REA Boxing Card Results

Exhibitman · #1 06-21-2023, 12:49 PM

Why no REA, Greg? I've found REA to be among the least offensive and most professional AHs.

G1911 · #2 06-21-2023, 02:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

Why no REA, Greg? I've found REA to be among the least offensive and most professional AHs.

I know he isn't running it anymore, but REA is Lifson's baby. Lifson, the library thief (a running ring stealing cards and then getting them into his buddies collections in some versions, a single incident while both high on drugs and drunk, during which he failed and was caught in his own telling). Lifson, the 'expert' who sold all the Halper fraud items as legit. Lifson, the President of Mastronet, a criminal fraud ring. Lifson, who was one of the guys getting card(s) juiced by shill bidding at said Mastronet according to the state. Could keep going, but you get the point.

A company founded and run for many years by this guy raises red flags for me. Don't deal with known thieves, fraudsters, or those who very suspiciously are always getting involved in frauds by their friends for decades. Leaves a bad taste in my mouth, and seems practically imprudent to enter into business with such organizations rooted in this kind of conduct. It has not been my experience that organization founded, run and shaped by such folks are likely to conduct themselves properly. REA has never sold something I needed bad enough to sign up with them; not sure there's anything I haven't secured yet that would make me flip around and do it anyways. I would not expect anyone to agree or draw the same boundaries I do, and am not claiming that those who make different choice are doing anything wrong. I lay no claim to virtue and do not expect those I conduct business with to possess it either, but I do expect them not to be repeatedly involved over decades in frauds and scams and thefts in the same kind of business as I am conducting with them. That this is such a difficult standard for card businesses to reach and that REA probably is one of the cleaner auction houses, tells one a lot about auction houses

Exhibitman · #3 06-22-2023, 11:44 AM

Rob Lifson has no involvement with REA. Brian Dwyer, who is one of the nicest, most honest people you will ever meet in this hobby, owns and runs it. He has assembled a crackerjack crew of professionals who run not only a clean auction but an outstanding back-office. My dealings with REA have been the smoothest experiences ever.

Alan, I selected REA for a variety of reasons, none of them in any way against Al and Love of the Game.

You have to choose an AH based on track record with the type of items you are selling and whether its goals mesh with your consignment. If I want to liquidate my Babe Ruth collection or my baseball photos, Al is my first and last stop. I had stuff in his last auction and I have stuff in his next. No finer or more careful person can be found in this business. That said, the Ringside auction I did with LOTG was a financial bust and was not going to be repeated. LOTG just isn't the place for a big boxing sale, so it didn't make sense to send the cards there. I'm a kickass construction and real estate lawyer but if a client comes in with a bankruptcy case, I refer it out because it isn't in my wheelhouse.

REA has been racking up a track record with boxing cards in the Encore auctions. Which is my 2nd reason for going with REA. REA has a monthly, low opening bid, single card format auction. If I am selling a large collection of cards, I want an auction that will sell the cards as singles, or as close to it as possible. If you let an auctioneer throw 100 of your cards into a grab bag lot, all you have done is hand a middleman--a dealer--a guaranteed profit when he buys the lot at a discount. I�ve made a ton of money breaking down and retailing cards that were inadvisably put into mass lots. I won't sell that way.

Lelands was my other choice at the time but the guy there who does the boxing cards was on paternity leave and they couldn't handle the sale in a timely manner. Which is my third reason: REA's process is fast and seamless. My cards were picked up at my office and in a few weeks they were up for sale. I will probably have a check in hand in a few weeks. Can't beat that turn time.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
'55 Topps Hocus Focus Card Results	GODAWGS31	Net54baseball Vintage (WWII & Older) Baseball Cards & New Member Introductions	4	04-21-2023 03:07 PM
1890s John L. Sullivan Boxing Cabinet Card, PSA Graded 1910 T220 Boxing	jbsports33	Ebay, Auction and other Venues Announcement- B/S/T	0	12-09-2019 12:30 PM
High Grade T218 Results on eBay; Some Pretty Strong Results	Exhibitman	Boxing / Wrestling Cards & Memorabilia Forum	4	08-28-2017 05:00 PM
Results of Baseball Card HOF set survey	Archive	Net54baseball Vintage (WWII & Older) Baseball Cards & New Member Introductions	1	09-29-2004 04:06 PM
Johnz28jd: where're our vintage card contest results?	Archive	Net54baseball Vintage (WWII & Older) Baseball Cards & New Member Introductions	2	08-30-2002 03:01 PM