Aging reprints - what is he doing?

[Archive]

Posted By: Frank B

A seller on E-Bay has been selling reprints for a while now.
He always references the fact that they are reprints in broken
english somewhere in the lower body of the listing but never in the
heading. On some I can clearly see where the word "reprint"
has been removed. In others I can't but ALL of his cards have
a red dirt sort of look to them. Anyone know what it is that
is being done to the cards? Several examples below. Thanks.


T206 Mathewson where the red area at bottom runs right over where
"reprint" probably was.

http://cgi.ebay.com/T206-MATHEWSON-NICE-SEE-SCAN_W0QQitemZ260189116523QQihZ016QQcategoryZ73435 QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


1915 Cracker Jack Rube Marquard where almost all of card back reddened.

http://cgi.ebay.com/1915-CRACKER-JACK-RICHARD-MARQUARD-SEE-SCAN_W0QQitemZ260189091972QQihZ016QQcategoryZ73435 QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


1951 Ted Williams where the red overwhelms the back

http://cgi.ebay.com/1951-BOWMAN-TED-WILLIAMS-SEE-SCAN_W0QQitemZ260189860757QQihZ016QQcategoryZ73435 QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


1954 Mickey Mantle - heavily reddened. Bidding up to $67. User ID kept private of high bidder

http://cgi.ebay.com/1954-DAN-DEE-MICKEY-MANTLE-NICE-SEE-SCAN_W0QQitemZ260189347284QQihZ016QQcategoryZ73435 QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


1933 Sport Kings Babe Ruth - A reprint with a crease already at $61. Again private bidder.

http://cgi.ebay.com/1933-SPORT-KINGS-GUM-BABE-RUTH-SEE-SCAN_W0QQitemZ260189095216QQihZ016QQcategoryZ73435 QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


Previously this seller would show his location as Paulding, OH, United States. Now it just shows
as GOOD OL USA GOD BLESS, United States. Also, many of his current auctions where the price is
clearly too high for a reprint shows the high bidder using a private ID. Is an attempt being made
to pump up the price? I know I've brought this up before but I really feel this is a well
thought out attempt to deceive right down to the broken english adding to the deception.

BTW - I have messaged this guy asking if reprint ever appeared on the card. His reply is that he's
not sure and that's why he lists them as a reprint. Exchange below.

====

>>THE WINNER WILL RECEIVE A T206 YOUNG REPRINT CARD.THE CARD DOES NOT SAY REPRINT,PLEASE CHECK
THE SCAN AS THIS IS THE ACTUAL CARD BEING OFFERED<<


Did the card EVER say reprint at one time?

Thanks,

Frank


>>hi i dont know the cards are in the same condition as they were when i got them thats why i listed them
as reprints,thk you virg.<<

[Archive]

Posted By: Eric B

The auction clearly states it's a reprint. No problems there.

Does anyone else feel that this is easy money and have the urge to do the same?

[Archive]

Posted By: Jeff S.

The softness of the images is reminiscent of a color scan printed on regular printer paper - probably originally scanned from a reprint. Does that make it a second generation reprint? Perhaps justifying the sometimes crazy prices he's been receiving?

[Archive]

Posted By: Frank B

>>The auction clearly states it's a reprint. No problems there.<<

If the seller wanted it clearly stated he'd state it's a reprint in
the title. He wouldn't try to bury it. If the seller is removing
the word reprint himself you don't have a problem with that?


>>Does anyone else feel that this is easy money and have the
urge to do the same?<<

I guess if you were the slimy sort you might.

[Archive]

Posted By: Eric B

THE WINNER WILL RECEIVE A 1951 BOWMAN TED WILLIAMS REPRINT CARD....

This is how the description starts...in big font. He doesn't need it to be in the title. No different than making a nice impression to a customer whether it's washing a used car for sale or trimming the hedges on a house for sale.

[Archive]

Posted By: dennis

eric b are you the seller? if not why would you defend him. it is obvious to all that what he is doing is deceptive. if no deception was involved reprint would (and SHOULD) be in the title. mint reprints get very little bid activity, just look at any auction that CLEARLY states a card is a reprint. what this seller is doing is saying im selling as reprint,it dont say reprint anywhere on the card (HE ERASED IT) ---thats why he gets high bids on worthless junk.

[Archive]

Posted By: fkw

carried in pocket for 2 weeks, dipped in tea, baked in oven...

Most of the reprint on eBay are over aged though. I remember a guy a few years ago on eBay who used to burn his cards around the edges to make them look old and abused. Have you ever seen an authentic vintage card with burned edges???

[Archive]

Posted By: Frank B

OK - I should have looked this up before asking but found the info
on why there are Private Bidders. Did not know that it is the
seller that sets it up that way.

From EBay FAQ:

>>When a seller creates a private listing, a buyer's User ID does not appear in the listing
or in the listing's bid history. Only the seller is authorized to view the buyer User IDs
associated with that listing.<<

Pretty obvious that seller does not want anyone wising up his
potential marks so he keeps the bidding info hidden. All his
auctions are now private.


http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQfgtpZ1QQfrppZ25QQsassZdriver9212

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=260189115724&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=016

[Archive]

Posted By: davidcycleback

The cards look like reprints (bad reprints) and the seller says they're reprints. In the scheme of things, if a buyer is going to be fooled by these listings, they're going to be fooled elsewhere.

With private auctions, bid pricing is unreliable-- in part because the seller often uses the privateness specifically to hide fake bidding. In fact, I think some sellers artificially drive up the prices early to make the card appear to be a hot commodity-- sort of a form of adveretising. If one of these cards breaks $100, I find it hard to believe the bidding is square. If the bidding is clean, you would need at least two rubes to get the price that high. One rube not noticing that the first sentence says the card is a reprint couldn't do it on his own. As Ross Perot would say, "It takes just one person to pick up and throw a badger, but it takes two people to play catch. Of course, from where I come from, folks have enough sense to try and pick up a badger."

(For those unfamiliar, badgers may have cute, cuddly appearances, but are famously bad tempered and savage fighters, with long claws and sharp teeth.).

I've seen those 'oven baked' reprints. When I was a kid my mom made homemade crackers that had the same brown edges. Naturally, I protested that she was using the oven to bake crackers not cookies.