Show me your "steals"

[bbcard1]

Not Vintage, but at a recent Chantilly show, I found a 1983 Topps Traded set for $1. I absolutely didn't need it. I remembered paying probable $50 for mine, so I couldn't let it pass. A little later I'm standing by a table and a guy comes up to the dealer and says," I have been looking all over the room and I'd really like to have a Topps Traded Strawberry rookie, you wouldn't have one would you." The dealer said no, and he started to wander away when I put on my toughest negotiating hat and said,"I doubt you'll find a single, but I have a set. You are going to have to be satisfied with letting me double my money on it though. That will be $2." The guy was thrilled. The dealer didn't mind because having these high dollar transactions go on in front of his table is good for business. Funny thing was, the guy only had one $1 bill and a hundred and I didn't have change. I told him to go do something nice for somebody he doesn't know. Granted I may have gotten $20 off of it on ebay, but a good story is worth more than $20.

[Al C.risafulli]

Five hundred bucks, raw, on eBay. I watched it for a week, drooling.

It's not a Peck and Snyder, but I did all right, percentage-wise.

-Al

[Wite3]

A cautionary tale to dealers....and totally true (a few board members saw me within an hour of buying this and can attest to the purchase).

Was at a small mall show in Las Vegas about 10 years ago. Nothing really there...I think I was happy with buying a couple of Bell Brand Dodgers. I was gazing at a table that had a few mid '70s cards in a bargain box and a lot of shiny new stuff when an older gentleman walked up and asked the dealer a question. The dealer essentially told him to wait while he was talking with another dealer. When he finally asked the older man what he wanted the man said he had some cards to sell...he took out a binder with some 1992 Donruss Nolan Ryan cards in the front. The dealer took a look at the first page and told the guy, "I don't buy that junk," and turned around. The older man said that he had some old Pirates programs and some older cards but the dealer essentially ignored him. I didn't. I asked what programs...he said Pirates from the 40s and 50s. He then asked me if I wanted to see them. I told him yes and we went to a bench in the mall. We sat and looked at the programs and he told me about going to Forbes Field and making the "long" drive to Crosley one year to watch the Pirates and the Reds. He also had a local paper clipping from 1951 of him holding cards and talking about buying and trading baseball cards. I asked him if he had any of those old cards still...he said sure, right here at the back of this binder. I flipped to the back and he had a bunch of 1941 Playball cards. He told me he would sell me the Playball cards for whatever I had in my wallet. I had $12 but I told him I would go to the ATM. I took out $300 (all I was allowed) and handed it to him. He said it was worth it just to talk to someone who knew the game and could appreciate the cards.

I had just bought a vg+ originally collected, one owner 1941 Play Ball Set. I talked to Earl a few other times over the next couple of years and bought a few programs. He also owned an autograph book that contained 100s of signatures of Pirates from Wanger to Maz! I could not get him to sell this to me but that was okay. I love this set.

Joshua

[ChrisStufflestreet]

Picked this one up for about $12 in '92...



It's a W512 card from 1926. They normally have the player's complete name and team listed, but I'm fine with 80% of the card.

Not the prettiest card, but a Bambino from his playing days is sweet at that price.

[cobblove]

My favorite steal at a show.
In 2000 or 2001 cant remember but it was the national in chicago that year. I walked around the 2nd day of the show looking for something to buy. I was manly interested in pre 1975 wax. I found one dealer who had tons of 1950s-1970s wax, Not Mark Murphy. And he had everything price about right. But he had half a box of 1973 topps baseball all series at 55.00 a pack. I think he was wax fromthepast but not 100% sure. I said will you take 550.00 for the last 12 packs and the box? He said sure. So Im walking around in this show with this box. And I walk past another wax pack dealer and he said what do you got there. So I showed him. He said are you interested in selling these. And I said well mark murphy list them in SCD for 150.00 each what will you give me, he said well I normally buy from him at those prices so how about 125.00 a pack. SOLD!! Had the box for no more than 2 hours. Easiest 1000.00 Ive made. And it was off 2 dealers at the same show. LOL

[Bobsbats]

I bought this Ruth for 400.00....partly because I only had 100.00 and could only get 300.00 from the ATM.....not too bad.

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[Bobsbats]

Also bought this one for 75.00....but recently parted with it for pretty good return.
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