Your Best Deal Ever (Going Back All The Way!)

[rand1com]

In 2019, I purchased a boyhood collection from a guy in his late 70's. He had opened packs in 1951/2/3 starting when he was around 10 years old and had stored them all in a large box loose. There were about 600 hundred cards in total. No '52 Topps high numbers and no Mays but still a lot of star cards in reasonable condition. No '53 Topps Mantle or Mays either but a couple of Paiges.

When he was in his 40's, his dad found them in the attic of his old home and asked him if he wanted them so he had him ship them to him. They had been in storage at his home for 30+ years before I saw them.

He had (2) 1951 Bowman Mantles and (1) Mays. I got the Mantles graded and one was a 3 and the other a 3.5. At that time just 3 short years ago I got $11K for the pair which was very high for those grades at the time.

I offered $10K for his collection and he said that was too much and countered at $7500 and told me if I did not make good money on the deal he would give me some money back.

I figured the collection would bring about $20K so I told him I was OK with the $10K but he said no. For sure, the only time in my card dealing time where the offer was refused because it was too high.

I got the $20K eventually for the collection so I guess we were both happy.

[jcmtiger]

Saw a small newspaper with a Detroit Tigers 1935 WS black bat for sale, 1980’s. Went to the house could not make a deal. Couple years later called the phone number. Was sorry the man had passed away. The widow said she wanted to sell the bat. Purchased for $600.00.

[Seven]

A few to say the least, even though my journey started much later than many people here on the board.

I purchased a lower grade, Hank Aaron 1954 Topps, in the 2006 with most of the money I had saved at that point. I don't remember an exact dollar amount, I want to say maybe around 170-190 dollars, off the Beckett Marketplace, I believe. I would eventually purchase an Ernie Banks 1954 Topps the same year for 50 off Ebay. The Same summer my father purchased a 1953 Willie Mays Topps, for me, from Baseball Nostalgia, I do indeed remember the price, $300, which might have been a slight overpay at the time for all I know, but certainly a bargain by today's standards. All three cards still sit, ungraded, in my small collection, to this very day.

More recently, I was purchasing a number of 52 Topps from a member on here, 8thEastVB, who was getting rid of a bunch of them. We talked back and forth about Minnie Minoso. To make a long stories short, in the last group for cards I purchased from him, he sent me Minnie for free. This was shortly before Minoso was announced for the Hall of Fame. I appreciated his generosity and thanked him profusely. It was such a nice gesture. He hasn't posted much at all since then. I hope he's well.