What's the best item you've ever pulled from a dealer's bargain box?

[Yoda]

Originally Posted by bigfanNY

Not a bargin bin but a binder on his table 1977. The binder had some postcards early exhibits that I had no interest in (mistake) ..but he had a Connie Mack that was signed priced at $30. I pulled it out said I would take it and kept looking. On back page he had an odd sized card that was definitely 1800's but I had never seen one before. Written in light pencil on back was $175. I muttered to myself the price and dealer said did I want to buy it for $75? I said yes..he said fine. I needed to go back to my table for the cash and he let me take cards. Showed them to my Dad as I took cash from our little metal cash box. He asked what it was.. I said I don't know, but would ask some dealers about it on my way back from paying for it. Paid and saw John Ramirez who I had met a year or so ago and I was pretty sure he would know. He looked at it said it was from 1890 part of a set of Clevland Spiders the name of the tobacco company was on the bottom Just So Tobacco. He asked where I hot it and told him 2 tables away. He shook his head and told me it was a good one. Held on to it for 25 years.

Jonathan, have to ask. Was Cy Young pictured among the Spiders?

[ocjack]

Over the course of many years during the 80's and 90's, I would rummage through dealer's 1957 Topps commons looking for the Baker error card. As to scarcity, after two decades I only found 2. Paid the price of a '57 common each time.

[MantleMarisFordBerra]

A bit of a curve ball for this board but several years ago I entered a vintage toy store with my (then) young son. While he picked out a few toys I saw these sitting on a shelf - totally raw, not even in penny sleeves! For those that don’t know the 1986 Carnation Wrestling set is extremely rare. The Road Warriors card in this condition goes for approximately $600 while the Martel would fetch around $200. Guy threw ‘em in at no charge when I purchased some toys for my son. Not too shabby!

[jthorst75]

Not card related but rather coins. I bought a $9 bag of a hundred wheat pennies for my son as he was trying to complete his wheat penny books. We were both shocked to find a 1909 S amongst them. Not big money but it easily filled the spot he had in his book. I later ended up buying a graded S VDB for him, that one is a toughy.