Bill Mastro - Great Guy
 

Judge rejects 30 month prison term agreement. Think the Judge bid in one of Mastro's auctions and now it is pay back time?

Bye, Bye Bill....

http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/1...-doctored.html

I am hoping the judge rejected the plea because he plans an upward departure, but he could also not want "his hand tied" so he can downward depart from the guidelines for a lower sentence. .

I like how they refer to him as the "King of memorabilia". He used to walk around the shows like he was the greatest thing since sliced bread, it was pitiful watching dealers and collectors acting like he was some celebrity. This guy did more damage to our hobby than just about anyone, but what amazes me even more is that his company lives on and people still bid on things like nothing ever happened.

These guys are thieves and nothing more.

+1

JimStinson
 

The LAST time I bid on anything at auction was in Mastro net it was a document with an est of $3,000 to $,4000 I bid $11,000 and WON IT for $10,500 .......................man was I lucky, what a coincidence ! Good luck to everyone with their bids.
_________________________
jim@stinsonsports.com

I've been there as well, Jim. Welcome to the club! :rolleyes:

So what does this say about PSA, which determined that the Mastro-trimmed Wagner card was authentic (unaltered) and NrMT-MT?

Well, since this was the first card they slabbed, maybe they hadn't thought of that ("A") yet. Or it was part of their business plan from the beginning to deceive.

It's who you know, not what you have.

Planned from the beginning to deceive??? Noooooooooooo :D:confused:

What do you guys think will happen now with regard to the "value" of this Wagner card? Drop? Stay about the same? Increase? And will there be any demand from collectors and/or auction houses for it to be resubmitted to PSA? It seems that since Mastro has admitted under oath to trimming the card, PSA has a lot of explaining to do. The question is - will they? And could there be legal consequences?

I suspect this aspect of the whole scandal is just as important to the hobby (and the public's perception of it) as is the acknowledged shill bidding, etc.

Craig - resubmitting it to PSA would be a wonderful idea. What would they do with it now? Knowing that it was trimmed could they legitimately do anything other than give it an A?
And you did accurately state that PSA has a lot of explaining to do. I would not hold my breath for that to happen.

I find it hard to believe that PSA had no idea. Bill Hughes told both Heitman and myself it was trimmed. If he told me, don't you think they would have had some idea as as well? When I called Bruce he said who cares its worth it because of all the publicity. I really don't think this is a big surprise. I think that most of the people on the card side felt it was trimmed.The card will stay the same because of its history. Just my opinion.

I think the value of the Wagner will fall. However, for the last several years at least, that the card was possibly trimmed was almost common knowledge amongst card collectors.

Interesting stuff Shelly

Me too!!!! Multiple times, with the next to final bid (shill) coming in just below my ceiling bid, usually in the dead of night! I guess the possibility of reparations to those of us that were scammed by the shill bidding scheme has long been off the legal table.

I do have a question though that I'm certain can be answered. I don't really collect cards (have all those from my childhood) - but that's it.

If I remember correctly, Mastro cut this famous Wagner from an uncut strip. When collectors cut cards from Jello packages or Post cereal boxes and submit them to PSA, do they just get an "Authentic" or do they actually receive a grade, e.g. NrMT? If they receive a grade then how would the Wagner be any different.

I apologize in advance if this is a stupid question.

Post and Jello cards have a black checkered boarder that was supposed to serve as a guideline for cutting them. If they have been cut outside that line, and the whole line is intact, PSA will assign a numerical grade. If not, all it gets is authentic. The distinction between this and the Wagner, in my eyes, is that individual owners were supposed to be cutting the Post/Jello cards.

Thank you!

Craig

All you card guys... That white thing around the sides of a card is a "border." "Border." A "boarder" is someone who lives in your house.

David, I think Tony Hawk was a "boarder", too. :D

Mastro is scheduled to be sentenced August 20, 2015. Should be interesting to see how this plays out. When is Dougie sentenced?

Hand Cut
 

The Post, Jello and Bazooka cards I have, when graded, have "HAND CUT" beneath the name of player.