General Question about Set Buying on Ebay

[JollyElm]

For those of you unfamiliar with Dean's Cards overpricing, here's the way it goes every time.

I'll use a favorite Mets player from my youth as my example--Ken Singleton. This is a low priced, common card. Nothing scarce about it whatsoever. When you search ebay for "Topps 1972 425," here's what you get. Pretty low prices (with a bit of an anomaly here and there) on cards in nice shape:

singleton.jpg

Then keep scrolling down and Dean, as he always does, appears and gives you a very hearty laugh:

dean.jpg

Abso-freaking-lutely a joke!!!

[hangman62]

I dont know how he sells anything on ebay, the prices are so out of whack... unless he thinks its a cute joke....but I dont think so

[darkhorse9]

The way I've always done my set building is by attending a larger show (usually the Sun-Times in Chicago) and loading up on the commons there. Uncle Dick is by far the best as his cards are priced to sell. That way I avoid having to deal with multiple lots, shipping costs, and I can see first hand the condition of each card so I know they're graded consistently.

Then I hit e-bay to fill the holes and pick up the stars. Battersbox is a first choice, but Sirius is an excellent value as well. I agree with joesvintage, tripleplay and mantlerulz. I haven't been disappointed with any of them.

[kailes2872]

I met Uncle Dick at the Robert Morris show in Pittsburgh last year. I loved the way his cards were laid out - by year in the binders with the pricing/condition layered in the sheet. I ended up spending the better part of Friday updating sets year by year. I am looking forward to attending my first National this year as I have been told that it is the Pgh show multiplied by about 10.

[autograf]

I've also gotten some good deals from Joesvintage auctions at http://www.jvscauctions.com/catalog.aspx as well on bigger $ cards. He does a couple hundred items every two weeks.....usually 100 graded, 100 ungraded although he's been doing more graded lately. Anyway, I've picked up some decent stars there for at or less than they'd be on ebay for similar grades. Plus, ZERO commision on the buyer side for the auction.

John (Harliduck). I have some nice 1963's that I'm going to list as a lot. Probably 200+/- in EX to EXMT condition. Just sold a 1963 lot a while back on the B/S/T along with 1964. Just dupes from lots I've bought.

A great friend of mine is J.D. Heckathorn....he does those Pittsburgh shows and always has tons of midgrade cards in binders and stars in the case at reasonable prices. Look him up when you're in Chicago at Sun Times or Pittsburgh as well as the National. You won't meet a better guy.

[darkhorse9]

Originally Posted by autograf

A great friend of mine is J.D. Heckathorn....he does those Pittsburgh shows and always has tons of midgrade cards in binders and stars in the case at reasonable prices. Look him up when you're in Chicago at Sun Times or Pittsburgh as well as the National. You won't meet a better guy.

Agreed on JD. He usually comes up to Grand Rapids as well and he's always good for some cards. He doesn't deal much. he pretty much sticks to the listed prices on the cards, but he has a good variety and grades well.

[Gr8Beldini]

Originally Posted by JollyElm

Attachment 133715

Then keep scrolling down and Dean, as he always does, appears and gives you a very hearty laugh:

Attachment 133716

Abso-freaking-lutely a joke!!!

Yeah, but he's got free shipping.

[m.wright58926]

I nominate this thread for post of the year...I had no idea you could eliminate the Dean's results by doing "-(Deans)". Now I won't have to sort through pages of meaningless search results...however, the time savings is partially offset by losing the comedy of someone wasting their time listing items with an opening bid 4-5X what the card usually sells for.

Seriously, why list it as an auction? This is why there's BIN.

[steve B]

Originally Posted by JollyElm

For those of you unfamiliar with Dean's Cards overpricing, here's the way it goes every time.

I'll use a favorite Mets player from my youth as my example--Ken Singleton. This is a low priced, common card. Nothing scarce about it whatsoever. When you search ebay for "Topps 1972 425," here's what you get. Pretty low prices (with a bit of an anomaly here and there) on cards in nice shape:

Attachment 133715

Love that last one in the first pic. I didn't know 425 was a high number.

Steve B

[JollyElm]

Holy crap, guys!! I thought I would bump this thread because I ran across one of the most ridiculous cases on 'Deanitis' I have ever seen.

I decided to check on a 1972 Wayne Garrett #518 and look what appeared!! You can't make this stuff up. His card has very similar centering and tilting as the 99 cent card above his...but he decided to have his opening bid start at $148.49!!!! $148.49 for a common!!!!!!!!!! Almost one hundred and fifty dollars for a card everyone else sells for a buck!!!!!!!!!!

I can't stop laughing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

garrett.jpg

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by JollyElm

Holy crap, guys!! I thought I would bump this thread because I ran across one of the most ridiculous cases on 'Deanitis' I have ever seen.

I decided to check on a 1972 Wayne Garrett #518 and look what appeared!! You can't make this stuff up. His card has very similar centering and tilting as the 99 cent card above his...but he decided to have his opening bid start at $148.49!!!! $148.49 for a common!!!!!!!!!! Almost one hundred and fifty dollars for a card everyone else sells for a buck!!!!!!!!!!

I can't stop laughing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Attachment 134627

You are looking at it all wrong. Dean's Cards only has to sell 1 card and they make more cash then someone else selling 200 of the same card. The problem is finding 1 sucker, I mean customer to buy it.

[JollyElm]

Apparently douch*bag Dean reads this forum, because he started eliminating his company name from his auction titles. Now we can't weed out his BS with a simple "-Dean" anymore. What a complete and utter d*ck!!!!!!!

(And yes, I realize I'm personifying the entire company with the use of "Dean" as a single person. But someone's in charge over there and he'll always be Dean to me.)

[Harliduck]

"Dean's Cards" took advantage of my wife a while back, that guy can go screw himself.

[brewing]

Originally Posted by JollyElm

Apparently douch*bag Dean reads this forum, because he started eliminating his company name from his auction titles. Now we can't weed out his BS with a simple "-Dean" anymore. What a complete and utter d*ck!!!!!!!

(And yes, I realize I'm personifying the entire company with the use of "Dean" as a single person. But someone's in charge over there and he'll always be Dean to me.)

+1

I'm Brent In gr@m and I approve this message.

[BillP]

I also have wondering the mystery surrounding Dean's prices. Form his video, it appears that he is supporting an Admin staff of 10-12. So therein is the overhead to support the prices.
I am a collector of the following sets: 54, 58-59, 63-64 and 66-67. Have 63,66 and 67 complete and close on 54 and 59. Also collect 65 tall boy FB missing only 3 cards.
After I complete these I'm a bit unless about where I go. 62, 68 and 71 appear to be on the radar. I do not intend to collect 55-56 or 60-61. I just don't care for the format. 65 BB seem to show the diamond cut situation much more to me than other formats, same with 72.
I also collect 67 wacky packages which I had as a kid. Would like to collect 64-67 hockey but it's way over by pricing strategy.
Used to collect 68-69 Shirriff hockey coins. Very tough to complete.

Someday, a set of RedMan.

Lastly, Greg Morris cards from CA are top quality and I always look at his stuff.

bill