roadsmith
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posted on July 2, 2007 08:19:23 PM new
Hi, all: A few weeks ago I bought a duffle bag full of Hollywood memorabilia, and mostly Christmas cards sent in the '50s by movie stars etc. to a famous Hollywood photographer. I paid $20 total.
Tonight I made nearly $1,000 on five listings from the pile, and my poor brain cannot compute the profit I've made thus far on my $20 investment. Sold 4 out of 5 listed.
show detail '50s POP-UP CHRISTMAS CARD from Dean Martin/Jerry Lewis 220125462898 $931.00 280 28 07/02/07
show detail 1955 Xmas Card~Nicholas BRODSZKY autograph~"Be My Love" 220125458661 $36.00 37 2 07/02/07
show detail 1958 "VERTIGO" world premiere package + tickets 220125457651 $415.00 91 15 07/02/07
show detail 1963 ~ Sally Rand's Birthday Party Invite, Vegas Mint 220125456546 $2.99 32 0 07/02/07
show detail 1950-'58 SIX ACADEMY AWARDS TICKETS 220125456497 $338.33 111 13 07/02/07
Results like this don't happen to me very often at all, so this is a real shocker. I had no real idea what the items were worth. I still have 6 large manila envelopes stuffed with more Christmas cards, probably dozens of them, perhaps as many as 150 or 200.
_____________________
There is more to life than increasing its speed. --Mahatma Gandhi
[ edited by roadsmith on Jul 2, 2007 08:20 PM ]
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Shopchicly
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posted on July 2, 2007 08:29:18 PM new
CONGRATULATIONS! that's fantastic. Happy for you.
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TheFamilyBiz
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posted on July 2, 2007 08:29:28 PM new
Major CONGRATS to you!
Wayne
Never explain -- Your friends do not need it and your enemies will not believe you anyway.
~ Elbert Hubbard
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irked
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posted on July 2, 2007 08:29:43 PM new
Congrats! What a nice way to make your day. Hope you let them lited and make lots more.
I know I just love deals like that a windfall on a slight investment. Wow.
**************
 I married my wife for her looks, but Not the one she gives me lately!
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bjboswell
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posted on July 2, 2007 08:30:18 PM new
Road I am thrilled for you!!! What a wonderful thing to happen to such a nice and deserving person! YIPPIE 4 U 
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roadsmith
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posted on July 2, 2007 08:46:17 PM new
Thanks, y'all. It actually frightens me a little when numbers like that come in; I get all sweaty and scared, for some reason. It could be fear of success! or it could be fear of unhappy buyers over something I left out in the description. Whatever, it was anxiety-producing this evening, along with lots of other sales.
I guess the big-money collectors of Hollywood stuff are out there, wads of cash in hand.
At the yard sale where I bought the pile of these things, I was just looking around and ready to leave, seeing nothing that I liked, when I heard the young man in the back say "Who was Loretta Young?" Lots of us oldsters swiveled around and then laughed. Had he not asked that question, I would have gone on my way instead of buying this pile of goodies.
_____________________
There is more to life than increasing its speed. --Mahatma Gandhi
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blueyes29
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posted on July 2, 2007 09:00:36 PM new
Congrats, Roadsmith! Good for you and continued good fortune on the remaining items! Aside from the terrific sales, it must be LOTS of fun going through the items and seeing what you've got. Sort of like Christmas in July. I love hearing stories like yours!
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mcjane
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posted on July 2, 2007 09:01:51 PM new
Holy Mackrel, you really hit the jackpot.
I love it when someone comes up with a find like this & more to come too.
Let us know each time you sell some.
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GeneralFunds
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posted on July 3, 2007 01:05:00 AM new
Congrats! I'm so happy for you. Continued good luck with the rest.
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niel35
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posted on July 3, 2007 01:35:16 AM new
Congratulations Adele
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aintrichyet
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posted on July 3, 2007 01:39:58 AM new
WOW! Unreal!!! ... and whose yard
sale was it, anyway?! LOL...
what a great find! congrats!@!!
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pmelcher
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posted on July 3, 2007 02:04:23 AM new
What a great find, enjoy your good fortune. I bet it is fun going through all that stuff!!
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twig125silver
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posted on July 3, 2007 05:01:43 AM new
Congratulations!
That Dean Martin/Jerry Lewis card was great!
It never ceases to amaze me the prices some paper goods go for!
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LtRay
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posted on July 3, 2007 05:05:25 AM new
WHooHooo INDEED!!!!
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aintrichyet
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posted on July 3, 2007 06:27:09 AM new
i can't WAIT to see how the rest of your booty goes for, adele! ...
...couldn't have happened to a nicer person.
...and just think! it's YOURS (instead of
listing for others on consignment)...
you GO girl!
marcia/ohio
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amber
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posted on July 3, 2007 06:27:35 AM new
Congratulations roadsmith, good for you! That is my dream and I guess every other eBay seller. It's never happened to me yet, but I keep hoping.
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aintrichyet
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posted on July 3, 2007 06:30:43 AM new
... by the way, i'll do the math for ya
LOL
$1,720.33 for the 4 items that sold!
(i'm surprised the sally rand invitation
didn't sell... that's unique, too)
marcia/ohio
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merrie
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posted on July 3, 2007 07:32:39 AM new
Like I said in another post, there are still treasures out there. That's what makes Ebay great and it is on CORE listings, not store or BINs.
I, too, get nervous when something goes higher than expected, buyer's remorse, etc, but it rarely happens. Buyers of this type of memorabilia are pretty savy. Congratulations!!Love these kind of posts. Keeps me interested in the hunt.
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etexbill
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posted on July 3, 2007 07:54:50 AM new
Congrats. The mention of Sally Rand brings back memories. I snuck into her show at The State Fair of Texas at the ripe old age of 16. Let's see, that was how many years ago? Well, NEVER MIND.
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roadsmith
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posted on July 3, 2007 09:27:12 AM new
The Sally Rand press invitation was just a simple white card, no frills, not pretty, so I guess I'm not surprised it didn't sell. If anyone here wants it (like the person who sneaked into her show years ago), let me know and I'll send it free. I just realized that the Sally Rand item wasn't from the Christmas card collection at all; it came from my year as a reporter for a big newspaper in Las Vegas, in the early 60s. I was the newbie there and got all that sort of stuff on my desk, to sort through and decide what's newsworthy. Fun year.
Paper goods, ephemera, etc., are my very favorite things to sell on eBay. And unfortunately they're the first things to be thrown into the dumpster when family is closing out a house after a death. Makes me nuts to think of how many valuable paper items are destroyed.
Whose yard sale was it? Evidently, it was either one for the Hollywood photographer himself (many So. California celebs have had places up here in our mountain town--Charles Laughton, Dolly Parton, various actors and musicians)--the photographer to whom the cards were mailed, or someone who'd gotten the batch from that photographer. It was a moving sale, and I didn't know the sellers, let alone remember where the house was (you know how that can happen!), or I'd pass along a small portion of my profits from last night.
_____________________
There is more to life than increasing its speed. --Mahatma Gandhi
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mingotree
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posted on July 3, 2007 11:03:31 AM new
Congrats Roadsmith! What fun! And I'm hardly jealous at all
Boxes of old paper stuff nobody bids on or buys are my favorite things to pick up...even if they're duds, they're fun to look through....the ultimate treasure chest without all those icky gold coins and jewels!
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zoomin
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posted on July 3, 2007 01:05:02 PM new
 Way to go, roadsmith!
Wishing you many more happy dances with the rest of your stash!
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OhMsLucy
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posted on July 3, 2007 03:16:04 PM new
Wonderful, wonderful!!
Good for you!
Lucy
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mamachia
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posted on July 3, 2007 05:16:42 PM new
Congrats Adele!!!
Wow, those ending prices seem like the old days of Ebay.
I love paper, you never know what it can bring if the right bidders are there.
Mama
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toasted36
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posted on July 3, 2007 06:04:07 PM new
Woohoo !! You go girl !! Happy dancing for you too !!
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glassgrl
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posted on July 3, 2007 06:05:01 PM new
your flow blue platter didn't do too badly either.
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roadsmith
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posted on July 3, 2007 07:41:02 PM new
Glassgrl: The flow-blue platter I was selling on consignment for a friend. I was hoping it would go higher, but you know how it is these days. It's the genuine article, from mid-1800s, very heavy, wonderful.
_____________________
There is more to life than increasing its speed. --Mahatma Gandhi
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roadsmith
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posted on July 4, 2007 01:24:29 PM new
UPDATE: Aaaargh. The buyer of the $923 item just emailed this to me:
"Hello;
I am a serious bidder and I want to honour my bid.
I did not know the bid would be so high...But this is my responsability.
I'll need some time to put the money together.
My birthday is the 27 th of july and I'll get the amount without any problem.
The question is : do you want to hold the item until then please ?
Hope to hear good news from you.
Thanks for your understanding and your patience."
Did not know the bid would be so high?! Hmmm. I surely hope this one goes smoothly and that his family and friends are generous on his birthday! I've told him that, yes, I'll wait but to keep in touch with me on this.
THIS is why I sweat and get anxious when I sell something for lots of money.
_____________________
There is more to life than increasing its speed. --Mahatma Gandhi
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merrie
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posted on July 4, 2007 02:15:12 PM new
roadsmith: been there, done that. You get excited, then the stories start and when the smoke clears the other bidders have lost interest, also. Hope it works out.
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max40
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posted on July 4, 2007 02:19:35 PM new
At least he sounds sincere. When that happens to me, they just disappear. Your chances are pretty good of completing the sale.
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