Posted By:
davidcyclebackI own a number of blank back proof cards I purchased in the 1980s directly from Topps archives and have a COA/provenance from Topps Archives and the original auction catalog.
What's the documentation of provenance (sales history, ownership, past existence) on your blank backs? Do you have a receipt from when you bought them?
Why can't a collector, any collector, ask the seller where the rare variation came from? Was it purchased from Rob Lifson or Mastro or was it in the Barry Halper auction? Was it purchased on eBay in this state? And, if the seller can't provide proof that he bought it from a reputable seller or that it was sold in reputable auction, why can't the say, "No thanks. I only buy rare cards that has fair documented history of existence, and if you can't even show me where you bought it from, I'm not interested"? If a forger made the card himself or took it out of a holder, fixed and resubmitted it for higher grade, he won't be able to show where he bought the card. If he bought the card in Gem Mint, he should have no trouble showing that he bought card in that condition. If he didn't buy the card in Gem Mint 10 or blank backed, how's he going to show that he bought it in Gem Mint 10 or blank backed. And if he can't do something as simple as show where he bought it, why does a collector have to purchase it?
Why isn't the collector's mantra, "Show me where you purchased this card? And if you can't, I'm not buying. I'm not even asking you to show that the card was around for fifteen years. I'm asking you to show me that you bought this card in this state."
If someone came to me with a Mickey Mantle autographed baseball, I'd say "Where'd you get this?" If the owner shows me he purchased it in a Mike Gutierrez Auction I might purchase. If he won't tell me where he got it or it has a history that makes me confident, I'll pass.