Why Did This Book Sell for So Much? 1 1

[rodman63]

Just saw an eBay auction for what looks like a VG+ copy of Crime Does Not Pay 133 sell for $1775.  I have no idea why.   What am I missing?

 

 https://www.ebay.com/itm/204754552696?itmmeta=01HWGMRQWNTN8N65J5R58WYR0T&hash=item2fac528778:g:ylYAAOSwsLJmJBep&itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAAA0INbm62shAOlw%2B8ng1jCke0FwJTyY3CCoIGS3KDk%2Ffg9DRoQIX%2BSD5ieAQBRpknRYSYN00qt517XRQTsP56xUFDDViVUOanH%2BT0%2FHqH9Q4f3AfIV%2B%2BDjIaNDC2hR4bg%2F6hBF82Rv0gj6qVpHKlrGzCjwUHoAT21w5%2FvXaY%2B9T12rMS0Z3nPjA1UTh4tQHuA8czDTm%2B14w5liDg%2Bui4QUKrtajrvt81VAfeZAO3dimlEsK3wq%2Bs3X6gnBYf6sltWyV1IqZPeMdbNepzAckBTE6ak%3D|tkp%3ABk9SR77-4pTkYw

[Sauce Dog]

Dunno, maybe people think it looks like having a shot at being the highest graded copy on census (which is a 6.0)? Maybe there is a pedigree for it due to that marking on it? 

[jimbo_7071]

On 4/27/2024 at 9:30 PM, Sauce Dog said:

Dunno, maybe people think it looks like having a shot at being the highest graded copy on census (which is a 6.0)? Maybe there is a pedigree for it due to that marking on it? 

It could get a 5.0 grade from CGC but not a 6.0 grade. The mistake is in thinking that eBay bidders are rational. People's bids are usually driven by emotions—not wanting to "lose" since the auction houses have brainwashed people into thinking that a willingness to pay more for an item than anyone else on the planet makes you a "winner," FOMO (fear of missing out), mania due to bipolar disorder (which is often followed by depression and suicidal ideation over having spent too much money), etc.

And that's if it's a real sale. With eBay, you never know.

[comicjack]

Do we need a reason for any of the crazy stuff that happens nowadays 

[Sauce Dog]

On 4/27/2024 at 9:43 PM, jimbo_7071 said:

It could get a 5.0 grade from CGC but not a 6.0 grade. The mistake is in thinking that eBay bidders are rational. People's bids are usually driven by emotions—not wanting to "lose" since the auction houses have brainwashed people into thinking that a willingness to pay more for an item than anyone else on the planet makes you a "winner," FOMO (fear of missing out), mania due to bipolar disorder (which is often followed by depression and suicidal ideation over having spent too much money), etc.

And that's if it's a real sale. With eBay, you never know.

You assume most ebay bidders buying raw KNOW how to grade correctly  No need to bring emotion into it when lack of skill will suffice. I'm sure some of em were thinking that was an easy 7.0.

Edited April 28 by Sauce Dog

[jimbo_7071]

On 4/27/2024 at 10:35 PM, Sauce Dog said:

You assume most ebay bidders buying raw KNOW how to grade correctly  No need to bring emotion into it when lack of skill will suffice. I'm sure some of em were thinking that was an easy 7.0.

That is definitely possible! If that's what drove the price, then somebody is going to be disappointed.

[vheflin]

Likely a publicity stunt.

[ThothAmon]

On 4/28/2024 at 9:10 AM, vheflin said:

Likely a publicity stunt.

Do not try this at home. 
 

[ThothAmon]

Seriously though, in defense of the price, it’s a cool Biro cover of a rarely seen book with a history. I hope I have one but doubt it, as I’d remember the cover. 

 

[woowoo]

On 4/27/2024 at 7:35 PM, Sauce Dog said:

You assume most ebay bidders buying raw KNOW how to grade correctly  No need to bring emotion into it when lack of skill will suffice. I'm sure some of em were thinking that was an easy 7.0.

7.5 and I know how to grade when I have my glasses on

[Robot Man]

On 4/27/2024 at 6:43 PM, jimbo_7071 said:

It could get a 5.0 grade from CGC but not a 6.0 grade. The mistake is in thinking that eBay bidders are rational. People's bids are usually driven by emotions—not wanting to "lose" since the auction houses have brainwashed people into thinking that a willingness to pay more for an item than anyone else on the planet makes you a "winner," FOMO (fear of missing out), mania due to bipolar disorder (which is often followed by depression and suicidal ideation over having spent too much money), etc.

And that's if it's a real sale. With eBay, you never know.

Auctions only have high bidders NOT winners. The high bidder gets a minute or two of satisfaction then comes the reality of actually paying for that minute.

By the way, looks like a little possible shilling in the bidding history…

[Hepcat]

On 4/27/2024 at 9:43 PM, jimbo_7071 said:

And that's if it's a real sale. With eBay, you never know.

I suspect the item was "sold" to a shill bid. The seller was just trying to bid up the GPA for a comic in his possession that he hopes to sell in the next few months.

But who was the big name dealer of CGC comics whose account was briefly (all too briefly!) suspended by Ebay for shill bids some twelve years ago?

And was it Mastronet or Heritage who argued in court that they shoudn't all be jailed for shill bids because the practice wasn't illegal in Texas? Do they still do it all the time?

I recall back in 2005-06 Heritage had listed minimum opening bid levels for the comics in their catalogue. I pecked in my maximum bids for about six comics.  Well guess what? The bid prices posted the next day were all at my maximum instead of at the minimum in complete defiance of the laws of probability. When I phoned to "inquire" as to how this happened, they were confused. They had trouble even understanding my inquiry.

Edited April 28 by Hepcat

[goldust40]

On 4/28/2024 at 4:55 PM, Hepcat said:

I suspect the item was "sold" to a shill bid. The seller was just trying to bid up the GPA for a comic in his possession that he hopes to sell in the next few months.

But who was the big name dealer of CGC comics who's account was briefly (all too briefly!) suspended by Ebay for shill bids some twelve years ago?

And was it Mastronet or Heritage who argued in court that they shoudn't all be jailed for shill bids because the practice wasn't illegal in Texas? Do they still do it all the time?

I recall back in 2005-06 Heritage had listed minimum opening bid levels for the comics in their catalogue. I pecked in my maximum bids for about six comics.  Well guess what? The bid prices posted the next day were all at my maximum instead of at the minimum in complete defiance of the laws of probability. When I phoned to "inquire" as to how this happened, they were confused. They had trouble even understanding my inquiry.

I recall there was this thing called the Heritage Bump, but that's not quite it.

[jimbo_7071]

On 4/28/2024 at 11:55 AM, Hepcat said:

I suspect the item was "sold" to a shill bid. The seller was just trying to bid up the GPA for a comic in his possession that he hopes to sell in the next few months.

But who was the big name dealer of CGC comics who's account was briefly (all too briefly!) suspended by Ebay for shill bids some twelve years ago?

And was it Mastronet or Heritage who argued in court that they shoudn't all be jailed for shill bids because the practice wasn't illegal in Texas? Do they still do it all the time?

I recall back in 2005-06 Heritage had listed minimum opening bid levels for the comics in their catalogue. I pecked in my maximum bids for about six comics.  Well guess what? The bid prices posted the next day were all at my maximum instead of at the minimum in complete defiance of the laws of probability. When I phoned to "inquire" as to how this happened, they were confused. They had trouble even understanding my inquiry.

I don't know about the 2012 issue. Who was involved, exactly?

There's an online component to all of Heritage's auctions, and shill bidding in any online auction would amount to committing wire fraud, which is a federal crime (and all federal crimes are felonies).

If what you say about Heritage is true, then some of those Heritage employees should have been prosecuted; the federal laws against wire fraud were in place long before 2006. Are you in the U.S.? Did you file a complaint with the federal government? The statute of limitations would apply to your '05/'06 issues, but this is a link to the site you can use to file a complaint if you ever suspect that you're a victim of shill bidding again: Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).

[Hepcat]

No, I'm a Canadian.

Truthfully I think it was a case of Heritage employees not even knowing the rules of their own auction, i.e. that the first bid automatically shows up at the price of the minimum bid specified. Either that or poor communication resulting in dumb and clumsy computer programming on the part of whoever they hired to do the job. It was a moot point anyway since my initial bids were all blown out of the water.

Edited April 28 by Hepcat

[Hepcat]

Here though is the Mastronet case:

https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndil/pr/former-owner-mastro-auctions-sentenced-20-months-federal-prison-shill-bidding-scam

[fifties]

I've got almost the full run of CDNP.  Here's my copy of 133.

[Paul © ® ⚽️💙™]

On 4/28/2024 at 2:43 AM, jimbo_7071 said:

a willingness to pay more for an item than anyone else on the planet makes you a "winner," FOMO (fear of missing out), mania due to bipolar disorder (which is often followed by depression and suicidal ideation over having spent too much money), etc.

Well....that's cheered me up no end Jimbo...  

[D84]

[Paul © ® ⚽️💙™]

Anyone with auction 'fever'....