What cards did you get for a steal, although you didn't realize it at the time?

[raulus]

You mean aside from all of them? Certainly anything picked up pre-pandi seems like the world’s biggest steal right now.

Might be easier to name the stuff that doesn’t seem like a screaming deal. Basically for me the only stuff on that list is from the junk wax era. Otherwise, everything I picked up pre-pandi has gone up by 300% or more in the last couple of years. So while it seemed like I was paying a lot at the time, little did I know that I was getting a screaming deal by today’s standards.

[NiceDocter]

Picked up 10 1954 Johnstons Cookies in vg including Mathews…. others commons…. but later realized that the Bobby Thompson ( included as a common) was a rare short print in that set!! Nice surprise…

[z28jd]

Originally Posted by NiceDocter

Picked up 10 1954 Johnstons Cookies in vg including Mathews…. others commons…. but later realized that the Bobby Thompson ( included as a common) was a rare short print in that set!! Nice surprise…

I got a T206 lot in early 2001 for about $600 for 40 cards, which is obviously a steal now, but back then I got the lot and saw that the George Davis card had an upside down back, showing parts of four Piedmont ads. I had no idea of the value, so I went on the Full Count message board and asked about the price.

The first response I got was that it had no extra value, but the person thought it was interesting so they would pay a little extra for it. I believe they said $75. The next person said don't sell to them, I'll give you $300. Then someone offered $400, followed by two people who said they would top any offers. I did not sell the card and still have it

[Republicaninmass]

A bought a lot of 1952 hi numbers on ebay, the seller threw in a poor eddie mathews rc!

[jimq16415]

I also collect postcards, caught this on ebay with a buy it now 2 minutes after it was listed for under $300. I was happy to have ANY ty cobb for under 300. I think i could sell it and make a profit.


Later again on ebay a 1952 topps Mantle KSA 2 for 3400. I thought as long as PSA authenticated it, I would be ok. I jumped in the bidding at the end and was afraid I paid too much.

[Jay Wolt]

As Raulus stated anything vintage bought pre-pandemic has appreciated nicely.
Modern, not so much. Imagine stockpiling on unopened cases of 1988 Donruss,
Fleer, Score & Topps?

15 years ago when I was working on my 1st set of T3 Turkey Red's
I won on ebay an ungraded Mathewson for a song, maybe $240. dlvd
My bid was much higher, so was curious why it went so low.
Then I noticed the seller was from England & back then there was no ebay protection
for lost or stolen packages.

It did arrive in the condition as advertised, worn & stained. Had it graded & it fit in nicely in my set.

[kmac32]

All of my E121-120 Ruth Cards

[nat]

Originally Posted by z28jd

followed by two people who said they would top any offers

This sounds like a good way to infinity dollars.

[Seven]

A few stories behind each of these cards:

The Aaron RC was purchased off of Becketts Marketplace, back in the Late 2000's. I don't recall the exact price but it was something in the ballpark of $130. I wanted to own the RC of Henry Aaron, I saved my money and was able to purchase it. The Killebrew and Banks RC's were won on Ebay, both for under $100, during the same time period. I couldn't understand how these guys, who were members of the 500 Home Run Club, both so cheap. All of which are in rougher condition, but it matters little to me.

The Koufax, was purchased during COVID. The seller told me that it displays great but measures a touch short of what normal 1955 Topps go for. I have zero plan to grade it, got it for a steal, I'm happy with having it in my collection.

The Minnie, was a throw in from a member on the forum. They were selling 1952 Topps, all lower series. We went back and fourth through a chain of emails, I actually purchased from him twice. Minnie was discussed, but we could never really settle on a price. After I received my second shipment of cards, I noticed the Minnie was in there, and immediately contacted the person, thinking he made a mistake. He told me that because we talked about it so much, he decided just to throw in Minnie for free. This was shortly before his election to the Hall of Fame, so obviously hindsight is 20/20.

[Ronnie73]

This card was a more recent "steal". Basically it was a right time, right place. In April 2020, one random night, but actually very early morning, I woke up and couldn't get back to sleep. So I checked the newest eBay T206 listings. One seller had 4 listings. 2 were common Piedmont PSA 4's, 1 was a common Polar Bear PSA 4, and the last was a common front, but a more difficult American Beauty 460 back, and it was also graded PSA 4. Each card was listed for $190 each. I only purchased the American Beauty.

[donmuth]

When I started working on my 1967 Topps set, I bought several lots of commons off eBay. In one of those, was this Spezio error card. I didn't realize it was valuable until sometime after I added the cards to my set binder.

[BearBailey]

Sometime in the late 1980s Hawaiian Punch came out with a deal that if you sent in 10 proof of purchases with a SASE they would send you a vintage baseball card worth at least $50, one per household. My family were big Hawaiian Punch drinkers so I sent off the day I found out and eventually gave my best friend the proof of purchases as well as his family weren’t Hawaiian Punch drinkers. When the cards arrived I got a 1952 topps Hank Sauer in NM+ condition, my friend got a 1957 topps Warren Spahn in NM condition. I remembering thinking he made out far better than me, but I was able to trade him a McGwire and canseco rookie for the Spahn card. Based upon how 52s have gone insane pricing wise the Sauer card is the bargain today, but looking back both were bargains since we drank Hawaiian Punch either way and just had to send in the SASEs.

[z28jd]

Originally Posted by nat

This sounds like a good way to infinity dollars.

When I didn't respond directly to anyone, I believe (trying to remember from 22 years ago) that I was contacted by them with $600 and $800 offers. Those two offers definitely happened, I'm just not 100% sure it was the two people who said they would top anything.

Instead of selling, I started searching for them and found three others about two years later in a collection. Unlike the first offer I got, I paid a good price to someone who wasn't quite sure what they had.

The Davis is in the top right:

[jh691626]

When I was probably 12 years old at a card show (at a shopping mall, they used to be in the mall!!), I got a 1933 Goudey Mel Ott (the green one) in pretty nice shape for $20. Years later I had it graded and it was a PSA 4.5. I'm not sure exactly what it's worth since I have not looked to sell it, but definitely more than $20!