Welcome to the Big Fun Game - Diamond King style!
These next 3 sections will be included on each post during the game...
Updates from DK
State of the Union: We have gone through 6 items!! The bidding has picked up a little, but everyone still has loads of DK$. I am happy to see that 5 of you have won something! I'm hoping that everyone can walk away with something, but that is definitely not guaranteed. Remember, the game could end at any time, without warning.
I have not heard from Bulldog at all during this game. I am hoping that he is biding his time, waiting to pounce. Maybe the items are not to his liking. What I am really hoping is that all is well with him. Bulldog, let us know if you are OK!
Winners so far...
Item 1 - Diamond Kings - Ryan G - 2 DK$
Item 2 - Oddballs - Sports Card Collectors - 12 DK$
Item 3 - Pucketts - Fuji - 15 DK$
Item 4 - Basketball - The Lost Collector - 45 DK$
Item 5 - Surprise - The Angels in Order - 52 DK$
Item 6 - Texas Flamethrowers - Ryan G - 13 DK$
Gotta get that DK$ - This will be an opportunity to answer/guess at a question. If you are the first to get it right, you can earn some extra DK$! (DK$ won this way cannot be used until the next item)
No trivia today. But I do have a question to ask, we will see if I get responses, since I'm not bribing you with DK$!
I'd like your feedback on all things shipping. I love giving cards away and trading, but cash is not on my side, and the costs can get out of hand quickly. So I am wondering if I can crowd source some wisdom. My 2 concerns I would like to balance are safety of the cards being shipped and keeping costs low. So here are some things I wonder:
1. How many cards can you put in a PWE before you risk it coming back with insufficient postage?
2. How do you think PWE cards need to be packed to survive the mailing system? Does the extra packing affect the weight enough to matter?
3. What is the cheapest way to send cards when a PWE won't do the job? I have 4x6 bubble mailers. Probably can't mail those for a stamp. Would you think that going in to the post office and getting them weighed is the way to go? (in a non-coronavirus world at least)
4. Any other tips and tricks? How do you ship securely and reliably and keep from paying an arm and a leg?
Thanks!!
The Hidden 10 - There are 10 things that I have identified that can or will happen during our BFG. Whenever one of them is achieved by a player, I will uncover it here:
1. Mention another contestant by name in a comment - worth 1 DK$ - won by The Angels in Order
2.
3. Buy/Sell something that was won (both players) - worth 5 DK$ each - won by The Angels in Order and Sport Card Collectors
4. Snipe a win (bid in the last 2 minutes for the win) - worth 3 DK$ - won by The Lost Collector
5.
6.
7.
8. Make a 1 DK$ increment bid (not the first bid on an item) - worth 1 DK$ - won by Ryan G
9. Bid more than one time on a single item. - worth 4 DK$ - won by The Angels in Order
10.
And now, what you have been waiting for, here is Item 7 for your bidding consideration!
At work, I have 2 co-workers who are Giants fans and another 2 who are Dodgers fans. You might say that they see things differently. But I say, can't we all get along! So in honor of that sentiment, here is a combined Dodgers/Giants item!
A couple of notes:
The Piazza looks a lot better in person. The scan makes it look pretty bad.
The Posey is a 'Color Variation Super Short Print'. They seem pretty rare from my internet search.
The rest look pretty self explanatory!
Extra pic of the Nomo at the bottom, it didn't scan well.
Bidding on this item will end at 7PM PST on Saturday 5/9
Can't help ya on the postage thing. I'm a novice at PWE's.
ReplyDeleteI predict this lot is gonna go for some serious DK$. I'll start things off with 20.
I like PWEs. A few ways to do it. One is cut up pages into rows, and put 3 cards per slot. That usually can fit within one stamp.
ReplyDeleteAlso a top loader with 1-2 cards or a card saver with 3-4 cards will go through ok with only one stamp.
Good info, thanks!
DeleteTLC’s suggestion to use binder pages is a good one. The Card Savers are the best things I’ve seen - they seem to handle machines better than top loaders. Putting a folded sheet of paper or two in the PWE really helps things.
ReplyDeleteLiving in Japan, shipping here is different. Some sellers send stuff in a penny sleeve tossed in an envelope. And it gets here safely. Honestly, the thinner it is overall, the better it handles machines. So a taped penny sleeve inside a couple tri-folded sheets of paper isn’t too bad, especially for cheap cards. I’ve heard a stamp can carry six sheets of paper; I don’t know how accurate that is.
For non-PWE, the smallest/thinnest bubble mailer. A “throwaway” card on the outsides, cards in a team bag. Most valuable cards in the very middle. Or, two best cards in top loaders on the outside, team bag with the rest in the middle. Those seem to work well from me, even shipping from Japan. I don’t sell, but I haven’t had a complaint from trading.
Card Savers seem good, I did a little research and the Card Saver 2 seems like the best bet. Any thoughts there?
DeleteI use 9 count pages, cut them into thirds and put two cards into each pocket back to back and that’s just one stamp. If you go over that, you will need more. I wouldn’t send memorabilia or thick cards but any card normal size is great
ReplyDeleteSounds like the current best practice!
DeleteI will go $25DK on this lot
ReplyDeleteI've been able to send 9 normal cards in a 3-pocket strip in a business envelope with one stamp, no problem. I've gotten up to 12 cards with 2 stamps, but that's the max.
ReplyDeleteThe PWE with one-third of a nine-pocket page, three cards per slot, has been the go-to for card bloggers the past two months. I've never had one come back. No extra cushioning needed.
ReplyDeleteWhat is that Nomo thing on the bottom?
It is a 96 Fleer 'Rookie Sensations' insert. Sorry about the scan, I added another pic above.
DeleteAnd on another note, you just got Hidden 10 - #7, 'Ask for more detail on a card up for bid'. You won 3 DK$!
OK. Thanks. I gotta another question: What's the Piazza bat flip card?
DeleteNo problem, it is from 1998 Topps Gallery, it is a 'Photo Gallery' insert. Card number PG6.
DeleteAJ, sniping?? No way. Love that floating bat Piazza up there too. I've been shipping PWEs for awhile now, using a full page with 12-18 cards for about $1.40 each. I use only the middle row, folding the top row down over the cards to protect them then flip the bottom row back to add protection to their backsides. The cards are all safely tucked into the middle row. I also use a slightly heavier duty #10 (10 = regular size) envelope. If you are using a basic envelope, I'd tuck a THIN piece of cardboard in it too, or card stock. Please note: if you mark it as non-machinable THEN drop into a mailbox, it will NOT be hand sorted. (I worked for the post office for 15 years. Trust me on that one. ;)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info. Out of curiosity, what is the correct procedure for getting things to be hand sorted?
DeleteMark non-machinable and take into the P.O. If you let them add the postage, you'll score the highest probably for hand-sorting. Good luck!
DeleteThanks!!
DeleteAnything in a bubble Mailer will cost you $4.00+, but it is necessary once you are over the 12-15 card threshold mentioned above.
ReplyDeleteI am not a BFG participant, but am enjoying following along with all the hijinks!
30 DK$
ReplyDeleteOK. It's a little much to take on all those Giants for one Dodger card I need, but I should be able to get rid of most of them.
ReplyDelete35 DK$
Bummer you don't need more of them. If you win and don't want the Giants, I can find a good home for them...
DeleteIf you want to cut out the middle man that works for me.
DeleteSold to Night Owl for 35 DK$!!
ReplyDelete