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Just let go? I'm talking about baseball cards here. I live in a very small town in a predominately rural area. There is a pawn-shop about five minutes from me in a neighboring small town, a town that consists of one four-way stop, a Jack's, a grocery store, a bank, a Dollar General, and this pawn shop, which recently opened in the past year.
The first time I walked in, I perused a bit. In the back of the store on a display rack behind the counter (not displayed), I saw that this guy had about, I don't know, 50-75 comics and about six or seven binders of sports cards. I asked if I could look through them, to which he obliged very kindly.
Most of the cards are from the mid to late '90s and early 2000s. Most are baseball, but there are a few football, basketball, and hockey scattered throughout. Probably 10% of the cards are ruined-- the plastic in the binders is crumbling and, as a result, the edges of said cards have been exposed to something, rendering the cards worthless. But other other 90% seem to be in good shape.
A few cards caught my eye. In particular, some late '60s Nolan Ryans and some early Jeter's, most notably, a 1997 Topps Finest Gold Embossed Derek Jeter, which may go for $35 on a good day. I was familiar with this card/series, as, as a young collector, I was fortunate enough to pull a Ripken silver embossed from the same set, so I knew the Jeter was worth something. There are quite a few numbered inserts from the mid to late '90s and early 2000s. Unfortunately, I simply don't know that market well enough. There may very well be quite a few decent cards in there, but, really, no others that caught my eye. But, again, I just don't know the '90s inserts well enough to know.
I made an offer on my first visit. I asked him what he wanted for the sports cards alone. He said he didn't want to separate the sports cards and the comics. So, reluctantly, knowing absolutely nothing about comics, I asked what he wanted for the whole lot. He said $500. The "bug" caught me a bit and I offered $300. He said he had to talk to his "guy" and see what he had in them. Apparently, a younger guy who works for him took them in and he, the owner, didn't know what he had in them. He asked for my number and told me he would call me.
Well, the next day, I stopped in again in the morning. I asked if he had talked his guy. He said that he had and that if I wanted the whole lot for $300, he would do the deal. I had cooled off at this point, or got scared. But either way, I looked at the cards again and didn't pull the trigger. After looking again, I just didn't see the value.
I've been in 4-5 times since then over a 3 month span. The cards/comics are still sitting in exactly the same place, untouched. In my last visit, I asked him if he would consider selling a couple binders individually. I was hoping he would say yes and I could at least pick up the binder that had the Jeter for $40 or $50 and take a chance. Again, he said he wanted to sell everything together. I know absolutely nothing about comics. I looked through them, but really had no clue, and I honestly told him just that. Almost all were from the late '70s, early '80s-- Spiderman, Batman, Wonder Woman-- you name it.
After a bit of negotiation, he finally said he would sell the cards by themselves and for me to make an offer. I told him my intentions would be to sell them, but that for it to be worth my time and effort, a fair price would be $100. He said he would just keep them. Before I left, he said he would take $200.
I'm not trying to hammer the guy. I just figured, based on what I saw, at $100 I could probably at least recoup my money, but it would take quite a bit of listing. Of course, there may be the off-chance that there is something there I am missing that, with the Jeter, would bring decent money and I might actually make a few dollars.
It's obvious these cards/comics mean nothing to this guy. He is not a collector and, as I said, they have been there untouched in the same place for months. I guess I've answered my own initial question-- that there is nothing really I can do. If he wants to sit on them forever, that's his right (kind of like someone listing the same card on eBay for years and never changing the price, never selling the card). He's a nice guy, and I've been nice every time I've been in there, but we can't seem to get on the same page.
It's more the thrill of the hunt, really. It's more about getting the cards and then going treasure hunting to see if anything is there. I think everyone here can relate to that. But is it worth $200? Should I go in one more time, ask to see the cards, and then take pictures of the individual sleeves and let you guys tell me?
Sorry for the book. It's just bugs me every time I drive by the place, which is usually 3-4 times a week.
The first time I walked in, I perused a bit. In the back of the store on a display rack behind the counter (not displayed), I saw that this guy had about, I don't know, 50-75 comics and about six or seven binders of sports cards. I asked if I could look through them, to which he obliged very kindly.
Most of the cards are from the mid to late '90s and early 2000s. Most are baseball, but there are a few football, basketball, and hockey scattered throughout. Probably 10% of the cards are ruined-- the plastic in the binders is crumbling and, as a result, the edges of said cards have been exposed to something, rendering the cards worthless. But other other 90% seem to be in good shape.
A few cards caught my eye. In particular, some late '60s Nolan Ryans and some early Jeter's, most notably, a 1997 Topps Finest Gold Embossed Derek Jeter, which may go for $35 on a good day. I was familiar with this card/series, as, as a young collector, I was fortunate enough to pull a Ripken silver embossed from the same set, so I knew the Jeter was worth something. There are quite a few numbered inserts from the mid to late '90s and early 2000s. Unfortunately, I simply don't know that market well enough. There may very well be quite a few decent cards in there, but, really, no others that caught my eye. But, again, I just don't know the '90s inserts well enough to know.
I made an offer on my first visit. I asked him what he wanted for the sports cards alone. He said he didn't want to separate the sports cards and the comics. So, reluctantly, knowing absolutely nothing about comics, I asked what he wanted for the whole lot. He said $500. The "bug" caught me a bit and I offered $300. He said he had to talk to his "guy" and see what he had in them. Apparently, a younger guy who works for him took them in and he, the owner, didn't know what he had in them. He asked for my number and told me he would call me.
Well, the next day, I stopped in again in the morning. I asked if he had talked his guy. He said that he had and that if I wanted the whole lot for $300, he would do the deal. I had cooled off at this point, or got scared. But either way, I looked at the cards again and didn't pull the trigger. After looking again, I just didn't see the value.
I've been in 4-5 times since then over a 3 month span. The cards/comics are still sitting in exactly the same place, untouched. In my last visit, I asked him if he would consider selling a couple binders individually. I was hoping he would say yes and I could at least pick up the binder that had the Jeter for $40 or $50 and take a chance. Again, he said he wanted to sell everything together. I know absolutely nothing about comics. I looked through them, but really had no clue, and I honestly told him just that. Almost all were from the late '70s, early '80s-- Spiderman, Batman, Wonder Woman-- you name it.
After a bit of negotiation, he finally said he would sell the cards by themselves and for me to make an offer. I told him my intentions would be to sell them, but that for it to be worth my time and effort, a fair price would be $100. He said he would just keep them. Before I left, he said he would take $200.
I'm not trying to hammer the guy. I just figured, based on what I saw, at $100 I could probably at least recoup my money, but it would take quite a bit of listing. Of course, there may be the off-chance that there is something there I am missing that, with the Jeter, would bring decent money and I might actually make a few dollars.
It's obvious these cards/comics mean nothing to this guy. He is not a collector and, as I said, they have been there untouched in the same place for months. I guess I've answered my own initial question-- that there is nothing really I can do. If he wants to sit on them forever, that's his right (kind of like someone listing the same card on eBay for years and never changing the price, never selling the card). He's a nice guy, and I've been nice every time I've been in there, but we can't seem to get on the same page.
It's more the thrill of the hunt, really. It's more about getting the cards and then going treasure hunting to see if anything is there. I think everyone here can relate to that. But is it worth $200? Should I go in one more time, ask to see the cards, and then take pictures of the individual sleeves and let you guys tell me?
Sorry for the book. It's just bugs me every time I drive by the place, which is usually 3-4 times a week.
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, every pawn shop owner I've ever dealt with or known are all scumbags who are trying to make as much money as they can off of desperate people who have no other options.
