Worst Trade You've Made

[Rarthur]

I'm not sure if this already has been posted somewhere before but if it has I have never seen it. What I want to see are some awful trades! What are the worst trades you have made and would love to have back?

For me this occured 6 years ago. I did not at the time have a full understanding of card values and wasn't fully into collecting but man do I want this trade back.

I traded:
2003-2004 Topps Rookie Matrix Dewayne Wade/LeBron James/Chris Bosh Triple RC BV: $25 (As of last check)

For:
Literally just 4 base of common no name players like Udonis Haslem and Caron Butler (some cards weren't even in reasonable condition!)

The reason I even thought of doing this was because I also had a another D Wade Triple RC and another LeBron Triple RC but neither had the same caliber of players as this one. And for 4 base..... At least I do not collect basketball (only baseball now) but still this one haunts.

 

[Hoyt55]

There are only two that I can recall that I wish I had back.

#1- Pulled a 2005 Topps David Wright AU. Since I didn't really know who he was (pulled it before he got big), I traded it for four GU cards, all of which I don't even own anymore!

#2- At one point, I was really looking to acquire a 1989 Fleer Billy Ripken FF error card. A guy came along with it and offered me a trade that I jumped on right away. I got the Ripken and a few other odds and ends. I traded some random inserts in addition to a 2001 Bowman Jose Reyes RC, who, again I did not know much about at the time. I do still own the Ripken though and it is tucked into my PC.

Always do your research!

 

[Meliah]

Worst trade I've ever made was just last year which shows you can still need to pay attention to details no matter how many times you've traded.

Guy offered me a 2003 SP Legendary Cuts Green 72 Judy Johnson #/25 which I needed for my PC. In return for that card I traded a 2007 Bowman's Best Auto Tim Linecum!

Not saying I was ripped off but I did not pay attention and accepted an offer from a person that overvalued his card so much I assumed it was an auto since he wanted something so big in return...and yes, it did happen on The Bench

 

[loftheb]

I remember when I first started trading on here, there was someone trying to complete a base set of 2007 Topps Update and Highlights. I told him that I could complete it for him, and I was looking for Cubs inserts and stuff in return. He gets back to me with four or five regular inserts, all separately valued around a dollar. I told him I could get him somewhere around a dozen of them. He finds two more Cubs inserts. Again, I tell him he gets another 5 or 6. He posts another two Cubs. None of them are over a buck fifty in value. I didn't want to keep picking out 5 or 6 at a time for him, so I just told him that was good enough and I'd complete his set for what was listed - about 8 Cubs inserts with a BV of 8 - 10 bucks.

So, I look at his list again - something I just glossed over - and found that it was about 100 cards long! As I was digging, I was finding that a lot of them were rookies and stars, too. It was an oversight on my part to trade that many base stars and rookies for 8 Cubs inserts, most of which I didn't really need anyway.

I just chalked it up to helping a set builder and being kind of careless with a trade. I don't really regret it at all because it wasn't a huge burn... and it made me look kind of nice for a new guy, I think.
-Casey

 

[abncal]

Well I can't recall making a bad trade, BUT I have made a trade or two where I sent of a GU or AU for several Baldellis I needed only to find out when I'm sorting and putting them away I already had one or two of them. Got to keep that needs list updated!!

 

[MattinglysCards]

There are only two that I can recall that I wish I had back.

#1- Pulled a 2005 Topps David Wright AU. Since I didn't really know who he was (pulled it before he got big), I traded it for four GU cards, all of which I don't even own anymore!

#2- At one point, I was really looking to acquire a 1989 Fleer Billy Ripken FF error card. A guy came along with it and offered me a trade that I jumped on right away. I got the Ripken and a few other odds and ends. I traded some random inserts in addition to a 2001 Bowman Jose Reyes RC, who, again I did not know much about at the time. I do still own the Ripken though and it is tucked into my PC.

Always do your research!

In my opinion, that Billy Ripken card is probably responsible for more one sided trades than any card ever made. My worst trade started off okay, but I'd take it back in a heart beat now.
I received a 1989 Ripken FF (because one of my friend's mothers wouldn't let him keep it after he pulled it). We were 13 at the time. I traded him a number of cards including an 89 Upper Deck Griffey and 84 Fleer Mattingly. I thought I was getting a steal at the time. I'm not even sure where ole Billy is now or even if I still have it.

Oh well, live and learn.

On a side note, this trade was almost trumped (unknowingly) by my first trade here on the Bench. As a rookie, my first trade here was a TGB (with another rookie) where I did not receive the other side of my trade. I waited almost two months with nothing before I finally opened a ticket. I almost just left the Bench, but after speaking (PMing) with a number of HOF's and MOD's gave it another chance. I probably would have never known it, but personally that would have been right up there with Pedro Martinez for Delino DeShields.

Great thread and thanks,
Marvin

 

[Rarthur]

Well I can't recall making a bad trade, BUT I have made a trade or two where I sent of a GU or AU for several Baldellis I needed only to find out when I'm sorting and putting them away I already had one or two of them. Got to keep that needs list updated!!

I have this happen with set needs a lot too, its pretty frustrating.

 

[Tim Carroll]

Not a trade, but a few years ago I put a Miguel Cabrera 2000 Topps Traded AUTO on ebay with a Buy It Now for $40. It was snatched up within 10 minutes of listing. 2 weeks later, everyone was riding the Cabrera train, and the card did not stop going up in value! It finally topped off around $1,200. I have no idea how much it is now - but I know how much I lost out on!!


Tim

 

[Rarthur]

Not a trade, but a few years ago I put a Miguel Cabrera 2000 Topps Traded AUTO on ebay with a Buy It Now for $40. It was snatched up within 10 minutes of listing. 2 weeks later, everyone was riding the Cabrera train, and the card did not stop going up in value! It finally topped off around $1,200. I have no idea how much it is now - but I know how much I lost out on!!


Tim

Ouch, it currently books for $600

 

[mindbinge]

traded a bunch (maybe 20 or 30) 1954 Bowman stars including the rare Williams for an opening day 1987 Donruss set and a few boxes of unopened wax....i was 16 and had no clue the Williams was worth anything...I only remember I had it because my dad was going on and on about how great Williams was and Yogi and Bob Lemon of all people. If I could get that one back it would be BGS graded right now and put up for my kids....as it stands, I got a bunch of worthless junk out of the deal.

 

[chaplain11]

Back in 2001 I bought my uncle's card collection (all four major sports) for $200. Most of it was football and basketball and I had no idea what the values were since I was just keeping the baseball and selling the remainder. I was poor at the time and asked the local card shop owner -this guy was so outrageous on prices for stuff - if he would work a trade for a becket for each sport. I ended up giving him two 2001 UD Pujols RCs for them. That has to be my worst trade hands down.

Dewayne

 

[Yanks21]

Around 1987/88 I traded (2) 1985 Topps sets for a Topps Boggs and Mattingly rookie. That set has gone down now but during the Home Run race thoe sets were selling high with the Mcgwire rc. I lost count now at the number of Mattingly rookies I own.

 

[ckinney]

I always look at a trade I have made as, I got what I wanted at the time for something I didn't want as much at the time. I don't look back and say, "that was stupid." I have way to many other parts of my life and can do that with.

I do enjoy reading some of these though.

- Chris

 

[porkchops]

I always look at a trade I have made as, I got what I wanted at the time for something I didn't want as much at the time. I don't look back and say, "that was stupid." I have way to many other parts of my life and can do that with.

I do enjoy reading some of these though.

- Chris

.
Well put,agree totally.
The B.Ripken thing brought back memories,
still have several if anyone is interested.
Ken

 

[bigslimdog]

I made a few bad trades when I first joined The Bench that I would love to have back. I had never traded cards before so I didn't really have the knowledge that you don't want to trade a high end card for a bunch of base cards (even if they add up to equal value).

So when I first joined, I had about 400 different Ripken cards which still leaves thousands of base cards that I needed. Also, since I had never traded cards before, I had about 15 years worth of nice pack pulls such as star/HOF players autographs.

A few big cards I remember trading: Musial auto, Mattingly auto, Clemens auto all for Ripken base cards and maybe a few inserts.

EDIT: Just wanted to add that I agree with ckinney's philosophy. In the big scheme of things, it's just cardboard and it isn't worth the time of effort to dwell on a bad trade. When I was making those bad trades I mentioned above, I couldn't have been happier to be adding those Ripken base cards to my collection and loved getting those packages filled with 20 or 30 cards I had never seen before!

 

[quambomb]

.
Well put,agree totally.
The B.Ripen thing brought back memories,
still have several if anyone is interested.
Ken

I'd take one of those Ripkens if possible as I don't have one on my collection. Please PM with with anything you are interested in from my site.

 

[pfosset]

mine was a trade i made in person at a local card show, i had a bunch of basketball cards, that i no longer wanted and the bv on them were totally low,like the set as worth $8--so i just traded them for some baseball i need----the basketball cards i got were the 1980-1981 topps, with 3 players on each card--a few years later, i looked at a price guide, and i think the magic johnson cards was over $200 dollars, and i had no idea on how many i had of him

rob

 

[basebal1fan]

I was listing a bunch of autos on ebay and I accidentally listed a Ripken Auto for $10 and the guy snatched it up within 2 minutes before I could realize. I paid $100 for it.

 

[dale]

In the late 70's I had my heart set on finishing my 1967 Topps Baseball set. I needed Maury Wills, Brooks Robinson and a few other high numbers. At a card show I traded away mint Topps Football rookies of OJ Simpson, Terry Bradshaw and just about every other football rookie that was issued between 1969 and 1975 to get these cards. At the time, football hadn't taken off at all and still had really low book value. I was really proud of myself at the time and I did finish my '67 Baseball set, but I blew a lot of good cards.