"Do not worry about your difficulties in Mathematics. I can assure you mine are still greater." -Albert Einstein

For greater relevance, delete 'Mathematics' and replace with the appropriate username.

Ive seen all the listings. It all has value. Maybe people get a little bent when they dont win an item?

I underbid on that complaint letter. I worked with customers for years and loved the response.

aia wrote in James M. Ward on James M. Ward:Like many other times, i miss the origin and nature of James reply... However i am with James 100%!

That's my approach to politics & voting.

Having bought many items thus far through Clay, I have been very happy with everything, from item to the packing, all solid! This is news to me that people are being cucks about the auctions.... I obviously have missed them. Was it here of on other places?

Must have missed the post or posts as well.

Hardly seems like something that Acaeum member would do, since collecting Jim's items /ephemera is the kind of thing that we do.  Maybe a member or members had an issue with one of the eBay sellers?

Edit:

Ah, I think it has to do with a couple of comments on the B3 Palace Of Silver Princess 1980 TSR 9044 that was recently sold.

I think this all stems from my use of the word 'alleged' in a discussion on the value/sale price of a recent item. Probably B3 in shrink.
Clay took offense at the use of the word 'alleged' and asked if I doubted the authenticity of the auction.
I said that I did not doubt it at all, but that as a buyer I would have no means of proving authenticity if I wanted to sell the item outside of the community of people who were watching the auctions, and that like the numerous PHBs and DMGs that carry Gary's signature, their value is increased if there is a photo of Gary with the item at the time it was sold, and the authenticating photo can be passed along with the item and the letter, and that I use the word 'alleged' when I cannot prove something to be a fact.

I have owned many items that have been signed by, or included certificated of authenticity, and all to one degree or other, I am unable to prove 100% that the item is as purported. Items for example that I purchased directly from an author, privately, I am certain of their authenticity. Items that I have purchased through Paul Stormberg for example I am certain of their authenticity. Others carry signatures of authors and/or artists signed at conventions, but not obtained by myself.

However, when it comes to recovering my funds on the more expensive of my purchases, short of selling my items to someone who was competing with me in the auction, and has the same faith and perception of its authenticity, or having an author I purchased something from be willing to confirm that they did indeed sell me their manuscript, maps, etc. privately, I have no other means of proving authenticity.

As I explained to Clay, I am sure James would be willing to confirm the authenticity of anything he sells if questioned at some future date when an item changes hands. And I am sure no-one here would have no such questions as we are all witness to these sales. But that is a time sensitive condition. There will be times ahead when we will be the potential buying pool for resold items, and there may be times ahead when we have our own collections sold or dispersed. We may not be around to explain the importance or authenticity of the items we own, and those who sold them to us may themselves have moved on.

I told Clay that I had absolutely no doubt as to the authenticity of the products, and did not question his honest or integrity, that I apologize for any offense that may have been taken and that it was not intended at all. However, regrettably it seems that offence has been taken by James (which I am presuming prompted his post here) and I can only offer him again my sincere apologize for any perceived slight on his character.

ashmire13 wrote in James M. Ward on James M. Ward:I wouldn’t question the authenticity that it’s from James, but maybe some did the descriptions could’ve been worded better from the start by the seller

But if you wanted to sell something that had belonged to James in the future, could you prove it?

I mean, you could prove it to me because I am here and I am aware of the sale, and so would have no doubt as to the authenticity. But could you prove it to a future generation of gamers, or would you be happy to take the loss? There are so many Gygax signed items, and the vast majority have no authenticity or spurious authenticity at best. You could crank out Gygax signatures with a bit of tracing paper and a good resolution photo, and no one can prove it isn't genuine. But you can't get a photo of yourself with Gary at GenCon with him holding your book/boxed set that he's just signed. So if you sell a a copy of the PHB signed by Gary Gygax, it is just a PHB that is 'allegedly' signed by Gary, because neither you nor I could prove that it was real.

Everything else is just faith, which is fine when we are dealing with fellow Acaeum members that we have known for years. But when it comes to buying and selling a decade or two from now, how do you ensure your investment maintains its provenance? At the moment, a photograph of an author with the signed manuscript is the best I can think of.

Apologies if you did ask for the photo - I honestly can't tell from my reading of your post.

mbassoc2003 wrote in James M. Ward on James M. Ward:This is all because I used the word 'alleged' in a single sentence post on a different thread.
I was PMed privately by the seller to ask why, and I explained how I differentiate between fact and 'alleged' fact and apologized for any perceived slight on their part.
That seems to have then elicited the public response by James, to which I have offered the same explanation and a public apology.

You're pretty abrasive in your posts. However, you dont owe Jim Ward an apology. The person put up a copy of a manuscript for sale and the bidding went to the thousands (and was heading to 5 figures) before this forum pointed out it was a copy, it was removed, and then replaced (with an apology).

Obviously Jim Ward deserves respect but hading out respect to someones online presence which is being run by a vendor who is in it for a fee is silly.

Implicitly lying about something and then having the temerity to be shocked when people ask questions about the authenticity of things hypocritical at best.