Before and After

[packs]

I've been buying some bigger cards over the last year. I don't think I overpaid for any of them though. My pandemic buys:

[Exhibitman]

If I can find mainstream cards for good prices I will pick them up. O/W I am a net seller right now. If I find rare cards I just plain pick them up: if I've had a card on my want list for years and it pops up, I grab it and don't ask questions, unless the seller is being ridiculous about it. Those cards tend to sell regardless of anything else, though, so the surge in pricing hasn't changed their market per se. That said, it is tempting to be reckless, especially when the funds I hold for card purchases swell due to the sales I am making. I've got my eye on a card right now that the seller has overpriced by at least 50%, and with each sale I make it is tempting to say WTF and buy it. It falls into that category of very scarce but not rare, so there is a respectable pricing history to review and consider.

[sportscardpete]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

That said, it is tempting to be reckless, especially when the funds I hold for card purchases swell due to the sales I am making.

Such an underrated point. I think the above helps prices rise for another card. If I sold a card for 3x what I paid I am more likely to overpay on something else.

[Exhibitman]

Originally Posted by sportscardpete

Such an underrated point. I think the above helps prices rise for another card. If I sold a card for 3x what I paid I am more likely to overpay on something else.

Yeah, it is the theory of playing with the house's money. I've only done that a couple of times. The first one was as a treat for myself after I won a big case. The second was after I'd sold off a big chunk of my collection in preparation for a major auction where I went all-in on a card. Neither deal ended up being a good investment for me, so I am trying really hard to curb my enthusiasm this time around.

[puckpaul]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

Yeah, it is the theory of playing with the house's money. I've only done that a couple of times. The first one was as a treat for myself after I won a big case. The second was after I'd sold off a big chunk of my collection in preparation for a major auction where I went all-in on a card. Neither deal ended up being a good investment for me, so I am trying really hard to curb my enthusiasm this time around.

yes, it sure seems like the time to NOT go all in. have to resist chasing things, though there have been some cards that I had been waiting to acquire where I paid a little more to make sure I had it to finish a set, for example, incase it went further! the Julius Erving is killing me, though, had most of that set from my childhood and was waiting and watching to buy one...there are a lot of them, and I just never focused and bought one. now they are up 10x or more! can't even get an EX-Mt for reasonable, and there are thousands of high grade ones there and above. so, not chasing that one. seems like cards like that have cooled some off the dec-March spike.

[Touch'EmAll]

Yeah, chasing cards and going all in with today's market tough decision. Little voice says stop the bidding where you are comfortable and go no further. Of course there is the other little voice says get it now, will only cost more later. I bid on several REA items, over bid already on all. Sigh, just going to stop, watch and see results from afar.

[Exhibitman]

Me too w/REA and seemingly every auction. I was genuinely surprised to win a card in LOTG last week. Lots of bids, one won.

The question I ask myself now is whether the item is cumulative or whether it adds some dimension to my collection that wasn't there before. If the latter, I go after it. if the former, I see if I can get it on the cheap.