What I Don't Understand about Baseball Card Economics

[darwinbulldog]

What's really going to upset the apple cart is when we find out the Black Swamp Find was just Gary Moser's master's thesis project.

[SMPEP]

Originally Posted by darwinbulldog

What's really going to upset the apple cart is when we find out the Black Swamp Find was just Gary Moser's master's thesis project.

I have to say ... the first second I heard about this find ... my immediate response was ... why on Earth would anyone believe this claim? I lived in Ohio. I've been in farm houses there. The change in humidity from summer to winter alone should have made folks skeptical.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by darwinbulldog

What's really going to upset the apple cart is when we find out the Black Swamp Find was just Gary Moser's master's thesis project.

A truly outstanding post.

[Snapolit1]

I assume nearly all of the folks pouring big money into baseball cards are people (men, age 40-70) who are set for life financially (or think they are) and the $100,000 or $500,000 they are spending on a card isn't that huge of a deal all things considered. And they decide for some reason it would be really really cool to own a rare Babe Ruth card. They are going to get a rare Babe Ruth baseball card. It's not like there is some alternative place they can go to get a Babe Ruth card. So this is the sandbox they play in. They hold their nose, do a little research, and take a plunge.

If I decided tomorrow that my life would be complete if I owned a '67 red Camaro and I had the money to do it I would buy one. I doubt I'd be deterred by people pissing and and moaning on an Internet chat board. (I might even think it's a wonderful time to buy one because of all the pissing and moaning.)

[benjulmag]

Originally Posted by Snapolit1

If I decided tomorrow that my life would be complete if I owned a '67 red Camaro and I had the money to do it I would buy one. I doubt I'd be deterred by people pissing and and moaning on an Internet chat board. (I might even think it's a wonderful time to buy one because of all the pissing and moaning.)

You wouldn't be a little concerned if all that pissing and moaning was discussing the latest FBI counterfeit car sting operation that had just busted a ring manufacturing fake '67 red Camaro's, and that the last 11 sold were fakes?

[barrysloate]

I do agree with Steve that those who don't participate on this chat board probably do look at us as a bunch of whiners and complainers. However, among all that whining you can find a lot of useful information. And I would hate to think that all this talk about altered cards over the last couple of weeks is looked upon by the hobby at large as just a whole lot of nonsense.

[Snapolit1]

Originally Posted by barrysloate

I do agree with Steve that those who don't participate on this chat board probably do look at us as a bunch of whiners and complainers. However, among all that whining you can find a lot of useful information. And I would hate to think that all this talk about altered cards over the last couple of weeks is looked upon by the hobby at large as just a whole lot of nonsense.

I hope changes come, but watching some high end cards on PWCC last night there didn't seem to be any shortage of interested buyers.

[Bigdaddy]

Folks, I believe that we are missing the elephant in the room here. The problem is not the trimmed/altered cards - after all, what remains is still an authentic card.

The problem is what are we, as a society, going to do about all those Moser trimmings piling up in some landfill? The industrial waste generated by trimming the edges of cards is going to be a huge problem. It's going to end up in the ocean, choking sea lions and filling the stomachs of whales.

We are on the verge of a natural disaster.

[oldjudge]

The vast vast majority of cards in PSA (or SGC) holders are fine. Some doctored cards slipped by and that’s a problem. Hopefully, PSA will figure out a method to solve, or at least minimize the problem. I think one way to reduce this problem going forward is to prosecute the card doctorers. If a few of these scum bags goes to jail then the incentive for their shenanigans will be significantly lessened.

[Snapolit1]

Originally Posted by benjulmag

You wouldn't be a little concerned if all that pissing and moaning was discussing the latest FBI counterfeit car sting operation that had just busted a ring manufacturing fake '67 red Camaro's, and that the last 11 sold were fakes?

I might or I might not.

[More like some of the '67 Camaros have non original parts and are not identified as such.]