NonSports Forum

Net54baseball.com
Welcome to Net54baseball.com. These forums are devoted to both Pre- and Post- war baseball cards and vintage memorabilia, as well as other sports. There is a separate section for Buying, Selling and Trading - the B/S/T area!! If you write anything concerning a person or company your full name needs to be in your post or obtainable from it. . Contact the moderator at leon@net54baseball.com should you have any questions or concerns. When you click on links to eBay on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network. Enjoy!
Net54baseball.com
Net54baseball.com
ebay GSB
T206s on eBay
Babe Ruth Cards on eBay
t206 Ty Cobb on eBay
Ty Cobb Cards on eBay
Lou Gehrig Cards on eBay
Baseball T201-T217 on eBay
Baseball E90-E107 on eBay
T205 Cards on eBay
Baseball Postcards on eBay
Goudey Cards on eBay
Baseball Memorabilia on eBay
Baseball Exhibit Cards on eBay
Baseball Strip Cards on eBay
Baseball Baking Cards on eBay
Sporting News Cards on eBay
Play Ball Cards on eBay
Joe DiMaggio Cards on eBay
Mickey Mantle Cards on eBay
Bowman 1951-1955 on eBay
Football Cards on eBay

Go Back   Net54baseball.com Forums > Net54baseball Main Forum - WWII & Older Baseball Cards > Net54baseball Vintage (WWII & Older) Baseball Cards & New Member Introductions

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 03-16-2023, 02:35 PM
Mark17's Avatar
Mark17 Mark17 is offline
M@rk S@tterstr0m
Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 2,253
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by frankbmd View Post
What you say makes some sense, but I don't agree that you cannot lose real money in the hobby. There are members here that remember bad advice they received regarding some of their own purchases.
Of course you can lose money buying a baseball card. But the other hobbies I mentioned are guaranteed money expenditures. How many baseball, football, basketball, or hockey games have you attended, where you get back any of your money later on?
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 03-16-2023, 02:59 PM
raulus raulus is offline
Nicol0 Pin.oli
 
Join Date: May 2022
Posts: 2,745
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark17 View Post
Of course you can lose money buying a baseball card. But the other hobbies I mentioned are guaranteed money expenditures. How many baseball, football, basketball, or hockey games have you attended, where you get back any of your money later on?
That's precisely what I keep telling my wife.

It's an investment, not an expenditure!!!

"You keep spending money on baseball cards..."
"Correction. I keep investing money in baseball cards."
__________________
Trying to wrap up my master mays set, with just a few left:

1968 American Oil left side
1971 Bazooka numbered complete panel
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 03-16-2023, 03:04 PM
SyrNy1960's Avatar
SyrNy1960 SyrNy1960 is offline
Tony Baldwin
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 828
Default

I had an opportunity to buy an item I really wanted, with a cost of $10,000+. I had the money, but hesitated for a bit because of the amount. I bought it and never regretted it. I’m so glad I didn’t pass on it due to price. I knew if I didn’t buy it, I would have regretted it. Enjoying it every day!
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 03-16-2023, 03:06 PM
AndrewJerome's Avatar
AndrewJerome AndrewJerome is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 304
Default

Mark S, I agree completely. People spend thousands on vacations and other things with zero possibility of getting any money back. But for some reason it’s viewed as risky to buy pre-war cards that have historically held value and often appreciated nicely. I have never understood the logic.

Andrew
__________________
callmefugazi@yahoo.com
www.slackjobcards.com
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 03-16-2023, 03:13 PM
bnorth's Avatar
bnorth bnorth is offline
Ben North
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: South Dakota
Posts: 10,690
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by AndrewJerome View Post
Mark S, I agree completely. People spend thousands on vacations and other things with zero possibility of getting any money back. But for some reason it’s viewed as risky to buy pre-war cards that have historically held value and often appreciated nicely. I have never understood the logic.

Andrew
I have spent several thousand on every trip to Europe and would never in a second trade any one of those many trips for a baseball card.

I do agree that unless you have to sell shortly after purchase you can get back at least half your money after fees on popular vintage cards. More if you don't pay taxes.

This is a great thread.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 03-16-2023, 03:19 PM
Snapolit1's Avatar
Snapolit1 Snapolit1 is offline
Ste.ve Na.polit.ano
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 6,372
Default

I do agree that unless you have to sell shortly after purchase you can get back at least half your money after fees on popular vintage cards. More if you don't pay taxes.

Pretty absurd statement me thinks. If I buy a quality vintage card at a nice AH like LOTG or Heritage for $30,000 and have to sell it, I will get back less than $15,000? No. That's a very unlikely outcome. Not impossible but pretty unlikely. I track a few hundred vintage cards, and very very few of them have dropped 50% in value. Actually probably zero of them.

And there wouldn't be any tax liability if you bought a card and sold it for a huge loss, so I'm not sure what that means.

I haven't sold one vintage card at a 50% loss and don't know anyone who has. Maybe I've lost 10-15% but that would be the most. And on 95% of my sales I have made a profit.

Last edited by Snapolit1; 03-16-2023 at 03:24 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 03-16-2023, 03:30 PM
bnorth's Avatar
bnorth bnorth is offline
Ben North
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: South Dakota
Posts: 10,690
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Snapolit1 View Post
I do agree that unless you have to sell shortly after purchase you can get back at least half your money after fees on popular vintage cards. More if you don't pay taxes.

Pretty absurd statement me thinks. If I buy a quality vintage card at a nice AH like LOTG or Heritage for $30,000 and have to sell it, I will get back less than $15,000? No. That's a very unlikely outcome. Not impossible but pretty unlikely. I track a few hundred vintage cards, and very very few of them have dropped 50% in value. Actually probably zero of them.

And there wouldn't be any tax liability if you bought a card and sold it for a huge loss, so I'm not sure what that means.

I haven't sold one vintage card at a 50% loss and don't know anyone who has. Maybe I've lost 10-15% but that would be the most. And on 95% of my sales I have made a profit.
Fair point so lets do some math. I do not know the actual numbers so please provide them for me on a $30k purchase.

At $30K you are the person who will pay the most for that card so lets use the underbidders bid as what you can really sell it for. Then take off the buyers and sellers premium and the tax liabilities being a collector and not a business and what do you have left. Seriously I am curious.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 03-16-2023, 03:34 PM
G1911 G1911 is offline
Gr.eg McCl.@y
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 7,440
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by bnorth View Post
Fair point so lets do some math. I do not know the actual numbers so please provide them for me on a $30k purchase.

At $30K you are the person who will pay the most for that card so lets use the underbidders bid as what you can really sell it for. Then take off the buyers and sellers premium and the tax liabilities being a collector and not a business and what do you have left. Seriously I am curious.
Another factor for many buyers is the sales tax. Every card I buy costs me more than 10% extra to pay off my county. To flip it, I need to make more than 10% of the previous sale just to cover my initial actual bill.
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 03-16-2023, 03:40 PM
bnorth's Avatar
bnorth bnorth is offline
Ben North
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: South Dakota
Posts: 10,690
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by G1911 View Post
Another factor for many buyers is the sales tax. Every card I buy costs me more than 10% extra to pay off my county. To flip it, I need to make more than 10% of the previous sale just to cover my initial actual bill.
Great point on the extra sales tax. I found it strange but ebay even charged me tax on an item I recently purchased from the UK.
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 03-16-2023, 03:43 PM
ClementeFanOh ClementeFanOh is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Ohio
Posts: 1,267
Default Big purchase

Great, a compelling topic is once again off the rails. The poster is NOT
interested in 'flipping it" and said as much. Save that nonsense for another
thread or- here's a thought- start another thread. "Seek life elsewhere"!

Trent King

How often can you get on point commentary and a GI Jane reference in one
short message?
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 03-16-2023, 05:52 PM
Rhotchkiss's Avatar
Rhotchkiss Rhotchkiss is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2016
Posts: 4,591
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by bnorth View Post
Fair point so lets do some math. I do not know the actual numbers so please provide them for me on a $30k purchase.

At $30K you are the person who will pay the most for that card so lets use the underbidders bid as what you can really sell it for. Then take off the buyers and sellers premium and the tax liabilities being a collector and not a business and what do you have left. Seriously I am curious.
Ben, for a $30k(ish), you are not paying a seller’s premium. In fact, you should get a portion of the buyer’s premium. And you have no tax liability if you sell a card at a loss- you have no income, only partial recovery of basis which was after tax dollars and which is not taxable. So, your loss is likely your cost (including taxes and shipping), minus the hammer + whatever portion of the BP you may be able to negotiate.
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 03-16-2023, 06:12 PM
Snapolit1's Avatar
Snapolit1 Snapolit1 is offline
Ste.ve Na.polit.ano
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 6,372
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by bnorth View Post
Fair point so lets do some math. I do not know the actual numbers so please provide them for me on a $30k purchase.

At $30K you are the person who will pay the most for that card so lets use the underbidders bid as what you can really sell it for. Then take off the buyers and sellers premium and the tax liabilities being a collector and not a business and what do you have left. Seriously I am curious.
1. No one in their right mind pays a seller's commission consigning a $25,000 card. If they do, frankly, they are uninformed.

2. There is no tax ramification of me buying a card for $30,000. Or a million dollars.

3. If I sell something for more than I bought it for, only then do I owe taxes. And then, by definition, I haven't lost money on the sale.

4. If I bought a nice vintage card for $30,000 and had to sell literally tomorrow, ok, maybe I sell it for $28,000 or $27,000 in the next auction, WORST case scenario.
That's no doubt where the runners up landed. And I've lost maybe 10%. Nowhere near 50%.

5. If you paid 7% sales tax, tell the AH you want 107% of the hammer. Exactly what I've gotten from one of the major AH's many times.

Last edited by Snapolit1; 03-16-2023 at 06:16 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 03-16-2023, 06:24 PM
bnorth's Avatar
bnorth bnorth is offline
Ben North
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: South Dakota
Posts: 10,690
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rhotchkiss View Post
Ben, for a $30k(ish), you are not paying a seller’s premium. In fact, you should get a portion of the buyer’s premium. And you have no tax liability if you sell a card at a loss- you have no income, only partial recovery of basis which was after tax dollars and which is not taxable. So, your loss is likely your cost (including taxes and shipping), minus the hammer + whatever portion of the BP you may be able to negotiate.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Snapolit1 View Post
1. No one in their right mind pays a seller's commission consigning a $25,000 card. If they do, frankly, they are uninformed.

2. There is no tax ramification of me buying a card for $30,000. Or a million dollars.

3. If I sell something for more than I bought it for, only then do I owe taxes. And then, by definition, I haven't lost money on the sale.

4. If I bought a nice vintage card for $30,000 and had to sell literally tomorrow, ok, maybe I sell it for $28,000 or $27,000 in the next auction, WORST case scenario.
That's no doubt where the runners up landed. And I've lost maybe 10%. Nowhere near 50%.

5. If you paid 7% sales tax, tell the AH you want 107% of the hammer. Exactly what I've gotten from one of the major AH's many times.
Thanks guys. I don't swim in the deep end of the pool so I didn't know. Maybe i should have read one of Bob's epic posts on taxes.

I do feel it is important to know about selling a card that is expensive to the buyer even if they don't plan on selling.
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 03-16-2023, 06:00 PM
gonefishin gonefishin is offline
Jim Hos
Member
 
Join Date: May 2022
Location: California
Posts: 936
Default

I have had a "Sportscard Fund" separate from all my other income. It consists of money that is set aside to purchase items for my collection, items to resale, etc. It funds itself. At times the fund is full - other times not so much.

As long as you can afford it without adversely affecting monies you live on, and it's something you desire and covet, purchase the card. If you have doubts or concerns, my advice is not to.

NEVER, NEVER purchase cards that you can't afford to buy with cash! That's just me.

Good Luck with whatever you decide.
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 03-16-2023, 06:27 PM
rjackson44's Avatar
rjackson44 rjackson44 is offline
octavio ranzola
Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Manhattan nyc,congers ny
Posts: 13,360
Default

Never buy anything you can’t afford ,never ..you will regret it sooner then later ,,
Reply With Quote
  #16  
Old 03-16-2023, 06:22 PM
bbcard1 bbcard1 is offline
T0dd M@rcum
Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Roanoke, VA
Posts: 3,429
Default

I can live fine without. 1952 Topps Mantle, but I have a friend who is a huge fan and is working on a set. I started finding him nice ones when they were about $14k an he couldn't bring himself to pull the trigger. The man is a successful attorney and won not have really noticed it. He regrets it now.
Reply With Quote
  #17  
Old 03-21-2023, 08:05 PM
Jewish-collector's Avatar
Jewish-collector Jewish-collector is offline
Member
 
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 1,830
Default

Like I said to someone last month at the Net54 meetup in Dulles, "Sometimes you just gotta say WTF" and do it.

beer chug.gifbeer chug.gifbeer chug.gifbeer chug.gifbeer chug.gif
Reply With Quote
  #18  
Old 03-21-2023, 08:50 PM
Bicem's Avatar
Bicem Bicem is offline
Jeff 'Prize-ner'
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Seattle
Posts: 4,213
Default

That's a no brainer, will just keep appreciating. Nice grab.
Reply With Quote
  #19  
Old 03-21-2023, 09:24 PM
MantleMarisFordBerra's Avatar
MantleMarisFordBerra MantleMarisFordBerra is offline
member
 
Join Date: Jul 2022
Posts: 34
Default

Wow, very impressive! Congrats!
Reply With Quote
  #20  
Old 03-22-2023, 02:34 PM
Yoda Yoda is offline
Joh.n Spen.cer
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 2,272
Default

Be bold on your purchase but make sure it is a mainstream card. Rarities often prove to be illiquid when selling.
Reply With Quote
  #21  
Old 03-22-2023, 03:10 PM
theshowandme's Avatar
theshowandme theshowandme is offline
Don
Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2021
Location: Northern Virginia
Posts: 533
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Yoda View Post
Be bold on your purchase but make sure it is a mainstream card. Rarities often prove to be illiquid when selling.
Thanks
Reply With Quote
  #22  
Old 03-22-2023, 03:39 PM
Exhibitman's Avatar
Exhibitman Exhibitman is offline
Ad@m W@r$h@w
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Beautiful Downtown Burbank
Posts: 13,983
Default

That's a great one!

As for the OP, which I was late to read:

Vintage Baseball Cards I Have Regretted Not Buying When Affordable

These were right there for the taking, and I had the money, but I passed, and now I can't afford them or it would put a real financial hurt on me to get a decent one:

1925 Exhibit Gehrig
T206 Cobb green portrait
T206 Plank
Babe Ruth rookie
Zeenuts Joe DiMaggio
1957 Tip Top Spahn
1948 Leaf Robinson, Paige
1952 Topps Mantle
1957 Topps Bill Russell
1965 Topps Joe Namath
1933 Goudey Ruths
1934 Goudey portrait Gehrig
1939 Play Ball Williams
1949 Bowman Paige, Robinson, Snider, Campanella, Doby
1952 Topps Mays, Robinson, Mathews

Vintage Baseball Cards I Have Regretted Buying:

---0---
__________________
Read my blog; it will make all your dreams come true.

https://adamstevenwarshaw.substack.com/

Or not...

Last edited by Exhibitman; 03-22-2023 at 03:40 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #23  
Old 03-22-2023, 05:57 PM
kmac32's Avatar
kmac32 kmac32 is offline
Ken McMillan
Member
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Ponte Vedra, Florida
Posts: 2,598
Default

It’s all relative. I have some low grade E121-120 Ruth cards that I bought maybe 15 years ago for $500 and cards in the same condition are listed at $8000 to $10000 now on eBay. No way would I have ever thought these cards would be worth that kind of money. If it is something more mainstream like the Ruth cards, it will probably go up in value so consider it an investment.
__________________
Favorite MLB quote. " I knew we could find a place to hide you". Lee Smith talking about my catching abilities at Cubs Fantasy camp.
Reply With Quote
Reply




Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On

Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
bat purchase tony Net54baseball Sports (Primarily) Vintage Memorabilia Forum incl. Game Used 1 02-24-2013 03:05 PM
Looking to purchase ss Baseball Memorabilia B/S/T 4 03-27-2012 08:43 AM
Need some help on a purchase please. Pup6913 Net54baseball Vintage (WWII & Older) Baseball Cards & New Member Introductions 19 06-07-2010 08:08 AM
What do you think of my purchase? Archive Net54baseball Vintage (WWII & Older) Baseball Cards & New Member Introductions 8 09-22-2007 09:54 PM
1st T-206 purchase: how'd I do? Archive Net54baseball Vintage (WWII & Older) Baseball Cards & New Member Introductions 17 01-09-2007 04:06 PM


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 03:52 AM.


ebay GSB