General Forum

I know, I know. This has been the subject of many threads on here. Just for fun, I was looking for 1952 Mantles on ebay. The sight of people bidding on abused reprints, thinking they are getting something special at a bargain price churns my stomach. Dealers posting a card saying they don't know if it's a reprint or not, when for those early years all it might take is measuring the card. I feel so sorry for the people bidding. One of my favorite listings was this one http://www.ebay.com/itm/1952-Topps-MICKEY-MANTLE-Baseball-Card-New-York-Yankees-READ-LISTING-/311582803051?hash=item488bc8446b:g:X5MAAOSwEK9XATp1

The seller took the effort to type READ LISTING in the title, which if you do you will see the word REPRINT, when he could have more easily typed Reprint in the title. Oh the inhumanity!

I see my posts today reflect a slightly negative attitude on my part, I think it's time for an attitude adjustment. Peace all!

I feel the same way that you feel about reprints. I blame the card manufacturers for them as they tried to give a piece of older cards to keep the hobby fresh, however I think sellers (NOT ALLSELLERS)on eBay take advantage of collectors just so they can make a buck. Which in turn gives all eBay sellers a bad reputation.

That looks to not even have very good print quaility. Lot of trickery going on with how that seller lists stuff, and by his FB is something he's been doing and will continue to do.

Another huge red flag is why would he be listing everything as "private listings"? I figure besides adult only type items, that was made a moot point when they started making bidders ID's private. I tend to shy away from sellers that do that in the first place.

Then look at this in his description:

I DO NOT COMBINE SHIPPING, SHIPPING DISCOUNTS ARE GIVEN ON MULTIPLE WINS

 

WIN ANY AUCTION  OR AUCTIONS AND BUY A "BUY IT NOW" ITEM AND GET FREE SHIPPING ON EVERYTHING!!!!

Which is it? Do, or don't combine? This seller makes my head hurt, but hey I'd trust those Babe Ruth autos he has!

As an outspoken person in an earlier thread, let me clarify or perhaps muddify, my position. I hate slimy eBay sellers. From flat out fraud (falsely advertisting things as something they're not), to people hoping someone doesn't notice that it's a reprint (like in the other thread), to people who just overprice stuff (I worry about the gift-givers, who know little about cards). 

In this particular listing, I'm not too upset with the seller. It's says its a reprint. It's my, or even an inexperienced buyer's job to read the description. Would I ever buy from this seller? No chance. Confusing listing on the shipping. Questionable ethics in taking the time and space to write "check listing" but not write "reprint" in the tag line. I mean, come on. 

And I could never buy this card without it being graded now. Card looks legit to me. If it wasn't labeled as a reprint, I'd go for it, but for my paranoia of buying a reprint and my knowledge that I'm too ignorant to tell the difference, especially on-line. I wish all reprints had a printing date on them. At least then it'd have to be a real good counterfeit to trick me. But there are legit reprints out there that look just like the originals in every way? Why?!?!?

And it makes me sad. That there are unscrupulous people out there. That there are people who fall for it all. That I have to buy graded cards. 

But I get too much enjoyment from the hobby otherwise to let it get me down too much. 

I understand your pain Vvvergeer, a card such as this is fine for a buck or two as a place holder, until someone could afford the real deal. Topps did some very nice reprints back in the late '90s of Mantle, but those are glossy, standard size, and foil stamped, as well as marked very clear they are not the real deal. Best way to handle them IMHO. Or how Topps handled the Star Co NBA cards they reprinted around the same time after they acquired the rights to do so.

These counterfeits are bad for everyone, and unfortunately require the use of one the 3 grading companies, PSA, BGS, or SGC. I don't trust any of the others as some of them will even grade custom ACEOs. And the graders are not even fool-proof 100% of the time. Oh the madness, it is enough to make someone throw their hands up and say "I'm done!". I been at it too long to do that just yet though.

There are also fake holders. Knowledge of the cards is all that can beat this problem.

Another deceitful dealer on Ebay.  Educating collectors on this topic is important because you never know when a new collector is reading this site.  It is an unethical practice to avoid designating reprints or fakes up front when selling items.  This topic will never get old.

Somebody paid $37.00 for that card when they could have got a legitimate 1996 reprint for just a few bucks.  I can easily see that one is a fake by the top edge on the first photo.  It's a nicer card stock.

I wouldn't trust PSA. It's well known that the first card they ever graded, the McNall/Gretzky T206 Wagner, was trimmed and they didn't catch that.