There have been a few tantalizing lots recently in the vast garbage heap that eBay has become. (The fix to make eBay a viable marketplace once again would be for them to simply and definitively define vintage holiday selling categories. Create and police a Vintage Halloween {1900-1960} category. C’mon guys…) We have been blessed with two truly stellar listings of late, the mint NOMA set referenced directly below and now this much desired Beistle “skeleton in the graveyard” diecut. I do wonder if the seller has overshot by having the opening bid be $4,499.99. Let me explain why. I sold one of these diecuts in my last annual auction in March 2024 for a record shattering price of $4,700. The condition of that record setting item was every bit as nice as this one, but prior to March 2024 the highest public price paid for the diecut was ~$3,500. (One actually sold at a show in Ohio a few years back for a scant $700.) I don’t know how many collectors are willing or able to add an item - even a great one like this - to their collection for a known minimum of $4,499.99. I think to stoke interest the seller should have started it at $199.99 and let the auction run. Will anyone bid at this opening level?
09/06 Update: The answer to the question is yes. Someone actually placed a bid at the opening price of $4,499.99 so now there are two recent selling price points averaging $4,600.00.
09/16 Update: The buyer of this diecut contacted me to say the seller shipped it between two pieces of cardboard. It arrived damaged with three bends or creases. The buyer returned it for a full refund. So, the condition of one of these exceedingly rare diecuts that remarkably survived in near-mint condition or better for ~90 years, has now been materially lessened. We may see it surface with the damage on eBay. It’ll be interesting to see what the now degraded item fetches.
