auto racing cards

[Bored5000]

Of all the sets that have exploded in value since Covid, T36s have to be near the top of the list. T36s are up 10X in the past five years. I am floored by a complete set going for $11,100 at REA over the weekend, but I guess that is probably not out of line when individual cards now go for $500 and up in many cases.

https://bid.collectrea.com/lots/147057

I have been stuck at 12/25 T36s for several years now, and will never finish the set if the permanent price is now $400-500 (or more for some drivers) a card. It wasn't that long ago when an entire set of T36s could be had for well under $1,000.

[Exhibitman]

1937 Wilbur Shaw Indianapolis 500 Board Game

[Bored5000]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

1937 Wilbur Shaw Indianapolis 500 Board Game

I like the Wilbur Shaw game cards because there are so few racing cards from the period between the T36s in 1911 and the Shaw game in 1937. I have a Frank Lockhart card from the game as an example. I want a Ray Harroun card from the game, since that seemingly has to be the rookie card of the first Indy 500 winner but have lost out on a few Harroun cards at auction in recent years.

[Exhibitman]

I'm collecting Rose cards, so this was a nice get for me.

[Beansballcardblog]

Yeah, the prices on T36s are stupid. I was getting these pre-covid for $30-50 or so (with some exceptions). I don't believe I'll be able to complete the master set without some market correction, but at least I have the 25 card set complete.

Originally Posted by Bored5000

Of all the sets that have exploded in value since Covid, T36s have to be near the top of the list. T36s are up 10X in the past five years. I am floored by a complete set going for $11,100 at REA over the weekend, but I guess that is probably not out of line when individual cards now go for $500 and up in many cases.

https://bid.collectrea.com/lots/147057

I have been stuck at 12/25 T36s for several years now, and will never finish the set if the permanent price is now $400-500 (or more for some drivers) a card. It wasn't that long ago when an entire set of T36s could be had for well under $1,000.

[Bored5000]

Originally Posted by Beansballcardblog

Yeah, the prices on T36s are stupid. I was getting these pre-covid for $30-50 or so (with some exceptions). I don't believe I'll be able to complete the master set without some market correction, but at least I have the 25 card set complete.

Good to see you back posting again, Kin. I always enjoy your appearances on the NASCARD Radio podcast.

Barring a huge market crash, I am probably destined to stay stuck at 12/25 on the T36 Auto Drivers set. I always thought the set was undervalued at $50 or so a card, but I never would have guessed there would enough interest in drivers largely unknown to most collectors to drive prices to $500-1,000 a card.

I picked up 10 packs of the Parkside Pacific IndyCar set last year because I wanted to support a company producing modern IndyCar cards. I know the modern parallels are just a gimmick, but I was a bit disappointed by how horrendous the collating was in that some buyers were hitting 1/1s in almost every pack they ripped. The autograph cards are pretty nice, though.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Longshot, but am considering adding another midgrade 1972 Richard Petty if anyone has one to move. PSA preferred but would consider SGC.

[Exhibitman]

Originally Posted by Bored5000

I always thought the set was undervalued at $50 or so a card, but I never would have guessed there would enough interest in drivers largely unknown to most collectors to drive prices to $500-1,000 a card.

I'm not surprised. It isn't just that set. Non-baseball N and T cards are having a moment, have been for a year at least. I bought a collection of vintage NS cards a year or three ago, sold them for nice multiples, and watched them skyrocket from there to prices that make me throw up a little in my mouth.

IMO North American racing, esp. Indy and NASCAR, are primed to get moving. They both have Drive To Survive style shows, a long history, and some sporadically-issued but interesting card histories, and they lag way behind comparable F1. Mix in people like me who are frustrated with the prices on vintage baseball cards but still have the drive to collect old cardboard, and you have a formula for prices to go up on other types of cards. At least until us dilettante collectors are bored or prices fall back into line in baseball. Neither of which may ever happen. I am really enjoying the racing stuff and will probably keep on with it regardless.

[Bored5000]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

I'm not surprised. It isn't just that set. Non-baseball N and T cards are having a moment, have been for a year at least. I bought a collection of vintage NS cards a year or three ago, sold them for nice multiples, and watched them skyrocket from there to prices that make me throw up a little in my mouth.

One of the other non sports sets I watch that has gone crazy over the last several years is the N76 Great Americans set, at least when it comes to the iconic Presidents in the set like Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, etc. The big names in that set are up 10X in just a few years. Someone willing to pay any price for a vintage Lincoln or Washington card, I at least understand more so than a rabid bidding war for Bob Burman or Henry Fournier.