Speaking of 52 Mantles...

[wheels56]

Any views on the five that sold in the Heritage auction yesterday? One thing is obvious, vintage prices across the board are going up. Clearly, the economy is doing well.

http://sports.ha.com/c/search-result...2+topps+mantle

Given the overall level of frothiness, any of these sales look like relative bargains or vice versa?

[pokerplyr80]

I thought the SGC 70 would have went for a little more

[CW]

That's a nice, strong price for the PSA 3, although it's also a nice card for the assigned grade.

http://sports.ha.com/itm/baseball-ca...links-12202013

[MattyC]

Agreed the 3 was a real healthy price and not surprising since the card was nice for the grade.

IMO the 6 was a bit weak looking with that scuffing and it still went BANANAS.

The others had the usual woeful centering issues.

[wheels56]

Originally Posted by MattyC

Agreed the 3 was a real healthy price and not surprising since the card was nice for the grade.

IMO the 6 was a bit weak looking with that scuffing and it still went BANANAS.

The others had the usual woeful centering issues.

Yeah, I agree on the 6. The surfaces are not great, significantly impacting the eye appeal. The centering is nice, but I have a bit of a contrarian point of view in that I think centering, while important, is a bit overrated.

The 6 that sold last year for *$14K less* is WAY nicer, IMHO:

http://sports.ha.com/itm/baseball/19...a/7105-80477.s

Both 4.5s (the PSA and the SGC) are nice as well. I think they both represent decent value for the money. I'd take either of those over the SGC 5.5 any day, again, based on the surfaces.

In retrospect, I actually think the 3 might actually be the best overall value.

Other thoughts?

[MattyC]

The 6 on eBay right now is really nice. Comparing it to the Heritage 6 the asking price is very logical, too. Hits my eye like a 7 all day. For all the meh examples let alone fakes we see for sale, a nice one really stands out.

[begsu1013]

we talking the sgc @ $65K? this was the one that was just auctioned off, right? maybe @ $54K if I recall...not sure if that includes buyer premium or not...

it's really hard for me to follow all the auction houses and buyer's premium, extended bidding sessions and such....

regardless it's a stunning version!!

wondering if it would cross? I can't see it in a psa 5 holder, but then again I don't see your 4.5 in a 4.5 holder either (in a good way)!

[MattyC]

Thanks, B.

I agree. That 6 on eBay is lovely. It's a very personal call on how one pulls the trigger and at what price points, but the way I buy, I could not give a flying f&@k what PSA or SGC says about a card as nice that SGC 6 on eBay. It blows away many PSA 6s in the looks department, including the Heritage card that just sold for over 50k. The sad but understandable politics of crossing are such that one TPG would NEVER give it the same grade unless it was cracked and subbed raw.

But even in a PSA 5.5 holder, that eBay SGC 6 card would and should command more than the PSA 6 that Heritage just auctioned.

In terms of how holders can often be dismissed in this day and age, where the old adage of "Buy The Card, Not The Holder" seems to be the prevailing philosophy among so many collectors, the collector who won a recent 6 at a big auction called me before placing his winning bid, and offered me only two less grand for mine than he paid for the 6.

[begsu1013]

I understand completely. however, I think we'd both agree that "said psa 6 vs said sgc 6" would command more money...

most of your cards are psa, correct? I know mine are. I do have a few sgc holders but I think the set registry that psa runs does add value...and a better brand, although they are plagued w/ questionable practices in the past.

whether or not they affix the proper grade is a completely different story....

which is why we search for the diamonds in the proverbial rough!

I went heavy on that 59 4.5 mantle that pwcc just auctioned off and lost.
same scenario w/ the yaz on that other thread.

that 72 aaron posted in Aprils pick up now resides 5 grades higher. 5 grades!

I like that they make mistakes, personally! ...but those mistakes go both ways, ie your 4.5.

and i think alotta folks have passed on ugly 7's, 8's and even 10's and such, but there is that certain sector out that that "need that 8" to climb the ranks and don't even really consider an sgc card to begin with...

all i was trying to convey.

much love.

[MattyC]

Totally agree. The Registry competition drives higher prices of PSA cards, for equivalent cards in PSA vs SGC, no question. It's a truly genius piece of marketing that fosters a need for that sticker; when I first got back into the hobby I first found the Registry and was heavily into it at the time.

[begsu1013]

you know what i like about this board...a simple disagreement or, better yet, a simple sentence/statement that could very easily get blown outta proportion is easily defused...and everything is right with the world.

cheers!

[wheels56]

Originally Posted by begsu1013

you know what i like about this board...a simple disagreement or, better yet, a simple sentence/statement that could very easily get blown outta proportion is easily defused...and everything is right with the world.

cheers!

+1, or +52 actually.

[KingFisk]

Wow....nice centering. I can't speculate on authenticity here, but assuming all is on the up and up, someone got a bargain, despite the image being a bit rough.

http://tinyurl.com/mb7w5bm

[pawpawdiv9]

Originally Posted by KingFisk

Wow....nice centering. I can't speculate on authenticity here, but assuming all is on the up and up, someone got a bargain, despite the image being a bit rough.

http://tinyurl.com/mb7w5bm

Holy Cow. Sold for 3k for a PSA3????
If indeed real, thats a steal!! You'd think the seller backs out of this deal.
The seller also has 'private feedback' and a recent negative despite having good feedback numbers.
I took a quick glance, and so far passed the smell test. What do you others think of this as well?? or what will happen??
I dont remember the type PSA flips, and if the label is off/wrong
I know the ITEM SPECIFICS mentions it as a 51 Bowman PSA 8.

[CW]

No way that $3K Mantle sale is legit. Most likely a compromised or stolen account and nothing but scams. The seller also sold this Jordan PSA 10 for cheap.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1986-87-FLEE...item1e9eecab22

[KingFisk]

Originally Posted by CW

No way that $3K Mantle sale is legit. Most likely a compromised or stolen account and nothing but scams. The seller also sold this Jordan PSA 10 for cheap.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1986-87-FLEE...item1e9eecab22

Chuck, when you say compromised/ stolen account, do you mean the seller or the buyer?

[CW]

Originally Posted by KingFisk

Chuck, when you say compromised/ stolen account, do you mean the seller or the buyer?

The seller's account. If you look at all the complete auctions you'll see quite a few top notch cards were listed at very low Buy-it-now prices.

[pokerplyr80]

Yea and another 52 mantle psa 3 for 6k, definitely a scam. Probably doesn't have the cards. Expect an empty box if you bought any of the other high end cards this seller sold.

[begsu1013]

yes, completely hijacked "seller" account. this happened to me about a month ago on a 51 mantle @ $6k. seemed a little low, but not redonk like a 52 mantle psa 3 @ $3k...however, I knew I didn't have anything to really worry about...bought thru ebay, had the paypal guarantee as well and used my amex so I was triple covered....

anyways, guy even gave me a legit ups overnight tracking number to my zip code...however, when I tracked it the next morning and it said it was delivered, I knew it was a scam...

guy picked a random address and just sent a box I guess.

was an easy dispute.

about a month passes and I get a "message" from the seller account apologizing stating her account was hijacked and created an absolute nightmare for her.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by CW

No way that $3K Mantle sale is legit. Most likely a compromised or stolen account and nothing but scams. The seller also sold this Jordan PSA 10 for cheap.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1986-87-FLEE...item1e9eecab22

As others said, hijacked account.. We all know that no '52 Mantle, that is vaguely discernible as the Mick, is going to go for 3k.

[1952boyntoncollector]

a 52 topps Jackie psa 7.5 'sold' for 800 a few days ago as well same seller

[KingFisk]

Interesting that he seems to have been selling things for awhile, mostly photographs, but also including reprint baseball cards, for not a lot of money. I wonder if the seller simply has no idea of the value of his items?

So if it's a scam, the gambit is to get people to win the auction, have them pay for a fake or non existent item, and make off with the payment? Given ebay and paypal buyer protections, seems like a low percentage play..