What is happening with baseball card prices?

[campyfan39]

I am in agreement with this in that card budgets will drop as people return to vacations, movies and concerts etc.

One other aspect though is people like me who have taken advantage of the spike and sold a few big cards that I wasn't too connected to. I now have a bigger card budget than in the recent past. So I think some of it will continue based on people like me liquidating only to infuse it right back in.

Originally Posted by Tyruscobb

If you think this is a bubble, and are calling a top (or close to it), then liquidate everything. Earmark the money for cards. Then, when the market declines, you can buy back all your old cards, plus many more, with the same money. Your collection will come out ahead in the long-run. However, calling a top is hard. I think it was Warren Buffet that said he would love just to be able to get within 20% of predicting a top and bottom.

I’m no expert, but I personally think that the card market will experience a nice correction when the Covid-19 money exits. When somewhat of normalcy returns, card budgets will disappear for other entertainment spending, such as vacations, experiences, etc.

Good luck.

[Tyruscobb]

Originally Posted by campyfan39

I am in agreement with this in that card budgets will drop as people return to vacations, movies and concerts etc.

One other aspect though is people like me who have taken advantage of the spike and sold a few big cards that I wasn't too connected to. I now have a bigger card budget than in the recent past. So I think some of it will continue based on people like me liquidating only to infuse it right back in.

Two economic forces will concurrently operate to push down prices at some point.

First, as previously mentioned, the demand for cards will drop when Covid eases up. People will eventually return to spending their hard-earned money on vacations, concerts, experiences, etc. Their laser-focused entertainment budgets, which are currently just on cards, will splinter into many different directions.

Secondly, when Covid eases up, some collectors, who will now have more entertainment options, will grow bored and exit the hobby. They will no longer have the money or desire to continue collecting cardboard. When the drop in demand starts sending prices down, these collectors will panic and rush to sell their cards to lock in decent profits/prices. This will in turn increase the supply for sale..

Decreased demand and increased supply is bad news for prices, but good news for us true collectors that buy and hold. Although I enjoy seeing my collection’s value increase, it is moot because I’m not selling. The increased value is simply on paper and will remain there. I’m tired of being priced out of the cards that I want. I simply refuse to pay 3x last January’s prices for cards on my wish list.

[Republicaninmass]

I can imagine if oen could somehow see the "order flow"

the selling side would outnumber the buying side by a high margin. There is a Goldin auction every month with millions of dollars of cards being..ahem "SOLD"

1952 topps joe black PSA 2 did 400 last night, right

[nwfsteve]

I've lurked here for long enough and never felt the need to post until now.

I'm down to maybe a total of 50-60 cards to knock off 66T, 64 Philly FB, 67 T FB, and a handful of others and it's killing me to think I can't do it unless I spend $250 on a Horace Clarke rookie card - which I can afford but can't do on principle.

That causes me to think about selling my old sets or cashing in on my PSA 6 Rose rookie. But then I wouldn't have those cards anymore. This conundrum bothers me every day and I guess waiting it out is the only answer.

[Harliduck]

Originally Posted by nwfsteve

I've lurked here for long enough and never felt the need to post until now.

I'm down to maybe a total of 50-60 cards to knock off 66T, 64 Philly FB, 67 T FB, and a handful of others and it's killing me to think I can't do it unless I spend $250 on a Horace Clarke rookie card - which I can afford but can't do on principle.

That causes me to think about selling my old sets or cashing in on my PSA 6 Rose rookie. But then I wouldn't have those cards anymore. This conundrum bothers me every day and I guess waiting it out is the only answer.

Glad I have my Horace...wow...just looked, Deans Cards has the cheapest example?? WTF? That says it all right there...wow.

[cardsagain74]

Originally Posted by Republicaninmass

I can imagine if oen could somehow see the "order flow"

the selling side would outnumber the buying side by a high margin. There is a Goldin auction every month with millions of dollars of cards being..ahem "SOLD"

1952 topps joe black PSA 2 did 400 last night, right

And it was an awful 2.

But to be fair, his other high numbers did not get strong prices

[Republicaninmass]

Originally Posted by cardsagain74

And it was an awful 2.

But to be fair, his other high numbers did not get strong prices

hey dont you have one John! lol

I just cant believe the Jackie prices, If my highs were complete (sans mick and mathews) I'd list the whole dam lot and see if these "buyers" are really paying this kind of money for cards

[Seven]

I think they'll end up going higher as well. At least in the short term. A new stimulus check is on the horizon.

[dio]

Just the beginning. For those long time aaron holder. Our card value simply was stall for 6-7 yrs. We're just beginning stage to move up

[CharleyBrown]

Originally Posted by Seven

I think they'll end up going higher as well. At least in the short term. A new stimulus check is on the horizon.

I can't see the stimulus checks being the cause of the current prices in the hobby.

Someone making $75k and getting a $1400 stimulus check is more than likely not paying $25k for a PSA 4 '52 Topps Jackie, and I'd be shocked if they are looking to spend $400 on a PSA '52 Topps Joe Black.

The wealthiest have seen their wealth grow substantially in the past year. This is purely the result of people looking to park their money into other asset classes.

I suspect we will see a small burst in the bubble as COVID restrictions ease up, but we don't know when that will be. When it does happen, the drop in prices certainly won't be $GME-esque, that's for sure.