ARod's 500th HR ball going to Auction

[joelsabi]

Re: ARod's 500th HR ball going to Auction

For all you 500th HR club collectors, there are three days left on the auction for Alex Rodriguez's 500th HR baseball and its at $48,721.

http://www.scpauctionsite.com/LotDetail.aspx?lotid=552

[joelsabi]

Re: ARod's 500th HR ball going to Auction

Little tidbits of auctioned 500th and 3 cases where the 500th were returned to the player.


A) Top balls sold (from 6/25/2003 http://a.espncdn.com/sportsbusiness/...5/1572871.html)

The homer Value

McGwire's 70th $3M

Aaron's 755th $650,000

Bonds' 73rd $517,500

Murray's 500th $500,000

Mantle's 500th $250,000

McGwire's 500th $250,000

Sosa's 66th $175,000

Ruth's first at Stadium $130,000

Fisk's Series shot $120,000

B) Griffey 500th

In 2004, a southern Illinois man caught Ken Griffey Jr.’s 500th home run ball at old Busch and gave it to the Cincinnati Reds’ star, no questions asked. His reward was being lavished with memorabilia plus a trip to the All-Star game.

C) Jim Thome 500th

While Stewart is passing up whatever the ball could earn at an auction house, he isn't coming away empty-handed. After the game it was announced that he would receive a number of signed pieces of memorabilia and two season tickets for the 2008 season.

In another truly altruistic move, Stewart elected to donate the two season tickets to the charity of Thome's choice. The tickets will be auctioned off during the Joyce Thome Benefit for the Children's Hospital of Illinois, an event named in honor of Thome's late mother.

"As I'm from Austin, Texas, and not from the great city of Chicago and not able to use the season tickets, I've asked to donate the season tickets to your charity for use," Stewart said. "That's the best thing I can think of to give back to the city of Chicago."


D) Frank Thomas 500th

So Thomas was pleasantly surprised when Todd Eisenlohr, a 24-year-old graphic designer from Pennock, Minn., offered him the ball. Eisenlohr, part of a group celebrating his mother’s birthday, reached across two seats to catch the ball — which, he said, might have hit his father on the head. Eisenlohr accepted an autographed jersey from Thomas, a ball and a bat in exchange.

He later said that all he really wanted was to shake Thomas’s hand, which he did after the game. Selling the ball, he said, never crossed his mind. “I don’t really care about that,” he said. “It’s only money.”

[joelsabi]

Re: ARod's 500th HR ball going to Auction

Fyi, his 500 bat-$50k

his full 500 uniform-$75k

....alex still has them, give him a call! maybe hell except arms and legs.....

d2ray13 (sorry i still dont know your first name),

You have to be the most connected high school senior in the hobby. More power to you. When you say full uniform are you saying pants and jersey or more than that like including stirups and belts?

Since you were a repeating customer of Elite and have sold numerous items with Elite COAs on this forum and because you have the largest ARod collection that I have heard here, you must have also asked Scot about the whereabouts of his 500 game items for your own collection.

Steve was told it had been sold privately and you were told that ARod still has it. I guess both could be true if Steve asked after you.

I was under the impression that ARod holds onto high end milestone items until he gets his price and that it's prudent for ARod dealers to only buy it from ARod at his asking price once they have secured a buyer for it with the dealer markup. This was true for other recent items like his bat that passed Mantle on the all-time HR list. Why let your money sit on a item if you can buy an item at the point of profit.

Anyways. It would be cool if someone from the forum were to own either the bat, jersey, or baseball. Hope it happens. Hope it's a west coast buyer too.

[d2ray13]

Re: ARod's 500th HR ball going to Auction

Fyi, his 500 bat-$50k

his full 500 uniform-$75k

....alex still has them, give him a call! maybe hell except arms and legs.....

[joelsabi]

Re: ARod's 500th HR ball going to Auction

At the time A-Rod hit the home run, I was involved in discussions with Scot Monette of ASI/ESM of a possible purchase of the jersey. He asked me what I thought the jersey was worth. I told him $20,000-$30,000, maybe? He told me the bat was already sold for $50,000, seemed discusted with me, and we soon ended the conversation.

He was always such a punk, smug dunghole. I'm glad I never pursued it. He was looking for an offer of $75,000.

Personally, I don't think any of the steroid guys are worth that kind of cash......but there's just something about that 500 home run baseball....

Steve,

Sorry that the negotiation went south. I have no clue how negotiation work at the very high end: face to face, phone, emails, etc. I would think sellers would be very respectful to potential high end buyers and repeat business. It’s just good business. Maybe you or another member can share an example in successfully negotiating a private deal at the super high end level.

Just a hypothetical since this price range is way over my pay scale. Supposedly, the Gretzky Honus Wagner T206 sold to a private collector for $2 million. Does that sway me to buy the next best T206 for a higher relative price as a reaction to this supposed sale? No. I have no way to verify the sale price or that the transaction even occurred. Same with the Arod 500th bat as it was allegedly sold. If Scot told me that the bat sold for $50,000 would I adjust my estimate price of the jersey accordingly? No. First, I would need some proof like a purchase receipt for the bat. If you are a serious high end buyer I would think asking for record of purchase is a reasonable request. Is this a request that is granted at this level? It’s done with real estate, where realized price of surrounding properties are used to determine a starting point for negotiating a sale price of your property.

I don’t know if you are soured completely in the pursuit, but if not, I would also look into talking to other ARod dealers like Kevin and Mario to verify what Scot said as to availability of the bat and the sold price. Maybe it’s just me but I am just weary when someone mentions a private realized price. That's what is so interesting to me about this upcoming auction. The outcome will be a verifiable public sale of a 500 HR club member item. We know the transaction really happened.

Last question: How did knowing the sale price of $50,000 for the bat affect your estimated price of the baseball at $85-100K? I know other factors, as you mentioned previously, have changed since talking to Scot too.

[suicide_squeeze]

Re: ARod's 500th HR ball going to Auction

At the time A-Rod hit the home run, I was involved in discussions with Scot Monette of ASI/ESM of a possible purchase of the jersey. He asked me what I thought the jersey was worth. I told him $20,000-$30,000, maybe? He told me the bat was already sold for $50,000, seemed discusted with me, and we soon ended the conversation.

He was always such a punk, smug dunghole. I'm glad I never pursued it. He was looking for an offer of $75,000.

Personally, I don't think any of the steroid guys are worth that kind of cash......but there's just something about that 500 home run baseball....

[joelsabi]

Re: ARod's 500th HR ball going to Auction

have the actual bat, jersey or helmet been sold he was using from this game or been seen for sale? If so what kind of price did they get.

The main items bat, jersey and helmet have never gone up for sale. ARod still has them. Unsigned bases ($2000) and baseballs ($800) were sold by Steiner. MVP sold one signed game used baseball at around sold for $2500 and Sotheby sold one signed game used baseball at around $3800. Steiner had his chair for $3500 and were going to sell it to for 20% off for messing up a transaction for the base I ordered but passed.

[indyred]

Re: ARod's 500th HR ball going to Auction

as reference, here is what was authenticated on that day.

seems like everything was tagged except for jockstrap and shower shoes. two sets of bases but no homeplate.



BB566960 actual baseball
BB566961 locker tag
BB566962 1st base (1st set)
BB566963 2nd base (1st set)
BB566964 3rd base (1st set)
BB566965 baseball
BB566966 baseball
BB566967 baseball
BB566968 baseball
BB566969 baseball
BB566970 baseball
BB566971 baseball
BB566972 baseball
BB566973 baseball
BB566974 baseball
BB566975 jersey
BB566976 acutal bat
BB566977 cap
BB566978 sunglasses
BB566979 batting helmet
BB566980 elbow pad (benik)
BB566981 right cleat
BB566982 left cleat
BB566983 right hand batting glove
BB566984 left hand batting glove
BB566985 belt
BB566986 pants
BB566987 1st base (second set)
BB566988 2nd base (second set)
BB566989 3rd base (second set)
BB566990 dirt from pitchers mound

have the actual bat, jersey or helmet been sold he was using from this game or been seen for sale? If so what kind of price did they get.

[allstarsplus]

Re: ARod's 500th HR ball going to Auction

Joel,

Andrew has a way of making things "come to life".


I'll guess..........$85,000-100,000+ for that home run ball. Remember, he plays in New York for the Bronx Bombers. It's the single most desireable milestone homerun ball of the "500" home run club hitters, their 500th.

The only downside(s) to this offering is the steroid connection, and the economy. Otherwise, the skies the limit on this one.

Steve - Funny you say $85,000 because I know that is going to be your Max bid on it!

A great piece of history!

Good luck!

[suicide_squeeze]

Re: ARod's 500th HR ball going to Auction

Joel,

Andrew has a way of making things "come to life".


I'll guess..........$85,000-100,000+ for that home run ball. Remember, he plays in New York for the Bronx Bombers. It's the single most desireable milestone homerun ball of the "500" home run club hitters, their 500th.

The only downside(s) to this offering is the steroid connection, and the economy. Otherwise, the skies the limit on this one.

[joelsabi]

Re: ARod's 500th HR ball going to Auction

The website isn't live yet. I went throught the ZMag too.

http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/...78#/e56fca78/1

funny but its online now. must have got the call from andrew

http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/e56fca78#/e56fca78/148

[allstarsplus]

Re: ARod's 500th HR ball going to Auction

seems to be offline for now

this is the direct link from the email sent to me by SCP about the auction.

http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/e56fca78#/e56fca78/1

maybe the website is temporarily down. http://www.zmags.com doesnt even work.

andrew, when did you last visited the catalogue?

The website isn't live yet. I went throught the ZMag too.

http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/e56fca78#/e56fca78/1

[joelsabi]

Re: ARod's 500th HR ball going to Auction

Is their lots available for view online? It talks about a Z mag but does not have an area for me to click on? Am I missing something or anyone have the link.

Thanks!

seems to be offline for now

this is the direct link from the email sent to me by SCP about the auction.

http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/e56fca78#/e56fca78/1

maybe the website is temporarily down. http://www.zmags.com doesnt even work.

andrew, when did you last visited the catalogue?

[AWA85]

Re: ARod's 500th HR ball going to Auction

Is their lots available for view online? It talks about a Z mag but does not have an area for me to click on? Am I missing something or anyone have the link.

Thanks!

[joelsabi]

Re: ARod's 500th HR ball going to Auction

There are another pair of sunglasses! I guess if you can't afford the baseball, maybe you buy the sunglasses!

i tried winning a signed baseball from that game and bidded $2500 on an auction. I think it ended up at $4700 with sotheby's for a baseball used on that game. i would think the baseball is the cheapest item on the list too.