Questions regarding seller aardvarkps

[jkrk]

Just curious as others feel about the seller AArdvarkps? His Feedback looks great. I am suspicious of any seller selling as many raw "high priced books" as he has. My intuition tells me he is either selling somewhat overgraded books and or slipping in a few restored books with some non restored. The feedback simply indicates that he will make good if you decide on a return so buyer beware. I've rarely been able to "steal" very money raw books on E-Bay. Ocaasionally I'll make a good buy but the restorations often wipe out the edge. Any feeling on the seller?

[drbanner]

The feedback simply indicates that he will make good if you decide on a return so buyer beware.

 

I decided to return a $350 book I bought from him, got my refund no problem. Book was Ok, but not good enough for me at the time. I didn't suspect any undisclosed resto or anything...

[aardvark88]

He surprises me by selling so many raw silver Marvel keys every month. Seems like he has a huge inventory or is taking comics on consignment from his buddies. Latter may be why he has so many unslabbed key books.

[ArAich]

He surprises me by selling so many raw silver Marvel keys every month. Seems like he has a huge inventory or is taking comics on consignment from his buddies. Latter may be why he has so many unslabbed key books.

 

He doesn't like CGC since (as per his proclamation) he didn't like the grades he has recieved and felt that they were too harsh on his books...

[greggy]

He surprises me by selling so many raw silver Marvel keys every month. Seems like he has a huge inventory or is taking comics on consignment from his buddies. Latter may be why he has so many unslabbed key books.

 

He doesn't like CGC since (as per his proclamation) he didn't like the grades he has recieved and felt that they were too harsh on his books...

[sfilosa]

While I have thought about (and emailed him about) certain books, I never bought from him.

 

Most of the time, he has a decent reserve on his books and runs, therefore, it doesn't seem like he is a habitual overgrader (or seller of restored books). It's not like he sells book at bargain basement prices. As long as he is willing to make a transaction right, then it might (I said might) be worth the chance.

 

But I also am concerned about RESTORATION anytime I see a high-grade, expensive (say $300 or up) book for sale and it's not CGC'd.

 

 

[ArAich]

Don't misconstrue my post as a slam of this seller...he seems to offer some nice books ...I just wanted to answer why he doesn't have more CGC books for sale...

 

[COI]

From what I've seen he deals in a lot of VF to VF/NM stuff, which is a range that's not always advantagous for a seller to slab.

 

Case in point:

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2188278182&category=32745

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2187945754&category=32745

 

From what I'm told is seen at major shows, most collectors are still buying raw, especially those who collect in the VF-VF/NM range. A lot of them will not even look at slabbed books. Most of the major dealers still keep a large inventory of raw stock in this grade range, and guys like Superworld don't seem to handle CGC's at all. Maybe aardvarkps just chosen to collect/sell in this niche. Not every comic seller is driven purely to maximize their profit.

 

It's unfortunate that it has gotten to a point where there is automatic suspicion if someone tries to sell a high grade book without getting it slabbed, but I know better than anyone that it's not unfounded. But there's a clear difference in my mind between a seller listing raw books in the VF-VF/NM range, and a seller listing early silvers as NM/MT.

[ubiquiti]

I would rather buy raw...

Prices on cgc stuff over 9.0 are just silly for any book I would want..

I'll pay 1/2 the price for a nice looking raw book and take my chances.

 

[Rickdogg]

But there's a clear difference in my mind between a seller listing raw books in the VF-VF/NM range, and a seller listing early silvers as NM/MT.

 

I wonder who does that....

[greggy]

But there's a clear difference in my mind between a seller listing raw books in the VF-VF/NM range, and a seller listing early silvers as NM/MT.

 

I wonder who does that....

[ubiquiti]

me.

[500Club]

It's unfortunate that it has gotten to a point where there is automatic suspicion if someone tries to sell a high grade book without getting it slabbed, but I know better than anyone that it's not unfounded. But there's a clear difference in my mind between a seller listing raw books in the VF-VF/NM range, and a seller listing early silvers as NM/MT.

 

This is so true.... especially if the book is raw and being sold as NM. The immediate gut reaction is A) the guy can't grade - it's not really NM or B) if it's NM, why hasn't he had it graded?

 

In some cases, this can lead to bargains, but there are sharks in those waters, to be sure.

[spidermanbeyond]

I think he is probably a honest seller. I sold him a restored DD#1 and he quickly resold with the same restoration disclosure. He did relist it as VF/NM. My grade was VF- to VF 8.0. So he probably overgrades like most sellers out there. I would expect 1/2 to 1 grade lower on high grade raw books. Mid-grade and low-grade sellers are usually more accurate.

[drbanner]

Interesting, and if it helps anyone in the future...he recently bought a CGC VG 4.0 FF 12 with a VF+ looking front cover, but with a big, gnarly tape stain/damage on the back cover. Hmmmm...one might crack it open, call it a F+, put a nice/big scan of the front cover in your listing, and note "small amount of tape damage on back cover", might one???

[chromium]

Good thing you picked up on this Doc...He outbid me on the FF12 and in few months time I would have prolly forgotten about it and if your scenario played out I would have bid....

[drbanner]

No problem...the only reason I remember is that I was outbid too!!

[chrisco37]

I've bought from him before, and he seems legit to me. A little bit of overgrading, but nothing really glaring. He did list every flaw in his description. Just bid accordingly using "eBay common sense" and realize that there is over-grade possibility by .5 (CGC).

 

Chris

[MrNice-migration]

Banner,

 

Why do you make these observations that include projections that didn't happen? You constantly do this.

 

The guy buys an FF in VG and there you go with your wild predictions that you're already "certain" of, supposing the worst scenarios of even the most innocent of transactioins.

 

Because you are distrustful and dishonest..is this why you always take the "low-road" or are you just the consummate prognosticator? Is this simply a case where you project your own foibles that you hate about yourself, that you perceive are present in others when you make your projections about scenarios that didn't happen, wouldn't happen, couldn't happen?

 

Listen to yourself, Banner, "Dealer X bought a VG _______, he's PROBABLY GOING TO__________".

 

Why is it that you lead the Forum in "Catting Average" (Yes "Catty", like women talking about each other) for constantly making these statements/predictions and not ONE of them has come to fruitation as of yet?

 

At one point do you come back on here and say, "I was wrong. I was watching his auctions for an entire (fill in the time duration) and he never did what I predicted...I called him a cheat and I was wrong"?

 

You DON'T. That's the problem. You spread untruths and make slanderous projections about specifics that never happen, and then shrug your shoulders and forget about being man enough to admit that you were wrong AGAIN.

[mrwoogieman]

Can I get a popcorn munchin' graemlin here?!