I received a phone call from x&%$#@! in Arizona

[RichardSimon]

On Tuesday I received a phone call from a lady in Arizona.
She told me that a friend of hers had sent me a Babe Ruth signed ball that he had recently bought in Arizona at a local auction. I had determined it was not authentic. She told me that she and her husband had spent $30,000 in that same auction on autographs of Ruth, Mathewson, etc. She and her husband then, in their infinite wisdom, were going to flip the autographs to a big auction house and make a killing. The one specific item she mentioned was a glove with a Ruth autograph which she said they had paid $2800 for.
The big auction house had a TPA examine the items and all were determined to be not authentic. They all had been authenticated, before the auction, by a famed TV star.
The local auction house refused to give her a refund. She asked me what to do.
I wanted to chastise her for being so blatantly stupid but I told her to contact local law enforcement.
Sometimes people with money are just too stupid to have that kind of money.

[Sean1125]

Being in AZ... Do you mind posting what auction house it was or are you not allowed?

[RichardSimon]

She did not tell me the name of the auction house.

[isaac2004]

Originally Posted by RichardSimon

On Tuesday I received a phone call from a lady in Arizona.
She told me that a friend of hers had sent me a Babe Ruth signed ball that he had recently bought in Arizona at a local auction. I had determined it was not authentic. She told me that she and her husband had spent $30,000 in that same auction on autographs of Ruth, Mathewson, etc. She and her husband then, in their infinite wisdom, were going to flip the autographs to a big auction house and make a killing. The one specific item she mentioned was a glove with a Ruth autograph which she said they had paid $2800 for.
The big auction house had a TPA examine the items and all were determined to be not authentic. They all had been authenticated, before the auction, by a famed TV star.
The local auction house refused to give her a refund. She asked me what to do.
I wanted to chastise her for being so blatantly stupid but I told her to contact local law enforcement.
Sometimes people with money are just too stupid to have that kind of money.

28k... hot damn

[RichardSimon]

Originally Posted by isaac2004

28k... hot damn

It was $2800 not $28K,,, the total they spent was $30K.

[yanks12025]

I'm guessing it's pot of gold.

[Leon]

They will be doing the upside down flip. The glove, if period, might fetch a hundred bucks.

[jerseygary]

Who was the TV star and what background does he have at authenticating autographs? Is it Charlie Sheen? I know he's a big collector but haven't read anything about him offering authentications. I think I remember reading somewhere he got ripped off bad on some bogus pieces, maybe he's trying to recoup his losses to get himself back in the "winning" column.

[RichardSimon]

Originally Posted by jerseygary

Who was the TV star and what background does he have at authenticating autographs? Is it Charlie Sheen? I know he's a big collector but haven't read anything about him offering authentications. I think I remember reading somewhere he got ripped off bad on some bogus pieces, maybe he's trying to recoup his losses to get himself back in the "winning" column.

Think about it. I think most have understood what I said.
My TV star comment was facetious.

[isaac2004]

Originally Posted by jerseygary

Who was the TV star and what background does he have at authenticating autographs? Is it Charlie Sheen? I know he's a big collector but haven't read anything about him offering authentications. I think I remember reading somewhere he got ripped off bad on some bogus pieces, maybe he's trying to recoup his losses to get himself back in the "winning" column.

Could be the Pawn Allstars master

[mighty bombjack]

Gotta be Drew Max. When will people learn that "reality TV" is anything but?

[Mr. Zipper]

So much for the theory that these FDEs are only involved in "$20 fakes" that "everyone knows about."

[David Atkatz]

Originally Posted by Mr. Zipper

So much for the theory that these FDEs are only involved in "$20 fakes" that "everyone knows about."

Who gives a shit, Steve?

Those fakes never entered (and never will enter) the hobby.

Just as I am not concerned with protecting every moron who places a paper cup of hot coffee between her legs while driving, I'm not concerned with protecting every rapacious asshole who thinks he'll make a killing buying $30k worth of anything he knows nothing about, from a third-rate, fly-by-night auction house.

[isaac2004]

Originally Posted by David Atkatz

Who gives a shit, Steve?

Those fakes never entered (and never will enter) the hobby.

Just as I am not concerned with protecting every moron who places a paper cup of hot coffee between her legs while driving, I'm not concerned with protecting every rapacious asshole who thinks he'll make a killing buying $30k worth of anything he knows nothing about, from a third-rate, fly-by-night auction house.

David, that stuff will get on the market, it just wont through some auction. It will be CC or craigslist or whatever, and more dumb people will buy... So it does enter the marketplace, being distributed by uninformed people

[David Atkatz]

I didn't say it won't enter the market. I said it won't enter the hobby.

I don't care about the market. It's not my job--or anybody else's for that matter--to protect every sucker out to make a quick buck from every scam.

As W.C. Fields once said, "You can't cheat an honest man, or wise up a chump."

I completely agree.

[earlywynnfan]

Originally Posted by David Atkatz

Who gives a shit, Steve?

Those fakes never entered (and never will enter) the hobby.

Just as I am not concerned with protecting every moron who places a paper cup of hot coffee between her legs while driving, I'm not concerned with protecting every rapacious asshole who thinks he'll make a killing buying $30k worth of anything he knows nothing about, from a third-rate, fly-by-night auction house.

I suppose we're talking about the McDonald's lady? I'm wondering how many of your opinions about this were formed by late-night talk show hosts. For starters, the car was stopped and she wasn't even in the driver's seat.

Ken

[David Atkatz]

Well, then I guess she's a bit smarter than I give her credit for.

Still...

When's the last time you held a crushable paper cup of scalding hot coffee between your legs in a car?

[cubsfan-budman]

i know i'm a newbie here, but is david atkatz ever pleasant?

is his abrasive attitude a "schtick" or is that genuine?

[JimStinson]

[QUOTE=When's the last time you held a crushable paper cup of scalding hot coffee between your legs in a car?[/QUOTE]

Hey thats not FAIR someone just stole one of my best "Pick Up" Lines I use for the ladies

[earlywynnfan]

Originally Posted by David Atkatz

Well, then I guess she's a bit smarter than I give her credit for.

Still...

When's the last time you held a crushable paper cup of scalding hot coffee between your legs in a car?

Not a coffee drinker, but I have had a hot cup of tea down there. She had the driver pull over so she could pop the top and add cream or sugar, whatever. As she pulled the top, it sloshed on her and scalded her to the point she almost died. Trust me, I'm all for making fun of idiots, but I actually read this case and McDonald's was clearly negligent in this one.

Ken

[JimStinson]

Originally Posted by David Atkatz

When's the last time you held a crushable paper cup of scalding hot coffee between your legs in a car?

You gave away my best "pick up line" guess I'll have to settle for #2 in my arsenal

Guy: "Would you like to dance?"

Girl: "I don't care for this song and surely wouldn't dance with you"

Guy: "I'm sorry, you must have misunderstood me, I said you look fat in those pants"

[mighty bombjack]

Originally Posted by David Atkatz

Who gives a shit, Steve?

Those fakes never entered (and never will enter) the hobby.

Just as I am not concerned with protecting every moron who places a paper cup of hot coffee between her legs while driving, I'm not concerned with protecting every rapacious asshole who thinks he'll make a killing buying $30k worth of anything he knows nothing about, from a third-rate, fly-by-night auction house.

Well, those forgeries might not enter the hobby, but neither will the people buying (and getting burned by) them.

Is that a good or a bad thing?

[David Atkatz]

Good question. I don't know.

But according to Richard, this guy bought the items to resell at a major auction house. I don't think he was planning on becoming a collector.