A Shipping Quandary

I have shipped many a package to the four corners of the Earth.  But one country that I can never figure out is CANADA. 

What is the deal up there?  How is it that I can ship things up there and they get to their destination within 10 days while other items take over a month?  The same goes for receiving items.  I guess I have had record luck lately with Canadian packages arriving within 5-7 days from when they were shipped.  I think I received at least 8 different packages within the last 30 days all in a short amount of time from the moment they were marked shipped.

But yet, I now have Canadian Ebay sellers advertising $2-3 shipping in their auctions but then demanding $18-24 for shipping/handling/insurance/tracking blah blah blah, if auctions are over $50.  The claim is that it is now required.  Required?  By who?  The Post Office?  Postes Canada?  Certainly not by me.  I haven't read Ebay's policy on shipping with a fine tooth comb either, so maybe it's in there.  Sometimes I don't mind paying extra as long as I know I'm getting the product quicker.  But the worst part of this whole thing is...it is taking 25 days + to get the items here.  25 DAYS OR MORE!!!  I just don't get it. 

Would anyone out there like to help me quell this deep feeling of anger and frustration?  Maybe some of our Canadian friends?  Anyone at all.

I'm getting this graded

In my daily trolling of Ebay for Pittsburgh cards, I came across this gem. It was so startlingly (yeah that's a word) funny, I had to share.

At this point, why would anyone bother. I especially like the description of the auction.

1951 Francis Rogel Card (Pittsburgh Steelers)

Stuff from the Bay

I think I wrote about this before but when it comes to eBay, I am mostly a lurker. I have been on there since February 2000 and only have a "51" user rating. It's not that I don't bid, because I do. I bid A LOT!!! I just never win. But that's another post entirely.

This one is about something I did win. In my quest to build my "one card of every Pittsburgh Steeler" collection, I stumbled across a couple golden oldies that I set my bidding sites on. Low and behold...I won!! These are definitely some beaut's, in my opinion. (especially since they set me back about @$2 each including shipping) Check em out.

1957 Topps Elbie Nickel

Elbie played 11 years for the Steelers coming out of Cincinnatti and is considered one of the best Tight Ends in team history. One of his plays against the Eagles at Forbes Field is considered by many to be the second greatest play in Steeler's history (aside from the Immaculate Reception). The picture of it had hung in the Steeler offices in Three Rivers Stadium and is now in their UPMC facility on the South Side. He was voted to the 75th Anniversary Steelers All-Time Team. This was his last regular issue card.

1957 Topps Lou Baldacci (R)

Lou was drafted by the Steelers out of Michigan in the 10th round in 1956. Lou only played one year for Pittsburgh and I think that was it for his NFL career. He was used as a punter, with his longest being a 64 yarder. He also had 140 yards rushing and 62 yards receiving that year. Ok so he isn't an impact player but the card is still freakin' cool. It's his rookie card, and for that matter, his only card (at least that I know of).

Ebay Score!!

I wasn't going to post about this because it could possibly be irrelevant. However, despite some of my fellow bloggers negative views of Price Guides and their inflated numbers and penchant for bedding the card companies, I still find them useful in finding a base price for a card. I don't use them like a "bible" like other collectors...I just like to see the "what if" portion for my collection. That being said...

I bid on this auction of a bunch of hockey inserts and parallels. Needless to say (I just said it though...?) I won the auction. It cost me $3.58. So right there is the market value of the cards in question. 37 cards to be exact which equates to roughly $.10 per card. I decided to look them up on Beckett Online just to see where I stood.

Here is the result:

Sergei Fedorov 1992-93 McDonalds McD06 $1.25
Todd Bertuzzi 1995-96 Donruss Elite Rookies 4 4357/5000 $5.00
Pat LaFontaine 1997-98 Donruss Studio Press Proof Silver 50 1 of 1000 $15.00
Curtis Joseph 1997-98 Score Artist Proof 31 $15.00
Eric Lindros 1997-98 Score Check It 1 $0.75
Keith Tkachuk 1997-98 Score Check It 4 $0.75
John LeClair 1997-98 Score Check It 5 $0.75
Jaromir Jagr 1997-98 Score Check It 13 $1.25
Peter Skudra 1998-99 Be A Player Autographs 110 $4.00
Alexei Morozov 1998-99 Be A Player Autographs 111 $4.00
Paul Ranheim 1998-99 Be A Player Autographs 176 $4.00
Martin Brodeur 1998-99 SPx Finite Radiance 46 1422/4750 $8.00
Robert Dome 1998-99 SPx Finite Spectrum 67 272/300 $12.00
Joe Sakic 1998-99 SPx Radiance Global Impact 92 3142/3475 $10.00
Ray Bourque 1998-99 SPx Radiance Global Impact 117 1837/3475 $8.00
Peter Forsberg 1998-99 Upper Deck Frozen In Time FT2 $6.00
Patrick Roy 2000-01 Upper Deck Dignitaries D3 $10.00
Patrick Roy 2000-01 Upper Deck Gate Attractions GA4 $8.00
Jani Hurme 2000-01 Topps Heritage 90 31/555 $0.20
Petr Svoboda 2000-01 Topps Heritage 84 1086/1955 $10.00
Patrick Roy 2000-01 UD Reserve Power Portfolio PP1 $10.00
Brad Richards 2001-02 Topps Heritage Retro Fractor 26 168/558 $5.00
Roman Cechmanek 2001-02 Topps Heritage Retro Fractor 59 431/558 $5.00
Travis Moen 2003-04 Upper Deck (Young Guns) 209 $5.00
Dustin Brown 2003-04 Upper Deck (Young Guns) 217 $8.00
Maxim Kondratiev 2003-04 Upper Deck (Young Guns) 243 $5.00
Travis Moen 2003-04 Private Stock Reserve Retail 110 543/1299 $1.50
Brian Sutherby 2003-04 Bowman Chrome Xfractor 24 47/150 $5.00
Stefan Liv 2006-07 Upper Deck (Young Guns) 466 $5.00
Martin Brodeur 2006-07 SPx 59 $2.00
Alexander Ovechkin 2006-07 SPx 100 $2.50
Sidney Crosby 2007-08 Ultra 37 X2 $8.00
Sidney Crosby 2007-08 Upper Deck 108 $4.00
Sidney Crosby 2007-08 Upper Deck 200 X2 $5.00
Mike Weber 2007-08 Victory 328 $1.00


So to summarize: I Paid $3.58 including shipping for, what is considered to be a BV of $195.95.

Works for me!!