Missing N28 card, STOLEN!

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Posted By: Nick

Hi Guys,
Although I am a regular reader of this forum, this is my first post and I could really do with your help. I recently purchased a psa 8 graded N28 Allen & Ginter Glassc**k card on ebay (item #2781827016)(sorry, I don't know how to post a link)

The card was posted to me via insured mail and all I received was an empty box. I picked the parcel up a few days ago from my local parcelforce office and signed for it. I also paid £202 cash in import duty for the "privilege" of picking up an empty box! The box was sealed with clear tape and the weight stated on the post office label was an ounce and a half heavier than when I weighed it after opening it, thus the card must have been in the package when sealed and posted.

The same card was sold in Superior's auction on 12/6/01 Lot #2 and a clear image is available on their auction archives page. The same card was then resold in Leland's Dec 2002 auction lot # 1703 and again a clear image is available.

The customs form on the package stated "baseball card, value $2000" and I presume the card was taken from the box somewhere in postal transit. As many of you have access to various auctions and card shows in the US, I was wondering if you could put the word out for me or keep an eye out for the card?

I am in the UK and have collected cards for nearly 30 years now. I am a member of PSA and SGC and I plan to write to both companies and explain what has happened should the card be cracked and resubmitted. It is 1 of 8 cards graded psa NM/MT and appears to be in beautiful condition but is centred slightly to the left. I would think that should the card come up for sale/auction it would be easily recognisable.

I am absolutely gutted by this whole experience and am contemplating giving up card collecting because of it. I'm finding it very hard to feel the same way about cards as I have been concentrating on the N28 set and it is the pride and joy of my whole collection. I am in contact with the seller regarding this loss and he is doing all he can at his end and is also in the process of filing a claim.

As vintage card collectors yourselves you will all, I'm sure, know how I feel. It is not simply a case of bearing the loss and claiming insurance, how can I hope to replace the card? Any thoughts on this would be much appreciated.

I have completed over 2000 transactions on ebay and submitted many hundreds of cards to the US for grading. This the first instance I have heard of an empty parcel arriving. It may have made more sense if the parcel had gone missing not the contents. I have contacted customs and they state "each parcel is tracked and weighed at each stop (perhaps 20 times?) along its journey" which may help to find where the card has gone missing?

Thanks for your time in reading this post.

Nick


UK based collector currently working on Ex/Mt N28's and mid grade T205's amongst others.