May 5, 2020

Well, I did not get a chance to check out eBay yesterday but I am rearin' to go today. Recap:

I lost that autograph lot at $24.05. I am currently losing a PSA 7 Slaughter at $30. I am not going to up my bid.

Today I see a PSA 5 Slaughter for $40. Pass. I see a raw Slaughter with one bid at $6.50. Listing states EX+ and no creases. Surface is scuffed and corners are bad. This card is certainly not EX+. I would like one that is actually EX+. Probstein has a PSA 4 Mantle currently at $507.77.

I see a Mantle, perfectly centered with what appears to be fake corner wear. Natural corner wear has a frayed quality to it. Fake corner wear has a flattening effect, like someone pushed the corner down onto a table. Ahhh, the description states the card is a reprint. Why not say reprint in the headline?

Someone is selling a GMA 1 reprint Mantle for $1. The card is covered in mold. Why? Just why?

Well that is all for auction. Let's see what there is in BINs:

What is the deal with all the Mantle reprints today? Okay, I just filtered out reprints. Now I see a Hodges for $29.99. Seller says card is EX and he calls the card high grade. He is silent on creasing but to his credit provides some high resolution and close-up scans. There is some staining on the lower back edge. The back also seems to show a hairline crease, mid-way down, starting from the left edge and heading right about an inch or so. Pass.

Someone make Dean's and COMC go away! Ugh, how did a reprint Mays get in there? I just filtered out reprints!! Maybe if I hold my breath, I can get through the Dean's and COMC minefield quickly. I'm seeing a bunch of listings for 1954 Bowman Power For Peace Airforce non-sports cards. I wouldn't mind purchasing some of these but they are a little expensive for non-sports, anywhere from $3 to $10 per card.

I see an 8-lot with an Erskine and other minor stars for $80. Pass. There is a Slaughter for $35. Seller says EX with no creases. I see some wear and something that looks like a hairline crease on the back. Pass, though I am tempted. I'd be willing to drop $25, not $35.

I have seen Siriussports around forever and have bought some cards from him in the past. I am disappointed to see his listings featuring trimmed cards for $7 to $8 each. A little too high for trimmed cards. Wow! Another seller has a PSA 2 Williams for $800. Tempting. I see a PSA 3 Mays for $150. Too high. There is a Mantle 3.5 for $600. Too high.

I spoke too soon about a PSA 3 Mays for $150 being too high. Some dillweed has a PSA 2 up for $260. Okay, that is all for today. Another disappointing day. I need just six cards. I may have to start looking outside of eBay to complete the set.

May 7, 2020

I was really disappointed on May 5 when it seemed like all the listings on eBay were shoddy. Then I arrived home from work and had four or five packages waiting for me. Receiving the packages is the fun part. I received the Reynolds from 707. Free shipping means regular envelope and card in a top loader, no other protection. The Reynolds was dinged up which I found disappointing for a $12 card. Luckily, I won another Reynolds in a six-lot which was much nicer than the one I received from 707. I was able to upgrade a bunch of cards from that six lot. I received my Al Robertson complete with a big crease that I could not detect through the scan and the seller was silent as to creasing. Man, eBay sellers are flat out nasty! Can we have card shows yet?!!!

Anyway, my set is really shaping up and it is fun to flip through the binder. I received my Pesky PSA 6 and placed the seller's business card in the slot in the binder. I think I am going to try and obtain a raw Pesky. I don't really want to crack this one out of the slab. I'll just keep it until I can obtain a raw card.

I took a day off because I had already viewed all the cards ending yesterday. Let's see what is up today on FleeceBay:

Probstein's Mantle that I observed the other day ends tonight and is up to $568. Some outfit called Southernfriedcards with just 36 feedback has a waterlogged Mantle, clearly fake, with five bids at $34. Someone is getting scammed. In the description, the seller says he is selling it as a reprint but does not know for sure. Yeah right! I recommend avoiding that seller.

I see an eight-lot with an Erskine. I have had nice luck with upgrades from my small lot purchases. The eight-lot is starting at $15.50 and ends in two days. I am going to throw down $30. There is a Beckett 5 Mantle for $800. Pass. Now I see an absolutely trashed Bob Friend for 75 cents plus $4.05 shipping. See below. Who in their right mind would purchase this card? The bigger question may be, why even post this on eBay? I think I would throw that card in a quarter box for a card show.

That's about all for auctions. Now for BINs. Lot's of Mantle reprints. I love the guys who post upside down scans. I see a Hodges for $35. I may have seen this one already. Clearly a crease on the back scan. Pass. There is a Slaughter for 50 bucks. I can't drop 50 bucks on a Slaughter. I might be willing to do $30.

Someone is asking $1,650 for a PSA 6 Mantle. Pass. There are a ton of autograph listings in the BINs today. Oh there's the Dean's and COMC minefield. I just won't buy from these folks. Dean's is too high and COMC does not offer any description whatsoever and rarely includes a back scan.

I see a beat-up Yogi for $60. Pass. Here's another listing that just makes me wonder. See below. A trimmed Adcock for $2 plus 55-cents shipping. I wouldn't take that card if it was free. As a seller, I don't think I could ask more than a dime in good conscience.

The Battersbox has a chewed up Berra for $22.50. Pass. I am amazed at the many different types of reprint Mantles. Well, that was disappointing. Pretty much nothing in the BINs. Maybe I'll get some luck with that Erskine lot. I really don't think I am going to be able to complete this set on eBay.

May 14, 2020

Took some time off again. I received those five lots and was able to upgrade some cards. I think my best purchases have been the lots because the overall price per card is much cheaper than my single purchases and I have been able to use some of the cards as upgrades.

I won that 8-lot with Erskine from May 7. I am still waiting for it to arrive. I am down to just five cards and have started to do individual searches for these cards. It does not make sense to weed through all of the 1954 Bowman listings when I just need the five cards.

Let's see what I can find today. I am going to start with Slaughter. There are 114 cards up. I see one with a corner crease for just 8 bucks. Tempting but I want one without a crease. COMC has one that actually included a bunch of scans. They grade the card Poor to Fair. Pass.

I see one that looks like it has some paper loss on Enos's cheek. Pass. Most cards are low grade, high priced. Wow! I see a listing where the seller is either posing as Greg Morris or just flat out swiped his listing. Here is a link: https://www.ebay.com/itm/1954-Bowman-Set-Break-62-Enos-Slaughter-VG-VGEX-GMCARDS/402089320659?hash=item5d9e6420d3:g:A5sAAOSwYA5eRLmQ. I don't know how long the link will be active but you gotta see it to believe it. Look in the heading where it clearly states "GMCARDS." This guy ain't GMCARDS. Man, fraud is incredibly pervasive on eBay!!

Okay, I found one that I would like to buy but there are some problems. First off, the seller has some negative feedback. I'm hesitant to purchase anything from someone with negs. Do you guys buy stuff from sellers with negative feedback? Second problem, no mention of creases. There does not seem to be any creases from the scans but I can't tell for sure. I didn't think the Al Robertson I purchased was creased and it arrive with a huge crease across the middle of the card. I just can't pull the trigger unless the seller specifically states that the card is not creased. I hate when guys say "check the scan." The scans do not show all of the creases. Pass!

I found one that I have placed in my cart and just may purchase. Price is $14 plus $3.75 shipping. Card is off center but has sharp corners and edges. Seller says EX+. In my opinion, a card cannot be EX+ when it has centering issues. Seller is silent on creases and I just can't tell from the scans. If I can't find anything else, I will take a chance on this once.

Siriussports has one for 24 bucks. Looks like there is a scratch. Pass. Okay, I don't really like what I am seeing. Prices are way too high. More sellers with negative feedback. I am going to purchase that one I placed in my shopping cart. Woot! Down to four cards!!

That's all the time I have for today. Maybe I'll check out the Mantles tomorrow.

April 29, 2020

None of the items from yesterday have ended yet. I had placed a $300 bid on a Mantle. It is currently up to $335. The description is silent on creases. I can't tell if it has any by viewing the scans. I do see some rounding of the corners and it is off-center. I can't decided if I should up my bid. I've got about five hours to think about it.

I've also been outbid on the Reynolds at $15.50. I don't want to pay that much for a Reynolds. I placed bids on two different Fellers. I'm high bidder on one at ​$78.50. I'm not sure why I bid so high. I think I'm starting to get frustrated and am throwing down some higher bids. The other Feller is a Beckett 4.5 and I've been outbid at $20.50. I'm high bidder on all the other cards from yesterday.

Let's see what is up today:

I see a wrapper. The back shows some sort of rot. I'm not sure I want it with the rot. I think I'll throw down $10. I'm high bidder at $9.38. Not much else up for auction today. I'm going to check the BINs.

I see an SGC 70 Snider for $150. Pass. I see a beat up and chewed Reynolds for $3.75. Pass. Some outfit called Four Sharp Corners has a bunch of high grade SGCs up. There is a Al Robertson SGC 86 for $14.99. I am tempted but I just don't want slabbed cards. I'd have to crack it out to place the card in my binder. Plus, this is a common. I can't believe I can't find this card raw for five or six bucks!

I see a Feller with a real nice front but major damage on the back. Pass. I see a nice looking Campy for just $25. I spent $50 on mine. I see a PSA 9 Mays for 10K. I might have to pass that one up. There is a Slaughter SGC 88 for $100. I don't need one that nice. A Becket 7 Berra for $390. Pass.

I see an "Earl Toggeson" for $2.99. I don't quite know who Earl Toggeson is. He is not on my want list. Same seller, who can't spell, has an Al Robertson for $2.99. Spelling champ says the card is EX+. I'd say Poor to Fair with heavy corner wear. Looks like a crease on one edge but I can't tell for certain. No description other than "The card in the scan is the card you will receive." Thanks buddy. Pass.

I see a Snider for $72. No back scan. Seller does state that the card has a crease. There is also no top edge, so I'm wondering if the card is trimmed. Either way, I can't do $72 for a creased Snider.

I see an Erskine for $10.50 plus $4.99 shipping. No description whatsoever. Corners are worn. I'd probably pull the trigger if the seller bothered to state that the card contained no creases. I just can't tell from the scans. Plus $16 or so for this card with worn corners is too high.

Oh no, I've hit the Dean's mine field. Gotta get outa here fast! Wow, Dean's has a Billy Martin covered in tape and is asking nearly $30. Really?!! I may just have escaped the Dean's mine field. I was starting to think it went on forever. Another seller has a trashed Berra for $80.

I see a Pesky for $25. I don't want to drop that much on a Pesky. I see a ton of cards listed by COMC. Their listings state they are "the world's largest consignment service." That is a pretty broad statement to make. I would argue that PWCC, the largest seller of cards on eBay is a bigger outfit that COMC. Anyway, COMC fails to put descriptions in their listings. I would not consign with them for that fact alone!

I see a Mays slabbed by some outfit called Five Star Grading. I have never heard of Five Star Grading. The slab looks like PSA. I wonder if the seller took a PSA 1, made his own label, and placed it over the PSA label. Oh, and he wants $800 for the card. Yeah, right!

I see a Snider graded VG for $64. Description silent on creases. I can't tell if it is creased from the scans. Corners are soft and frayed. Pass. Same seller has an Al Robertson for $4.25. Same issue as with the Snider. The seller grades the card VG with no other description. Card has visible corner wear. I can't tell if it is creased. Seller offers free shipping. Well, for $4.25 and free shipping, what do I have to lose? I was about to place the card in my shopping cart and continue shopping with this seller, only to see I won a Robertson yesterday and a Larsen. Cool! I won the Robertson at $3.25 but got stuck with $4.50 in shipping. I won the Larsen at $14.79 with just $2.75 for shipping. Just paid for the cards. Down to 13 cards. Woot!

Next, I see a Roe that looks beat to crap for $14. Pass. Okay, nothing else ending today in BINs. I still have to make a decision on that Mantle. It is still at $335 with four hours to go. I'll let you know what happened with my next report.

April 30, 2020

Recap time. I am currently high bidder on a Pesky PSA 6 at $12.21 with two hours to go. I've been outbid on the BVG 4.5 Feller at $20.50 with five hours to go. I may up that bid later. I'm am still high bidder on the wrapper at $9.38 with six hours to go.

I lost a Larsen at $7 but, as I reported yesterday, I won one on April 28. Now for some crazy high prices that don't make any sense. I lost a Roe at $22.50, a Feller at $86 which is great because I had bidder's remorse at $78. I lost a Reynolds at $35.97. Really? I lost the Mantle at $486 which is way too high for the card. The seller was silent on creases and I could see some wear plus centering was bad.

Let's get back to it...

My old friend tripleplayvintage has some Sniders up with no back scans and no description. Pass. Seller Greg Morris seems to be fetching crazy high price. He's got a Feller that he says is VGEX with an impression. The border looks stained but I can't be for certain from the scan. It's at $9.50 with eight bidders and ends tomorrow. I'll throw down $20. I'm high bidder at $14.51.

Greg Morris has a Berra. He states card is VGEX with an impression. Scans look nice. Card is at $12.50 with 12 bids and ends tomorrow. I'm going to throw down $50. I'm high bidder at $13.50. I see a PSA 5 Mantle for $670. A 5 SMR's at $800. That's a lot of money to drop. I have to think about that one.

Greg Morris has a Piersall number 210. There is definitely some staining on the right edge. It almost looks like a sun burn. Pass. Another seller has a PSA 4 Mays at $179.50. A 5 SMR's at $200. Pass.

There is a seller with a bunch of five-lot listings. He has one with a Reynolds, starting bid of $9.99. He has a lot of scans but I can't tell if the Reynolds is creased. There is definitely one big ole corner ding. Geez, for $9.99, might as well. I threw down $15. Same seller has a five-lot with a really nice looking Piersall number 210. I'm going to throw down $20.

I see an SGC 4 Feller at $10.65 with two bids. I'm going to throw down $30. I'm high bidder at $11.50. I see a Hodges for only 99 cents but it has a crease. Pass. I see a creased up Feller for $10. Pass. I see a Beckett Mantle 5 for $900. Pass. I see a Snider for a starting bid of $9.99. Seller has only 42 feedback with a 95.7 rating. Pass.

My five-lot guy has a lot with a Loop Variation Roe that looks nice. There is also an autographed Jerry Snyder. I'm going to go $30. Man, another Snider from tripleplayvintage. This guy has a monster inventory. That is the third Snider I've seen from him today. If he bothered to place a back scan and state whether the card was creased, I might bid. Though, the negs in his feedback would be tough to overcome.

I see a seller with a six lot that includes a Reynolds. No back scan but he says only one card in the lot is creased. Lot is at $9.99 with one bid. I am going to throw down $30. I'm high bidder at $12.50. There is an SGC 3 Mays for 80 bucks. I'm tempted but will pass. There is a Slaughter for $9.50 but it has a weird white stain on the back. Pass.

There is a Berra PSA 3 for $70. A 5 SMR's at $80. Pass. Next, I see a lot of 18 cards. Headline states VG-EX No Creases but the description states lot of 35, not 18, and in Poor Condition. No back scan. There is a Piersall but I don't know which one it is. Seller doesn't bother to state the card number. Pass.

Okay then. I'm not going to check the BINs because I went into auctions for the next couple of days. Tomorrow I'll just check the BINs. That's all for today. It would be nice if I won some of these auctions! 

May 1, 2020

Happy May Day! Here is a recap:

I won the Pesky PSA 6 for $12.21. This is the first graded card I have won for the set. Now the debate begins on whether to crack it out and keep it slabbed. I lost out on the wrapper with the rot at $11.03. I'd like to find one that doesn't come with a free slice of rot. All of my other bids are still active.

So yesterday I went through a couple of days of auctions. Today I am going to check BINs. Of course as I enter the fray I am immediately dropped into the Dean's minefield. Help! Some of these other seller's are following Dean's lead. Wow, some big prices. If my name was Fat Daddy Warbucks I'd purchase the Erskine SGC 88 for $129 and the Berra PSA 8 for $550.

Seems like nothing but high-dollar cards up today. Anybody want to loan me 12K for a Williams? How about $18,500 for a PSA 9 Mays? I see a really nice looking Snider for 90 bucks. I gotta think about that one. Description states the seller has more '54s. Let's see what else he has. Another seller has a Snider for $70 but it is not as nice as the one for $90.

I see a Slaughter for $18 but it is pretty scuffed up. There is a beat up Reynolds for $16. I see another Snider for $100 and it is not as nice as the one for $90. There is a beat up and stained Piersall for $9.17. What a weird price. Oh, I see a Reynolds for $12 from the top-hat man 707. Free shipping. Corners are frayed. Listing says vg-ex. Doesn't mention creases and I don't see any from a pretty clear scan. I'm gonna think on this one.

I decided to purchase both the Snider and the Reynolds. I paid a little more than I wanted but I would like to finish this set while I still have hair on my head. Too late. Anyway, this is the first time I purchased a card from 707. I have purchased three or four display cases from him at the Sun-Times show. He's tough to deal with in person. He doesn't like to discount a penny. I've been getting better deals on display cases elsewhere.

​That will do it for today. I'm down to 10 cards. Woot!

May 3, 2020

It's hard to work on this set during the weekends but I have found some time today. First off, I probably should not have purchased that Reynolds from 707 because I had two outstanding bids out there during the purchase and, of course, I won both cards. So I now have three Reynolds cards. No big whoop. The nicest of the three will go into my set while I will sell the others. 

I won a Reynolds in a six-card lot. The lot also includes a Shantz, Friend, Adcock, Furillo, and Mike Garcia. Hopefully I can use some of these cards as upgrades. I won the lot for $26. The other Reynolds came in a five lot that I picked up for just $10. That lot also included Murry Dickson, Andy Pafko, Willard Nixon and Don Bollweg. I won two other five lots from the same seller both for 10 bucks each. In those lots I got the Piersall #210, Al Robertson, Owen Friend, Dick Littlefield, Jonny Bucha, two Jerry Snyders with one autographed, Hank Thompson, Preacher Roe, and Hobie Landrith. I also won a Feller SGC 4 for $26 after losing an SGC 4.5 for $37.55 along with a nice looking raw Feller at $86. Now I have two graded cards. Unfortunately, it is impossible to avoid graded cards in this day in age. I miss the pre-graded days!

Anyway, I am down to just seven cards. Let's see what I can do today...

I see a Mantle "GMA" 3 for $399. What is GMA? I am certainly not going to purchase anything slabbed in something called GMA. I see a Berra PSA 3 for $69. I am tempted but I am going to pass. I think PSA 3's have creases, right? I see a Mantle pictured in a screwdown for $232.50. I avoid anything in a screwdown if I can help it. The screwdown case hides all the flaws.

I see a Mays for $169. I am going to pass because the listing states this card is a refractor and I'm pretty sure there were no refractors in 1954. When did refractors start showing up? 1990's? I see an eight-card autograph lot for $4.25. I am going to throw down $10. I am high bidder at $5.50.

I see a Slaughter for $19.99. Front looks nice but there appears to be a thin crease on the back. However, the seller is silent as to creasing. I am not going to take a chance at $19.99. There is a Mantle PSA 1 for $319.19. I am willing to pay more for a better card. I see a PSA 7 Slaughter at $17. I was going to throw down $40 but the lack of back scan placed me at $25. There is that old saying... buy the card not the holder. I'm outbid at $26. Same seller has a PSA 8 Slaughter at $45. Pass.

There is a Mays at $124 but the scan is really poor. Pass. Same seller has a second Mays with a better scan for $989. Pass! That is it for auctions. I thought a Sunday would have far more cards up. I am going to check out BINs. Some outfit called the Battersbox has a ton of commons up. They have a Slaughter up for just $12. They rate it VG and have one of those listings that details their grades. They say VG can have a crease. Pass!

Battersbox has a crazy amount of '54 Bowmans up for BINs. Okay, Battersbox wins the most '54 Bowmans listing award. Another outfit has a GMA Mantle for $519. Yeah right. Battersbox has another Slaughter. This one is VGEX, they say, and sells for $15.25. Their definition of VGEX states crease. Pass.

I finally made it through all of the Battersbox listings. Now I am stuck in listings by vintageamerica13. All of their listings are for autograph cards. I will store this info for future reference. While auctions today were thin the BINs are endless. Oh my, another Dean's minefield.

I see a Slaughter for $14.05. The seller is COMC. No grade, no description. I would not recommend consigning cards to COMC unless they start placing grades and description in their listings. Pass! A Mays PSA 6 for $548.97. Pass.

Wow, a ton of BINs but nothing for me! Disappointing. I really thought I would have better luck on a Sunday. Oh well. Let's see what Monday offers.

April 22, 2020

I took about a week off from this project. I was getting really frustrated with the poor scans and poor descriptions and seemingly endless scams. I am now ready to get back at it. First off, a recap of my previous bids:

The Kuenn, pictured above, arrived and it is really nice. Campy arrived and it is a sweet card. It might be too nice for my set. My Braves lot arrived and it is EX. I will see what I can upgrade from that group. On April 15, I won a Nellie Fox for $15. It arrived and is nice! I won the Matt Batts at $4.26. I was able to get the Ford at a best offer of $35. I lost the White Sox lot at $26.

I am disappointed in the poor packaging on the vast majority of cards I have purchased on eBay. I have been lucky that none of the cards arrived damaged which could have easily occurred due to poor packing. In addition to my earlier recommendation that eBay require all sellers to state whether a card is creased, I think eBay should require all sellers to ship cards in a toploader safely attached to a piece of cardboard and packed in a bubble envelope. Frankly, sellers who fail to properly package cards, just suck in my book.

Let's get back to working on the set, I need 16 cards:

I see a really ugly Berra at $14.50. Pass. Some nut-jobber listed an Erskine with the loop variation for $829. I'll sell you one for $20. Okay, extremely poor selection up for auction today. I'll check BINs. I see an Allie Reynolds for $15.50. Too high. Pass.

Now I see a bunch of PSA 9s at astronomical prices. Pass. I see a Slaughter for $30. It looks nice. Do I want to spend $30 for a Slaughter? Not yet. I see a Jim Robertson, card 211, for $4.04 plus $3.95. Price is too high but I am willing to do it because I am losing patience. However, seller's description says VG and it describes its VG rating as including creases. It does not say that this card in particular is creased but I can't take a chance at $8. Pass.

I see a Doby at $20. I'd really like to be at $10 but I don't think I'll find one at $10. Description says no creases. I'm going to pull the trigger on this one.

Well, that's all I have time for today.

April 23, 2020

So I have been waiting for the Ashburn and Reese I purchased on April 9 to arrive. At first, I thought it was the seller's fault until I checked tracking. The seller dropped off the package containing my cards at his local post office in Amesbury, MA, on April 10. Thirteen days later the cards have still not arrived at my house!

Tracking shows that April 11, the package arrived at the USPS regional distribution center in Brockton, MA, at 1:02 p.m. and departed the center at 7:27 p.m. Then nothing! Blank for four days. Where was the package between April 11 and April 15?

An entry on April 15 states the package is in transit to the next facility. What does that mean? Where exactly was my package on April 15 and where was it from April 11 to April 15?

On April 21 the package arrived at the regional distribution center in Chicago. Okay, where was the package from April 15 to April 21? Actually, I don't know where the package was all the way back from April 11. What is going on? Some might say delivery is slowed due to the pandemic. I might buy that if it weren't for the half a dozen or so other packages of cards I bought shortly before April 9 and long after, have all arrived, including some packages of soft sleeves I bought on the same day as the Ashburn and Reese. The sleeves arrived on April 14 -- nine days ago! Why is this one package delayed so long?

On April 22, the package departed the Chicago facility and arrived at the distribution center in Palatine, IL. Oddly, there are three different entries in the tracking log showing the package arriving in Palatine. How can the same package arrive at the Palatine facility three different times in one day?

Today, April 23, there is no new entry. Apparently my package is still in Palatine and I am concerned that it has been cut up into three different packages! Something funny is going on here. I am starting to think that I am not going to receive these cards. Obviously it is not the seller's fault but he's the one who will end up losing out when eBay or PayPal refunds my money.

I just may call the Palatine distribution center which is located just blocks from my office to see what is going on.

Anyway, back to eBay and let's see what I can find today. Though, I have lost confidence that anything I purchase from here on out will actually arrive in my mailbox. Reason 147 as to why card shows are better than eBay -- your cards never gets lost in the mail!

First off, I see a lot of 14 different cards. I only need the Feller. Lot has four bids and is at $12.83. The description is extremely vague. It states some cards are Poor while others are EX and some may have creases and other condition problems. Well, I just want the Feller and it is the one star in the lot, so you would think the seller would give a detailed description on the Feller... NOT! I can't bid.

My old friends tripleplayvintage has a Slaughter up. As usual just a scan of the front, no scan of the back. The description states the card is EXMT. I clearly see a dinged up upper right corner. Below the ding may be a crease but it is tough to tell from the scan. No further description other than EXMT. I might have bought a dozen or so cards from tripleplayvintage if they bothered to put up a scan of the back and offered a detailed description stating whether the card is creased or not. Also a card with a major visible corner munch is not EXMT! What is wrong with these people!!

Tripleplayvintage has a bunch more cards I need currently up for auction and ending today. I'm not going to even look at them. Pass. Okay, that's it for auctions ending today. I'm going to check the BINs.

I see a Pesky for just $5.99 but it is too ugly. Way off center and rounded corners. Pass. I see a beat up and creased Duke Snider for $45. Pass. I see an Al Robertson, card 211, PSA 4, for 12 bucks. I don't want graded cards. I already have the cards I previously purchased in 8-p0cket sleeves and in a binder. I want to be able to enjoy these cards and the best way, in my opinion, is to have them in a binder where I can flip through the pages at my leisure. 

I see another Al Robertson. This one is for $5 plus $3.25 shipping. Add in sales tax and that is just way too high for this card. Seller claims EX/EX+, looks more like low-end VG. This is another one of those sellers that has a chart explaining their grades. They state that EX/EX+ does not have a crease. I see some blemishes that may be creases or wrinkles. Pass.

Next, I see a Snider for $70. Seller says VG/EX and no creases. I can clearly see some major scuff marks on the front. The biggest problem is that the scans of the front and back are both cut off. I can't fully see the card! Why would I purchase this card when I can't fully see it? Pass.

Ha! You too can have your own personal Russ Meyer card, pictured below, with added artwork to include a mustache, beard and necklace, for just six bucks plus $4.99 shipping! Don't forget sales tax!! What a steal!!

Obviously, I took some liberties with the listing details but this Russ Meyer card is posted for sale in a BIN for $6 plus $4.99 shipping. Unbelievable!

I almost pulled the trigger on a Duke Snider for $50 but I can clearly see a crease on the back scan, even thought the seller makes no mention of it. I have been scrolling through hundreds of commons that I don't need. Very few stars and they are way overpriced.

At this point, it is getting to be a big waste of time. I can't spend any more time today, I gotta get back to work. A disappointing day to say the least.

April 24, 2020

I am so discombobulated with this extended Stay-At-Home order that I do not even know what day it is. I was very surprised to learn that today is Friday. Where are the days and weeks going? Life during the pandemic is a blur!

Anyway, according to the tracking, my Ashburn and Reese arrived at my local post office at 5 a.m. this morning and left on a delivery truck at 7:10 a.m. and is expected to arrive in my mailbox by 8 p.m. I will have to see it to believe it. Remember, the seller shipped the cards on April 10, two weeks later, I still do not have them.

The Whitey Ford I purchased on April 16 arrived yesterday. It is pretty nice. I am very happy with that one.

I am hoping for some success today, after a big zero yesterday. Let's see what is up for auction today....

I see a creased up Berra at $37 with 13 bids. I am tempted to bid because I am losing patience but I would really like a card in better condition and hold off. I see a beat up Mays at $71. Pass. I see an Oisk at $14.99 -- too high.

I found a Hodges that has some corner and edge dings. I can't see any creases. The scans are very clear. The seller merely states that the card is in "Great Condition." It is currently at $12 with one bid. My initial thought is to throw down $30 because I am starting to get impatient. But without the magic words "No Creases," I will put down $25. I am high bidder at $12.50.

I am tempted to bid on another Hodges that is an SGC 50, one bid at $3. Oh, what the hell, I'll throw down $20. I am high bidder at $3.25. I see an auction for a Fox, Campanella and a Bob Lemon for $25 starting bid. I don't need any of the cards but for that price I'll throw down $30.

I see an Oisk that has a hole in it for $3. Pass.

Pretty nice selection at auction today. Wow, what a difference a day makes. I think I'll check the BINs as well.

I see a Mantle listed as Good for $400. I can clearly see one crease, possibly two. Pass. There is another Mantle, SGC 1 at $333. Pass. Oh my, I am now stuck in an endless stream of commons that I do not need. Ugh!

Y'all ever see Dean's Cards on eBay? I have been seeing this outfit forever. If anything, Dean's Cards is consistent -- consistently the highest priced seller on eBay. How do they ever sell anything? Right now I am looking at a Preacher Roe loop variation PSA 6 for $78.50. The base Roe PSA 6 has an SMR of $20. I can see maybe asking $30 for the variation but $78.50, come on now!

I see a Snider for $250. Pass. There is a Mantle PSA 4 for $969. SMR is $800 for a 5. Pass! Now I see a guy selling raw commons at $22 each. Ha! Gotta love BINs. This is where all the over-priced cards go to die. Oh, I spoke to soon. I see a Snider for $45.95. Card looks clean except for some corner wear. I can't tell from the scans if there are any creases. Seller is silent on creases. He states the card is VG-EX. He has best offer. I was successful with my Ford best offer of $35. I'll try the same here and ask if the card has creases. My offer was rejected. Without any statement about creases, I'm not going to up my offer.

Is there a way to filter out certain sellers? I'd love to filter out Dean's Cards and tripleplayvintage. Dean's has a beat-to-crap Reynolds for $9. Pass! Big block of cards from tripleplay… pass! I see an absolute crapper of a Hodges for $25. Pass! Oh there is a card number "2156" of Rocky Bridges, that one is news to me. I would be in trouble if there were more than 2100 cards to this set!

Way off center Slaughter at $14. Fair price but I want one better centered. Worn Mays at $133. Pass. I see a Reynolds at $17. I really don't want to drop $17 for this card but I do think about. The seller claims the card is EXMT. Not! I clearly see corner wear and a wax stain along with centering issues. Pass.

I see a Ford for $60 in worse shape than the one I bought at $35. Dean's is asking $190 for a Billy Martin PSA 6 that SMR's for $40. Oh, Dean's has a complete set up for 10K. Ha! I have now entered into Dean's Neverland with crazy priced listing after crazy priced listing. Wow!

Some other numbnut has a Mantle PSA 4 at $800 while SMR lists a 5 at $800. Someone make Dean's go away, please!! Now I see a Slaughter for $22 from another seller and consider purchasing it. However, shipping is $6.25. To make matters worse, the seller's description states, and I quote, "This is the card you will get. I am not a professional grader of cards. If you are looking for a professional graded card, they are out there and I would recommend buying the professional graded one. If you don't think you will be pleased with the card I have listed with the inserted pictures I took, then don't buy it." Wow! I will take the seller's advice and not buy the card. A simple statement as to whether the card has a crease or not would have been sufficient. No reason to be a dick! The seller makes no mention of a crease and I can't tell from his scans whether the card is creased. No way I will ever buy cards from this jerkoff.

I see a Roe for $15.95 with no back scan. Pass. Okay, I can't look anymore. All I see are Dean's endless overpriced listings. Ugh! Well, tomorrow is another day!! Thankfully!!

April 28, 2020

I took several days off again. It is too frustrating to do this every day. The lack of description is driving me crazy. Here is a recap of my purchases and bids:

The Ashburn and Reese actually arrived on April 24, 14 days after I purchased the card. The seller did an excellent packaging job. I was expecting the envelope to be trashed but everything was okay. I'm thankful to finally have the cards. My Doby showed up as well and it is nice. My set is really starting to shape up and it is fun to flip through the binder and look at all the cards.

I lost the Erskine at $34. I probably should have placed a stronger bid on the SGC 50 Erskine. I lost that one at $21.50. I lost the Fox, Campanella, Lemon lot at $36.56.

Let's see what we have for today...

I see a Berra SGC 2.5. I want one a little nicer. I see a raw Mays for $989.99. Pass. I see a raw Larsen that the seller states he believes would grade a 5 or 6. I never trust a seller's PSA-style evaluation of his raw card. Scans of front and back are clear. I see nothing that indicates a crease. Card has one bid at $12. I am gonna throw down $15. I'm high bidder at 14.79. 

I see an Al Robertson. Again, no description whatsoever. Scans are blurry. No bids at 99 cents. I am losing patience and decide to take a chance at $5. I see a Larsen for 50 bucks. Pass. I see a Mantle that the seller claims is "VG-VGEX" -- what does that mean? I can't see any creases on the scans which are clear. Corners are rounded and there is a centering issue and a wax stain on the back. Card is at $281 with 22 bids. I would probably bid $400 if the seller had stated "No creases," but he is silent so I'll throw down $300. I'm high bidder at $300. I may consider bidding $350. The card ends tomorrow.

Same seller has an Allie Reynolds at $12.50 with eight bids. Seller claims card is EXMT. It actually looks EXMT from the scans. However, once again he does not mention whether the card is creased or not creased. I'll throw down $15. I'm outbid at $15.50. Pass.

Same seller has a Feller at $69.79 with seven bids. Seller claims the card is EXMT. It has a wax stain on the back and a ding on the lower edge. Otherwise it is nice. Of course, seller does not mention with the card is creased or not creased. I'm going to throw down $80. I'm high bidder at $78.

Same seller has a Roe, claims it is VG-VGEX, whatever that means. The card is at $12.51 with six bids. I'll place $15. I'm high bidder at $13.29. Different seller has a Larsen at $1.75 with two bids. Seller states card is VG. Blurry scan of the front, no back scan. Card looks Fair, not VG, lots of issues but with the blurry scan, I can't be certain whether there is a crease or not. At $1.75 I'll take a chance and throw down $5. I'm high bidder at $2.69. Same seller has a bunch of star cards I need with low starting bids. I just can't place bids on these low-grade cards. I prefer cards in a little better shape.

Wow! I finally see an authentic Ted Williams card. I've come across quite a few reprints. This one is PSA Authentic Altered. Pass. I see a 10 lot that has an Erskine. Upon closer review of the scans, the card is majorly creased. Pass. I see a Pesky PSA 6, opening bid at $10.99. I'll throw down $20.

I see a Feller BVG 4.5. With Becket, the card could very well have a crease. I don't see a crease in the scan. Card is at $7.50 with four bids. I'll throw down $20. I'm high bidder at $8.50.

Okay, that's all for today. I placed many more bids today than normal so I am happy with that aspect but I am still annoyed that seller's are not stating whether their cards are creased. I might have to return some of these cards if they show up creased.