The Pain Of A Failed Prospect

I just endured a beating (in price) that has taught me a serious lesson on prospecting. Fortunately I did not purchase the card I had pulled it from a box but in this case I ended up missing out on a lot of money when I walked away from an insane offer.

In 2006 I pulled a 2006 Bowman Chrome Matt Leinart Rookie Autograph blue refractor #41/75 while I was busting a box in a friend’s card shop. At the time every one was seeking Vince Young, Matt Leinart, Reggie Bush and even LenDale White and their cards were shooting up in price every day. There was a Leinart collector who frequented the store and word was passed on that I pulled the card, he made an offer of $275. I turned him down and decided to sit on the card because Leinart was slated to be the future of the Arizona Cardinals organization and I figured I would be able to cash in big time after he proved his potential.

He started 11 games in 2006 and while he didn’t burn up the field he was ok for a rookie. Even then I held on to the card hoping for a better sophomore season. Needless to say he played in only 21 more games over the next 6 seasons and ended his career in 2012 with a total of 4,065 yards, 15 TDs and 21 INTs and a 70.2% QB rating.

For a number of years now I have been trying to sell the card hoping to find that diehard USC fan, I finally found a buyer. The final selling price… $3.50

I left $271.50 on the table and I am now done with prospecting, anything I pull that is hot and I don’t collect gets put up for sale.