eBay auctions posted by people on crack

[Sher]

Given the fact that it's a swap - i don't think he has any intention of selling them, no matter what the price. I think he's just using it as a way to advertising those that he wants to swap, but I could be wrong.

No, that is not what "Swap Playing Cards" means.

It basically means individual cards rather than a complete deck.

It started back in (I think) the 1930s or 1940s, when kids started collecting one card each from various decks of playing cards. The "goal" was to collect as many different backs as possible. Often, the cards were displayed in photo albums (which, back then, had pages made of construction paper, and adhesive "corners" were used to hold photos (or, in this case, playing cards) in place, back side up, on the pages.

Often, the kids would obtain an entire deck, put one card from it into their collection, and keep the rest to swap/trade with other kids at school who had similar collections, thus the term "swap cards" was born. I have heard that sometimes the kids would organize a specific day at school where each of the kids who collected swap cards would bring a full deck to school, and the swapping would commence!

This was evidently popular enough at one point that specific albums were manufactured for it, with covers with titles like "My Playing Cards" on them.

the kids(mostly girls, apparently) often collected only cards with backs of a specific "theme" (flowers, landscapes, pets, etc), or divided their album into sections each containing only backs with a given theme.

I have run across some of these albums - some still containing playing cards, some empty - at antique stores.

I said that mostly girls had these collections because I have met a number of older women (at playing card collector conventions) who had such collections when they were little girls, some of them still collecting single cards (or "swap cards") to this day. The CPCC (Chicago Playing Card Collectors) Club was originally formed by some of these people.

I think that little girls collected them back then in response to boys collecting baseball cards and such.

If you search eBay for "Swap Playing Cards" you will see lots of auctions with "swap playing cards" in their descriptions. I think these are marketed towards buyers who are still collecting individual cards (rather than decks) rather than they are looking to actually swap cards.

Thanks for this. It was really interesting to read and learn about the history of swap cards. I've come across them on eBay before.

[RSLancastr]

Thanks for this. It was really interesting to read and learn about the history of swap cards. I've come across them on eBay before.

You're welcome - I'm glad that you found it informative.

As I started reading through your post, I spaced out that the bulk of it was quoting me, and found myself thinking "Yes, this Sher143 has the same understanding of swap cards that I do". I knew that I had posted about the subject earlier in the thread/topic, and was just about to post saying something like "Yes, I explained this upthread somewhere" when I read your "thanks" at the end, then scrolled back up and found that it was -my own post that I was agreeing with!

One day, Back in the 1980s or 90s, I purchased a software-related magazine at a computer store, and sat down to read it at lunch.

In the "Letters to the Editor" section was a letter titled "Your [date] Article about Shareware" which caught my eye (I heavily used Shareware programs back then, and had even written and released some Shareware games myself, so the topic was of great interest to me.

The letter-writer took exception to some of the comments about Shareware in the article in question, and set about correcting some misconceptions he (or she) felt that the article-writer had.

As I read the letter, I found myself thinking "YESSS!!! This guy really knows what he is talking about!"

As you've probably guessed, when I got to the end of the letter, I was surprised to see that it was signed:

Bob Lancaster,
Shareware Author

I had totally forgotten that I had read the article a few months ago (the magazine was published every other month), and had written in about it to the editor!

[th4mo]

There's an easier way than that. After clicking "Quote" on one post, just scroll down and click "Quote" again on another one (posts appear below the "Post a reply" window in reverse chronological order).

Now THAT is a GREAT tip!

MUCH easier than the obnoxious cut and paste method...

Thanks Sviatch!

[montecarlojoe]

Even better - when in reply mode, if you scroll down and highlight a bit of a post and click quote, only that bit is quoted.

[MagikFingerz]

Even better - when in reply mode, if you scroll down and highlight a bit of a post and click quote, only that bit is quoted.

That IS even better! Hot diggity

[hikeeba]

Even better - when in reply mode, if you scroll down and highlight a bit of a post and click quote, only that bit is quoted.

Even better - when in reply mode, if you scroll down and highlight a bit of a post and click quote, only that bit is quoted.

That IS even better! Hot diggity

There's an easier way than that. After clicking "Quote" on one post, just scroll down and click "Quote" again on another one (posts appear below the "Post a reply" window in reverse chronological order).

Now THAT is a GREAT tip!

MUCH easier than the obnoxious cut and paste method...

Thanks Sviatch!

Cool! Oh yeah:

CLICK TO VIEW LISTING

[RSLancastr]

Even better - when in reply mode, if you scroll down and highlight a bit of a post and click quote, only that bit is quoted.

Even better - when in reply mode, if you scroll down and highlight a bit of a post and click quote, only that bit is quoted.

That IS even better! Hot diggity

It all gets a bit scrambled, but it works!

[Sher]

Thanks for this. It was really interesting to read and learn about the history of swap cards. I've come across them on eBay before.

You're welcome - I'm glad that you found it informative.

As I started reading through your post, I spaced out that the bulk of it was quoting me, and found myself thinking "Yes, this Sher143 has the same understanding of swap cards that I do". I knew that I had posted about the subject earlier in the thread/topic, and was just about to post saying something like "Yes, I explained this upthread somewhere" when I read your "thanks" at the end, then scrolled back up and found that it was -my own post that I was agreeing with!

One day, Back in the 1980s or 90s, I purchased a software-related magazine at a computer store, and sat down to read it at lunch.

In the "Letters to the Editor" section was a letter titled "Your [date] Article about Shareware" which caught my eye (I heavily used Shareware programs back then, and had even written and released some Shareware games myself, so the topic was of great interest to me.

The letter-writer took exception to some of the comments about Shareware in the article in question, and set about correcting some misconceptions he (or she) felt that the article-writer had.

As I read the letter, I found myself thinking "YESSS!!! This guy really knows what he is talking about!"

As you've probably guessed, when I got to the end of the letter, I was surprised to see that it was signed:

Bob Lancaster,
Shareware Author

I had totally forgotten that I had read the article a few months ago (the magazine was published every other month), and had written in about it to the editor!

But isn't it nice to read something you completely forgot was written by you, and find that you still agree with yourself?

[RSLancastr]

But isn't it nice to read something you completely forgot was written by you, and find that you still agree with yourself?

I wonder if this sort of thing happens to Stephen King...

[Sher]

But isn't it nice to read something you completely forgot was written by you, and find that you still agree with yourself?

I wonder if this sort of thing happens to Stephen King...

Haha. I remember Stephen King saying Stephenie Meyer (author if Twilight) "couldn't write a darn" and fans of Twilight were accusing him of being jealous. I hope he never takes that back.

[RSLancastr]

But isn't it nice to read something you completely forgot was written by you, and find that you still agree with yourself?

I wonder if this sort of thing happens to Stephen King...

Haha. I remember Stephen King saying Stephenie Meyer (author if Twilight) "couldn't write a darn" and fans of Twilight were accusing him of being jealous. I hope he never takes that back.

I've never read any of Meyer's books, but I have enjoyed MANY of King's.

Not only can the man write, he also TAUGHT writing for many years, so I would be inclined to listen to his critique of someone's writing, no matter how many copies of that person's books had sold.

As someone once wrote:

Nobody ever went broke underestimating the taste of the American public

[shadowkat]

I worked in the book industry for years and I love Stephen King, AND think he is a great writer. You'd be surprised how many pretentious booksellers look down on him. You really don't have to be a good writer to sell a lot of books. Prime example for me, Dan Brown. I tried to read Da Vinci Code so many times and just couldn't get past the writing. Look at Danielle Steel too. That woman's books sell like crazy. Anne Rice tells a good story but doesn't write well. I'll wrap it up by saying that sometimes when a poorly written book does well I think there was a deal struck with the devil!

[RSLancastr]

I worked in the book industry for years and I love Stephen King, AND think he is a great writer. You'd be surprised how many pretentious booksellers look down on him.

I wouldn't be surprised at all, sadly.

The Horror genre has been looked down upon by literary pseudointellectuals for a long time, just as it has by cinema pseudointellectuals in THAT medium.

[hikeeba]

CLICK TO VIEW LISTING

[wahl0108]

Think this might be a good crack, considering you can get all five Sherlock decks, including the LE, for what some people are selling just the LE for:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/191193160869?ss ... 1431.l2649" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Cbkimble]

Last set he sold went for about 183 or so.

[Magic_Orthodoxy]

oh wow... can someone help me make this gaff?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Gaff-magic-card ... 3ce2ae2848" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I heard it's made if the highest quality...

[montecarlojoe]

I would guess some kind of solvent to perma-smudge the finish / ink. Acetone or Keytone maybe.

Not that I'm planning to pour nail polish remover on my decks to find out.

[Mike Ratledge]

Damn. I never cease to be amazed by some of the things people do on eBay. Then again, I also find some of the best bargains there as well. Sometimes people just don't know what they have, as well.

[ddorn]

My guess is he used a common rubber eraser on the back. Now, off to make a mint, making 'hand-made' cards...

[Wilko]

A snip.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Blue-Fontaine ... 3a920d65ca" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

One in only 5000....I mean 15,000!!!

[PlayingCardz]

A snip.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Blue-Fontaine ... 3a920d65ca" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

One in only 5000....I mean 15,000!!!

Last one / 1 sold << I cried, a little ...

[volantangel]

A snip.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Blue-Fontaine ... 3a920d65ca" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.

One in only 5000....I mean 15,000!!!

Last one / 1 sold << I cried, a little ...

My heart goes out to the fool..

[UtterFool]

My heart goes out to the fool..

Thank You....
But I didn't buy it

[Bikefanatic]

It's somebody that's trying to sell the Bicycle Nerconomicon standard and limited edition decks along with a coin for like almost a year now between $75-$150. Dude, just make the price $45-$50 and get it over with.

[mmiikk]

is that a 400% markup?

[Cbkimble]

is that a 400% markup?

considering $12 per V2(2) and $8 for the V1, it's approxiamately 546% markup
considering $8 per V1(2) and $12 for the V2, it's approxiamately 728% markup

[DelMagic]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Counts-Cuts-Mov ... 856wt_1312" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I guess it's just an error, but wow!

[mmiikk]

[quote="DelMagic"]http://www.ebay.com/itm/Counts-Cuts-Mov ... 856wt_1312" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.

I guess it's just an error, but wow!

you think it would be free shipping then at that price lol

[hikeeba]

45% off an insanely made-up price results in a BIN ($61.59) over 80% more than the retail price of $34 for the pair.

CLICK TO VIEW LISTING