Holy Grail Slipped through fingers!

[mr.miracle]

Hello Forum Readers:

I got thinking about this from a post on the forum from yesterday regarding collecting game used minor league items. Has anyone gotten so close to a "Holy Grail" item that they thought they had it and then the bottom dropped out at the 11th hour?

I related this story at least in part yesterday how one of my Holy Grail items a Game Used 1978 LS model M110 Cal Ripken Jr. bat that is graded GU 9/A 9 by PSA/DNA and MEARS respectively came up for auction at Mastronet in the fall of 2007. That bat was one of two total bats from Cal Ripken Jr.'s first ever bat order shipped to Bluefield, WV in 1978. If that was not enough, it would have been the first and only shipment to Ripken to ever have the old H & B centerbrand on the barrel as all his subsequent orders where shipped in 1979 and after this, LS went to the current LS centerbrand.

I honestly from day one did not think I would stand a chance at winning this at Mastro Auctions but thought what the heck throw in a bid. Ironically, the auction was coming to a close and we were into the 30 minute time frame to place a bid after the actual closing time if no bid was placed. I was actually winning this auction with a bid of like $4000.00. I could not even believe that this bat was selling for that amount. With approximately 1 minute left in the overtime session someone placed a bid and then the wheels fell off the cart. The bat ended up selling for over $14000.00 if memory serves me correct, way beyond any level that I could go to for it. All I can remember thinking is that I was actually going to win one of my holy grail items for a fraction of the cost that I thought it would go. I ultimately was so close but yet so far away. I am sure I will never see it again and even if I do, I cannot afford anything near that range in price.

Just wondering if anyone else has ever had a similar experience.

Thanks

[mariner_gamers]

Ah, good thread! Mine is not one single item but a whole afternoon of disappoinment (auction wise). My buddy got us into Dave Valle's Esperanza charity auction at Safeco Field after a game in 2001.

When we first got there they had tables and tables for the silent auction full of great items. Many had extremely reasonable buy it now prices. I past up a Clemens auto'd game issued hat, Jeter auto'd hat, Elway auto'd book, several Mariners bats/jerseys all in an effort to save the bank roll for the live auction. Visions of meeting Edgar Martinez and having him sign a bat for me right there were dancing through my head. Any how I continue to pass by all kinds of silent auction items I would have been able to afford and would loved to have had. One of a kinds from old Mariners, new Mariners etc. I figured with the low buy-it-now prices on the silent I was going to clean-up come the live auction especially since I had a couple grand!!

OOOOOOOPPPPPPSSSSSSS!!!!

When the first Edgar bat closed for $2,500 I knew I was sunk. Apparently the big fish have no time for the silent auction and were lying in wait for the live stuff. Still I told myself perhaps these guys will blow their loads early and I will score at the end.....

OOOOOOOPPPPPPPPSSSSSS!!!!!

It got worse and worse as the big fish drank and got into competion with each other. It was interesting to watch a charity auction become a public forum for who's got the deeper pockets. I remember 2 guys were just going at each other item after item getting red in the face! A picture with Freddy Garcia that night on the Safeco mound closed at like $3,000. Ichiro bat went over $8,000, on and on and on. It was a bit frustrating not being in "the mix" at all but at the same time it was wonderful to see Valle banking all that cash for his charity.

Any how I left with some fantastic memories and a lesson about taking advantage of the reasonable buy-it-now prices on silent auctions. Oh and the incredible wealth/spirit of giving some people have!!!

Davis

[orioles03]

i went to a jon ogden charity boxing match in 2006 he gave me tickets for getting bats signed for him for the auction. so there was a silent auction they had all his pro bowl jerseys and a 2005 game used road jersey pounded with use it ended at $425 and his pro bowl jerseys which were game used sold around the same price i would have bid but i was leaving for a seven day cruise the next morning .i'm still mad at my self for not bidding but what can you do? being hey are game used jerseys for cheap from the best left tackle i have ever seen but oh well i had more fun on the cruise.

[sylbry]

Not a holy grail item but one I have been kicking myself over for over a year and a half. A pink Long Island Ducks jersey worn by Dick Such was on ebay. I bid but did not meet the reserve. I emailed the seller to ask about the reserve. He emailed back to tell me. It was $50 more than my high bid. I didn't bid and the jersey went unsold. After a couple of weeks I emailed the seller saying I would take it at his price if it was still available. No response.

And to add insult to injury the Camden Riversharks auctioned off their pink jerseys a week or two ago. Dick Such is their pitching coach. I have tried numerous times to contact the Riversharks by phone and email. Can't get a response. So again, a pink Dick Such jersey sold and it wasn't to me.

[staindsox]

Great topic and ironic too. I'm actually on the verge of losing out on one of my two grail items. We agreed on a trade and cash deal. He originally was looking for a specific item. I found one and bought it so we could work a trade. My cash offer on top of it was EXTREMELY generous too. I've sent three emails over the past two to three weeks, but the guy isn't responding to emails. Not only is this lack common courtesy and respect, but I've actually done a few deals with him before too. I don't understand why you would disrespect someone who is willing to spend some good money on your stuff. He posts on this forum, so I hope he attempts clear some things up with me. I think I'm owed an explanation.

Chris
staindsox@hotmail.com

[karamaxjoe]

I've always wanted some kind of game used item from the 1917 or 1919 White Sox and was lucky to find a bat on ebay about five years ago. The player was A. E. "Reb" Russell who appears in the famous 1917 panoramic of the World Series winner that year and also spent some time with the infamous 1919 team.

I sniped at the auction at the last few seconds and my computer locked up. I'm pretty sure I would have won that auction, but my crappy computer failed me.

Mike

[frikativ54]

I sniped at the auction at the last few seconds and my computer locked up. I'm pretty sure I would have won that auction, but my crappy computer failed me.

Mike

It is for reasons like these that I don't snipe. I would rather bid early and high and pay more for an item, than to worry about not winning the item at all.

[jonincleve]

not my holy grail item but good ending. roughly 10 years ago sports warehouse had a 1993 jim thome jersey up for auction. i put a bid on the jersey and it was my understanding that there was a call back service if i was outbid. the auction ended and i assumed i had won the jersey. the next day i called up to pay for the jersey and get it shipped out. i was told i had not won the jersey, someone else had placed a higher bid. i brought up the fact that there was a call back service. i would have gone up probably $200 more. i was told sorry a mistake was made and there was nothing they could do. i was pissed, don't tell me one thing and then do another.

so 8 months later i am working a show at lakeland college for the diabetic association of greater cleveland. i set up as a dealer maybe 2-3 times a year. an hour before the show my table is hopping with dealers and then once the show started it was even better. by 2pm everything had died down and i got a chance to walk the show. i turned down an aisle and there was the jim thome jersey displayed on a table. i walked up and asked how much and the guy said $500. i said this came out of sports warehouse in oregon and the dealer said correct. i asked why he was selling it less than what he paid for it. he said just needed money. sure enough he had the receipt from the auction.

basically i had lost the item i really wanted and then 8 months later i had the item for less money then i thought. go figure.

take care
john

jonincleve@sbcglobal.net

[David]

Not a holy grail and not game used, but back when I was into rookie baseball cards, I missed out on the proofs for the unissued 1975 Hostess George Brett rookie. The card itself was never made, only the proofs existed. It was a straight-price sale, but I called a few minutes late.

[3arod13]

Great topic and ironic too. I'm actually on the verge of losing out on one of my two grail items. We agreed on a trade and cash deal. He originally was looking for a specific item. I found one and bought it so we could work a trade. My cash offer on top of it was EXTREMELY generous too. I've sent three emails over the past two to three weeks, but the guy isn't responding to emails. Not only is this lack common courtesy and respect, but I've actually done a few deals with him before too. I don't understand why you would disrespect someone who is willing to spend some good money on your stuff. He posts on this forum, so I hope he attempts clear some things up with me. I think I'm owed an explanation.

Chris
staindsox@hotmail.com

Very frustrating!

I had a similar situation. While the other person was giving me the impression we were working out a deal, he then was working with someone else on the side, trying to get more. I was not aware of this until after the fact. Individual didn't even give me an opportunity to up the other individual. Just stopped responding to my emails and I never got an explanation. Very frustrating as I also passed on other items I wanted, because I was working on getting this item.

Very frustrating!