PhilipB2k17

I just hope PayPal fixes this massive gap in their security. One thing I would not do if I were you. I would not touch that print he sent back. The authorities could test it for fingerprints, and if only his are on it, then it would tend to back up your story.

Maybe he knows it won't work, but wants to pro-actively protect HIS reputation? I'm not saying that's what is going on, but there are a number of reasons why the seller in this scenario would want to publicize this, if he wants to pro-actively avoid being labelled a scammer. Maybe he thought the other guys was going to go public with this first? In any case, its weird, and I hope this is worked out, and there is some way to avoid this problem in this future. It seems like a blueprint for a scam artist.

I am not sure how this kind of scam can be avoided in the future. How do you prove that's what you mailed someone?

His side of it is that he was being pushed into using friends and family on PayPal by you, but insisted otherwise. If that exchange happened, he could produce e-mails about it. And you could also produce e-mails showing your back and forth negotiations. Nobody is doing any of this stuff publicly, and its ending up in court where discovery can and will be used. Like I said, weird.

He - apparently - posted some direct comments/denials about it in the Facebook thread linked to earlier. I do not know either of these people, so I don't have the personal relationship or experiences some of you do with the seller.

Not technically true. One person would probably accept the original purchase price back for the item that was sold. If it was a print, then they make a lot of money. On the other hand, if it was the OA, then the purchaser wants to keep the art for free. Like I said. Weird.

This whole thing is weird. Both sides are adamant that they were the ones who were scammed.

There’s lots of art that I love that I also think is overpriced. I’m pretty sure that’s true for the vast majority of OA collectors. I don’t understand why this is a controversial opinion.

I’d lay off the vast majority of WD art at those prices. The show’s been on long enough now that any spill over effect to OA has taken effect by now. And prices seem to be leveling off or even going down now. Unless, of course, you really love the art! 😁

The US Mail was used. The FBI has jurisdiction.

"No inks. Pencils."

It's like an Album photo shoot for Led Zeppelin or the Who. So, yes, very cool.

Craig posted the literal first Pogo newspaper strip OA on Facebook. Probably should have sold that 10 years ago. But, still, the literal FIRST Pogo strip ever printed? Pretty amazing.

My source suggested that Ditko had no art when they went through his stuff after his death. And, have you heard any rumors that any of this art was being appraised by the usual suspects in the Hobby, if for no other reason than to just get an appraisal for his air(s)? Pretty hard to keep that stuff a secret. Maybe not specific pieces, but even a rumor of a trove would be hard to prevent from getting out.

Yes, but what about "Magic The Gathering" unverified, rumored private card art sales, which is where the real money is.

Everyone who reads your bullying, self-interested comments can decide for themselves. You obviously have some kind of financial interest in MTG art sales, and are desperately trying to prop this market up for some reason. Or, alternatively, you have dealer friends or customers you are trying to protect. You sound like a Bitcoin huckster, at this point. This has gone beyond a legitimate discussion about the value of this art into some kind of questionable ethical scam, as far as I'm concerned. This thread should be locked, and I am not going to participate in this discussion any longer.

The trolling is strong with this one.

Contact the FBI, and copy PayPal on the communication. This is mail fraud. Also contact the local police department where this guy lives, the sheriff’s department, and the California Attorney Generals Office. Who knows how many other people he’s scammed like this.

What I find comical is that the person who offers the $2.5 mil, assuming it’s legit, is probably the only other person (other than the owner) who values it that highly, and has the means to pay for it. Probably explains why it’s not going to auction.

Then the piece isn’t really worth $2.5 million. Some rich guy who doesn’t need the money is just refusing to sell, and throwing up an outrageous number to dissuade offers.

The offer was 1/3 of $6.5 million. A price way beyond anything that ever sold in that hobby for any painting.

There are estimated to be about 100-150 copies of Action #1 left in existence in all condition grades. And the one that sold for $3.2 million was the highest graded copy known. There’s one other that is graded the same, but that copy isn’t as nice per most who’ve seen both. So it’s a unique item. Just like the Lotus painting. You’re right that any Original Art from Action #1, featuring Superman, would be extremely valuable. But it’s hard to say whether it would be worth more than that action #1. Interior art, maybe not. The Cover, almost certainly yes. But the art from that book probably no longer exists. The most valuable known comic art in existence is probably some of the interior pages to Amazing Fantasy 15 featuring key moments, or the cover to Hulk 181 (perhaps). Others can probably suggest additional candidates, based on their better knowledge of what’s out there. But all it takes is one person being willing to pay the price asked for something. I highly doubt tat the owner of the Black Lotus painting would turn down $2.5 million for it, if it was a serious offer.

Yeah. Yeah. “Receipts.”

Until I see verified sales, I’m not buying any of this, literally or figuratively. And if someone here says they’ve seen these ga ga private sales, then post the “receipts” as it were. In any case, the vast majority of people I see playing this game are not in the income bracket where they would be paying for this stuff. Maybe there are a couple of tech millionaires who are shelling out big bucks, but I think it’s pure nonsense.

That’s just it. They are not paying a premium for the Black Lotus painting because of the quality of the art. It’s not a question of differing tastes. Sure, someone may not like Frazetta art. But, there’s no question that lots of people love it and buy it because they love it. I seriously doubt anyone would give two craps about the Lotus painting were it not for its association with the MTG card.