Buying collections - can this work?

[BobC]

Originally Posted by Casey2296

Personally Bob, I love your plan and it would be an instant separation from the other guys. I'd use passable fake cash and a hired "security guard " for presentation.

How would you present to make an heir or widow with a pre war collection comfortable enough to approach your table?

The fake cash might be a good idea, just don't get anyone claiming it could be counterfeit, as then you could have a whole other set of issues. And actually, isn't what I described basically taking a page right out of the Mr. Mint bible of how to do business? I remember when he used to specifically get the very first table inside the entrance doors at a card show so he had the first crack at anyone walking in with stuff to sell. He would actually offer to pay in cash, and if memory serves, made actual handwritten offers he gave to people of what he would pay them for their stuff when they did stop to show him what they may have. And I'm guessing he likely got some additional leads he would follow up on from people that maybe didn't bring all their stuff with them. There is the old saying, "Money talks....and bull$hit walks!", which is so very true.

As for widows and others, chances are they aren't coming to card shows themselves, maybe some younger relatives or friends looking out for them or otherwise trying to help. I'd suggest having a stack of business cards to hand out to people so there may be that follow-up activity after the show and/or away from it. Think about all the pictures you ever saw of Al (Mr. Mint) Rosen, more often than not it showed him with a huge smile, flashing tons of cash, or tons of great cards. The card flashes were for potential buyers. The cash flashes were for potential sellers. That way he always covered both sides of the aisle.

https://www.bing.com/images/search?v...t=0&ajaxserp=0

Rosen was to my understanding very good at using this technique, until I heard about him doing his usual and paying up to get the front table at the doors at the Cleveland National held in the IX Center one year. My understanding was he went ape$hit when he found out that unlike all the other Nationals he'd been at, no one told him there were two separate entrances to the IX Center on opposite sides of the convention floor. He apparently didn't like paying to only get a first crack at maybe half the people walking into the show. I also thought I heard/read somewhere he never bothered to do another National show after that, at least not ever in Cleveland. I've always found that hard to believe those stories/rumors I had heard that he really didn't know there were two separate entrances. But stranger things have happened in the world, right?