Sports Collectors Weigh Options Amid Crisis

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Posted By: Neal

Interesting article!

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122270857757886309.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

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Posted By: Jodi Birkholm

" In all, his collection is worth hundreds of dollars.

But even with Wall Street hitting the skids, Mr. Nicholson has no plans to sell."

This kinda made me chuckle!

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Posted By: Jim VB

He may be overestimating on this "hundreds of dollars" thing. I think, more like "tens of dollars."

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Posted By: Jodi Birkholm

Good one!

In all fairness to the collector, more power to him if this collection brings him as many pleasant times as a far more valuable one.

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Posted By: David Smith

I didn't read the article but my suggestion is that Warren Buffett needs to step in and help the card collecting community out.

Since he made sweetheart deals with GE and Goldman Sachs and is still going to be flush with cash, I think Mr. Buffett should use some of that money and go out and buy as many baseball cards from 1988 up as he can and destroy them.

Think about it, there would be fewer of these practically worthless cards on the market, more cash in people's hands and the cardboard could be recycled. There would also be less chance that we collectors who are hoping to make some great find will be disappointed when we find out that older person who has some cards in their attic really only has 1992 Fleer instead of the 1953 Topps, 1949 Bowman or 1933 Goudeys, for example, we were wishing for.

I mean, these newer cards were overprodcued in the first place and even if half of them were destroyed, there will STILL be enough to satisfy the needs of colletors and the increase in "value" wont be a whole lot, if any.

Years ago, I did this with Harlequin Romance novels. I would buy them REALLY cheaply at yard sales and flea markets and take them home and shred them with a paper shredder. I would then take the shreddings and either dump them in a paper recycling dumpster or give them to my Mom to use for her plants. If I were making the big bucks again, I would do this with newer baseball cards.

Just my two cents,

David

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Posted By: peter ullman

David...interesting idea...I like it! But...you'd need to destroy a lot more than 1/2 post 1988 cards to level off supply and demand.

I love the recycling idea...maybe they can be used to fuel a car...or to make shoes...or furniture...like those old chairs designed by frank gehry...they're quite valuable today!!!

pete ullman

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Posted By: Frank Wakefield

I can't keep this idea in practice myself, but what I was
told somewhere was not to "Blah" someone else's "Bling."

I don't collect or keep the cards I do because of their
value. I have sold some cards because their value increased
to a point where it seemed financially irresponsible to
retain the card.

So Jodi has it right, folks. This guy gets satisfaction from
his collection notwithstanding monetary value. More of us
should try that.


Frank W.

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Posted By: Fred C

Frank, I dub thee Socrates.