sports-cards-forever

[Phil68]

Originally Posted by Santo10Fan

I arranged an off-ebay cash trade with this guy as we both live/work in downtown Chicago. He was open to it after I established my bonafides by telling him which well-known local high school I live right by. Emailed that info Feb. 20, 2018, received reply on April 3. ANYways, my offer was pretty GD reasonable and was not a lowball and would have been a fisftul of hundos in the lobby of a public tower in the center of the Loop for a really nice 55 Koufax PSA 7.

Nope, didn't budge from the 70% markup from any and all price guides and past sales. Ebay site full price or eff off. Never received a name, never went past the email stating; "I appreciate the offer but the card sells in the...NOPE...range."

I also upped my meds yesterday, ironically.

I feel your pain. I make my living in baseball. Parents, money, sign-ability, egos, citizenship, empty road trips, lies, incomplete paperwork, etc...add to that being from the worst state in the union (Illinois)--as you are, too, that I would have a belly full of idiot exposure and would have developed some alcohol-like tolerance. Nope.

The inconsiderate, obnoxious behavior that takes me days to find in the "real world" takes mere minutes to find in the world of collectibles.
Truth is, the quickest place to find a true loser is in this hobby.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by Phil68

I feel your pain. I make my living in baseball. Parents, money, sign-ability, egos, citizenship, empty road trips, lies, incomplete paperwork, etc...add to that being from the worst state in the union (Illinois)--as you are, too, that I would have a belly full of idiot exposure and would have developed some alcohol-like tolerance. Nope.

The inconsiderate, obnoxious behavior that takes me days to find in the "real world" takes mere minutes to find in the world of collectibles.
Truth is, the quickest place to find a true loser is in this hobby.

Then why are you here? Leave if you don't like it. Life is too short.

[Case12]

I live in Illinois. I love this hobby. I still live in Illinois....damn.

[Santo10Fan]

Originally Posted by Case12

I live in Illinois. I love this hobby. I still live in Illinois....damn.

I've never been more proud to be an Illinoisan than I have these past few weeks.

[JunkyJoe]

I have a sorta' relevant story that is somewhat inline with this OP's sentiment. I collected as a kid in the 80's and 90's and like many, I bailed during the junk wax bust. I hadn't even thought about collecting for over a decade, but one day I was at a local shopping mall and a card dealer had some tables set up near the kiosks. Nothing fancy at all. No signage, just some collapsible plastic tables. I believe this was around 2005/2006.

Anyway, the guy had some pretty nice looking ungraded pre-junk cards, mid 70's to early 80's, mostly baseball. At the time, I still didn't know much about grading, and I certainly had no idea what could be found on ebay by then. I came across a few that looked real nice, and ended up buying a Topps Wade Boggs rookie, a Topps Don Mattingly rookie, and a 2nd year Topps Rickey Henderson card. He had each card priced at $15 to $25, and I had no idea what the current values were at the time. All I could remember was that some of those cards had been $50 / $80 / $100+ cards during my childhood collecting years. I think I "bargained" with the guy a little, and got him down to around $50 for all three cards. To my untrained eye, they appeared Mint or very close to Mint.

Fast forward about 4 or 5 years after that, when I had started getting into buying a few cards on Ebay and had educated myself a bit more on grading. I went back to my old box of cards and re-inspected those "great finds" from that one day at the mall. Turned out, they were actually closer to NM condition due to centering and minor corner wear. A couple of the borders on the Mattingly card looked a bit too thin as well. So to my dismay, I had actually paid top dollar for some NM cards, and one that was very likely trimmed. Then my photographic memory recalled the smug double-chin grin on that dealer's face when I was buying those cards, wondering why he was so happy when I was the one scoring such a bargain. HA!

Such are the lessons of trial and error in a hobby full of lowlife clowns. Live and learn.

[Phil68]

Originally Posted by JunkyJoe

I have a sorta' relevant story that is somewhat inline with this OP's sentiment. I collected as a kid in the 80's and 90's and like many, I bailed during the junk wax bust. I hadn't even thought about collecting for over a decade, but one day I was at a local shopping mall and a card dealer had some tables set up near the kiosks. Nothing fancy at all. No signage, just some collapsible plastic tables. I believe this was around 2005/2006.

Anyway, the guy had some pretty nice looking ungraded pre-junk cards, mid 70's to early 80's, mostly baseball. At the time, I still didn't know much about grading, and I certainly had no idea what could be found on ebay by then. I came across a few that looked real nice, and ended up buying a Topps Wade Boggs rookie, a Topps Don Mattingly rookie, and a 2nd year Topps Rickey Henderson card. He had each card priced at $15 to $25, and I had no idea what the current values were at the time. All I could remember was that some of those cards had been $50 / $80 / $100+ cards during my childhood collecting years. I think I "bargained" with the guy a little, and got him down to around $50 for all three cards. To my untrained eye, they appeared Mint or very close to Mint.

Fast forward about 4 or 5 years after that, when I had started getting into buying a few cards on Ebay and had educated myself a bit more on grading. I went back to my old box of cards and re-inspected those "great finds" from that one day at the mall. Turned out, they were actually closer to NM condition due to centering and minor corner wear. A couple of the borders on the Mattingly card looked a bit too thin as well. So to my dismay, I had actually paid top dollar for some NM cards, and one that was very likely trimmed. Then my photographic memory recalled the smug double-chin grin on that dealer's face when I was buying those cards, wondering why he was so happy when I was the one scoring such a bargain. HA!

Such are the lessons of trial and error in a hobby full of lowlife clowns. Live and learn.

Very well written and right on point. He's a guy that, to this day, likely has never seen a woman's breast--without a credit card.

[Throttlesteer]

Originally Posted by Phil68

Very well written and right on point. He's a guy that, to this day, likely has never seen a woman's breast--without a credit card.

Now that's funny. There are turds in all walks of life. It just takes something that allows some to take advantage of others to expose their turdom. With any hobby, there will always be those that take themselves too serious too. Vintage sports cards are no different than anything else.

[Republicaninmass]

I've met some of the worst people in this hobby, but also some of the Best. Probably can be said of any small circles of people.

I have found that many times, the nicer or tougher your collection, the more "haters" that seem to pop out of the woodwork.

[Phil68]

Originally Posted by Throttlesteer

Now that's funny. There are turds in all walks of life. It just takes something that allows some to take advantage of others to expose their turdom. With any hobby, there will always be those that take themselves too serious too. Vintage sports cards are no different than anything else.

LOL!!!
TURDOM!!!!

Leon, THAT'S why I want to be here!!!

[Phil68]

I'll say this...
My fragile male ego posts photos of cards I've found, bought and even MADE. Nobody says a word.
Like a 500-card homemade set that has taken 4 years and cost 6k to make...a few guys are cool and throw the token "very nice" out there occasionally (which literally makes my day) but 99.9% ignore it or say something incorrigible like "Broders....blah blah"...
But if I say a seller is a turd...all hell breaks loose, Lol.
Again, it's just the recipe. Collectors want to show their collections....artists want to show their creations. Exceptions in this regard are soooo rare.
In the end, we all like a little dirt kicked up so we can grab our pitchforks and have at it.
To re-cap...
great card/photo = nothing
Turd = excitement, opinions, discussion

[JunkyJoe]

Originally Posted by Phil68

Very well written and right on point. He's a guy that, to this day, likely has never seen a woman's breast--without a credit card.

I think you may have hit a nerve there

[Phil68]

Originally Posted by Leon

Then why are you here? Leave if you don't like it. Life is too short.

It's nothing you don't know, say yourself and hear and just MIGHT be taking it a tad too literally. I didn't say YOU, personally are a turd or anyone HERE...although I suspect a few...
Factually speaking, the biggest turds many of us have met are in hobbies (I collect other things as well). It's a peculiar nature; collecting...hoarding. Large ego connected and, in some cases, some emotional or attachment issues that go well beyond "Hey, I like Mickey Mantle!"
I am not exempt. I'm rowing with the same oars as many.
To your question...
I'm here because I generally like it and I'm honored to be included and you've allowed me to be. I learn about things like Al Kaline "bandaid variations" and such. See some great collectibles and pass time that I would otherwise spend watching Dexter or Criminal Minds.

It's ok to get pissy on your own platform at somebody for saying something empirical that everyone deep down knows is true....but it doesn't make it less true.
Further, most experts that compile data such as cost of living, schools, government efficiency, scandal, jobs, debt...will tell you Illinois is REALLY bad. It's actually more corrupt on balance than virtually all other states.
I live here because my family has for generations, but when my kids graduate I'm gone. There's a reason a great city like Chicago has turned to crap. Illinois trails only New York, West Virginia and South Dakota in "Get me the f*ck outta here" rate.
It sucks but facts don't care about feelings. I always say "never let facts get in the way of a good hatred."

So, please, don't let me get under your skin. Usually--like now--when I write here, I'm in a good mood. It's just hard to HEAR it in written form. No personal offense intended and I'm truly sorry if anyone thought it was.

[Santo10Fan]

Originally Posted by Phil68

...Truth is, the quickest place to find a true loser is in this hobby.

You're thinking of twitter!!

[timn1]

Like Leon said - why are you here? And speaking as a fellow Illinoisian who doesn't think the state is anywhere near the worst - if you feel that way, why don't you move to, oh,I don't know - Arkansas? (apologies in advance to all Arkansans everywhere...)

This thread is a complete waste of space.

Originally Posted by Phil68

I feel your pain. I make my living in baseball. Parents, money, sign-ability, egos, citizenship, empty road trips, lies, incomplete paperwork, etc...add to that being from the worst state in the union (Illinois)--as you are, too, that I would have a belly full of idiot exposure and would have developed some alcohol-like tolerance. Nope.

The inconsiderate, obnoxious behavior that takes me days to find in the "real world" takes mere minutes to find in the world of collectibles.
Truth is, the quickest place to find a true loser is in this hobby.