Hobby Myths Most Accept as True

[bcornell]

No offense taken, Blair. I thought that snarky line was one possible reply to being quoted book prices, which are often wildly wrong. However, those prices are sometimes a starting point in a face-to-face negotiation between a buyer & seller at the National.


Bill

[Rich Klein]

Was also a favorite of mine back in the 1980's when the mid-60's tough hi numbers were priced way too low.

This would be the typical conversation:

Collector: How much do you want for the 1967 Shaw/Sutherland Card

Me: $20 (or whatever seemingly insane price I wanted)

Collector: But Beckett says it's only $7

Me: Here is the phone # to the Dallas Office, buy it from them

Collector: But the book says this.

Me: How long have you been looking for that card to finish your set

Collector: 3 years

Me: Don't you think there is a reason you have not been able to find that card then at that price

Collector: Yeah; but I still want it only for $7

Repeat conversation about 10x a show

Rich

[yomass]

What is the evidence that W502 is a candy issue?

What is the evidence that W575-2 was issued as a boxed set? Almost all of mine are hand cut, so how do they get that way?

[Leon]

Originally Posted by yomass

What is the evidence that W502 is a candy issue?

What is the evidence that W575-2 was issued as a boxed set? Almost all of mine are hand cut, so how do they get that way?

I think he might have meant the W503's have been known to be a candy issue by most hobby veterans. I am not sure about anything definitive though. As for W575-2 my only source for what they are is a small strip card example....Nice thought for a thread!!

[Bridwell]

Myths:

1. The T206 Plank is scarce because of a broken printing plate.

2. Hobby dealers are supposed to be helping out vintage collectors.

3. The T207 Lowdermilk is the 'holy grail' of that set.

4. The early hobby pioneers knew more than we know now.

Ron R

[barrysloate]

I guess I'll play too. Myths:

1) Only the biggest auction houses get top dollar for consignments. That is both an oversimplification, and a misunderstanding of how the market works. World record prices are set based on who is bidding. Often there is no rhyme or reason for why crazy prices are realized, except for who the bidders are. I had a tiny auction house with a small catalog and set many world record prices that stood for years. Was I better or worse than anyone else? I doubt it, as every auction company uses the same pool of bidders. All the great prices I achieved were solely based on who was bidding, nothing more. I've seen big auction houses get great prices, and I've seen them tank. The size of the auction house is irrelevant.

2) Something that Ichieh said on his Pete Rose thread precipated my next thought: "Dmitri Young owns the PSA 10 and he won't be selling." Ichieh, if I had a nickel for every collector who was never going to sell, and then bailed out of the hobby, I would have a very big bowl of nickels. Circumstances arise that change the course of people's lives, and many decide to sell collections they hoped to keep forever. It happens all the time.

[thekingofclout]

Amen & Amen, Barry.

[brianp-beme]

Originally Posted by yomass

What is the evidence that W575-2 was issued as a boxed set? Almost all of mine are hand cut, so how do they get that way?

Me too! I have a mix of both what appears to be hand cut and what is probably machine cut W575-2 cards. Is it possible that they could have been distributed both as a box set and as a strip issue? Leon's example shows me that a strip issue is not out of the question. I would also like to hear about the the box set...just never have heard the actual story behind it.

Brian

[Kawika]

Myth. That Rebel Oakes' real name is "Rehel". The Barry Sloate in me dies a little each time I see "Rehel" on a slab. Bigfish has a nice T205 Oakes on the BST right now and it looks like the mistake was made in 1911 and has been propagated for a century now. Who would name a boy Rehel anyway?

[baseballart]

Stretching my reach firmly into the border edges, http://www.baseball-reference.com lists his playing name as "Rebel". Was that not the name he played under?

Would you want to go by the name "Ennis"?

Ennis Telfair Oakes

[ChrisStufflestreet]

Originally Posted by bcornell

No offense taken, Blair. I thought that snarky line was one possible reply to being quoted book prices, which are often wildly wrong. However, those prices are sometimes a starting point in a face-to-face negotiation between a buyer & seller at the National.


Bill

As far as buying at shows, I have always taken the position that I decide what I want to pay. If a seller wants to bargain, that's fine, but I've always understood that it's my ultimate power to say "no, thanks" and walk to the next table.

As for the sellers who rely too much on "book" values, I've always gotten a kick out of sellers who:

#1. Don't put prices on their cards
#2. Can't tell you what the price is without consulting the Great Oracle of Beckett
#3. Pay little attention to the condition when they assign a price.

One show I attended in a local mall a few years back had one of these moments. I saw a beat-up '51 Bowman high number. It was a common but the paper had darkened, the corners were missing and several creases were evident even inside the top loader. Asking what he wanted for it, the seller took out his Beckett, looked at the listings for a minute and said, "twenty."

I thanked him for his time, but then he started saying, "But look right here!" (pointing at the guide) "This here is a $30 card!" So I took the guide, opened it to the section that explained condition...showed him that a card that rated Fair/Poor should only command about 15-25% of the value at most...but he wasn't quite so eager to follow The Book at that point.

But...I know that goes both ways. Most of the 54 guys who also sell are sure to have plenty of stories where somebody brought in a childhood collection that had been thoroughly thrashed and had calculated the Hi Beckett value of every single card before walking into the store to sell them.

[Rob D.]

High bidders "win" items in auctions.

You don't win things in auctions, you buy them. If I were the owner of an auction house (or the former owner), I would love that the idea of "winning" items has become the accepted verbiage. You might be winning the right to buy an item for your bid, but the last time I looked, if I win something, money isn't leaving my pocket.

[tbob]

Hobby myths:

1)T207 Davis with a blue C is a legitimate variation.

One exists and is a printing freak.

2)There is a P2 Mullins large letter variation pin with black cap.

It does not exist and has has incorrectly been assumed to exist for over 30 years.

[Jacklitsch]

Don't know whether it's been mentioned but as late as the 2006 Standard Catalog and maybe even later the following card has been listed but in fact does not exist:

1907 Dietsche Postcard PC-765-1 Schaefer & O'Leary two player card.

[cfc1909]

This one is real old and from Burdick himself

There is a t206 with a Hustler back. One has never showed up

Mr. Reader took my other one with the mysteriuos black bar Old Mill needed to complete your t206 back set. I loved it when I could finally with 100% certainty cross this one off my list and I admit it was on my list.

[celoknob]

Myth: Based on the prices paid for their cards--that Mickey Mantle and Nolan Ryan were vastly superior to all other players of their time.