Waste.

[GregC]

I hear Lebron bought the card personally because he wanted to start a PC of his best cards. Maybe he is manipulating his card values to be more than MJ's?

[mark evans]

A thought-provoking thread...good reading.

I continue to believe that folks should not be criticized for how they spend their money and that the buyer of the James card has assumed a significant downside risk. It may well be that cards of manufactured scarcity from the 1930s also pose a downside risk but it seems to me to be a lesser risk and for a different reason -- aging (and so on) of we baby-boomers.

[Scocs]

First, there was the $700,000 Rose rookie card; now the $300,000 LeBron card.

Ok, Forum: what's next?

[ullmandds]

whats next? a 250K 1977 burger king lou pinella.

[conor912]

Originally Posted by ullmandds

whats next? a 250K 1977 burger king lou pinella.

Don't forget the PSA 10....its gotta be a PSA 10.

[ls7plus]

Originally Posted by ullmandds

whats next? a 250K 1977 burger king lou pinella.

Now that would objectively make about as much sense. There are at least seven better NBA players in its history who have inarguably been better than LeBron (super-centers are ALWAYS able to contribute more in defense and rebounding): (1) Wilt Chamberlain, who won whenever he had a team behind him, and was truly unstoppable in his youth; (2) Bill Russell, winner of 11, count 'em, 11 NBA championships, and the true "king;" (3) Kareem Abdul Jabbar; (4) Shaquille O'Neil (the closest thing to Chamberlain there has ever been; (5) Michael Jordan; (6) Magic Johnson; and (7) one of Boston's three Gods, Larry Bird.

Sure, people have every right to waste their money any way they please, but I'm sorry, $tupid is $tupid! The so-called, self-proclaimed "legends" of today will fade, and pale in comparison to those icons who have lasted the test of time. Ten years from now LeBron will blend right into lesser players, while Cobb, Ruth, Gehrig, Mantle, Williams, Wagner, Jackson, Hornsby, etc. will never do so in our lifetimes!

Sorry, but I find this purchase offends me when I think of the many much better cards I could have bought with that sum. This transaction is best summed up as tragic!

But to each his own,

Larry

[Peter_Spaeth]

I've been watching basketball for decades and in the context of his time I would rate LeBron right up there with the guys on your list. ESPN ranks him 3 incidentally.

[Scocs]

LeBron is definitely one of the greatest basketball players of all time. The issue I have is the final hammer price of the item versus the relative newness of the item and the faux scarcity of the item (as opposed to, say, LeBron's only diamond-encrusted championship ring with the Cavs).

[rats60]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

I've been watching basketball for decades and in the context of his time I would rate LeBron right up there with the guys on your list. ESPN ranks him 3 incidentally.

ESPN ranked Kobe #2 and after he is retired, he is #12. It is all about hyping current players to get hits. They ranked 2 time all NBA player Steph Curry as the 4th best PG. When Lebron retires, he will be looked at as lower than most of those guys listed.

[HOF Auto Rookies]

Originally Posted by ls7plus

Ten years from now LeBron will blend right into lesser players, while Cobb, Ruth, Gehrig, Mantle, Williams, Wagner, Jackson, Hornsby, etc. will never do so in our lifetimes!

Sorry, but I find this purchase offends me when I think of the many much better cards I could have bought with that sum. This transaction is best summed up as tragic!

But to each his own,

Larry

I respectfully disagree, a ton. LeBron's legacy will never fade. He's an All-Time great right now.

And really, the purchase offends you!? Are you kidding me?! Oh, I'm sorry they didn't ask you first for your thoughts and what cards you wanted. Lol smh

[ls7plus]

Originally Posted by HOF Auto Rookies

I respectfully disagree, a ton. LeBron's legacy will never fade. He's an All-Time great right now.

And really, the purchase offends you!? Are you kidding me?! Oh, I'm sorry they didn't ask you first for your thoughts and what cards you wanted. Lol smh

Yes, it most certainly does and it should trouble each and every knowledgeable collector out there! Perhaps you are unaware of how appraisals are made to ascertain a reasonable value for both real and tangible property (as an attorney, I've certainly had abundant exposure to the process): they compare sales of similar property, and make the necessary adjustments that are called for. Certainly you wouldn't suggest, Brent, that the $312,000 LeBron card is or will be even remotely comparable in long term value to such cards as the 1910 T210 Joe Jackson currently being auctioned in Steve Verkman's Clean Sweep Auctions (it was at $108,000 as of yesterday, including buyer's premium), the Buttercream Ruth, the 1914 Baltimore News Babe Ruth at the level it was at just 8-9 years ago (when an example graded "poor" went for $152,000, only to resell just six years later at $450,000+, Ty Cobb with Ty Cobb Tobacco back, etc., etc. Having studiously collected for more than a quarter century, I certainly wouldn't, and I highly doubt other experienced collectors would either. While many would believe the self-proclaimed "king" to be among the all-time greats (and I would completely concur, but having devotedly watched NBA action for decades like Peter, having seen Russell, Chamberlain and Jabbar, as well as Magic Johnson and Larry Bird in their primes, and having had Pistons' seasons tickets for many years, what I have seen inevitably leads me to the conclusion that those I have listed were purely and simply better. LeBron compares more favorably to all-time greats such as Oscar Robertson and Jerry West than he does to the others), I seriously doubt that any knowledgeable collector in his right mind would "appraise" the sale value of the LeBron Card as being reasonable by way of comparison to those cards mentioned above.

As I stated, while I certainly don't pretend to dictate to others the manner in which they may waste their money, I don't think the particular verb chosen is anything other than completely appropriate. Some things are matters of opinion, others are of fact--evidence, knowledge and analytical ability are often determinative as to which is which. So, who's kidding who?

Best regards,

Larry