Well?

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Posted By: FYS

Congratulations!!! Nobody can say anything negative about this purchase because there isn't a single person on the board that does not want that card. However, I would have held out for the SGC 40 version (ha, ha).

OT: Who is the current owner of the SGC 40 version?

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Posted By: honus3415

Next time let us know you're expecting....wonderful addition to the family.

Something like that I'd have to make into a necklace for my wife if I expected to be able to keep it around my house.

Keep it dry for the VBC Community and remember to get a second opinion....I think you might be able to get a 1/2 to a grade bump elsewhere, especially with PRO.

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Posted By: john/z28jd

Congrats Hal,the only thing that keeps me from joining you as a fellow T206 Wagner owner is the money

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Posted By: Ray

Congratulations Hal! Its a beauty! Best wishes!

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Posted By: Judge Dred (Fred)

Hal,

Now we start the part of the thread telling you "how foolish you were to buy a card with worn corners or that really isn't so rare..."

This is where we call you an investor, not a collector!

This is where we want to take all the joy out of your purchase.

Somehow I get the feeling that the cool giddy feeling of pulling the trigger and realizing the dream isn't going to allow that to happen. It's really nice of you to share this baseball card high with us. Too cool, amigo!

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Posted By: Max Weder

Congratulations Hal.

Now you have to start working on a really tough card, pictured below

Max

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Posted By: Scott Mosley

Hal, I can't say anything that hasn't already been said but thanks for sharing such an incredible card!

Max, great work!

I'm glad that Hal still grades "poor" and not "broke" after having to shell out the $$$ for the Wagner.

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Posted By: jay behrens

ok, since several people seem to have misinterpreted what I last wrote (I got several emails about it) it was not meant to demean or belittle Hal's great purchase. I even said it was a great card to have. The point of my last point was toward a comment made about what is there after this. There are still plenty of cards out there to chase. They may not carry the cache of the Wagner, but there certainly are lot of other significannt cards out there that are rarer than the Wagner. The e107 Wagner and Matty come to mind, among other cards.

Once again, congrats!!! Let me know when you want to donate that card to a collection with other low grade cards

Jay

My place is full of valuable, worthless junk.

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Posted By: Judge Dred (Fred)

Jay,

I couldn't imagine anyone posting anything negative in this thread - Hal deserves a good roasting, he's earned it!

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Posted By: Hal Lewis

I didn't take any offense at all to Jay's post. Why should I? He's right. Plenty of cards in the World harded to "find" than this one.

Not harder to "buy"... just harder to find!

Hopefully I can find a way to share this card with as many people IN PERSON as possible.

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Posted By: identify7

It may be about the same color, but it is waay nicer, and classier than a 10 Aaron. Congrats! Gil

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Posted By: Scott Forrest

That is the nicest looking "poor" t206 I've ever seen.

Jay - ignore the email.

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Posted By: James Feagin

The difference between Hal Lewis and the other multi-millionaire collector's out there, who have deep connections, is that Hal actually cares about the hobby, baseball, and his collection. Congrats Hal!

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Posted By: Tom Boblitt

Wink Martindale in that photoshopped card?

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Posted By: Steve

OUTSTANDING!! Great job! thanks for sharing.

Steve

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Posted By: Alan

WOW !!!!
Thanks for sharing.

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Posted By: Bob Rousseau

sheesh! I would've almost been afraid to put it on a scanner! ("The thing is going to explode and it's going to evaporate right before my eyes!") Congrats!

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Posted By: Kevin Cummings

Geez, I go away for a couple of days without a computer and miss all the excitement!

That kind of acquisition puts one in the collecting stratosphere. Rarified air up there. Congratulations!

P.S. What did your wife get?

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Posted By: Peter_Spaeth

"The difference between Hal Lewis and the other multi-millionaire collector's out there, who have deep connections, is that Hal actually cares about the hobby, baseball, and his collection."

Not that Hal is not unique in SOME ways, but I don't think this is fair commentary on some of the people to whom you are referring.

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Posted By: cmoking

Congrats to Hal, obviously he's proud about this card and should be!

Comments on James comments : "The difference between Hal Lewis and the other multi-millionaire collector's out there, who have deep connections, is that Hal actually cares about the hobby, baseball, and his collection. "

How do you know that other multi-millionaire collector's don't care about the hobby, baseball or their own collections? Of the few multi-millionaire collectors I know, only 1 doesn't really care - the other three are as rabid about what they collect as anyone else on this forum.

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Posted By: john/z28jd

Not to put words in James mouth, Peter,but the people he was referring to are probably not the same people you think its unfair to say that about.He didnt say all the others nor do i believe he meant it that way because its obvious theres other people with money who dont collect just for profit.Just like any other large hobby theres people who buy only for social status among collectors or for profit and dont know a thing about the players theyre collecting.Its obvious by looking at Hal's site hes not one of those people and thats what he was probably trying to say.

I wouldnt try to make an issue over it in a thread that obviously wasnt meant for that purpose

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Posted By: Morrie

I'll delurk long enough to express my sincere admiration and appreciation for your pick-up. Congratulations!

Morrie

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Posted By: Peter_Spaeth

John, with respect, "the other multi millionaire collectors out there" sounds to me like a blanket reference. He didn't say "SOME" others he said THE others, and cmoking interpreted it the same way.

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Posted By: john/z28jd

We could intepret it different but i dont think he really assumed Hal was the only person with alot of money that loves baseball.Thats too much of an assumption to make in my mind and its why i didnt think anything of it.If he said "every" other it would be easy to dispute and a very bold statement but judging by James posts in the past i cant see him being bitter towards every other person with money except Hal.By voicing your displeasure with his statement youre saying thats exactly what he meant without asking him to clarify his view.

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Posted By: Chris Mc

Come on, I see hundreds of those every year on ebay and in much better condition! Just kidding. It's a beauty, congrats!

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Posted By: JimCrandell

"The difference between Hal and the other multi-millionaire collectors out there who have deep connections is that Hal actually cares about the hobby and his collection."

This is one of the most ridiculous statements I have ever read on this board.

I know personally Charlie Merkel, Marshall Fogel and Don Louchios who in my opinion have the best collections out there. These are great guys who do care about the hobby. Who are you actually referring to that does not care about the hobby James?

Hal is also a great guy and we were supposed to meet for golf and gambling in Biloxi--we may have to change the locale Hal--how are the golf courses in Tallahassee?

Jim

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Posted By: Bottom of the Ninth

There are many "multi millionaire collectors" out there who are very passionate about the hobby. In fact, I do not know one of them who collects because they think they can turn the cards 2 years later for a profit. There are many humble wealthy collectors who have very impressive collections who post here and you would not know it. There are others who do not even know that this forum exists and would not post even if they knew. Everyone has their own way of celebrating their collections and excitement.

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Posted By: tbob

Greg makes an excellent point. There indeed are some tremendous card collections out there owned by fellas who never post on this board, have probably never even heard of this board and many don't even have computers or visit the internet. I was shocked on a VBCC poll only a year or so ago which indicated that over 50% of the responding subscribers to this vintage baseball card magazine had never bought a card over the Internet and most didn't even own a computer. What a jolt. I assumed everyone was busy bidding on ebay or in on-line auctions. This just gives me hope that these guys are all old geezers (I can say that as I will reach geezerdom before most of you) whose love of the cards is not shared by their descendants and there may be many of these cards for sale in the not distant future.

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Posted By: john/z28jd

Maybe im wrong thinking the way i do since on a personal level(meaning face to face) i know very few baseball card collectors.What i do know is alot of people who collect and/or have antique cars so my thinking translates into that "world" and maybe im making a corrolation that isnt there? I do know alot of people here do have antique cars so i didnt think i was going out on a limb making that comparison.

Of the people i know with antique cars there are alot of people with money that couldnt change an air filter or tell you anything about its history except how much they paid for it.I also know people who have $100k cars and could disassemble the car and put it back together and could sit for hours and tell you stories about the cars.If youre going to tell me that there isnt one person that collects baseball cards and falls into that first class im going to tell you that youre naive because the 2 hobbies arent that different.Its also that reason that makes me gloss over his statement as bad wording because i know its not true and not worth getting mad over,especially since he didnt name anyone in particular.

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Posted By: JimCrandell

I would say I know 20 or so people who I would guess are multi-millionaires by their purchases. I don't know one of them who is not passionate about the hobby.

I would venture Greg knows even more and I would bet he would say the same thing.

Jim

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Posted By: Julie

he's pretty cute, too...

Yeah, it's painful to think that people with a lot of dough might care just as much, if not more, about collecting cardboard than us less fortunate people. Truth...

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Posted By: dennis

there are more collectors who do not have a lot of money,who collect cards hoping to turn a quick buck and don't give a hoot about the game. the collectors who have plenty of money do not need to make money on cards.they have plenty of money. of course there are some with tons of cash, but believe me there are a lot of collectibles that rich folks desire for social status then 100 year old pieces of cardboard. most, if not all the high end collectors who post here love their cards as much as i love mine.

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Posted By: Al Crisafulli

Hal, I am still new here and I don't know you, but CONGRATULATIONS on an amazing card. What a dynamite thing to have in any collection. It is a beautiful, beautiful card.

In terms of the multimillionaire thing, well, like the subject line says: who cares? If a multimillionaire likes to horde cards and can't tell you their history, who cares? If a guy making $15K likes to spend ten bucks a month on 1991 Upper Deck, who cares?

Does it really matter to anyone - besides the individual collector - what someone's motivation is for liking what they like? It still baffles me why people get so riled up over people's motivations for collecting what they collect.

If I were a multimillionaire, I'd buy a Wagner. And I'd be able to tell you a lot about the card. I'd also buy a nice car, and I'd love it. And I can't change an air filter. Not sure what that says about me, but apparently it says something very important.

-Al

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Posted By: Mike Pugeda

ditto what Al said

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Posted By: Wesley

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Posted By: Zach

your's is nice an all but.....

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Posted By: john/z28jd

Al which side are agreeing or disagreeing with? Looks like you jumped from one side to the other and then went to the outside and said both sides were wrong in disagreeing with each other.Hard to be wrong when you take all 3 sides so im agreeing with Al whether hes saying im wrong or right.

In all honesty,i know a collector(not personally but thru someone else) who makes as much as anyone on the board and bought cards because he was basically talked into it.He doesnt directly buy cards,he actually has someone do all his buying.I dont think you can call that passion and im pretty sure if you asked him to name something about the player on the card he wouldnt be able to tell you anything past what the card obviously points out.If you call buying as many cards as he wants a passion then no one could possibly collect cards and not be passionate about them.

Basically if you make up your own definitions to help your own story then you can always be right so im not saying anything else about it in this thread or continuing to read the thread because its gotten ridiculous.Refer back to my car analogy if you have any questions of what i mean because thats the best i can explain it. I'll never believe that percentage wise more than 4 out of 5 people who have lots of money and collect cards really do it because they love baseball

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Posted By: Anonymous

Hal, I like your's better than the Psa-8. It shows more character!!!!!!!!!!!

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Posted By: Al Crisafulli

Hi John:

No, I'm not jumping from side to side, maybe I'm just not being clear. That happens to me sometimes.

I do not think a passion for baseball is a prerequisite for collecting baseball cards. Frankly, I do not think there is ANY prerequisite for collecting baseball cards, other than to have the means to get the cards you decide to collect.

I'm not going to begrudge a millionaire who decides to start a collection to add to his belongings the right to do it, and I'm not going to grumble about his reasons. I don't care if someone collects shiny cards, reprints, PSA-8s, SGC-92s, raw cards, 19th century cards, or Charlie's Angels cards. This is a really big hobby. We all collect for different reasons, and mine are no more right than anyone else's.

I hope that made more sense than my last post.

But this thread is about Hal's Wagner, and I'm sorry I participated in its hijacking. Congratulations again, Hal!

-Al

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Posted By: WP

Jim,
You are sadly mistaken to think that Charlie Mekkel Marshall Fogel and Don L have the best card collections. My votes go to Keith Olberman Mark Macrae and Richard Masson just to name a few. Marshall and Charlie for the most part have a bunch of mainstream sets in plastic no nineteenth century and no e or t cards to speak of.
Congrats hal that is a great card and looks like a high end one if there is such a thing.

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Posted By: jay behrens

Wally, you have to remember that collections like Macrae's and other's that are unslabbed don't really exist in the eyes of Jim. If it isn't in the population report, then it can't possibly be real. This would ruin his investment in high grade low pop cards if they did.

Jay

My place is full of valuable, worthless junk.

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Posted By: Hal Lewis

Let me be the first to say that there are DEFINITELY a lot of guys out there who spend MORE than I do on cards every year... and who DEFINITELY love the hobby as much or more than I do.

In fact, if not for those pioneers, I would probably have never had the guts to spend so heavily on cards, regardless of how much I love them.

My only hope...

is that someday THOSE guys will find a way to SHARE their collections with all of us via the internet.

They could EASILY put their best and rarest items up for display on a website and they would NEVER have to disclose anywhere WHO owns the cards or WHO owns the website. They could just register it through one of the anonymous holding companies.

Think how GREAT it would be if we DID know EVERYTHING that is out there in all of those mysterious cellars and attics!!!

I know that I get a JOY out of visiting everyone ELSE'S collections on the web, like Leon, JC, Andy, etc.

SO...

I am hoping that more of the big time collectors will follow my lead and SHOW the World their cool stuff.

If they want to remain anonymous, then that is perfectly fine... but at least let us know what is out there and what it looks like!!!

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Posted By: JimCrandell

WP,

If you define best as having a lot of older cool cards as most on this board would do you are right. If you define it as monetary value of their collection you are mistake. Don has the best T206 set in existence, Charlie has the best 1933 Goudey, Don has the best M116 set. But I guess you are defining these as mainstream.

Jim

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Posted By: Peter Spaeth

I thought he was clear the first time. He is saying, I think, that it's a big world and people shouldn't worry so much about what other people are doing and why.

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Posted By: WP

Actually I was thinking value. The best 33 Goudey set 500k? 700k? Have you seen the prices on E107s Old Judges Baltimore news just to name a few things? Large groupings of theses cards could easily fetch into the millions now.

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Posted By: Anson

Collectors show you what they have; investors tell you what they're worth.

I don't find it bragging or boasting when someone shows a beautiful, high-end card;I love being able to see this kind of stuff. It's when I'm reminded of the amount of money spent and the value of the card that I get put off.

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Posted By: Mark Evans

Congrats, Hal, from one board member to another. Hope to meet you at a "National." Mark

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Posted By: Julie

to show people, but the shrink kept asking "How much did you pay for that?" or "How much is your collection worth?" so I stopped. Really bugged me.

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Posted By: steve k

Outstanding! Big congrats on getting the Holy Grail

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Posted By: Damian Grammont

Congrats Mr. Lewis

Wow, i just wanted to thank you and everyone else on the boards that share there collections with everyone. It is so fun look see these rare/old cards. Though i won't ever get anything like these i still have my "Wagner" from when i was younger, 84' Donruss Mattingly



not quite as rare.

Congrats and Thank you all again