Dealer Pet Peeves or "Tricks"

[jchcollins]

Here is another one I had forgotten about that happened to me as a kid:

"Dealers being dishonest / not 100% accurate about the true nature of errors and variations":

When I was 12 in 1989, we went up to visit my grandmother in the Philly suburbs. While there on a trip to downtown Philly (I think, anyway...) I bought a 1958 Topps #30 Hank Aaron at a shop that the dealer swore to me was the "yellow name" variation. I took his word for it, not being privy to anything besides the "YL" abbreviation in that month's Beckett which I'm sure I probably had on me at the time. As you may be wondering if trying to guess where this story is going, the letters that the dealer insisted were the variation were of course the team letters at the bottom, just like the variation on the Clemente card in the same set. And as you also no doubt are aware now in the 21st century, the yellow team letters on a '58 Aaron are what every '58 Aaron has - the true variation is the player name above in either white or yellow letters. And the card that this gentleman sold me of course had Hank's name in plain white at the top of the card.

I learned the truth later before too much longer and was pissed for awhile, but in the end was not out much of anything - the card in question had some creasing and other issues and was probably G/VG at best, and I think I paid $50 for it. (Which yeah, I shudder to think in 1989 dollars - that was a lot for 12 year-old me...) So I probably overpaid for the card in the condition it was in at the time by $20 or so. And I got over it and still loved the card anyway and cherished it like any 12 year-old kid in the 1980's should have his only original Hank Aaron card. But I still believe in my heart of hearts today that the dealer knew exactly what the "variation" was, and was just taking me for a ride for an extra $20 or so. And that still makes me see a little bit of red now on the rare occasions that I think about it.

[irv]

I had a dealer last year tell me at the Toronto card Expo, after waiting for what seemed like a very long time, as he explained the Black Swamp find to two people, like he had found them himself, tell me he wanted $800 for a 52 Topps Joe Black that was maybe a 2-3 with black smudge/ink marks on the left lower border.

I gave him a bit of a sideways glance that clearly, imo, said get real, but he walked away like his price was firm or without telling me there is some wiggle room.

Although people can, obviously, ask what they want for a card, it was easily overpriced by $500+, and then some, so if it's actually for sale, then try to be a little more realistic about your prices.

[Snapolit1]

Originally Posted by irv

I had a dealer last year tell me at the Toronto card Expo, after waiting for what seemed like a very long time, as he explained the Black Swamp find to two people, like he had found them himself, tell me he wanted $800 for a 52 Topps Joe Black that was maybe a 2-3 with black smudge/ink marks on the left lower border.

I gave him a bit of a sideways glance that clearly, imo, said get real, but he walked away like his price was firm or without telling me there is some wiggle room.

Although people can, obviously, ask what they want for a card, it was easily overpriced by $500+, and then some, so if it's actually for sale, then try to be a little more realistic about your prices.

Particularly when so many of us can walk 15 feet away and immediately summon VCP on our phones and check prices.

[irv]

Originally Posted by Snapolit1

Particularly when so many of us can walk 15 feet away and immediately summon VCP on our phones and check prices.

I can understand someone not wanting to part with a particular card(s) unless the price is right, but this guy was at a show, with multiple 52 Topps cards for sale, not just one, so it didn't make any sense to me.

I assume, like we all hope, that he thought this card would only continue to go up in value, and there is nothing wrong with that, but don't bring it to a show with many others for sale, and try to get 5-10 yrs away prices for it.