Fake 52Topps mantle on Ebay

[the 'stache]

Originally Posted by asw37

First off, where is this 10,000 price tag coming from? I feel like one idiot attacks and then circus comes out. I am obviosly not going to win arguing here. All I know is that PSA and I both know that this card is real. There are some great collectors and others like the troll who started this thread. I don't know what I am not answering. He asked me to show him the card outside of the frame. I dont realy see a grey area between yes or now where I could accomidate him.

Firstly, you're not going to ingratiate yourself here by calling posters "idiots" and "morons" for expressing what are valid concerns about your auction. I know if I were selling a piece that could conceivably fetch several thousand dollars, I would bend over backwards to allay the fears a potential buyer might have. You're already fighting an uphill battle because of your no return policy, and the inflexibility in your reply raised another red flag. Then followed your comment "all I know is that PSA and I both know that this card is real" is a little disconcerting, too. Are you unaware of the problem that exists with PSA slabs being faked and cracked? Don't ever assume a card is legitimate because it is encapsulated by a third party grader. Any collector worth their mettle will tell you that you buy the card, not the grade. Additionally, the 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle is one of the most often faked/altered cards in the hobby, and asking for additional pictures is not only smart, but pretty much accepted etiquette within the hobby.

One of my friends owns a well-respected art gallery in Las Vegas, and deals extensively with custom framing jobs like this one (including custom pieces he has done for me). Based on prior conversations we've had, I'm relatively certain that the Mantle card could be removed for closer inspection without doing permanent damage to the frame and display. You might need to take it to an art dealer to have this done, and they might charge you a nominal fee, but wouldn't it be worth it? What's $50 to a buyer that is going to spend $3,500 on a card? It could mean peace of mind, and get you a sale.

In your initial response to the member inquiring about the piece, you could have mentioned that the piece was purchased from an auction house. If you have provenance to help to establish the legitimacy of the piece, you would be well served to provide that information. You don't have to show them what you paid, but a sales receipt showing your name and address, along with the description and picture(s) of the piece, could help legitimize your piece.

As for my original assertion that the card could fetch $10,000, I freely admit I misread the grade on the Mantle. I've been in the hospital fighting sepsis for two weeks after breaking my leg in two places, and with the glare on my tiny laptop screen, my fever and multiple medications and antibiotics floating throughout my body, I goofed. I thought I saw the grade was higher than a 1. However, you have a lot of nerve to suggest that I or any other member of this forum are members of some circus. Because of the money involved, this hobby, unfortunately, is rife with with unscrupulous people looking to rip off honest enthusiasts. As such, the members of this forum use their vast knowledge and experience to help police the hobby, and when we see something that raises suspicion, we will alert the other members. We protect one another, as well as others that might fall victim to deceitful auctions on Ebay. In this case, Eugene stated he suspected your card was fake, and provided supporting reasons as to his opinion. I interpreted his topic as an alert to anybody who might be in the market for this particular card. I did not see anything that could be construed as an attempt to defame you.