[ronfir]

This is kind of a long story, my first big trade was back in 2001 when SP Legendary Cuts was first release. I love the history of baseball and never thought I would ever own any autographs of the ALL TIME GREATS.

So back in 2001, I saw this card on eBay. The seller lived about 30 miles away so I contacted him. He didn't care about the card only wanted cards that would sell for $2,500 on eBay. I ended up trading some Joe Montana, Troy Aikman, A-Rod and some basketball cards and got this in return.



Later that year, I found this card on eBay and made another deal. I don't remember what I traded to get it but I was happy



Fast forward a couple years and I see a Honus Wagner card on ebay. I contact the seller and he owns a card store in southern California and all he wants is cards that will yield him a price of $2,500. I traded him some Sandy Koufax, Willie Mays autos, plus some other cards and I got this Wagner



Later on that summer I check eBay and the card store owner had this card up for sale and I again contact him.



I ended up trading a 1997 Upper Deck legends Johnny Unitas auto, a Michael Jordan auto, some other misc. baseball autos and 1/1 Jackie Robinson cut auto jacket from Donruss for the card. He had a customer who was putting the 97 UD Legend set together and was only the Unitas short of the set and he had a huge Dodger collector as a customer so he knew he could get his money back in a hurry.

Okay, having a Babe Ruth auto was my all time collecting life goal. Years later I see a Satchell Paige on ebay and I contact the seller, Sure he will trade but he sends me his phone number to call him ASAP. I call he asked about the Ruth, I tell him no it is not for sale or trade. He then asked if he could come up with another Ruth would I trade? I say maybe all depends?

Two days later he calls back and said we have a deal on this Paige

Here is the Paige





Then he tells me he has a 1/1 Murder's Row Quad auto he will trade for my Ruth but that his card should be worth about $3,000 more than my Ruth cut. We go back and forth over a two day period with me trying to come up with more trade value and we get within $300 of the deal and I finally say enough is enough. I am keeping my Ruth, I am happy with it. I call and tell the guy, that we do not have a trade, I am keeping my Ruth. The guy sounded very sad but said he understood. I was at one of our locals when we had this conversation.

I leave and start for home, the guy calls me and says, he has to have my Ruth card and he will trade this 1/1 Quad auto straight up for my Ruth and not only that to make sure I like the card, he will send the Quad first so I can have it in hand to see. The autos have also been authenticated by James Spence and he will include that in the trade.

Back


Front




So I thought that was too good of a deal to pass up and now I have this as the center piece of my collection. Grateful for photobucket as these stay in a very nice safe deposit box in a big bank.

That's my story.


Oh, I forgot

I also traded some football and hockey autos for these two baseball cards a few years later



and this 1/1



All of this was done back in the days when trading was possible.

Good luck to you in future deals.