I Went Looking for My Best eBay Purchase — and Found a Financial Horror Story
Every collector has one. That one card. That glorious, perfect buy that paid off tenfold and made you feel like a genius. So when someone asked me what my best-ever purchase was — I figured it’d be easy to find. I’ve been collecting since 2009. Surely there’s a PSA 10 gem hiding in the archives.
So I did what any sane person would do. I opened up eBay and started scrolling.
And what I found?
Wasn't the best purchase I’ve ever made.
It was a slow-motion car crash in cardboard form.
The Year Was 2021…
We were all riding high on the hobby wave. Prices were booming, and I, like many of you, thought I had The Vision™. Between May 3rd and May 18th, I went on what might be one of the most historically regrettable buying streaks in eBay history.
Here are some of the “highlights”:
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🔥 Sandro Tonali – $100. Going for maybe a fiver now. Love that.
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💀 Jadon Sancho Red Wave /50 – $8,500 USD. A recent comp? $50.
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🫣 PSA 10 Sancho Tiger Print – $3,235. Current value: $36.
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🫠 Kai Havertz Red Refractor (2018) – $2,000. Probably still worth about $500 if you squint.
And that was just the first page.
The Mbappé Moment
Let’s talk about the Tiger Stripe Mbappé I picked up for $5,200 USD.
These cards are rare. Insanely short printed. A potential grail piece… if the market holds. At one point, there was a sale near $100K — but surprise! The buyer didn’t pay.
Could it be a long-term win? Maybe.
But right now? It’s more of a long-term lesson.
Let’s Not Forget Zion…
Back in early May ‘21, Zion Williamson was the hobby’s golden boy. No injuries, no off-court drama, and no questions about the gumbo intake.
I snagged a Silver Tribute Prism for $300. A rare pull from a tough product.
It just sold for $10.
One More Sancho for the Pain Pile
I couldn’t help myself. I doubled down. A second Sancho purchase — this one for $2,000 USD. The card? You guessed it — also living in that sweet $36 range.
Honorable Mentions
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🧨 LeBron Silver Throwback – Bought for $420, sold for… $420. Finally, a win?
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💥 Multiple Tiger Stripes – Including that Mbappé — I was obsessed.
What Did We Learn?
Probably nothing.
But I am considering starting a support group: Collectors Anonymous — a safe space for anyone who’s ever said “it’ll go up” and clicked Buy Now.
If you’ve ever had a run like this — drop your story in the comments. Let’s heal together.
As for me? I’m still searching for that one perfect eBay purchase. Or at least one that didn’t lead to a loss, heartbreak, or therapy.
📦 Want to avoid the pain?
Stick with sealed product, graded singles, and hits you actually like.
Check out our Pokémon collection, NBA cards, or submit your own cards for grading so the next “$36 card” at least looks pretty in a slab.
