19th Century Cards

jcmtiger · #1 02-10-2021, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GaryPassamonte

With all the fanfare about high card prices, not much has happened with the prices of 19th century cards. Are they being left behind? Is it the "grading" aspect, with most 19th century cards being in lower grades? Is it a lack of interest in the early history of the game?

Collectors seem to be holding on to their 19th Century stuff in my opinion. I can�t find anything new for Detroit players.

insidethewrapper · #2 02-10-2021, 05:18 PM

I personally past on all 19th Century cards if they are not graded. I don't want to spend the money to get them graded and wait almost a year to put them in my collection. I agree , most 19th Century are probably already in collections and will only be sold when the collector passes away. I haven't seen much to add to my collection lately plus at the current high prices on everything it has driven me out of the baseball card hobby. I really can't add anything to my collection due to the high costs of what I want and still need. So now I'm a Non-Sports Collector for the most part, just can't add anything to my baseball collection. It's great for the value of my collection, but it has driven me from collecting anymore.

packs · #3 02-10-2021, 06:04 PM

I was hoping an Art Whitney with dog would slip through the cracks on eBay the other day but it went for a pretty good price. Thought I'd catch someone napping with all the attention elsewhere.

Vintagecatcher · #4 02-10-2021, 09:57 PM

Ted,

That's a beautiful N162 set! Spent many a weekend antiquing in that area of NH where you picked some of them up.

Thanks for including the Haymaker scorecard. That's a real "knockout" item!

haymaker (n.)
mid-15c. as the name of an agricultural occupation, "one who cuts and dries grass" (hay-making is attested from c. 1400); 1910 in the sense of "very strong blow with the fist," from hay + agent noun of make; the punch probably so called for resemblance to the wide swinging stroke of a scythe. Haymaker punch attested from 1907.

Patrick

Fred · #5 02-10-2021, 10:23 PM

All we can do is hope that the 19th century stuff doesn't go stoopid on us.

Makes you wonder if certain cards will take off. Cards that are popular like the N162s. The Anson and Kelly are fairly sought after.

I think N172 Cal League cards are just too rare so they're probably not going to be affected, however what about tough cards like a "Phenomenal Smith" N172 or Spotted Ties?

I haven't paid attention to this, has anyone seen radical increases in certain 19th century cards?

tedzan · #6 02-11-2021, 08:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vintagecatcher

Ted,

That's a beautiful N162 set! Spent many a weekend antiquing in that area of NH where you picked some of them up.

Thanks for including the Haymaker scorecard. That's a real "knockout" item.

Patrick

Thanks, Pat, for the compliments.

The Antique shop in Peterborough (NH) advertised this N162 set in SCD back in the late 1980's. I called them to hold these cards,
since I was driving up to Maine to visit with my daughter and her family.

Here's the Album (A36) depicting all 50 cards in the N162 set. It is Sportscard lithography at it's best.

TED Z

T206 Reference
.

Leon · #7 02-11-2021, 08:17 AM

For whatever reason the demand for 19th century just hasn't been there the last several years. Prices haven't gone up too much at all, from what I see.

packs · #8 02-11-2021, 12:15 PM

I think prices might even be trending down in some cases. Kalamazoo Bats used to be pricey in any condition but a lot of them have hit the auction circuit lately and prices have really come down.

jcmtiger · #9 02-10-2021, 10:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by insidethewrapper

I personally past on all 19th Century cards if they are not graded. I don't want to spend the money to get them graded and wait almost a year to put them in my collection. I agree , most 19th Century are probably already in collections and will only be sold when the collector passes away. I haven't seen much to add to my collection lately plus at the current high prices on everything it has driven me out of the baseball card hobby. I really can't add anything to my collection due to the high costs of what I want and still need. So now I'm a Non-Sports Collector for the most part, just can't add anything to my baseball collection. It's great for the value of my collection, but it has driven me from collecting anymore.

Looks like your collecting interests are similar to mine. LOL

perezfan · #10 02-11-2021, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by insidethewrapper

I personally past on all 19th Century cards if they are not graded. I don't want to spend the money to get them graded and wait almost a year to put them in my collection. I agree , most 19th Century are probably already in collections and will only be sold when the collector passes away. I haven't seen much to add to my collection lately plus at the current high prices on everything it has driven me out of the baseball card hobby. I really can't add anything to my collection due to the high costs of what I want and still need. So now I'm a Non-Sports Collector for the most part, just can't add anything to my baseball collection. It's great for the value of my collection, but it has driven me from collecting anymore.

This post most closely echoes my sentiments as well. But rather than turning to non-sports, I have made some killer Golf acquisitions. Just as cool as Baseball, and the history runs even deeper. And the prices are soooo much better... items like early gutty and mesh pattern golf balls, hickory irons, long-nose woods, figural statues, trophies, etc. Very rewarding, when the baseball stuff has all dried up or become unaffordable/unattainable.

Snapolit1 · #11 02-11-2021, 04:03 PM

It�s not that complicated. A large part of the escalation in post war is basically investors. They may like baseball too, but their primary
Goal is to buy an asset that has wide societal recognition and will be in demand for years to come. That card is not an 1893 card of some dude know only to SABR people and folks on this board.
Not passing judgment on what Anyone collects.
It�s like saying why do the rents keep going up on Fifth Avenue in NYC and not at the nice little strip mall 13 miles away.

puckpaul · #12 02-12-2021, 10:42 AM

Don�t see much talk about the Round Album on here. This should be hot too! Just beautiful, up there with the N162�s as my favorite early sets. (Thought I would match Ted�s posting...I have rest of the set too).

I think the early stuff suffers from name recognition and bragging rights issues for the fast money. But it�s beautiful, rare, and collectible so should get some spillover.

aelefson · #13 02-12-2021, 11:08 AM

I love any 19th century baseball item but I have never loved paying the high prices most of the cards sell for. I have instead focused on memorabilia and ephemera. Below are some trade cards which are significantly cheaper than similarly aged baseball cards. The graphics are interesting and some of my favorite ones are for baseball equipment dealers.

Alan

Exhibitman · #14 02-10-2021, 10:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jcmtiger

Collectors seem to be holding on to their 19th Century stuff in my opinion.

I agree, and this is true of high quality 19th century boxing as well. They just don't seem to be offered up.

Fred · #15 02-10-2021, 10:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

I agree, and this is true of high quality 19th century boxing as well. They just don't seem to be offered up.

Would the lack of available 19th C material result in what might be considered a depressed sector when comparing to the price escalation in other card sectors?

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