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Monday, April 12, 2010

Dangit Topps, we do not need to bring book value into this

I've been pretty quiet about the Topps Yo Momma Code Transmogrifier lately. One reason is that after I figured out that Michael Eisner can throw a switch any time he wants that will cause it to spit out all '70s, '60s or even '50s cards I decided there was no reason to enter in all my codes immediately. I pledged to only enter in a new code if there were no late '80s Hall of Famers on the "Recently Unlocked Cards" list. The criteria were very specific - Hall of Famer, 1986-1989. I have checked the site at least twice a day most every day. By strictly following my criteria, I still have not redeemed a code in several weeks.

The other reason is that I am up to some trading shenanigans. I'm working toward a goal and I didn't want to announce it until it was completed. I'm still offering up random trades for players I like though. Today I made an offer for a 1989 Mark Lemke rookie using some cards I picked up from Spastik Mooss in a trade. When I was asked to confirm the trade I saw a very disturbing message:


Topps. Oh Topps, Topps, Topps. I like you Topps. You and I Topps, we're good pals, we are. We've been good pals for a long time, Topps. Since we're such good buddies, I'm willing to overlook some faults. That's what friends do. And since I'm your friend I'm gonna tell you this. Do not try to tell me the value of a Mark Lemke rookie card. That card is valuable to me and I'll trade what I bloody well please for it. We do not need to bring book value into this. The entire concept of 'value' when we're really talking about insubstantial pixels on a computer screen is actually pretty damn silly. Ok, I see why you're putting that warning on there... so n00bs don't end up trading all their really good cards from the '50s and '60s for some junk wax scrub. That's fine. But don't you tall me the value of a Lemmer rookie. That sucker is priceless as far as I'm concerned.

14 comments:

SpastikMooss said...

I noticed this too...and most of my trades ended up saying this (mainly because I offered that Trammell for a 2005 Jose Lopez). Stupid Topps.

night owl said...

I've gotten this a number of times.

Personally, the trading aspect on this site is getting tiring, because no one who has cards that I am interested in EVER PAYS ATTENTION.

Either that or they're ignoring me out of contempt for the trade offer. Or maybe that's just my paranoia complex kicking in.

Cardsplitter said...

Might be my fault. I planned a trade, a '62 Robin Roberts for a '66 Red Sox scrub and some actually real life Topps 10 inserts I needed.

Instead I sent the Roberts off to someone else who also drew the same '66 Red Sox scrub, if that is even possible. Both my would be trade partner and I bitched to Topps about it, and this might be the result- which is a still a complete f'up on there part, because I wanted to know who I was trading TO, not how much the #@@%^ card is supposedly worth.

Captain Canuck said...

do not try to place a value on The Lemmer.
He is without peer.

dayf said...

One other feature I have noticed is that when you do a search for a card it will tell you how many copies of that card are out there in VirtualLand. Unfortunately, there is but one Lemmer rookie, astounding to me as 1989 cards are given away at a rate of 10 per second. Basically, if the jackass who has that card ever logs in again, I want there to be an offer he cannot refuse waiting for him.

dayf said...

Also, if there is a trade offer in my queue I try to either accept or decline it immediately. Just common courtesy (and many trade offers I've seen are utter rubbish anyway).

zman40 said...

I tried to trade a '72 Rangers Rookie Stars card of guys I have never heard of for a '56 Al Rosen and I got the same message. I assumed it was for the people I was trying to trade with.

SpastikMooss said...

I confirmed or denied asap as well Dayf...I haaaate that people wait.

There are 11 (11!!!!!) Harry Chappas cards up on the MCG right now. I offered 4 70's cards and a 60's card for 1 FLIPPIN' Chappas, and no one ever accepted. THESE PEOPLE ARE PASSING UP GOLLLLLLDDDDD! GOLD I TELL YOU!

*rant over*

Play at the Plate said...

You just know there are people out there making offers for cards they really want and when they see that stupid book value message pop up they cancel the offer. I check in the site several times a day (do I have a life?) and usually respond to requests right away. I'd say 90% of the offers I get are some spare 90's card for one of the older cards I have.
It is frustrating to have an offer sit there, but I've started making multiple offers with the same card just to try to get a response sooner.

madding said...

Well... I've bought something like 20-25 packs and only pulled 2 codes.

Steve E. said...

Regarding the trade functionality...

1) I think the "offered card higher in value" message comes up when you are offering more than the other card is worth. According to the Topps trade system, that means 2 for 1, 3 for 1, etc. Yeah, I know--it doesn't make sense to me either.

There's also another message that comes up as "Offer involves High Value card" whenever you're trading/offering certain star player cards of, say, $50 or more.

2) The reason that your trades sometimes sit there is because not everyone who you've sent that trade to has declined it.

The way the trade system works is that it sends out your trade request to every single person with the same card as you. That means if you're requesting a 1980 Hosken Powell, and there's 459 cards available, until 459 people click "decline", that trade will still show as pending.

JD's Daddy said...

so I only see the cancel option. It will still let you go through with the trade, right?

Anonymous said...

Steve E.

I have submitted a trade for a card for which there are 8 available. I submitted it four times and two of the submissions, when I canceled, were to the same user and the other two were linked to another user. I am not doubting you, but if the offer goes to all 8 owners of the card, why does my cancellation establish a relationshp with one user? And, if that is the case, why are users being duplicated before all 8 have received the offer?

dayf said...

I'm not really sure how the trading works to be honest, all this is just speculation. The trade function is so nebulous and offers are being ignored with such regularity, that I'm just sort of assuming that's how it works.