Friday, January 07, 2005

Buyer Beware....ya think?

A man who paid a dealer more than $17,000 for a Mickey Mantle baseball card was entitled to a refund even though he didn't find out it was worthless until two years after the purchase, the Nebraska Supreme Court ruled Friday.

This one kinda reminds me of myself.... I have a closet full of unopened boxes of sports cards and absolutely no idea what they might be worth.

It all started when I purchased some unique sets of Griffey Jr. cards (in the early 90s) as birthday gifts for two of my sports minded friends. Their obvious delight and ensuing conversation (which included speculation on possible future worth) led me to think I was dabbling in a worthwhile area.

It took about four years and countless thousands of dollars to realize I didn't know what the hell I was into (for a number of reasons probably familiar to novice collectors), so I decided to let some time gather between my last purchase and my next. I now realize that the entire collecting racket is designed in favor of everyone involved but me in descending order from the card manufacturer on down.

I realize there are scrupulous dealers out there who are in it for the sheer joy of breathing the same air as people who share their love of sports cards, and I cherish them... however, I have yet to make that next purchase.

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