Rea! Rea!! Rea!!!

Bored5000 · #1 04-15-2018, 12:57 PM

Sometimes I have a hard time figuring out why a huge rarity is a $6,000 card and why a different huge rarity is a $60,000 card. I know that the Stanky, Konstanty and Roberts cards from the 1951 Topps All-Stars are legendary rarities, but I didn't realize that the Roberts card was a $62,000 card when the last example sold. The current Roberts card at REA is sitting at $48K with the buyer's premium.

I guess it just surprises me that the Roberts card sells for 10 times that of a huge Phillies rarity of the same era like a Lummis Peanut Butter Richie Ashburn card. Of course, it could be the aesthetics of the Topps All-Stars card that makes it a $60,000 item.

https://bid.robertedwardauctions.com...e?itemid=48918

http://www.robertedwardauctions.com/...e-ashburn-sgc/

Snapolit1 · #2 04-15-2018, 01:06 PM

Explain to me how some dog eared 1951 cut out card sells for multiples of a 1920s Ruth Champions Exhibits card that is stunning and seldom seen. But there are so many examples one could come up with. I guess it's the vagaries of collecting.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bored5000

Sometimes I have a hard time figuring out why a huge rarity is a $6,000 card and why a different huge rarity is a $60,000 card. I know that the Stanky, Konstanty and Roberts cards from the 1951 Topps All-Stars are legendary rarities, but I didn't realize that the Roberts card was a $62,000 card when the last example sold. The current Roberts card at REA is sitting at $50K with the buyer's premium.

I guess it just surprises me that the Roberts card sells for 10 times that of a huge Phillies rarity of the same era like a Lummis Peanut Butter Richie Ashburn card. Of course, it could be the aesthetics of the Topps All-Stars card that makes it a $60,000 item.

https://bid.robertedwardauctions.com...e?itemid=48918

http://www.robertedwardauctions.com/...e-ashburn-sgc/

Peter_Spaeth · #3 04-15-2018, 01:13 PM

Is that a cross between vagaries and vulgarities?

iowadoc77 · #4 04-15-2018, 02:28 PM

Or peculiarities?
It makes little to no sense. But I get it as a back collector for T206 McGraw cards. Some of them have very very few copies and if two people have to have them, they go for a ton. Many times, if only one person wanted the card it would go for a fraction of the price. Those prices on the 1951 All Stars make absolutely no sense to me, but I don�t collect them so that�s understandable. That�s one of the great things about these auctions. I see a lot of things I haven�t seen before.

barrysloate · #5 04-15-2018, 03:08 PM

And what's the deal with the Green Cobbs? I thought I might spring for one since there are a few nice lower grade examples. On the third day a few already have 30-35 bids and are deep into four figures, and these are a 2 and a 2.5. Is this market real, or is someone manipulating it? I mean folks, this just isn't a rare card. What are there, like two or three thousand of them out there? I call foul.

oldjudge · #6 04-15-2018, 03:41 PM

Barry-buy what is overlooked, not what is hot. Is there a more overhyped T206 than the green Cobb?

Peter_Spaeth · #7 04-15-2018, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldjudge

Barry-buy what is overlooked, not what is hot. Is there a more overhyped T206 than the green Cobb?

The Magee/Magie error. Who cares?

iowadoc77 · #8 04-15-2018, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldjudge

Barry-buy what is overlooked, not what is hot. Is there a more overhyped T206 than the green Cobb?

True. True. But it is so easy to go after what is hot because you feel like if it is that hot you have to have one. I have been guilty of this several times. Never seem to notice until after I have purchased for too much.

ricktmd · #9 04-15-2018, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by barrysloate

And what's the deal with the Green Cobbs? I thought I might spring for one since there are a few nice lower grade examples. On the third day a few already have 30-35 bids and are deep into four figures, and these are a 2 and a 2.5. Is this market real, or is someone manipulating it? I mean folks, this just isn't a rare card. What are there, like two or three thousand of them out there? I call foul.

To Barry's point here. The Green Cobb and Bat On have nearly the same population on the PSA pop report. Two factors here . One is the popularity of the Green Cobb. Just a typical supply and demand curve. While no more rare than Bat On the popularity (demand) has increased the value. Second and more to Barry's point is several people are buying the Green Cobb's paying what they have to and then holding/hording or reselling at a substantial profit . There were dealers at the 2017 National with as many as 20 Green Cobb's who admit to buying all the Green Cobb's they can find. All Cobb T206's are up big though. I purchased a Red Portrait in a 2.5 with a PB back 2 years ago for 800.00. Now a PSA 2.5 goes for 2k or more

Snapolit1 · #10 04-15-2018, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ricktmd

To Barry's point here. The Green Cobb and Bat On have nearly the same population on the PSA pop report. Two factors here . One is the popularity of the Green Cobb. Just a typical supply and demand curve. While no more rare than Bat On the popularity (demand) has increased the value. Second and more to Barry's point is several people are buying the Green Cobb's paying what they have to and then holding/hording or reselling at a substantial profit . There were dealers at the 2017 National with as many as 20 Green Cobb's who admit to buying all the Green Cobb's they can find. All Cobb T206's are up big though. I purchased a Red Portrait in a 2.5 with a PB back 2 years ago for 800.00. Now a PSA 2.5 goes for 2k or more

I guess like the 52 Mantles, there is a nice supply of them and good demand so is it's a great card to build a market around. Hard to get excited about a one of seven card that no one ever sees if your goal is a quick buck.

And what's with the photo of Ruth and his Dad behind the bar? Was there a law passed somewhere that every major auction now has to have one of these. The first 4 or 5 times I saw one was kind of interesting but now just seems like a hot potato people buy and quickly pass to someone else.

barrysloate · #11 04-15-2018, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ricktmd

To Barry's point here. The Green Cobb and Bat On have nearly the same population on the PSA pop report. Two factors here . One is the popularity of the Green Cobb. Just a typical supply and demand curve. While no more rare than Bat On the popularity (demand) has increased the value. Second and more to Barry's point is several people are buying the Green Cobb's paying what they have to and then holding/hording or reselling at a substantial profit . There were dealers at the 2017 National with as many as 20 Green Cobb's who admit to buying all the Green Cobb's they can find. All Cobb T206's are up big though. I purchased a Red Portrait in a 2.5 with a PB back 2 years ago for 800.00. Now a PSA 2.5 goes for 2k or more

Thanks Rick. So if many people are hoarding Green Cobbs then that creates an artificial price point. No need for me to get caught up in it. There are plenty of other great cards to buy that are not in such great demand.

philliesphan · #12 04-15-2018, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bored5000

I guess it just surprises me that the Roberts card sells for 10 times that of a huge Phillies rarity of the same era like a Lummis Peanut Butter Richie Ashburn card. Of course, it could be the aesthetics of the Topps All-Stars card that makes it a $60,000 item.

Eddie, I internalize this with the "Honus Wagner" theory. The T206 Honus Wagner is neither the most scarce in supply nor the most aesthetically pleasing Honus Wagner card. However, it is nearly orders of magnitude more in demand than other Wagners, thus the six figure price tags for deplorable examples.

It's all about Supply and Demand. I can name a handful of collectors whose entire collecting focus is Topps cards from 1951 through the modern era (wherever you'd like to define that cutoff). The Stanky, Roberts and Konstanty cards have been known, reported on and discussed throughout the hobby for many decades, thus increasing their sex appeal.

You're absolutely right about the Lummis Peanut Butter Ashburn card. However, it's a curious use case: 1) Some collectors eschew the set because they look identical to the Sealtest, but for the card backs 2) They're so rare to find, set "completion" is a fairy tale for all but a handful of collectors and 3) there are many other Ashburn cards that are much more plentiful, but cost must more $$$ because of the many collectors who want the card.

If the Ashburn Lummis ever becomes a hot commodity worth $60k, I'll be the first to sell

I've only ever seen a single example - and was happy to purchase it a number of years ago

Bored5000 · #13 04-15-2018, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by philliesphan

Eddie, I internalize this with the "Honus Wagner" theory. The T206 Honus Wagner is neither the most scarce in supply nor the most aesthetically pleasing Honus Wagner card. However, it is nearly orders of magnitude more in demand than other Wagners, thus the six figure price tags for deplorable examples.

It's all about Supply and Demand. I can name a handful of collectors whose entire collecting focus is Topps cards from 1951 through the modern era (wherever you'd like to define that cutoff). The Stanky, Roberts and Konstanty cards have been known, reported on and discussed throughout the hobby for many decades, thus increasing their sex appeal.

You're absolutely right about the Lummis Peanut Butter Ashburn card. However, it's a curious use case: 1) Some collectors eschew the set because they look identical to the Sealtest, but for the card backs 2) They're so rare to find, set "completion" is a fairy tale for all but a handful of collectors and 3) there are many other Ashburn cards that are much more plentiful, but cost must more $$$ because of the many collectors who want the card.

If the Ashburn Lummis ever becomes a hot commodity worth $60k, I'll be the first to sell

I've only ever seen a single example - and was happy to purchase it a number of years ago

Thanks for the thoughtful post, Marc. If the Lummis Ashburn card would ever climb to $62,000, I would hope that a Puddinhead Jones card from the set would at least hit low five figures the way Stanky and Konstanty Topps All-Star cards have.

I bought my Jones card on eBay from John Rumirez; he wrote me that he has been working on the set for 30 years and only has nine of the 12 Lummis Peanut Butter cards.

I know there is also another member on this board who has a Lummis Ashburn card.

sflayank · #14 04-15-2018, 04:48 PM

delete

whiteymet · #15 05-22-2018, 12:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bored5000

Thanks for the thoughtful post, Marc. If the Lummis Ashburn card would ever climb to $62,000, I would hope that a Puddinhead Jones card from the set would at least hit low five figures the way Stanky and Konstanty Topps All-Star cards have.

I bought my Jones card on eBay from John Rumirez; he wrote me that he has been working on the set for 30 years and only has nine of the 12 Lummis Peanut Butter cards.

I know there is also another member on this board who has a Lummis Ashburn card.

Hey! I resemble that last remark!

Fred

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