Moral dilemma…should I say something?

[ninanina]

Mouse,

 

I recommend you go to Mile High's website. You can read all about how he got the mile high collection from the sellers. Click on Tales from the Database and you can read all about it according to the words of Chuck. If you read between the lines, you'll realize the people involved were not treated farely. It's no big secret. Chuck doesn't try to cover up what happened. The people selling the books had no idea what they had and it's just one of those stories where a guy happened to be at the right place at the right time. His website is www.milehighcomics.com.

 

Also, I feel your comments about Mcgowan30 were a little unfair. All he did was ask for advice, not criticism. That makes me feel important. I suppose if he just went ahead and tried to take advantage of a situation, he'd probably be the type of person you said he was.

 

Other than that, I respect your opinion. These threads need a little shake up now and then. Makes for an exciting time.

 

 

 

 

 

[COI]

" At least when Chuck bough the Mile High collection, he tried to be honest and fair with the people selling the goods (they just didn't want to listen)."

 

I usually am not bothered by anything on this board, except this topic.

 

I wish I was on when you first posted this. But I commend you on making a comment stupid and naive enough to bring CI out of hibernation.

 

" At least when Chuck bough the Mile High collection, he tried to be honest and fair with the people selling the goods (they just didn't want to listen)."

 

Yes, poor Chuck tried to give them the 10's of thousands of dollars that he didn't have, but those devils were content with the 2K and a charming Rozanski pre-pubescent smile.

 

Personally, I wish Chuck never posted that story. It's sickening and not just because it's the origin of his over-graded, over-priced POS empire. It wasn't enough for him to virtually steal the collection, but he portrays the family as such F%#KS in the process. And when I read posts like yours, it's a reminder that his patronizing rationalization of the events surrounding the collection actually wins people over. It's a shame that the best collection that ever was, and ever will be has such a B#$@SH$T back story.

 

[Mouse-migration]

You're all just a bunch of haters. Chuck discovers a wonderful collection and rescues it from being thrown in the trash, and all you people can do is be petty and put the man down because it wasn't you. If not for Chuck, these wonderful comics would probably be in a landfill somewhere instead of back in the hobby.

 

Chuck gave what he could. The family could have taken the time and made the effort to get other dealers to look at the collection, but they didn't want to bother with it. It's not like Chuck had ten thousand dollars and offered them two thousand for the books. He made a legitimate deal for the books based on what he could afford. Nobody twisted their arm or forced them to sell the books to him. Chuck offered them what he could afford (actually, I believe he offered them more than he could afford and then had to scrape up the money).

 

But I'm sure everyone in here would have looked at those books and said "sorry.....but I don't have enough money to pay you for what those books are worth so I'll just pass"........yeah......and monkeys might fly out my butt too. I'm sure that most of the people in here wouldn't have made the best offer that they could and hoped that they took it.

 

Wow......I've never seen so many perfect people in one forum before.

[ninanina]

I don't know mouse.

 

I ran into a mini mile high about 1 1/2 years ago and the lady asked me if I thought she could get $2000.00 for her son's collection. I told her flat out that I felt a dealer would probably get her at least $20,000.00 if not more.

 

She gave me first pick at the collection and because I couldn't buy it all, I invited a dealer to help me buy the comics. Ultimately a third dealer got involved and between the three of us, we were able to give her somewhere in the vicinity of $24,000.00 - $30,000.00. She's a little old lady that knew absolutely nothing about comics and we were in a position to take her for a ride. Perhaps Chuck could have done the same thing?

 

Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

 

H

 

 

[COI]

 

"But I'm sure everyone in here would have looked at those books and said "sorry.....but I don't have enough money to pay you for what those books are worth so I'll just pass".."

 

I never said that, and to be quite honest I don't know exactly what I would do in that situation.

 

But what I WOULDN'T do is post a mangled, egotistical, patronizing account of the events to save face with the comic community. Why do you think he posted the story? It's because he's been hearing S#$T about this for years, and is trying to pawn the whole thing off on the family.

 

My post was more directed at this "display" on his website, and the eagerness of "mice" like you to eat his S%$T with a spoon.

 

If you read my post, my point was that his portrayal of the event is dispicable. If you know how to read between the lines(which you obviously don't) you can detect his hostility towards the family throughout the whole account. So WTF is his problem? Even if what he said was exactly true( ), why does he have to portray the family the way he does? He got the collection of the century, and made his carreer, so I think he should have just left it at that.

 

So I guess you eat all his , including his opinion on CGC being too "strict", something he wrote to justify his over-grading. And I take it you've already sent him your letters of admiration for "saving the comic industry" as well.

[tb]

> I ran into a mini mile high about 1 1/2 years ago...

 

Great to hear a story like this, ninanina. Wish that there were

collectors with your attitude around.

 

The closest I've ever come to an ethical dilemma was on a book

that was listed on eBay back in '99. The image was tiny and of very

poor quality, but it showed what looked to be a beautiful comic that

filled a gap in my collection. The seller did not list a grade, but I took

a chance and bid $750 based on the photo (around VG to FN price).

After winning the auction, the seller wrote to me and was ecstatic;

he didn't know anything about comics and said that he never dreamed

it would be worth that much. When I got the book, I was shocked:

it was the most beautiful VF/NM copy of an extremely are 1930s

special edition that I ever saw. A realistic market value would probably

have been $3-4,000. If only the guy had posted a better picture, he would

easily have tripled his revenue. I thought about returning the book,

but since I had already won it in a fair auction, and since I had taken

a chance buying it based on very little knowledge, I decided not to.

I've sometimes pondered whether I did the right thing, though...

 

---

 

Oh, I forgot to mention that the seller also had 0 feedback; I was green

on eBay at the time and would never have taken a risk like that today!

 

[Joanna]

In that case, hkp, I don't think you did anything wrong. It was a fair market auction, and open to all bidders.

 

There has to be a modicum of seller responsibility, as well.

 

I was selling signed first edition books (almost out of them now) and when I began, I put a BIN on a book that I thought was a good price. Someone hit it almost as soon as I posted it. He couldn't believe he'd gotten such a bargain. Turns out, I should have gotten twice the BIN. Did he offer to add to the price because he knew the score and I didn't? Of course not. Sure, I felt like a doofus, but it was MY fault, not his, not the market, not anyone else's. I did some homework, but not as thoroughly as I should have. I learned from that mistake, and sold the rest of the books at fair market value, because at that point, I knew where and how to look for the going rate (the main problem was ebay search words -- I was using the wrong words in my searches).

 

If you win an auction on ebay, you win fair and square as long as no one is playing games like shilling, etc. Congratulations on taking a chance and winning.

 

-- Joanna

[COI]

HKP, the main thing is that you took a chance. At the time of purchsae, you couldn't have been sure of what you were getting, and any comic buyer can verify that even a large scan can hide defects.

 

So I agree with Joanna. You won it fair, and everyone made out. That's a far cry from knowing you're reaming someone, and doing so happily.

[Guest]

I've sometimes pondered whether I did the right thing, though...

I would have to say that you did ok. That person you bought the comic from was totally happy with $750! You are happy with your book. Sounds good to me.

Think of it this way, if that person had really wanted to, he could have easily figured out the value. Waldens Books at most malls sells the Overstreet Comic Book Price guide...he could have bought one - or just looked up the comic in the book while standing in the book store - and found the price for it. "Generic" grading is not that difficult to do, as there are very good descriptions for each grade...

 

I think that 99% of us would have done the same thing and been happy about it. Then 1% of us would have lambasted everyone for being babies, full of hate, stupid, not being able to spell, pu$$ys, and all the other amazingly brilliant and stunningly direct colorful metaphores Mr. Peromyscus Maniculatus has decided to pull out of his bowles of creativity and toss our way.

[tb]

Thanks for the reassurance.

 

Btw., I finished my puzzle in 56 minutes (while nursing a

long compile at work).

 

[Mouse-migration]

and all the other amazingly brilliant and stunningly direct colorful metaphores Mr. Peromyscus Maniculatus has decided to pull out of his bowles of creativity and toss our way.

And I wonder how many hours it took for you to look up the scientific name for Deer Mouse on the internet ya big person_having_a_hard_time_understanding_my_point.

 

Oh my goodness....mcgowan is just so clever and witty.....we must all bask in the great resourcefullness that it took for him to look something up on the internet......oh my gosh.......however did he do it?

 

And keep trying to justify your actions while you try to cheat that old man out of his late sons collection. I expect nothing less from you.

[Joanna]

Btw., I finished my puzzle in 56 minutes (while nursing a

 

Good job, as that was a difficult puzzle. I think the hardest would be two identical scans next to each other. Then there wouldn't even be the small color variations. Don't worry, I won't do that -- I'm not cruel.

 

-- Joanna

[hammer-migration]

There are MANY stories of current "big-fish" in their respective fields who utterly LUCKED INTO their wealth. The first, and most common, being BORN into it (Dad and Grandpa just happened to have 10 million dollars in US Postage stamp inventory), and the other, the BIG-FIND. I know of one very prominant art dealer who got his start and name on the map by purchasing an attic 5 million dollar cache of paintings for less than a penny on the dollar. INSTANT LOTTO. It happens. Lady Luck was sitting on Chuck's shoulder when he opened the pantry door!

[COI]

Yeah...............and the devil was sitting on the other shoulder.

[Mouse-migration]

LMAO.......someone just gave you a negative feedback on eBay for not paying for a $5 item.

 

HA HA HA HA..........CLICK HERE TO SEE A $5 ITEM NEGATIVE........HA HA HA HA

 

Now let's see if you'll leave a retallitory feedback for the guy or do the right thing.

[Mouse-migration]

I think that 99% of us would have done the same thing and been happy about it. Then 1% of us would have lambasted everyone for being babies....

 

mcgowans response in the thread titled "How many CGC slabbed comics do you own?": Currently about 13, with about 20 on the way. (which you admitted later in the thread are probably going to come back as 8.5's because you can't grade.)

 

Description in his current eBay auction: mcgowans current auction

 

"I am not a professional comic grader but I own hundreds of CGC 9.0 and up comics and I see no reason why this one would not be rated at a CGC rating of 9.6."

 

You might own hundreds of comics that you "think" are CGC 9.0 and up.....but you certainly don't own hundreds of CGC graded 9.0 and up comics.....which is what you are leading people to believe so you're grading skills will seem more credible.

[hammer-migration]

Uh oh! Good heavens man, say something!!!! SMOKED twice by the very same Mouse!!! First on the $5.00 negative, then on the disappearing CGC slabbed inventory!!! I have a feeling that the "Bug-Bomb" and the "Squeak-Cam 2000" aren't going to work any better for you on THIS mouse than they did for Christopher Walken in "Mouse-Hunt"!!!!

[Smokinghawk]

"Sir, I want to be honest with you and let you know that those comics are worth more than that. If you like, would you let me pay you the $50 you are asking, and then donate $100 to the charity of your choice in your son's name?"

 

There you have it: honesty, a great deal, no guilt, a good cause, a happy seller--all in one.

 

[ubiquiti]

Hey - did chuck offer them what he could afford?

[fantastic_four]

A long-time comic store owner in my area told me that Edgar Church's widow later sued Chuck to get some of the money he received for the Mile Highs, and that the judge ruled in favor of Chuck basically because "a deal's a deal." I have no idea if that's true; has anybody else heard that?

 

Assuming that was true, he would've had the funds at that time to compensate the widow. If I remember his articles from CBG correctly, he did feel guilty about buying the collection for so low and later bought a bunch of Church's original art for thousands of bucks to give some money back to her. Of course that's a pittance compared to what he got for the collection.

 

So here's your next moral dilemma--should he have given Mrs. Church a percentage of the sales? I don't really buy that he did "the best he could"; he could've taken the books on consignment and given her a portion of the sales back.