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Old 08-09-2015, 08:44 PM   #1
Hdpooh34
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Default Serious Discussion About Consignment & Shilling

Now that lakerskb824 (aka kobe824) has been banned from this site for shilling, it makes me think: is the entire high-end basketball card market entirely falsely elevated by these consigment/shilling practices? Prices for Jordan/Lebron/Kobe/Curry/AD have been STRONG for a while now...he's just one shiller, I'm sure he has a whole ring of buyers/shillers that have helped create this false market of highly inflated prices. How long have they been doing this for?

Jordan Fleer RC PSA 9's used to sell for $1000 just a few years ago, now they are almost $4000

The same huge wave of inflation can be said of most any big-name high-end card in the basketball card market. Have prices truly risen or is this just a byproduct of a large ring of "price pumpers" and consigner/shilling circles?
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Old 08-09-2015, 08:57 PM   #2
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I think that prices are largely influenced by shillers and manipulation, to think otherwise is just being naive. If it looks like ****, smells like ****, guess what, it probably is ****.

I can understand that basketball is a lot more of an international sport than, let's say football and even baseball, but come on, the prices are astronomical on specific sets/parallels.

These forums get looked at by a lot of people who want to pad their pockets, they know what collectors like and they want to make bank. Then you have people outright manipulating markets while posting among collectors, my favorite example being the rotten apples that have long since been banned from the HK forums.

There are new collectors entering the hobby all the time and some of them with deep pockets. They can be had easily by experienced scum bags, driving prices up. This also makes the market on specific parallels/sets exclusive to those tax brackets as well, so THAT kind of spending power becomes their prey.

I've seen a lot of cards listed at ridiculous BIN prices, but when these cards go to auction, they sell for a fraction of the said prices. There are definitely shady practices all over, enough to the point that there is 10% hobby left whereas the rest of it is the market.
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Old 08-09-2015, 09:05 PM   #3
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Manipulation is way too easy.

Which is why sometimes you have to trust the forums. People that constantly hype certain cards are the ones to avoid.

And don't be gullible. You can spot a "bubble" from a mile away.
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Old 08-09-2015, 09:13 PM   #4
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Originally Posted by tristan20 View Post
Manipulation is way too easy.

Which is why sometimes you have to trust the forums. People that constantly hype certain cards are the ones to avoid.

And don't be gullible. You can spot a "bubble" from a mile away.
Is that cookie monster jersey numbered?
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Old 08-09-2015, 09:36 PM   #5
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Old 08-09-2015, 09:38 PM   #6
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I think a big part of what's happening is nowadays there are so many people "investing" in cards rather then collecting for fun / as a hobby. What happens is a lot of these investors arent going to be savvy enough to make money without cheating. So instead they shill, or try to manipulate the market in other ways to try to protect there investment.

A good example of this is the recent nameking star jordan threads. The guy sell his star jordan then for some reason when it gets crossed over to a bgs 7 with high subs makes thread about costing himself 1k, past sales being 3200, card being worth 3500 etc. Then go figure a few days later he's selling his star Jordan bgs 8 at an extremely high asking price. While it isn't shilling it's an attempt to manipulate the market in a way to profit or protect the value of a recent big pickup.

I think that happens a lot with cards. Someone buys a psa 9 jordan rc for 2k in what was a potentially shilled auction then the next time one is about to close at 1750 they bid either to win it at a "low" price to have it as an investment or to protect the value of the card they own.

While the shillers are a problem it doesn't help that a bunch of people collecting as an "investment" will blindly pay a high price for cards based entirely off of past sales so it only takes a tiny bit of market manipulation to completely change the market for some high end cards.
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Old 08-09-2015, 10:03 PM   #7
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I'm going to date myself but before ebay etc there were the same concerns that the price in key baseball cards were being manipulated with the top one being the 1952 Topps Mantle. Discussion was whether several of these sales weren't manufactured without money really changing Hands. We all know how those have continued to go up. For real cards with huge demand and true scarcity manipulation doesn't move the needle as much as most would think.

To me where I think it can make a big difference is in manufactured "hot" cards. The perfect example that comes to mind are the 1996 baseball and football gold refractors. At one show I traded a PSA 9 of mantle for bonds, Bagwell, Thomas, Belle and one other and made money before the bottom fell out.

The fear of shilling kept me from bidding in s couple of nice cards that ended tonight that didn't sell for crazy $ after all.
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Old 08-09-2015, 10:13 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tristan20 View Post
Manipulation is way too easy.

Which is why sometimes you have to trust the forums. People that constantly hype certain cards are the ones to avoid.

And don't be gullible. You can spot a "bubble" from a mile away.
And sometimes it's easy to spot. Several people on this forum I've thought were scummy ended up being proven as such. Case in point, I had a feeling about kobe824 for a while, and because of that, decided to look into his Curry auction. Some people may remember Ryan (prospectkingpin), and Gerald (hairytrojan)... There's also a guy called Triplehattrick or something I'd encountered a long time ago and he finally got outed as a shiller.
Basically, if people act like jagoffs on a forum, there's a good chance they'll try to rip you off on ebay etc. It's just that some are harder to spot.
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Old 08-09-2015, 10:32 PM   #9
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I would also add my 2 cents if you do not mind. I often paid above market value for cards because it actually saves money. A card that sells for let's say $250 in the US can easily be $500 by the time it gets to Europe with tax + duty + shipping. So if someone sells the same card for $400 in Europe, or $350 in the US, but willing to commit mail fraud... I will buy it, thank you.

I love it when I BIN a card on eBay for not even twice the price it usually sells for, and all of a sudden half a dozen of the same cards are listed the next day for that price I just paid. The last one I recall happened with the SPx Hardcourt Holoviews Kobe.

Oh, and don't even make me get into currency exchange.

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Old 08-09-2015, 10:40 PM   #10
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Originally Posted by hairyangryfella View Post
And sometimes it's easy to spot. Several people on this forum I've thought were scummy ended up being proven as such. Case in point, I had a feeling about kobe824 for a while, and because of that, decided to look into his Curry auction. Some people may remember Ryan (prospectkingpin), and Gerald (hairytrojan)... There's also a guy called Triplehattrick or something I'd encountered a long time ago and he finally got outed as a shiller.
Basically, if people act like jagoffs on a forum, there's a good chance they'll try to rip you off on ebay etc. It's just that some are harder to spot.

You have notches on your bedpost of a different kind aye G?
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Old 08-09-2015, 10:41 PM   #11
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I would also add my 2 cents if you do not mind. I often paid above market value for cards because it actually saves money. A card that sells for let's say $250 in the US can easily be $500 by the time it gets to Europe with tax + duty + shipping. So if someone sells the same card for $400 in Europe, or $350 in the US, but willing to commit mail fraud... I will buy it, thank you.

I love it when I BIN a card on eBay for not even twice the price it usually sells for, and all of a sudden half a dozen of the same cards are listed the next day for that price I just paid. The last one I recall happened with the SPx Hardcourt Holoviews Kobe.

Oh, and don't even make me get into currency exchange.
Cant make any sens of this sorry....
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Old 08-09-2015, 11:14 PM   #12
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Thanks, OP, for starting this thread. I just thought of an idea to put some positivity to all these unfair practices that have flooded our hobby.

http://www.blowoutcards.com/forums/b...ice-guide.html
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Old 08-09-2015, 11:39 PM   #13
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Originally Posted by tmar214 View Post
I think a big part of what's happening is nowadays there are so many people "investing" in cards rather then collecting for fun / as a hobby. What happens is a lot of these investors arent going to be savvy enough to make money without cheating. So instead they shill, or try to manipulate the market in other ways to try to protect there investment.

A good example of this is the recent nameking star jordan threads. The guy sell his star jordan then for some reason when it gets crossed over to a bgs 7 with high subs makes thread about costing himself 1k, past sales being 3200, card being worth 3500 etc. Then go figure a few days later he's selling his star Jordan bgs 8 at an extremely high asking price. While it isn't shilling it's an attempt to manipulate the market in a way to profit or protect the value of a recent big pickup.

I think that happens a lot with cards. Someone buys a psa 9 jordan rc for 2k in what was a potentially shilled auction then the next time one is about to close at 1750 they bid either to win it at a "low" price to have it as an investment or to protect the value of the card they own.

While the shillers are a problem it doesn't help that a bunch of people collecting as an "investment" will blindly pay a high price for cards based entirely off of past sales so it only takes a tiny bit of market manipulation to completely change the market for some high end cards.
This guy makes a lot of solid points:

1) "protecting" your investment...this definitely happens with high-end cards...if you see a copy of the card you own come up at auction, no one wants to see their card gets sold at a low auction price (it would decrease the value of their own card), so they "price pump" it either at the beginning (like kobe824 did) to create an early false high or snipe bid at the end to falsely inflate it. They'll take the Non-Paying Bidder strike from eBay because it'll be worth it since they've just inherently increased the value of their own card and NPB doesn't cost them a cent.

2) "investing" noobs that come into the hobby right now thinking the Jordan PSA 9 is worth $4000, not realizing that this was a $900-$1000 just a year ago...but has been "price pumped" by the shilling/consignment ring (Probstein, PWCC) to increase their own Jordan PSA 9s and to increase consignment profits for PWCC and Probstein. Win-win for both the seller/owners of these Jordans and for PWCC/Probstein. Lose for the "investing" noob that buys at the falsely inflated high market price.

Market manipulating, shilling, price pumping - very easy to spot with high-end basketball cards since there is a huge international market
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Old 08-10-2015, 12:14 AM   #14
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Thumbs up

These guys even set up websites, with articles, dedicated to discussing the Jordan market. You can search Rare23air83 and you'll see the sites show up and look at the link backs at the bottom of the last thread I posted below.

Long reads below, enjoy the education:

HobbyKings.com :: View topic - Explain this one Rare23Air83....

http://www.blowoutcards.com/forums/b...r83-again.html

and the big one:

http://www.blowoutcards.com/forums/b...-250-00-a.html
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Old 08-10-2015, 12:16 AM   #15
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Someone care to elaborate on kobe824 story(hobby practices)....?
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Old 08-10-2015, 12:27 AM   #16
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At the same time, tons of people will continue allow shilling because they can take advantage without putting themselves at risk.

Let's say there is a Kobe Exquisite /24 shilled for $5k. If you have the same card or similar high-end, you wouldn't call out that shilling. In fact, you would even use it as the negotiation value.

And for consignment, even if you call them out in BO, they still allow shilling. And they allow it because they don't have enough resource. Anyone who wants to cash out will go through them. a) You don't need to do the work, and b) You can shill all day long without putting your name at risk.
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Old 08-10-2015, 09:57 AM   #17
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At the same time, tons of people will continue allow shilling because they can take advantage without putting themselves at risk.

Let's say there is a Kobe Exquisite /24 shilled for $5k. If you have the same card or similar high-end, you wouldn't call out that shilling. In fact, you would even use it as the negotiation value.

And for consignment, even if you call them out in BO, they still allow shilling. And they allow it because they don't have enough resource. Anyone who wants to cash out will go through them. a) You don't need to do the work, and b) You can shill all day long without putting your name at risk.

Very good points!
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Old 08-10-2015, 05:00 PM   #18
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This guy makes a lot of solid points:


2) "investing" noobs that come into the hobby right now thinking the Jordan PSA 9 is worth $4000, not realizing that this was a $900-$1000 just a year ago...but has been "price pumped" by the shilling/consignment ring (Probstein, PWCC) to increase their own Jordan PSA 9s and to increase consignment profits for PWCC and Probstein. Win-win for both the seller/owners of these Jordans and for PWCC/Probstein. Lose for the "investing" noob that buys at the falsely inflated high market price.

Market manipulating, shilling, price pumping - very easy to spot with high-end basketball cards since there is a huge international market
You know that there is plenty of sales data showing that the fleer MJ PSA 9 was selling for between $2000-$3000+ a year ago, not $900. In fact, you would have been hard pressed to find a nicely centered 8-8.5 for $900-1000. $4k is the top sale for supremely centered examples. The MJ Fleer rookie has been following a trend in rising prices that is being seen in all sports for high end, blue chip cards (especially rookie cards) There are plenty of reasons behind this other than some great shilling conspiracy.

I hope you also realize that Probstein and PWCC have no involvement in shilling rings. They simply provide a service that many collectors use as intended, without fraud or shilling. I know I have and will continue to do so. The fact that some people try to job the system is more indicative of a flaw in the system, not the seller. I know as a fact that Rick will look into suspect auctions if flagged and ban those shilling his auctions.

I agree shilling is a huge problem in the hobby as is price manipulation but so is making gross generalizations about the market, getting caught up in conspiracy theory and focusing solely on the less savory aspects of what is still a fantastic hobby.
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Old 08-10-2015, 06:45 PM   #19
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I think basketball in general is the most shilled sport I agree. I think it is because unlike football or unlike baseball one player can take over and win games and be the best. Sportscenter glorifies basketball players because you can take over a game unlike any other sport. Baseball you get 1 at bat then wait football only plays 1 side and you can truly send a double and shut down a top player basketball not so much. So I think people side to basketball cards because of the star power and MJ is the greatest athlete of all time so people want to find the next guy like him. As for the shilling and the prices rising the key is to look at other players who are down in the hobby and see what they sell for before you buy a hot guys card. KD cards are 6-7k for a 3clr exquisite. So dont spend anywhere close to that for a Wiggins card, as an example. I Also think people like myself like to have the latest and greatest guys and I always find myself buying cards of star players and then not wanting them after a short bit because I really could care less about them. For example Klay thompson, Steph Curry, Kyrie type guys I own all there top rookies and realize now I dont want them Id rather collect a small group of guys I enjoy like Lebron, KD, and AD to name a few. I have had ebay for a few years rarely use it because of shilling I have a good group of collectors I know who get high end rookies and I just buy from them and I think thats the key. PWCC isnt the problem dumb people are who pay a crazy price I am listing for the first time with PWCC a bunch of rookies I got on PWCC's next auction because of my low ebay feedback and hassle of selling I dont think they are bad or it is bad for the hobby to sell with them as they attract the largest numbers and most views. IMO
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Old 08-10-2015, 08:12 PM   #20
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I would also add my 2 cents if you do not mind. I often paid above market value for cards because it actually saves money. A card that sells for let's say $250 in the US can easily be $500 by the time it gets to Europe with tax + duty + shipping. So if someone sells the same card for $400 in Europe, or $350 in the US, but willing to commit mail fraud... I will buy it, thank you.

I love it when I BIN a card on eBay for not even twice the price it usually sells for, and all of a sudden half a dozen of the same cards are listed the next day for that price I just paid. The last one I recall happened with the SPx Hardcourt Holoviews Kobe.

Oh, and don't even make me get into currency exchange.
No one has a problem with the mail fraud comment?

Last edited by chezball; 08-11-2015 at 10:20 PM.
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Old 08-11-2015, 07:35 PM   #21
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All the shilling talk got me interested so whilst perusing ebay...

1996 Ultra Court Masters Michael Jordan BGS 9 5 | eBay

"bid activity with this seller 100%"
Bidding Details
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Old 08-11-2015, 08:40 PM   #22
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All the shilling talk got me interested so whilst perusing ebay...

1996 Ultra Court Masters Michael Jordan BGS 9 5 | eBay

"bid activity with this seller 100%"
Bidding Details

LOL!

He already shilled it up once in a previous auction and his shill bid won:

eBay.com Item Bid History



So he had to relist, and then went on to shill it again LOL!
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Old 08-11-2015, 09:48 PM   #23
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Ha hope he wins "himself" again.
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Old 08-11-2015, 10:07 PM   #24
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That was an auction I kept my eye on the first time before it became apparent that he was shilling it hard, I guess if he keeps re-listing it he figures it may work. I was out after the first go around.

Last edited by plasticmoz; 08-11-2015 at 10:21 PM.
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Old 08-13-2015, 08:03 AM   #25
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He cancelled all bids and ended it. LOL
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