Old Judge auctions prices????

I am a little concerned with pricing in some of the auctions I have seen on this site. I am NOT saying there is any thing going on but the price per card is higher than normal.

Lot #132 and #133 are the specific lots I am refering to. All the other T205's seem to be close but with bidding still to be done these prices per card are not making sense. Has the economy turned that good???

Lot #132 Current bid for 16 T205 Gold Borders in ex-mt or better condition. The cards are as follows: Becker, Elberfeld, Graham (Rustlers), Hoblitzell ("Cin.") after stats), Hauser, Kroh, Leever, Lord, Mattern, Miller, Murphy, Phelps, Phillippe, Schulte, Street and Titus. Nothing special in this lot other than really nice cards. $2659. $2659/16= $166.19 a card

Lot #133 Current bid for 58 T205 Gold Borders in average excellent condition with several very good. The cards are as follows: Archer, Austin, Ball, Beck, Bell, Bergen, Blackburne, Bransfield, Bridwell, Byrne, Carrigan, Chase (Cycle back), Corridon, Criger, Daubert, Delahanty, Doolan, Dooin, Downey, Doyle, Egan, Evans, Ewing, Fletcher, Flynn, Foxen, Fromme, Gardner, Gaspar, Goode, Hemphill, Konetchy, Lang, Lennox, Livingston, Lord, Lush, McIntire, Meyers, Milan, Moran, Nedham, Oakes, Oldring, Olmstead, Pelty, Reulbach, Schaefer, Schmidt, Shean, Sheckard, Simmons, Snodgrass, Stahl, Stovall, Tannehill, White and Willett. There are three scans on the web page showing all the cards. Nice mid grade cards but again nothing to hard to demand $3222 as of now. $3222/58= $55.55 per card.

I am just curious as to why someone would pay more than the cards are worth and they are not even graded yet. Maybe I am wrong but it does seem odd. I have never bought a large lot of cards like this so I am not familiar with pricing but I thought the more cards you have the cheaper the prices get. Is there some Super Short prints or rare cards in there I over looked? Can anyone help explain the pricing. These are prices as of 3-30-10 and don't have final fees involved either.

[oldjudge]

If this is Lew Lipset's auction you are referring to, Lew is one of the greats of the hobby and I would consider his ethics beyond reproach. If the prices seem high it's because he has legitimate bids. End of story!

[jcmtiger]

I agree, no shilling in his auctions.


Joe

[Matt E.]

RE: Lot 132
All of the cards look in quite nice shape and would grade a minimum SGC 60.

RE: Lot 133
$55 + does not seem that out of line to get almost 30% of the set at one time.

Plus the bid increments are pretty healthy in this auction. Pup, maybe the bidders do not want their cards to be graded. However, commons in higher grades are harder and harder to find.


Just because the bidders don't use the wacky books you use for "fair market value" does not equate to shill bidding. Barking up the wrong tree here.

Matt

[matthew]

Seems to me that good service is receiving a premium. I would have no problem paying a premium price for an item in one of his auctions, as I know there would be a smooth transaction. Mr Lipset is one of the good guys & he is reaping the benefits of being a trusted seller.

[T206DK]

I think Mr. Lipset's reputation gives bidders confidence to make the bids you see. I've always thought the cards I've won in his auctions were fairly priced.

[Jim VB]

Hard to believe you're questioning Lew. Do you even know him or his history in the hobby? He has an unbelievable client base.

[brickyardkennedy]

Really should do your homework, before questioning someone like Lew Lipset, one of the hobby greats.

[calvindog]

Unless Doug Allen shut down Legendary and got a job fixing Lew's computers, I don't think you have anything to worry about.

[scottglevy]

Those cards look great to me and I'm not surprised by the bids.

My dad and I have purchased quite a few cards from Lew over the years (including a T206 set minus the big 4) and have been nothing short of completely satisfied each and every time. Lew's one of the best around!

Regards,
Scott

[Potomac Yank]

Do you feel naked?

[ullmandds]

this reminds me of an old bugs bunny cartoon..."dog pile on the rabbit!"

Whatever. I was asking about the prices being higher than normall. I never said there was any wrong doing. Never mind asking a valid question about pricing being higher than normall. Since I only collect 205's those prices seem higher than what I have seen even recently. Just wondering why. Seems Matt was the only to give an explanation.

I am stunned that none of you read the entire post before jumping me for no reason. I never questioned Lew at all. Maybe all you read was the word Old Judge in the title and SHILLING in the post and made comments. I just wanted to get info since I am the one buying these types of cards. If there is a big shift in the market I missed then I need to be on top of it.

I am NOT saying there is any thing going on but the price per card is higher than normal.
I am just curious as to why someone would pay more than the cards are worth and they are not even graded yet. Maybe I am wrong but it does seem odd. I have never bought a large lot of cards like this so I am not familiar with pricing but I thought the more cards you have the cheaper the prices get. Is there some Super Short prints or rare cards in there I over looked? Can anyone help explain the pricing. These are prices as of 3-30-10 and don't have final fees involved either.


BTW Matt I use VCP, Card Pricer, Ebay, and auction houses for pricing. Not books like Beckett and SMR. Don't see how those are not market values.

[Jim VB]

As John Stewart would say:

"I'm NOT saying your mother's a whore! I'm just saying she sleeps with lots of guys... for money!"

[batsballsbases]

I like that Jim. Yep just another foolish thought from the Pupster Lew has been around longer than the dirt on the earth. (Hi Lew) Gets great prices from a large client base! Andrew do some homework once in awhile before you stick your foot in your mouth again

Its pointless with you guys.

Since the focus is on shilling and we all know Lew is not involved in this, if there was any going on do you think maybe it came from another bidder since this seems to be the road everyone is discussing. I mean this never happens right. You all think I am attacking Lew and I am not. Just keep stirring the crap for no reason. I never questioned Lew once yet you all act like I said he was involved in bad auction practices. Doesn't matter what I say you all will focus on the bad and manipulate it to see fit for you.

I need to go find my clothes

[skooter]

Can't Andrew ask a valid question without all this BS! I don't see where he accused anybody of anything. He never even mentioned any names. Awhile back Leon complained about members reading this post, but not actively participating. If this is how ya'll respond to legit concerns within the hobby, I, for one, will think twice before I question anything.

[marcdelpercio]

I think the question was valid and I didn't get the impression that Andrew was accusing anybody of wrongdoing, merely questioning what he thought was an unusually high price for a lot of commons.

However, I think the answer is pretty simple. As anybody who seriously collects this set is no doubt aware, high grade examples of ANY card are few and far between. Many of the cards in the lot of 16 would likely grade at or near the top of the registry, for those interested in such things (and are just really outstanding examples for those who aren't). Based on the fronts at least, I don't see anything that would grade lower than a PSA/SGC 5 with most at a 6 or even 7 (7.5 with the right connections ). When you couple that with the outstanding reputation of the seller, I think the per card price is actually quite reasonable.

[Jim VB]

Let me start by saying that there is absolutely nothing wrong with asking the question. We all participate in a hobby rife with problems.

I took issue with the tone of the question. (And tone is always difficult to determine when it's in written form.) Andrew was "concerned", not "surprised", at the pricing.

I don't pretend to know T205 pricing at all, but in every auction, from every house, I see prices on some items that are higher than I expect.

I suppose I also took offense that it was Lew on the the receiving end. He's always been good to me. In a past auction, when I had paid nearly triple what I thought a lot would go for, yet still won, Lew acted as intermediary between myself and the underbidder so that I could sell off some dupes. His auction was in April. The sell-off didn't close until September. Throughout that time he handled all emails back and forth between the two of us, to allow the other guy to remain anonymous. Lew's a good guy.

[Orioles1954]

Originally Posted by Jim VB

I took issue with the tone of the question. (And tone is always difficult to determine when it's in written form.)

Hence the problem of responding harshly to a person with a question. It is so easy to misjudge and get involved in one of those weird internet message board disputes. Mr. Lipset, Rob Lifson, nor anyone in this hobby is above having questions asked of them. As far as Lew, an honest guy? Absolutely! A prickly old fella with a temper whose customer service reputation has been criticized in the past? Absolutely! But that makes him all the more loveable to a lot of folks.

[Potomac Yank]

As for Lew Lipset ... he has always been:

Top Banana.

Top Draw.

Cards on top of the table, Face Up.

You don't have to pick his brain, shares knowledge. ... Just get his books.

He's from New Yawk City, and he speaks his mind .....
Some people can't handle that, but Im one of those that Luv's it.

We should have more like that.

Lew, Luv you man, you're da man!

Joe Pelaez

Since I don't buy raws in large groups like this this is why I had questions that arose. Normally the cards are graded and I am able to find pricing via sources ect., ect, but being raw even the best cards can nab you in the butt sometimes. I get the part about 30% of a set in one shot and it makes sense to me, the high grades the more I look at them the better they look and the lower my account seems to want to go. Since I know Lew is legite already, the backing he has reciever here has solidified the fact that people including myself are willing to pay more to deal with him because of his integrity. This is a major comfort in an already rock hobby.

This one ended up as a 4 Though it was a good 5-6.