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Don't you hate it when this happens to you?

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mrmopar

Member
Jan 19, 2010
6,169
4,058
I recently discovered a card that I was otherwise unaware of previously. I am not talking about something rare or unique, just a modern serial numbered autograph buyback type card, less than 50 copies, average skill player (not a star). Not super limited for today's numbered card world. by any means. It was on ebay and had a BIN/BO of around $100. It was ridiculously priced for the player/item and the seller had similar cards from the set all priced this way, but it so happenbed that there was one being auctioned off at the same time with a low opening bid. I tossed out a snipe bid of around $17, thinking this would more than enough to win the item. I was wrong and lost as the underbidder. The next bid below me was $3.99!

I figured it was a fluke so I made what I felt was a reasonable $20 offer on the original BIN/BO listing and it was rejected. I still felt this seller had some crazy expectations and moved on without further attempts. This made me wonder though, so I checked out ended listings of cards signed by the same player and again found $20 to be more than generous compared to other ended listings (most under $10). I even found the exact same card, sold a few weeks earlier, for under $2!

I added a search for this particular card and another one popped up about a week ago. Again, with a small opening bid I waited to snipe it. I upped the bid a bit, around $20, thinking I had to win this one. I checked back in this afternoon to find I was once again the under bidder, missing the card for around $20. This time there was another bid in the $18 range below me, but all other bids were under $10.

WTF!?

I suspect the reason is that this is a card featuring a player in a uniform that was brief for his career, maybe the only card signed featuring him with this team. There can be no other reasonably explanation in my mind! I will wait and see if any more are listed. It is not a must have, but would like one if I can get it for under $20, well under that hopefully.
 

bstanwood

Well-known member
Sep 24, 2016
3,666
332
Mystic, CT
That is frustrating. I fall into a similar spot as I rundown Tim Wakefield stuff. I find other Sox collectors looking for a nice example of his stuff drive up the price of a few copies which inflates the price on subsequent cards even after the market cools.
 

mrmopar

Member
Jan 19, 2010
6,169
4,058
Circling back around to share that 2 more of this card showed up recently. I finally won a copy for around $6 and change plus s/h. The 2nd high bidder was the same guy who won the last one at $20+. I know a lot of people buy dupes, but losing two in a row and not even seeing the third one that sold for under $2 had me a little irritated at this person, whoever they are. Thankfully, they were not as interested in copy #2, which allowed me to win it at a third of the price they won theirs for!

There is one more still listed and I may just be "that guy" and try to win it as well. Once this one ends, I will reveal the card, if anyone actually cares to know. I hate to be mysterious, but you just can't broadcast active listings and hope to still win them. You never know who is reading...
 

mrmopar

Member
Jan 19, 2010
6,169
4,058
Well, this card continues to be an interesting subject. I did toss out a snipe bid on one more copy today and lost. It sold for $20 and change. Aside from the first one I was able to find that sold before I became aware (@ $1.75) and the one I nabbed for $6 and change, the rest have sold for close to or more than $20! I bet if I leave them alone and a few more show up, sales may be in the single digits.

Brad Ausmus Archives, featuring him in a Dodgers uniform. I am further convinced, based on other certified Ausmus sales, that this price is all about it being a Dodger card and nothing more.

s-l1600.jpg
 

bstanwood

Well-known member
Sep 24, 2016
3,666
332
Mystic, CT
Well, this card continues to be an interesting subject. I did toss out a snipe bid on one more copy today and lost. It sold for $20 and change. Aside from the first one I was able to find that sold before I became aware (@ $1.75) and the one I nabbed for $6 and change, the rest have sold for close to or more than $20! I bet if I leave them alone and a few more show up, sales may be in the single digits.

Brad Ausmus Archives, featuring him in a Dodgers uniform. I am further convinced, based on other certified Ausmus sales, that this price is all about it being a Dodger card and nothing more.

View attachment 95009

That's exactly the kind of thing I battle with Wakefield, there aren't many other guys the player collect him specifically but for many years he didn't have many certified autos and I got into some crazy bidding wars. Now he has more out there and prices are usually more reasonable.
 

mrmopar

Member
Jan 19, 2010
6,169
4,058
I do remeber when he was in the Archives set. I only ended up getting the 3 different parallels Base, Blue and Red(I don't think he had the peach that year), but it took a while. I think I recall you nabbing the gold 1/1, correct?

That's exactly the kind of thing I battle with Wakefield, there aren't many other guys the player collect him specifically but for many years he didn't have many certified autos and I got into some crazy bidding wars. Now he has more out there and prices are usually more reasonable.
 

bstanwood

Well-known member
Sep 24, 2016
3,666
332
Mystic, CT
I do remeber when he was in the Archives set. I only ended up getting the 3 different parallels Base, Blue and Red(I don't think he had the peach that year), but it took a while. I think I recall you nabbing the gold 1/1, correct?

I have those three as well, I never saw a peach colored one anywhere and I never saw the gold 1/1 either
 

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