Goodwin Pickups

[calvindog]

Barry, try guaranteeing prices for consignors as the great guys do. And have a reputation for shilling up your lots, that helps too. Oh and let's not forget great write-ups, that's the most important thing of all.

[barrysloate]

Jim- the write-ups don't hurt, but much of it is hype and padding. It's good to give historical background on a piece that merits it, but you don't need a 250 word essay to describe a T206 common in PSA 8. Do people actually read those things?

[E93]

I agree that every card does not merit the extensive write-ups they sometimes get, but some history of rare sets or cards, relative scarcity, maybe some interesting tidbits about the subject all contribute. I think sometimes people who have a lot of hobby knowledge and baseball history knowledge forget what it was like to not have that and then fail to appreciate it when they see it because it is nothing they did not already know. Being a teacher, I am constantly trying to remember what is was like to not know what I do now and what it was like to learn it. Hopefully that makes me a better teacher. And hopefully the write-ups welcome more people into the hobby. So I appreciate the descriptions, even when it is info I already know.
JimB

[E93]

By the way, there is more than one person on this board that seems to harp on the same stuff over and over again. That becomes much more of a turnoff than reading about Ty Cobb's .367 lifetime average for the 1000th time in an auction write-up.\
JimB

[barrysloate]

Good points, but it is also helpful to offer that information succinctly. I think there are many people out there with short attention spans who may not want to read a long essay about each lot.

I offered historical background when it was necessary, but tried not to ramble or repeat myself. We veterans do get jaded, but I know when I'm reading through a catalog I'm skipping half the text.

[calvindog]

Jim, you can call me out by name, I think you'll find I have a pretty thick skin and am not easily deterred. And fraud in the hobby is a pretty important topic even if it does blow a potential zen moment. At least the FBI seems to think so.

[calvindog]

Dan, consignors who have shared in the ridiculous prices of Goodwin have every incentive to protect him now (just as many protected Mastro a few years ago). But everyone here knows the truth about what goes on in his auctions -- and many just don't want to say it here because to do so would be to kill the golden goose.

And unless Bill turns over his bidding records or the people who have gotten guaranteed prices on lots come forward I'm not sure there is much anyone can do other than set out the more ludicrous results he's gotten. Circumstantial proof is pretty powerful as it certainly tipped me off to Mastro's fraud and I guess some important people agreed. But I will add that whatever I felt about Mastro's shenanigans based on the auction numbers is tiny compared to what I see with Goodwin. But then again, I'm just a bidder and not a consignor so what do I know.

[barrysloate]

Dan- come on, you don't really believe that bidders pay more after reading the text? All well written lots are helpful to them, but do you think bidders exceed their limits because of the text? I highly doubt it.

But I do agree there are beginners coming into the hobby and the extra information helps them learn about the memorabilia (again assuming that it is genuinely well written).