Posted By:
JoannActually Matt, you have got me thinking about something with this discussion.
I guess it is a lot rarer to see the kinds of very basic info on scams and reprints on the board. True, we have the great area above about alterations, and some of it is just simply universal. Classic. David's work on the print methods comes to mind. I still have my copy from 8 or so years ago.
But the sort of ongoing little posts and threads about the real basics - like where the word reprint appears on given reprint sets, and how often there is paper loss or other damage to this area - don't happen as often.
Or things like being able to look at a reprint and see that the corners were clipped before rounding. Anyone else remember those? I had a scan on my last computer that DIED with the scan in it, that showed this great close-up of bat's ears, that I got off of either the old Fullcount board or the early days of this board. I think it was Fullcount.
I guess I have to think about that. Believe me, I am far from the best person to try to post about these things. I am neither the most knowledgable or the most computer-savvy (in terms of being able to magnify and hilite problems areas of scans) so I might not be the right person.
But I am going to make it a point to look for opportunities to link an auction after the fact and point out a few things. Even if we are all comfortable with the mainstream stuff, that doesn't mean all readers and members are.
I don't really browse the pre-30's category like I used to, but when I do and run across a scam auction I am going to make it a point to put it on my watch list and maybe try to throw something together after the auction ends.
Good points Matt. I hadn't really noticed that the really, really basic stuff doesn't get brought up much anymore until we had this conversation.
Sorry for the thread hijack. Back to our regularly scheduled program.
J
ETA - Matt posted while I was typing this, so I'll reiterate that these are all very laudable goals, and it is nice to see someone that wants to be helpful. But I just really strongly believe that it's not worth outing a miscategorized auction if you are not rock-solid, 100% sure. 100%. If you are going to potentially cost someone thousands of dollars, I think it's the least one can ask is that you be very, very sure you are actually giving a valid warning and not just throwing something out as a maybe.