1921 Baltimore Orioles Tip top Bread.

[danmckee]

Look at the current price of these items in Huggins auction, this is why Dan keeps items secret and uncataloged at all costs.

Here is an issue I would like to collect and I no longer can.

Trust me, I will NEVER help nor catalog any of my uncatalog rare stuff until I am ready to sell. FK'M

Collecting in 2009 SUCKS!

[nolemmings]

Dan, I understand your frustration, but not your logic, at least here. I would suggest that one of the main reasons these cards are going as high as they are is BECAUSE they are uncatalogued. There is always a mystique associated with uncatalogued cards, at least for some, who gotta have what they believe is super scarce. Personally, I find the cards to be only moderately attractive, and largely no-name players who should be enticing only to type collectors and Baltimore area collectors like yourself. So why do they command such $$$?? Again, I believe it's because of the uncatalogued factor.

If you would have leaked these out a couple years ago, the catalogs would have no or very little pricing info, and they would be far more conservatively listed. Stumbling upon one at a mall show might have set you back a few hundred dollars from some part-time dealer who looked at a price guide. You wouldn't get to steal one from some poor bloke who had absolutely no clue what he had if they were listed, but by the same token, you wouldn't face what you're obviously looking at now---upcoming catalogs showing these to be priced at four figures each. Thus, from a collector-buyer's standpoint, I would think you would want these cards to appear as common (or at least not so scarce as to be uncatalogued) as possible.

[Rich Klein]

As I said; you've hit the rough edge of keeping hobby items a secret.

Now; most people will know how expensive those cards are AND you won't get the Grove reasonably to finish your set,

But let's be honest as well; aren't you also partially upset at yourself for YOU could have been the one to cash in big time:

http://www.hugginsandscott.com/cgi-b...l?itemid=16722

$30K without juice and counting. Not a bad day and as has been spoken; the consigner is thrilled.

Now go out and sell yours and cash in. You'll feel better and your wife will appreciate the nice holiday gift you give her!

Regards
Rich

P.S. And as for the rest of your secrets, as has been pointed out, better make sure you tell your children for otherwise when that day comes they might not even care about daddy's cards

[JK]

Todd - I think you've hit the nail on the head.

[Rich Klein]

Trust me, I will NEVER help nor catalog any of my uncatalog rare stuff until I am ready to sell. FK'M

Dan:

And I'm taking a step of two off; but when I was at Beckett; if you had told me about these cards and sent a scan here is what would have happenned.

1) You send me the scan and checklist

2) I list them and ask you, since you are the person holding them for an approximate retail value

3) You tell me, let's say $100 each and I say sounds good; put the Grove at $1000 because of when the card was issued relative to his major league debut. I'm assuming you are telling me the truth when you tell me the est price guide value.

4) Beckett lists the cards; they are catalogued with a price guide value (of what turns out to be 10 percent of the value); you get a chance to purchase these cards you need for your set at a reasonable price level and I get to add a fun set to the data base.

5) Get me enough checklists and I would have made sure you had a comp ad (which god knows, I made sure enough of those were given out for help and kept them going for years)

6) And then what Todd said

Not trying to bust your chain; but in this case; the leakage really would have helped you. Now go sell YOURS

Regards
Rich

[Exhibitman]

Very insightful post, Todd. The perceived uniqueness of the issue definitely contributes to the bidding. Had they been catalogued already I can see someone going after the Groves [sic] to get a pre-rookie but not the frenzy that is going on over these cards. Now that the price baseline is set the future sellers who emerge (and they always do) will demand extraordinary prices. In a few years when there are no takers the prices will start to drop and at some point will reach a rough equilibrium.

[barrysloate]

There really may not be all the frenzy the bidding suggests. Isn't it possible it is just two of the usual suspects, otherwise known as whales, bidding against each other? And everyone else is already out.