Exposing FRAUD And DECEPTION - A Must Watch! 18 18

[valiantman]

On 8/25/2021 at 7:51 PM, Domo Arigato said:

On 8/25/2021 at 7:44 PM, jaybuck43 said:

So where were these buyers? 

The same place as all the other buyers that have been setting records in cards, comics, coins, etc, etc, etc all over the world in numerous auctions conducted by various auction houses? 

Heritage is secretly buying everything everywhere.  You heard it here first. 

[valiantman]

On 8/25/2021 at 7:21 PM, Sweet Lou 14 said:

I wouldn't dream of telling you not to feel that way.  I'm just telling you that a lot of people wouldn't feel that way, including me.

I get a tremendous number of smiles out of this hobby -- I would want to own the books I own regardless of whether I (or more likely my heirs) could make money on them as investments.  So you can imagine how much I'm enjoying the books knowing that they keep appreciating in value and make up a legitimately significant portion of my overall investment portfolio.  But the whole point of collecting is to actually collect ... I don't think a reasonable person would call what RallyD is offering as a chance to collect, merely a chance to speculate in its purest form.

I have 20,000 comics and 1,000+ slabs.  What I don't have is a reason to smile when I see Action Comics #1 because I can't even put $100 in a real copy, knowing I'll never own one outright.  If I had $100 in a copy of Action Comics #1 that I can't hold or rightfully call a book "in my collection", what would happen to the 20,000 comics that actually ARE in my collection?  

Oh that's right.  Nothing.  There would be no downside to what I already have.  I'd just have something else on top of it. 

I'd also have a fraction of something I'd love to own outright.  A consolation prize.  On top of what I already have.  A + B > A

Edited August 26, 2021 by valiantman

[onlyweaknesskryptonite]

You could always settle for one of the reprints like the rest of us who are too broke to buy the original.  

[onlyweaknesskryptonite]

On 8/25/2021 at 7:51 PM, Domo Arigato said:

On 8/25/2021 at 7:44 PM, jaybuck43 said:

So where were these buyers? 

The same place as all the other buyers that have been setting records in cards, comics, coins, etc, etc, etc all over the world in numerous auctions conducted by various auction houses? 

 

[comicwiz]

On 8/25/2021 at 8:23 PM, COI said:

The reason this guy has a relationship with Heritage, multiple appearances on Pawn Stars, and is included in articles written about these record sales, is that he's trying to market his business.

Their business is grading, which is contingent on impartiality. I mentioned this exact issue when Paul Litch was the Pawn Stars expert on comics, and no one understood the point then, and it seems to be missed again now. They aren't dealers, they are graders. Boasting how a grader helps P2P trading is one thing, boosting a sale that your own company directors were involved in buying, then selling to one another, is not a wise way to market your business.

[Sweet Lou 14]

On 8/25/2021 at 9:15 PM, valiantman said:

I have 20,000 comics and 1,000+ slabs.  What I don't have is a reason to smile when I see Action Comics #1 because I can't even put $100 in a real copy, knowing I'll never own one outright.  If I had $100 in a copy of Action Comics #1 that I can't hold or rightfully call a book "in my collection", what would happen to the 20,000 comics that actually ARE in my collection?  

Oh that's right.  Nothing.  There would be no downside to what I already have.  I'd just have something else on top of it. 

I'd also have a fraction of something I'd love to own outright.  A consolation prize.  On top of what I already have.  A + B > A

For God's sake, go on and enjoy your little $100 investment in Action #1.

But it seems to me that if the "smiles" you're getting were enough, you wouldn't be so hell-bent on being RallyD's #1 superfan and PR man.  Everyone who has read your (many) posts gets it, you're a big believer.  Hope it gives you everything you're looking for.  

[valiantman]

On 8/25/2021 at 8:43 PM, Sweet Lou 14 said:

For God's sake, go on and enjoy your little $100 investment in Action #1.

But it seems to me that if the "smiles" you're getting were enough, you wouldn't be so hell-bent on being RallyD's #1 superfan and PR man.  Everyone who has read your (many) posts gets it, you're a big believer.  Hope it gives you everything you're looking for.  

Then you've also read that I have less than 1% of my play money in Rally.

The concept is bigger and better than Rally.  The concept (not Rally) is the biggest thing this market will see this century (which I've been thinking about since last century).

Edited August 26, 2021 by valiantman

[valiantman]

On 8/25/2021 at 8:20 PM, onlyweaknesskryptonite said:

You could always settle for one of the reprints like the rest of us who are too broke to buy the original.  

I have several.  They're not enough.

[southern cross]

As a collector, if it's not sitting in my collection. Then I don't own it.

 

Pure collectors thoughts. 

[Iconic1s]

When I was about 13 a buddy and I put our lawn mowing money together and bought one of these from a neighbor. We each had it a week on and a week off…it was a sweet deal…

If you invest $100.00 in an Action Comics 1 then you should at least be able to touch the slab once every 30,000 days…

[valiantman]

On 8/25/2021 at 9:05 PM, Iconic1s said:

If you invest $100.00 in an Action Comics 1 then you should at least be able to touch the slab once every 30,000 days…

Agreed. That could probably be arranged with the security management, given 82 years of advance notice.

Edited August 26, 2021 by valiantman

[valiantman]

On 8/25/2021 at 9:03 PM, southern cross said:

As a collector, if it's not sitting in my collection. Then I don't own it.

 

Pure collectors thoughts. 

Pure collectors wouldn't pay more than 10 cents for Action #1.

Pure collector thoughts.

[Guardian Comics]

On 8/25/2021 at 4:57 PM, Bronty said:

The dude made a factual error in the first ten seconds of the video.   The level of investigative detail is close to zero.

But, you know, some people like to wear tinfoil hats.    

Dan:  Can you remind us again what position with Wata you have again, or have had in the past.  Was it Board of Directors or just an Advisor position?
 

Jim

[Guardian Comics]

On 8/25/2021 at 6:33 PM, THE_BEYONDER said:

This attempt to discredit the video (which you didn’t even watch) makes you sound like an invested apologist....

Seeing as he’s been involved with Wata since Day 1, I’d say you hit the nail on the head, Christopher.

[Guardian Comics]

On 8/25/2021 at 8:44 PM, jaybuck43 said:

I go away for a few months to deal with work related stuff and I come back to this fun.  Y'all looking for some tin foil?  Well, grab a Costco size amount for what I'm about to lay out.  

November 2018 WATA and Heritage announce a partnership.  WATA will grade games for heritage and heritage will exclusively sell WATA certified games in their upcoming auctions, finally entering the video game market.  https://scoop.previewsworld.com/Home/4/1/73/1014?articleID=221058

January 16th 2019 Heritage enters the graded video game business, selling 25 graded Wata Games.  Their big sale?  $3,360 for a 9.4 collectors choice Legend of Zelda.  Cool.  Everything else sells for significantly less (300s or so) https://comics.ha.com/heritage-auctions-press-releases-and-news/certified-vintage-video-games-make-big-debut-at-heritage-auctions.s?releaseId=3570

A month later?  A "private" seller (It's not hard to find out who this person is) sets a record transaction for the largest single game sale in history.  $100,150 for a sealed copy of Super Mario Brothers https://kotaku.com/sealed-copy-of-super-mario-bros-sells-for-a-record-bre-1832635737 The buyer?  Jim Halperin, Rich Lecee, and Zac Gieg.  Does that first name mean anything?  Of course it does! The founder and co-chairman of Heritage bought the game that they then used to announce the fact that they are selling video games!  So Heritage is buying a game and setting an all time record and signaling that this is a huge area to invest in.  Not to mention, the release was one week before the first signature auction featuring video games at a Heritage auction https://www.ha.com/heritage-auctions-press-releases-and-news/copy-of-super-mario-bros.-video-game-sets-world-record-price-of-100-150.s?releaseId=3583 

Now remember, HA OWNS this copy.  As soon as this happens, well guess what games start coming out of the woodwork. Heritage auctions off an 8.0 hangtag for $40,000 (not worth anywhere near that amount prior to the announcement https://comics.ha.com/itm/video-games/nintendo/super-mario-bros-hangtab-3-code-mid-production-wata-80-a-sealed-nes-nintendo-1985-usa/a/7229-93029.s?ic16=ViewItem-Inventory-BuyNowFromOwner-PreviousPricesHeritage-081514.  And don't forget, HA takes 29% of that sale (19% BP and 10% seller fee)  A month later?  They sell a hangtag 9.4 for $114,000 https://kotaku.com/super-mario-bros-sells-at-auction-for-record-breaking-1844365096.  Now mind you, this is a "newer" copy then the record breaker they bought in February 2019, yet the record has ALREADY been broken  in about a year.  So January 2019 the best game out there can barely break 100 grand and suddenly under copies are going for more than that. Six months later? February 2021 and Heritage again breaks the record, this time selling a 9.6 Early production for $660,000 https://comics.ha.com/itm/video-games/super-mario-bros-wata-96-a-sealed-hangtab-1-code-mid-production-nes-nintendo-1985-usa/a/7242-93028.s?ic4=GalleryView-ShortDescription-071515 

So where were these buyers?  Someone was willing to pay $660,000 but they couldn't contact the private seller 2 years earlier to buy that copy for $100,000? (that copy, though lower graded at 9.4 is an older version and therefore more desirable) They suddenly decided to jump into the market at 6 figures without being involved in this earlier?  O and it just so happens that Heritage sets the initial record and then starts breaking record after record where they take 30%.  Mind you their $33,000 investment into that first SMB has paid off massive dividends in that it brought other games out of the woodworks and got people buying (the $180,000 BP+commission on the latest SMB record breaker more than covers their investment in buying the first copy).  So, Heritage pumps up the value of a market (no game ever broke $100,000 before Heritage paid it), immediately enters said market, and profits off of the higher BPs it now sees.  

Flame away.  

So what you are saying is this….that first 100k video game was in a VGA holder and then cracked out and graded by WATA.  The owner decided to sell it (who was involved with Wata) and sold it to an owner of Wata…so weird, seems reasonable to me.

[Domo Arigato]

On 8/25/2021 at 9:21 PM, Guardian Comics said:

Dan:  Can you remind us again what position with Wata you have again, or have had in the past.  Was it Board of Directors or just an Advisor position?

Jim

 

On 8/24/2021 at 12:35 PM, Bronty said:

Just gave some pre launch advice.    Its probably not appropriate for me to give details but mainly around the basics.   What should an 8 grade look like versus a 9, etc.    Nothing scintillating, I can tell you that.

The board never formally met and to my knowledge post launch but prior to the acquisition by the group Turner is involved with, I don't believe there was a board.   May well be one now, post-aquisition, but I couldn't speak to that

Damn you and your secret-handshake society with all your insider access, Bronty..........DAMN YOU ! ! !

 

 

[COI]

On 8/25/2021 at 9:38 PM, comicwiz said:

Their business is grading, which is contingent on impartiality. I mentioned this exact issue when Paul Litch was the Pawn Stars expert on comics, and no one understood the point then, and it seems to be missed again now. They aren't dealers, they are graders. Boasting how a grader helps P2P trading is one thing, boosting a sale that your own company directors were involved in buying, then selling to one another, is not a wise way to market your business.

I wouldn't necessarily argue with this, but my point isn't whether or not the founder of WATA should be on Pawn Stars. My point was simply that the person who made the video didn't make a great case for why his appearance on the show was "market manipulation" and not simply marketing. 

[COI]

On 8/25/2021 at 10:32 PM, Guardian Comics said:

Seeing as he’s been involved with Wata since Day 1, I’d say you hit the nail on the head, Christopher.

If Dan was the owner of both Heritage and WATA, it still wouldn't change the bad arguments made in the video. 

People sure do love ascribing motives on the internet.

[kav]

On 8/25/2021 at 8:00 PM, COI said:

If Dan was the owner of both Heritage and WATA, it still wouldn't change the bad arguments made in the video. 

People sure do love ascribing motives on the internet.

what motives do people have to do that here?

Edited August 26, 2021 by kav

[COI]

On 8/25/2021 at 11:01 PM, kav said:

what motives do people have to do that here?

Is this a trick question? 

I'm not going to ascribe motives to ascribing motives.