I'd love everyone's thoughts. Here's what happened.

[Enfuego]

Originally Posted by Aquarian Sports Cards

problem is shilling, or pumping, or defending, or whatever your favorite euphemism is, is pretty impossible to stop, especially with a third party consignor. I mean I had a buddy consign some pretty high end stuff recently to a well-known seller, what (other than the risk of me winning, or my personal ethical code) is to stop me, as a seemingly unrelated third party, from bidding his items up. This really is the case with any auction, I'd love to say that a live auction is exempt from this phenomena, but unless all the involved parties are known to the auctioneer, it's just not possible to stop it.

In your case, I definitely smell a rat as the history was there just waiting to be exploited.

I too agree, a bit shady IMO

[kmac32]

A big reason why I do not bid early on an item if I don't have to. I tend to snipe at the last second so I do not get shilled. Occasionally I am not available to bid on an item and I have to place an earlier bid that has been shilled to for self protection, sniping is my method. I do not use a sniping service so it is me and me alone in the last 2 seconds.

[Stampsfan]

Especially when you have listed exactly what you're looking for. Not hard for someone with an already dubious reputation figuring out how to take advantage.

[steve B]

Originally Posted by Stampsfan

Especially when you have listed exactly what you're looking for. Not hard for someone with an already dubious reputation figuring out how to take advantage.

Or potentially someone else collecting the same thing dishing out some payback for having lost out on earlier auctions.

For a while back when you could still see the bidders there were a few Japanese bicycle collectors with pretty deep pockets. And once in a while they'd get mad at each other over having won or lost a particularly nice item. The prices they drove each other to as retribution were amazing. Often better than 10X retail.

Of course a couple people here knew one of them and when we were debating why he'd paid 500 for a pair of French toestraps, his response through them was that he had it presold to a dealer for 1000 who in turn had a buyer at closer to 2000. The 500 guy spoke English but was uncomfortable emailing directly even when assured that his English was more than fine. The dealer and end buyer didn't and felt they couldn't do Ebay because of that.

Steve B

[JustinD]

Originally Posted by steve B

For a while back when you could still see the bidders there were a few Japanese bicycle collectors with pretty deep pockets. And once in a while they'd get mad at each other over having won or lost a particularly nice item. The prices they drove each other to as retribution were amazing. Often better than 10X retail.

Man, I do not miss those days.

There were several bidders that would watch everything I bid on as we collected the same material. I could only snipe because one of them would see I had found something and outbid me otherwise.

That and always getting a profanity laced eBay message every time I sniped someone who felt that bidding at the last second is unfair... that was fantastic.

[EYECOLLECTVINTAGE]

Originally Posted by Stampsfan

Especially when you have listed exactly what you're looking for. Not hard for someone with an already dubious reputation figuring out how to take advantage.

So he does have a dubious reputation? I don't know him.

[1952boyntoncollector]

If you are prepared to pay $150, is your fault. You got what you paid for.

If you wanted to see if any shilling was going on, you could of max bid lower on some of the items say '40 bucks' and see if that winner was also the guy bringing up your other cards and see if magically that item went for sale again...

[EYECOLLECTVINTAGE]

Originally Posted by 1952boyntoncollector

If you are prepared to pay $150, is your fault. You got what you paid for.

If you wanted to see if any shilling was going on, you could of max bid lower on some of the items say '40 bucks' and see if that winner was also the guy bringing up your other cards and see if magically that item went for sale again...

Thanks buddy!

[KMayUSA6060]

Pulling all of the facts together, it absolutely sounds sketchy.

I don't ever put a high bid on any item. If I bid early on an item, it's to guarantee that I get notifications for when I get outbid and when it ends. If I don't get outbid, I know I got the card at a steal of a deal. Otherwise, I only snipe at the end at a price I'm comfortable with.

Also, I do not like Probstein. I had one encounter with him and it was enough to always second guess targeting any of his auctions.

[D.P.Johnson]

Originally Posted by EYECOLLECTVINTAGE

So he does have a dubious reputation? I don't know him.

There are lots of previous threads regarding Problemstein...

[HercDriver]

I am in the vast minority in my mindset on auctions. I bid on the first day, whatever I want to pay, then I never go back and look at it again. I do the same thing with my investments...I buy five stocks every year, and never look at them until the next year. I've never regretted it...

Cheers,
Geno

[NiceDocter]

Ive won way way way too many auctions at my TOP SECRET NOBODY ELSE KNOWS SWEAR TO GOD QUADRUPLY ENCRIPTED HIGHEST POSSIBLE bid to ever again offer a penny more than I would be thrillled to pay!!! I suggest you do likewise and you will have no regrets!

[bn2cardz]

Originally Posted by D. Bergin

How to you get shilled up on a snipe?

Memorabilia is volatile. Something that sells for $10 today could sell for $100 tomorrow could sell for $10 the day after that.

Tickets and stubs are a niche market. All depends on who's looking for something on a particular day.

I'd guess you were outbidding somebody previously and they upped their game knowing you might be in the mix on similar stuff.

I was thinking this combined with the tax return season. It could be someone that was interested and suddenly had the extra funds at this time.