Wow - Modern Card

[Rich Klein]

I think Leon was going for a line similar to the vintage collectors are like a pimiple on an elephant's butt (and when I googled that line, there is actually a legit term for that expression) in terms of the overall part of the card market. If he had another line in mind; let's hear it --

And the psychology of buying cards like this is actually pretty simple. Everyone wants to be proven right, and when the new card market was actually like a mini stock market in the late 80's-early 90's everyone remembered when they hit on players like Cecil Fielder who went from 3 cent obscurity to $3 overnight in 1990 and forgot the Gregg Jeffries mess when his 1988 Donruss went from a market high of $10 early in 1988 to the quarter it books for today (and the real worth is less than that)

You always remember the hits; not the stiffs and the memory of the hits is what keeps you going in this "prospector" game.

We always talk here (at least some of us) about being just caretakers of these cards; well, the new card people in many cases move those cards even quicker. And that is still true today. About 2004; anything unopened 2001 was HOT because of two players: Prior and Pujols. Prior, well he never was the same after 2003. Pijols, assuming nothing ever comes out about HGH or anything else, is now eligible for the HOF and will make the HOF and on the 1st ballot when his time comes.

So, even in 2004; with players with SOME experience, you still had the 50/50 shot.

At a local store in 1984; just as the season began, I remember a person saying he was going for the Mets and wasn't really interested in Mattingly. By the end of the year; he realized he blew that opportunity. It happens, you hit on some and lose on some. But to got back, you ALWAYS remember the winners


Rich

[Matt]

Rich - the thing is, that even if Jeffries made the HOF, that card wouldn't be worth $10 nowadays. Same here - I can't fathom this card could possibly be worth $20k 20 years from now, even if the guy is the second coming of Tom Seaver. So, even when you guess correctly and "win" you still lose.

[Rich Klein]

In reality the point is to "win" about the player's performance and remember that you won about how the player did on the field. As it turned out, with very rare exceptions; cards from the over produced era (87-94) are not worth nearly as much as they were back in those days. In fact; the standard buy price for a collection from that era is 10 for a penny. I looked at a collection of nearly 800K cards a few weeks ago and the seller originally wanted 30K and eventually realized within a couple of hours that $1500 was all he would ever get and although they did not get sold; he will spend more in storage over the years than just getting out of those cards.

It's about the turn over and yes the 88 Donruss Jeffries, which in early 88 sold for $10 in the NY area; is part of a set which you can purchase for less than that individual price.

I think it will take about 30 more years to clean up that over produced mess and we'll probably have landfills before these cards ever come close to those values again

[barrysloate]

The card is currently at $9200 with nearly a week left to go- yikes!!

And the high bidder is a 0 feedback guy. That makes you wonder....

[JP]

It doesn't make me wonder. It just proves you can register for eBay while inebriated!

[hunterdutchess]

I put a link to this card when it was at a $20,000 bin. For a joke I asked what would you rather have this Strasburgh or a 1951 Bowman Mantle SGC 8 (they both are asking for the same price). I was just trying to show how stupid modern rookie card collecting can be for a card that has a player with no MLB experience. Even if he is the next Koufax this card will be worth less than half of what it goes for 10 years from now. Its like buying a brand new car, it will never hold it's value.

[Boccabella]

The market for this stuff is far bigger than most think. While it doesn't make a lot of sense on the whole, some of the super high grade 1980s 'classic' rookie cards ('76 Walter Payton, '81 Montana, '79-80 Bird/Magic, etc) are where the interest lies for those who remember those players from childhood and the hotshots with a lot of money would rather spend it on something they have an emotional tie to.

The current card 1-1 shiny market is another branch of that. They've totally bought in to the concept and while they may lose big once in awhile, the wins are enough to keep them working it. Those 1-1s have completely changed the rookie card market.

Again, it doesn't make a lot of sense (I keep thinking "Mark Prior") but it's a very active, vibrant part of the hobby. I think the collectors/speculators of that market do appreciate the pre-War stuff very much, but for a variety of reasons (accessibility to product being one), this is what they spend most of their time chasing.

[T205]

Its over:

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_yl...lug=tsn-166444

Stephen Strasburg likely will have Tommy John surgery

I hate to be the guy who spent all that money on that card now.

[glynparson]

'Pretty crazy, but I would rather have that card than many of the high grade vintage PSA 9's and 10's which are trimmed. A 1965 Topps leader card sold PSA 10 for $120,000+ a few years back. That is MUCH crazier to me than the Strasburg.

Though still rediculous if you are referring to the Drysdale Koufax leader PSA 10 sold by Mastro to the leading Koufax collector on the PSA registry I think it was closer to 25k which is still absurd but a long way from 120,000.

You may be referring to a different sale if so please show me to which sale you are referring.