Depressing

MattyC · #1 04-15-2018, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by orly57

But Matty, would you be smiling at Gooden and Strawberry and Mattingly if you had dropped 15k on them during their heyday when they were looking like sure-fire hall of famers? You can smile at the Bo Jackson that you saved up your allowance to buy for a whopping $20. It's a nice memory. But that isn't the case today.

I will be in that exact 15k analogy/boat with my Aaron Judge collection. Will definitely smile at the cards no matter what they are worth down the line. I could sell them at a profit today, but that is not why I collect them. With all baseball cards, I go in thinking of them as sheer expenditures/luxury goods bought for pleasure. If I want to swap some out to buy others down the line and can sell some for profit or breakeven or anything at all, sure that is always nice and optimum, but never the expectation or desire going in. Basically, I walk into Vegas expecting to lose the whole wad.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big Ben

Ok. I get that. I use that rational when I purchase a pre World War II card. I fully understand the price fluctuations that can happen in the hobby. But if you paid let’s say $1,000 for a newer card and the value drops precipitously in the following years after the purchase, will you be enthusiastic about spending that type of money on a newer card in the future? Personally I would not.

If I am enthusiastic about the player, want him represented in my collection, want the specific card, and can afford the pricetag, I would be fine pulling the trigger again if another modern card I bought lost its value.

There are certainly prospectors and flippers who are into modern solely for a sort of "day trading," if you will. They time their buying and selling with the ebb and flow of achievement/hype/excitement/expectations around a player. In contrast I just collect modern guys I like. It does strike me as odd, the way a prospect's toughest cards will sometimes be priced as if he has already achieved Ruthian status in MLB. But if a seller can get that price, then more power to him. I have seen prices on modern cards for unproven players that dwarf the price of a nice Mantle or other elite HOFer. I don't agree with it, personally, but not my place to say other than in the holstering of my wallet. But I holster it for some PreWar or PostWar cards that are considered amazing and valuable. Just personal preference, end of day.

Snapolit1 · #2 04-15-2018, 11:16 AM

There was certainly a lot of hi-jinks and manipulation in the old days. Short prints and the like. But today it's like the only hook to generate sales are gimmicks, lottery tickets. It's like Willie Wonka and the golden ticket.

By the way, I love the new Topps Heritage cards. Bought two boxes and had a blast opening them.

pawpawdiv9 · #3 04-15-2018, 11:56 AM

I might grab 1-2 boxes at Xmas time of the shiny new stuff. Heck, I don't even know who is hot or not most times, just the fun of ripping something I guess.
That's why I join in at secret santa time, as its more of a surprise than anything.
A few yrs ago I opened one from SS, and had a retro 1957 RC Bart Starr red ink auto
It then makes me ponder IF there be a retro CJ, T206 , 48/9 Leaf or 33 Goudey cards?? or has it been done.

glynparson · #4 04-15-2018, 01:32 PM

I have been collecting since 1979 when I was 7 years old. I have been hearing this same story about how all the money is the new guys yet the older cards keep going up and the newer stuff mostly goes down with some obvious exceptions. I�ll continue to bet on older higher quality material. I�ve heard this song and dance countless times the last 39 years.

Snapolit1 · #5 04-15-2018, 01:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by glynparson

I have been collecting since 1979 when I was 7 years old. I have been hearing this same story about how all the money is the new guys yet the older cards keep going up and the newer stuff mostly goes down with some obvious exceptions. I’ll continue to bet on older higher quality material. I’ve heard this song and dance countless times the last 39 years.

What makes most collectibles rare is the fact that while they were around few if any people ever thought about collecting them for the long term. When the Gehrig rookie Exhibits came out in 1925, doubt any kid was walking around thinking "I want to preserve one of these because it will be worth a lot of money someday." Compare that with what's going on with Otani or Trout cards. People are hoarding them.

orly57 · #6 04-15-2018, 07:30 PM

Same with autos Steve. Thurman Munson's auto is worth more than Ted Williams' or Mickey Mantle's. Why? Because it is far more rare. So what is the outlook on autos of a guy whose been sitting at a table signing stacks of cards for Topps or Pannini since he was 17 years old? I would bet that there are already several thousands more mike Trout autos (at age 26) out there than Thurman Munson autos (who died at age 32). Certainly on baseball cards. I will admit that I have no numbers to back up that theory, but I would bet I'm right.

Snapolit1 · #7 04-16-2018, 06:07 AM

Totally agree. With the exception of an untimely death or a guy who has a real issue with signing for some odd reason, modern era autographs are valuelesss in my opinion. Might give you a nice warm feeling to look at but not an asset to sell to anyone.

Ps. Want a Pete Rose? He’s sitting at a store in Vegas all day long waiting for someone to walk in and say hello.

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