Anybody bidding in Vintage Authentics Auction

[earlywynnfan]

I guess the Feds and lack of working phone and all else didn't keep the bidders away. I got blown out on everything I bid on.

I was also VERY disappointed to find out there was a hidden reserve on the Tony Oliva bat. Personally, I hate when auction houses do that.

Ken
earlywynnfan5@hotmail.com

[seven4five20]

Has anyone who consigned with Vintage for this auction heard from them? I talked to a representative today and basically got nothing out of him except that the feds (wouldnt tell me what branch) have possession of all the items and that they were going to return the items deemed genuine. Returns will apparently happen after they develop a process to determine which items are authentic......what does everyone think? I for one am ticked. I also asked him what about the items that the feds deem "non-authentic". All my items are 100% authentic, I want reimbursement from Vintage if some Star Wars geek at the IRS deems something non-authentic and it gets destroyed.

[nickacs]

WHAT? They better not be returning WINNING bid items?!? I will be so freakin pissed if they do. Then what's the point of continuing the auction if nothing was going to be sold??? The Feds should've just shut the whole operation down and clean house rather than continue with a "fake" auction for no reason and get people's hopes up on getting paid for their items

[eagraham35]

My understanding all items won means business as usual. If you won an item you will receive it.

A buddy of mine had some items in this auction and got a call letting him know what was happening. Basically what's already been said, somehow the Feds will be "authenticating" items themselves. If they find them genuine by their standard, then the items will be shipped back to the consignor (owner). There is no time table nor was there any mention of how they would deem an item authentic. Basically he was told to sit back and do nothing.

Every item I was watching in the VA auction and the Paragon auction has been pulled. The initial reaction is to assume they were bogus. But some items from both auctions had grey flannel paperwork and one had MLB authentication. So assuming they were bogus is not realistic. The Feds must have just grabbed stuff by the truckload.

[Mark17]

... Basically what's already been said, somehow the Feds will be "authenticating" items themselves. If they find them genuine by their standard, then the items will be shipped back to the consignor (owner). There is no time table nor was there any mention of how they would deem an item authentic. Basically he was told to sit back and do nothing.

Now the question is, who will the Feds get to do authentications? One of the items pulled already had a Lampson LOA.

[DeacDoug]

Even as a relative liberal, I do not believe the feds should be getting into the authentication business. I would rather have them trace the origin of the items deemed dubious. Basically, forging "gamers" is a white collar or perhaps blue collar crime for which enforcement will be lacking and penalties not severe. See Wall Street!

[mmonte4]

I was the high bidder on the 2001 Pats Super Bowl ring. Unfortunately it didn't meet the reserve

[Mark17]

Even as a relative liberal, I do not believe the feds should be getting into the authentication business. I would rather have them trace the origin of the items deemed dubious. Basically, forging "gamers" is a white collar or perhaps blue collar crime for which enforcement will be lacking and penalties not severe. See Wall Street!

Sports memorabilia is big-time business, and there's plenty of fakes, forgeries, and criminal activity going on, as there often is with that much money involved. The Feds apparently recognize this and are investigating, as they would any other illegal activity. They have to start somewhere. I always though one of the many things liberals and conservatives agreed on was the need for some government, and that laws and law enforcement was a necessary and just function of government.

Saying it's white or blue collar, or comparing it to something bigger, like Wall Street, is like saying they shouldn't worry about investigating theft, because murder is so much worse.

One of the huge contributions of this forum is that it has exposed probably hundreds of highly questionable items, but us pointing them out isn't going to do anything to protect people who aren't aware of the forum. I'm glad law enforcement is taking the problem seriously. We can call bogus items to each others' attention, but they can actually DO something about it.

[sylbry]

Sports memorabilia is big-time business, and there's plenty of fakes, forgeries, and criminal activity going on, as there often is with that much money involved. The Feds apparently recognize this and are investigating, as they would any other illegal activity. They have to start somewhere. I always though one of the many things liberals and conservatives agreed on was the need for some government, and that laws and law enforcement was a necessary and just function of government.

Saying it's white or blue collar, or comparing it to something bigger, like Wall Street, is like saying they shouldn't worry about investigating theft, because murder is so much worse.

One of the huge contributions of this forum is that it has exposed probably hundreds of highly questionable items, but us pointing them out isn't going to do anything to protect people who aren't aware of the forum. I'm glad law enforcement is taking the problem seriously. We can call bogus items to each others' attention, but they can actually DO something about it.

Well said Mark.

[nickacs]

I received an update today from Steve (a voicemail & email) that my check is in the mail. I may have gotten really lucky as the winner paid the next day after the auction closed last week Friday.

So, I just wanted to let others that might have consigned this is a good sign!