Best deal you ever passed on

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Posted By: Bill Todd

Okay, after seeing a couple of the stories on the "best finds" thread, I thought we'd go the other direction: the best deals you ever saw that you could have gone for, but passed up. (Note that to "qualify" for this thread, you have to have been able to take advantage of the deal--both financially and temporally.)

I'll go first.

1. At my first (and only) National, in Chicago (about 1998?) I walked in the door with $500 burning a hole in my pocket, and a want list a mile long. A guy at a table near the front had an L1 Johnson that he wanted $400 for. I passed, because it would have taken most of my bankroll.

2. Same show, at a table in the dim reaches of the back of the room, were 2 Hollands. The dealer wanted $70 for the pair. I only took one (for $37), because that's all I needed for my type set, and the other one was kind of beat.

Sigh.

Bill

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Posted By: Brad

Bill,

Can you post a pic of your Holland card?

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Posted By: Rand

here is "opposite" story. i collected when i was young in the late 70's early 80's. i had a pretty nice group of cards all in sheets and well preserved. I had plenty of Mantles, Mays, Rose's, Henderson Rookies, ect... in my early 20's i needed a few bucks and i dont even know what i used it for. I sold all my cards for $500. had no interest in them at the time. I would think now they may have been worth $5000+ and would like to buy them back for $500

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Posted By: brian

there were plenty of deals i had to pass on because i didnt have the money. the guy i mentioned in another thread that came to the county fairgrounds with vintage psa mint and near mint cards had very reasonable prices for that time period. but no way could i afford to spend thousands at a local card show. even tables at the national dont have the kind of stuff that guy brought with him and i dont think he even sold a dozen cards because he was way outta everyone's league and pocket book. wasted his time showing up.

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Posted By: MVSNYC

this might qualify...about 10 years ago i passed on a T206 doyle, nat'l card at the hofstra show on LI...the guy wanted $7000, it was raw and beat-up, but i was not 100% convinced that it was untampered...who really knew if it was one of the hand-ful of authentic ones?

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Posted By: Anonymous

I have three beauties that just might get me banished from the board.

1.

In the mid-1990's there was a card show at Station Square in Pittsburgh. I passed on W-cards of all of the Black Sox including Jackson. The Jackson card was $5.00

If I haven't been banished yet, here is number 2.

2.

I bought and sent back a 1914 Cracker Jack of Christy Mathewson from Howard's Sports Collectibles. The card had all four corners clipped. Price? $99.00.

Here is another:

3.

This one will be legendary among the 1921 Herpolsheimer collectors. At two shows, including the Robert Morris Show, I looked over every single Herpolsheimer that is out there today and passed on the cards, which ranged from $1.00 to $3.00. Why? The guy who had them indicated they were not original cards. When you see the cards with the mark (not all were marked), remember that the monetary value on the back was the amount the original collector sought.

Regrets? Not a one on any one of the three transactions.

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Posted By: Jim Dale

All of the rights to Speed Racer were sold on eBay for $35k in 1998; dang I wish I had bought that one....I mean as a collectible you have to admit all the rights are one of a kind

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Posted By: daryle

1. T210 Jackson in around GD/GD-VG.....under $10,000

OK.....I'm back from throwing up for not buying that one.....lol


2. 1916 SN Babe Ruth GD/VG.....$2000
3. At '92 National in Atlanta....N172 Harry Wright...$500
4. Not buying all of the E107s that were available (from the dealer I bought mine from) when I bought my only one for a type. Seller had maybe 10-15 or so in the $40-$75 each range in conditions ranging from Poor up to VG or so.
5. And last but not least.....a local friend of nine got into cards for a short time in around 1994-1995. He contacted a few dealers that I led him to. He bought an E107 Cy Young in PSA5 for $2000.........I begged him for it for a long time but he would not come off of it. This was before the prices went through the roof on these. I offered something like $3000 shortly after he bought it but he said NOPE.... (I did get a 1915 Cracker Jack Joe Wood that wound up in a PSA8 holder, 1934 Goudey #61 Gehrig in about EX/EX+ and a 1917 Standard Biscuit Joe Jackson that ended up in an SGC40 holder from him....only have the Gehrig now)....OK, I'm done crying now.................

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Posted By: shane leonard

I can't remember what year this took place, but it was the National in Atlanta. (97?) After standing in line for two hours, they final let all of us in. I had brought $1500 with me for the trip, knowing that I needed $400 of it for hotel, food and gas back to Dallas. So playing with $1100 hard cash, I found myself checking out this guys table. In his case he had an unopened box of 1959 Fleer Three stooges. I was pretty familiar with the set, but had no idea of what the cost was for an unopened pack. I asked the gentlemen, "How much for a pack?" He told me that it was not his, but the guy does not want to sell it by the pack and break the box. He told me that his friend wanted $300 for the box. That sounded fair, but wasn't sure if I wanted to drop that much coin down for a non-sports product. I went back the next day to buy the box for $300 and the dealer looked at me like I was stupid. He said this box is for sale, but for $7200 not $300. Not that I wanted to screw the guy, but I should have bought the box the first day.

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Posted By: J Levine

My first Anaheim National...I was just about to start student teaching and saved a bunch of money for the National (about $500) which was huge money for a college kid knowing he would not be able to work for the next 6 months.

Walked in to the show and after saying hello to a few collectors and dealers that I know, I walked over to Kit Young's table to say "hello." Sort of a crowd around the table. I was handed a stack of cards and asked my opinion. I said vintage but never had seen them before. What I was holding was the nearly (still) complete set of the Allegheny playing cards. I went through them and wrote down all the Phillies to add to my list. I then asked how much for one. Kit said $150 but if I buy a bunch he would give me a deal. I wanted to buy a bunch of other Phillies and did not want to spend all my money in one place. Instead I spent my $500 on several other Phillies cards (although I did get a my first e94, e101, and 5 cracker jack phillies that show among a bunch of oddball '40s-'70s phillies).

That one transaction (or non-transaction) haunts me to this day.

Joshua

PS I held one of the same cards at Terry Knouse's table at the last National and he offered to sell it to me for about a $1000 more than Kit...I am still heartbroken.

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Posted By: Richard L.

Early 80's, estate auction in Massachusetts. All sorts of stuff, mostly junk I thought. Then something catches my eye. Sandwiched, in a box of old postcards, gulp, a small hoard(30-40 cards) of 1932 U.S. Caramel's, including several of Ruth,Cobb and Foxx, mostly all in high grade. After had attended several of these prior w/o much luck, didn't bring much $$ with me that day. Only a couple guys knew what was here, and that entire box went for 500 bucks. Saw the winner a month later set up at a show and had about half the cards left. Told me he just sold a mint Ruth for 1000. I still recall how fast my heart was pounding when I first realized what was in that box. Guess, you just never know!!

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Posted By: Patrick McMenemy

About 20 years ago, I saw my first Obak in an antique shop just west of Keene, New Hampshire. It was a Buck Weaver in Excellent to Near Mint for $90.00.

I was familar with the Black Sox scandal, and I knew who Buck Weaver was, but he wasn't a catcher so I resisted the temptation. It was also the first Obak that I had seen, so I was hesitant to buy it for that reason as well.

I had second thoughts about the card, and I went back several weeks later. Of course, the card was gone.

I have often thought about that card. I also wished I had purchased a near mint Chief Meyers T215 with a Red Cross back that Lew Lipset had in his Four Base Hits Catalog.

Patrick

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Posted By: Paul

Three from the early 1990s:

An E107 Delahanty with a slight to moderate vertical crease was being auctioned in SCD. I dropped out at $500. I believe it sold for $550.

A (or more accurately "the") Just So Clarkson was also auctioned off in SCD. I dropped out at $1000, and I believe it sold for around $1250.

I purchased a Zeenut Vance from Marc Macrae for $30. He told me it had a small rip across is leg and I could return it if I didn't like it. I returned it.

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Posted By: Dan Kravitz

(9) 1912 Boston Garters. Never see that again... EVER!

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Posted By: Chris Mc

This one is easy for me,three years ago on EBAY a PSA 5 (a real nice 5) T206 Cobb green background for $1800 buy it now. There have been others but that one really stands out.

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Posted By: Julie Vognar

and selling something else instead.

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Posted By: Ed McCollum

Somewhere around '96 or so, there was a Magie that was on eBay. Seller said he didn't know if it was real or not, and after getting several other scans from him, I went as high as $360. It went for $362.50. E-mailed the winning bidder and asked if he was going to get it graded. He did and it came back a PSA 3. Might be someone here...sound familar?

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Posted By: david poses

wow. how many "really old 'wagner, pittsburg'" cards have i seen on ebay that i passed on? the descriptions in the listings indicated that they could be worth millions and that the lucky seller happened upon them at various estate sales or attics. if i bought all the wagners i've seen i'd be rich!

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Posted By: Mike Ernst

In 1972--while at Seminary in St. Louis (9th year of putting myself through college)--ran across 10-12 (don't remember exactly how many) Plow's Candy cards. They weren't reported/known in the hobby at that point. Owner wanted $300----might as well have been $10k--there was no way I could come up with that money.

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Posted By: Brett

A e94 Wagner SGC 10 BIN for $565 on ebay months ago. I couldn't BIN it because the seller did not allow bidder from Canada. I don't know if that was a great deal, but the e94 Wagner is my favourite pre war card, that and the e94 Young and e98 Mathewson. Anyone have a very low grade e94 Young or Wagner for sale ??

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Posted By: boxingcardman

Cobb checks for $50. I figured I could pick one up any time. I never did, of course.

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Posted By: peter ullman

at the old reading Pa show years ago I passed on a baltimore newsday card for 150...at the same show I passed on a bl460 for the same $150. Years ago I met a gentleman on the early internet and met him in southern nj to take a look at his cards. his buddy had just passed away and left him a cigar box filled with cards. there were lots on non sports, a dozen or so e90-1's, i definitely remember a pirate backed oriental character card, and 2 complete set's of e94's minus one mcgraw. do I regret not making him a reasonable offer on those!

pete in mn

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Posted By: Mike

About 10 years ago or so, I had an older gentlemen approach me. And quite honestly can't recall where we met. or how he knew I collected cards. Anyway he told me he had a box of cards he wanted to sell. I could tell by his voice he was desperate for cash. Very. Not sure why. But you know how you can tell when a seller is desperate. When we later met, he had a box of batter ups. All different colors. Most had not been folded. He probably had about a 100 or 150 of them I am guessing. I told him I wasn't interested. I almost felt bad for him because he wanted money so bad. Maybe I passed because I felt guilty taking advantage of him. So I said no. I probably could have had them for a couple hundred bucks. Oh well...