Biggest Regrets......

[Dieter3]

Let's hear your stories! I've never had any selling regrets (yet), but God knows I've passed up far too many things for sale where I figured they'd just end up being too expensive only to find they sold for prices I could actually have afforded!!

One that sticks out in my mind though was a really nice Boxer Rebellion medal, cased - pics. can be deceiving, but it was a very clean looking piece, nice case, no damage, not perfect - but nice:

Sold for around $350.00 U.S., not the cheapest I've seen, but I've not seen many for sale this nice that have sold for that price! What kills me is not only did I not bid on it, but the buyer ended up taking the case lid, and then it ended up back for auction, WITHOUT the lid. What a bummer, IMHO!

What are your experiences with passing up a sweet deal or parting with something that you shouldn't have??

Edited January 6, 2010 by Dieter3

[Kryptos]

So far no regrets Japanese wise but there was this German Weimar era Sister's Cross on auction a month or so ago. Ended up selling for 45Euro. I knew about the auction and remembered to check on it 2 hours after it closed. I was then I took a deep breath and went again.

Edited January 6, 2010 by Kryptos

[khorgor]

biggest regret was paying over $125 for an 8th class order of the rising sun.....

this is what happens when you don't research

no regrest for selling yet. I will be holding onto that 8th class for years so the bugger may repay me one day.

[Paul L Murphy]

My biggest selling regret was a group of over 40 documents and certificates to a Warrant Officer in the Kempeitai. I made a very nice profit on them but I should have kept them (I was young and foolish). He had served from 1894 until the 1930s, it was a beautiful group. Sigh........ :banger:

[Dieter3]

YIKES!!

[Gunjinantiques]

I'm sure the guy who just won this (eBay item# 120515972190) will regret it. The seller put this for the title and description: Title: "WWII JAPANESE NAVY YOKAREN STUDENT SWORD AWARD 1930'S" and description: "HERE'S A RARE ITEM, IT IS A WATCH FOB AWARD, PRESENTED TO A STUDENT IN THE JAPANESE NAVY YOKAREN PROGRAM (STUDENT PREPPING FOR NAVAL FLYERS SCHOOL) IT IS DATE IN 1930'S AND GIVEN FOR SUPERIOR SWORDSMANSHIP , NOTE THE KAMIKAZI INSIGNIA OF CHRYS FLOATING ON WATER ON FRONT, AND MILITARY WREATH ON REVERSE, COMES WITH THE NICE WATCH CHAIN SHOWN IN THE PHOTOS, AND THE PAPERBOARD BOX. sOLD AS SHOWN."

I emailed the guy and said that who ever sold it to him wasn't honest in the translation, that it should be this:

"The kanji on front reads KEN (Sword), which is short for KENDO (The Way of the Sword). The back reads DAI 6 KAI NICHIDAI KOUGYOU KENDO BU (The 6th Nihon University Industrial Kendo Club) and KOUKI 2595 (Imperial Year of 1935). The symbol in the center is the Nihon University symbol. "Nichidai" is short for Nihon Daigaku: http://en.wikipedia....ihon_University"

The seller replied with a very nasty message to me. Obviously he knew he trying to pass off a kendo medal as being Japanese navy related. Lot's of BS on eBay now more than ever. I guess when times get tough people resort to lying. It was a cool badge too, no reason to lie about it! Silly.

[Dieter3]

Ah, that's not cool at all. What's that saying? - "Buyer Beware!" - It's lame that people do stuff like that to begin with, but buyers really need to make sure they know what they are buying, do that research!!

[Gunjinantiques]

Ah, that's not cool at all. What's that saying? - "Buyer Beware!" - It's lame that people do stuff like that to begin with, but buyers really need to make sure they know what they are buying, do that research!!

We wouldn't even need the maxim, "buyer beware," if the seller was honest. Looking for short term gains by lying to customers is such a bad business plan, he'll regret it in the end no doubt.

Edited January 18, 2010 by Gunjinantiques

[Jareth]

Let me guess....cupman?

[Gunjinantiques]

Let me guess....cupman?

Get stung too? I hope not.

[Kryptos]

Yes, the collecting community is a lot smaller than some sellers may think. And word gets around very quickly. The sad thing is that they will never run out of stock of the new, the uninitiated and the pure suckers. Here in SA I see so many sellers make a living even when selling fakes and overpriced items. And I remember how it was a a brand new collector. You felt you could buy anything and then...

Really hope the Japanese area does not become as convoluted as the German one currently is. :banger:

[Gunjinantiques]

Yes, the collecting community is a lot smaller than some sellers may think. And word gets around very quickly. The sad thing is that they will never run out of stock of the new, the uninitiated and the pure suckers. Here in SA I see so many sellers make a living even when selling fakes and overpriced items. And I remember how it was a a brand new collector. You felt you could buy anything and then...

Really hope the Japanese area does not become as convoluted as the German one currently is.

I couldn't agree more. Some people think they can pass stuff off without people getting wise to them. Perhaps they feel emboldened by the fact they sell over the net and not have to lie to a buyer's face. And again, you're too right, there's a constant flow of newbies ready to hand them over cash for items they have no idea about. My philosophy is, "hey, I'm sure there's some person into silk weaving out there that would love a WWII era Greater Japan Silk Weaving Association membership badge. No reason to pass it off as some Imperial Japanese Army this or Navy that..." And no reason to lay awake at night fretting about how I cheated someone. The only thing I want keeping me up at night is the History Channel or when Band of Brothers is on at 2 am on some odd channel. Oh, and booze & girls!

Edited January 18, 2010 by Gunjinantiques

[Kryptos]

I couldn't agree more. Some people think they can pass stuff off without people getting wise to them. Perhaps they feel emboldened by the fact they sell over the net and not have to lie to a buyer's face. And again, you're too right, there's a constant flow of newbies ready to hand them over cash for items they have no idea about. My philosophy is, "hey, I'm sure there's some person into silk weaving out there that would love a WWII era Greater Japan Silk Weaving Association membership badge. No reason to pass it off as some Imperial Japanese Army this or Navy that..." And no reason to lay awake at night fretting about how I cheated someone. The only thing I want keeping me up at night is the History Channel or when Band of Brothers is on at 2 am on some odd channel. Oh, and booze & girls!

One thing they don't realise is very few noobs will just jump in and buy the investment pieces so being an honest dealer that takes some time to build reputation will still benefit in the long run.

Hey just rewatched BoB last week, this time in high definition. What a series, even with the odd flaw here and there.:cheers:

[Gunjinantiques]

One thing they don't realise is very few noobs will just jump in and buy the investment pieces so being an honest dealer that takes some time to build reputation will still benefit in the long run.

Hey just rewatched BoB last week, this time in high definition. What a series, even with the odd flaw here and there.

I'll never get tired of BoB! The greatness of the series outshines any small flaws. And I'm not saying that just because one of the people involved in making it is a good customer of mine either I hear a Pacific War version is due out soon. Don't know details. Hey, I'm

[Dieter3]

Get stung too? I hope not.

Uh oh, sounds like this dude has a reputation!

[Brian Wolfe]

My biggest regret was selling off most of my collection thinking it would save my first marriage. Word to the wise guys, it will not make any differece...if she's walking she's walking. The collection was put together in the 1960's and 70's and consisted of Imperial German and TR medals and photos, British medals and decorations as well as edged weapons and firearms some of which were full autos, in working condition. I'll never see the likes of them again.

Not to be sexist, the same advice goes for any of the ladies reading this.

On the other hand if I took what I have now and added what I sold; where would I put everything?

Regards

Brian

[Dieter3]

On the other hand if I took what I have now and added what I sold; where would I put everything?

Regards

Brian

Oh, you'd have found a place.......

[Dieter3]

biggest regret was paying over $125 for an 8th class order of the rising sun.....

this is what happens when you don't research

no regrest for selling yet. I will be holding onto that 8th class for years so the bugger may repay me one day.

Don't feel too bad - I've knowingly put hundreds of dollars in to otherwise junk firearms just to get a single part off of 'em!! My wife doesn't know this.......

Edited January 18, 2010 by Dieter3

[alex82]

I'll never get tired of BoB! The greatness of the series outshines any small flaws. And I'm not saying that just because one of the people involved in making it is a good customer of mine either I hear a Pacific War version is due out soon. Don't know details. Hey, I'm

I payed 80$ for a 8th class rising sun in very bad condition, but this was before I found this site...

And about the BoB follower , because I'm a big fan too, it is called "the Pacific"; same concept same producers!

The Trailer looks awesome: http://www.hbo.com/events/pacific/ or http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Pacific_%28miniseries%29