk away the condition it was in would go nicely with the rest of my Kahn's cards!

Thank you, Howard. As a huge Clemente fan, and somebody who is just getting his collection underway, not only did I not know about the Kahn's cards, I didn't know to even look for them.

I'll complete the Topps master set first, then start looking for the more difficult to acquire cards. I'm looking at the Trading Card Database, and the number of Clemente cards far exceeds what I thought to be available. Now I know

[Exhibitman]

Since I've been collecting for 40+ years there isn't much that I haven't stupidly failed to purchase at one time or another. But one specific deal that stands out was around 1979 or 1980. I went to a local show and there was a dealer there with a stack of Ty Cobb signed checks for $50 each. I had a few hundred dollars on me but I wasn't into autographs and figured that if he had a stack I'd just get one later. D'oh!

[Hot Springs Bathers]

Guys I have not let many great things go by but I have SO MANY regrets about all the great stuff I have sold over the years!

[1963Topps Set]

I have had many opportunities to sell my cards, especially in the late 1980s / early 1990s, but never did. I once came within a hair of trading all of my 1951 / 1952 Bowman cards for a 1962 Topps set, but pulled out at the last minute.

Today, I still have my Bowmans and the 1962 Topps set has long been completed. : - )

[Bestdj777]

I was in the middle of saving up for an engagement ring and was catching flack for not buying one yet--we were already engaged I just wanted the time to design the ring, meet with the jeweler, save the money. Anyway, a really nice 1960 Venezuelan Mantle/Boyer popped up right in my price range. I actually probably would have paid a bit more. But, I held off for the ring as I wanted to make sure the important one didn't get away.

I have not seen another example for sale since...

[brian1961]

Originally Posted by Bestdj777

I was in the middle of saving up for an engagement ring and was catching flack for not buying one yet--we were already engaged I just wanted the time to design the ring, meet with the jeweler, save the money. Anyway, a really nice 1960 Venezuelan Mantle/Boyer popped up right in my price range. I actually probably would have paid a bit more. But, I held off for the ring as I wanted to make sure the important one didn't get away.

I have not seen another example for sale since...

Chris, you know in your heart you did the right thing. Honestly, had you opted for the Venezuelan Mantle/Boyer, your guilt would then strike you every time your eyes gazed at your card. You'd be stealing from yourself every ounce of what would have been future pleasure in owning that card. Let your memory of the words of the knight from Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade come back to you strongly, "YOU HAVE CHOSEN......WISELY".

Wishing you and your wife a most happy and meaningful Valentine's Day!

--Brian Powell

[Bestdj777]

Thanks Brian. You are definitely right. It's an awesome card, but I made the right decision. That card will come back up again sometime Happy Valentines Day to you too.

[Tomman1961]

Autographed Richard Nixon BB. $75 will good provenance. 1986?????

[stlcardsfan]

Well, this is really nitpicking but Paul's story reminded me of this one. In 1976 I was 9 years old and I had an older cousin named Kenny that lived in Kankakee, IL where my dad grew up. (We lived in O'Fallon, IL, metro east area of STL). Anyway, I was into cards for a few years and my cousin had a HUGE collection as far as a 9 year old was concerned. He was probably about 16 at the time. One day when we were up in Kankakee at my grandparents for the weekend he and his family came over and he had a big box with the top cut off (I think I remember it being an old Kool cigarette box) that was full of cards, all in vertical piles separated by rubber bands. There were probably in excess of 5,000 cards. The years ranged from 1974 back to 1955. There a couple thouand from 1973 and 1974. They were all his doubles and he was giving them to me. I remember being blown away and I started to look through some of them. The first pile I picked up and starting going through was 1959, where there were probably only 50 or so cards. I still remember one was Willie Mays #50 and I said "Look, Willie Mays"!!! He said "Let me see that!" and took it back! Well, I stopped looking at that point! I brought them home, and sorted through them. Some of the highlights included 2 Mike Schmidt RC's in incredible condition, tons of stars and high #s from 72, 69 and 68 Mantles, some great 66's including Billy Williams, #544 (you know if you put that set together), Horace Clarke, 65 Aaron and Mays. There were just a few in each year from 55-63, no really big stars. But what it did was give me great starter sets in those years, and about 12 years ago I started putting sets together back to 59, of which I finished about 2 years ago. My cousin passed away much too young a few years ago, but I was always grateful he was generous enough to give me all those cards. Even though Kenny was a Cubs fan.