I had seen the listing prior to your post, Ralph. I first noticed the straight handset cord, then the dial plate, which to me looks like it's one of the early overlay's, not the sandwiched plastic that we see on most of the phones like this. The early overlays often discolor to a yellow/green color. Then the date stamp and location caught my attention. I've only seen 1950 models stamped where this one is stamped. Had it been a 1950 date I would have been more interested. So I "watched" it to see what will happen down the road. To me it's not worth the money they want. But that's to me. Had it just been an auction style listing, I might have asked for more details about the inside, but I didn't. I have too many Black 500's already.
This discussion reminds me of when I first started buying phones. I saw a 1950 model on eBay and had intended to place a bid. I had entered into an e-mail exchange with another collector. This collector was and is a long-standing member of the telephone community. I had indicated my interest in the particular phone and he said he too was "watching" it. He asked that I not bid on the phone as he intended to buy it. The phone was an early 1950 model with the curved, U-shape "Operator" under the zero. He said if he won the auction he would be glad to sell me his later 1950 model (as a consolation prize). I was new to the "community" and didn't want to step on toes so I bowed out and he won that auction. It went much lower than expected. I purchased the consolation 1950 model and I still have it. In hind-sight, I regret the way I handled that. I should have bid on that phone. I may have still lost it to someone else, but it's a big world out there and ebay reaches many people. I had just as much right to bid on it as anyone else.
I guess the point I'm trying to make, and trying to be a polite as I can be and as sincere as I can be, is that "all's fair in love and war". One cannot post their interest in a phone or anything else on a world-wide stage such as eBay and expect others to stay away if they too are interested. There are many "trained eyes" out there and more than likely, had the original post not have been made, someone would have inquired further anyway.
~Dennis