When did collecting turn into a way of investing and making money?

drc · #1 01-19-2012, 01:43 AM

The source of all evil is Dwight Gooden.

In 1965, Topps was making lots of money selling baseball cards and kids were spending lots of money buying them. Baseball cards was a big market, just not on the secondary market.

Bilko G · #2 01-19-2012, 01:50 AM

For me, living in Canada, it was the 1985/86 O-Pee-Chee Mario Lemieux RC. I got my first Hockey card price guide, i believe it was called the Charlton Hockey Card checklist and price guide somewhere shortly after 86 or maybe 87. The Lemieux RC booked for something like $6 and i thought it was really cool because i owned 4 copies of it.

sbfinley · #3 01-19-2012, 02:40 AM

To answer your question I would say that decade between 1983-1993 was the heyday in which card collecting merged with honest investing. It was during that time that mass-produced rookies were hoarded by people who started to notice what the cards their moms threw out were worth. It was also during that time that the T206 Wagner invaded the national conscience as the preeminent sports collectible.

On a personal note.

For years I bought cards that didn't fit into my collecting focus by telling my wife "it was a good price", "I can flip it for a good profit", or "It is a sound investment." Never have I ever sold a card for a reason other than funding something that did fit within my focus. For some reason I can't bring myself to part with cards easily. I'm too attached to them, with or without fitting within my collecting focus.

Precious metals are a different story. I have found that with a little searching I can find silver and palladium for under or close to spot price and I have no attachment to them so unloading is stress free. Also, splitting my disposable hobby income between cards and metals has made me more concise in my collecting habits and opens up more funds for my collecting focus when I sell.

rainier2004 · #4 01-19-2012, 07:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sbfinley

For years I bought cards that didn't fit into my collecting focus by telling my wife "it was a good price", "I can flip it for a good profit", or "It is a sound investment." Never have I ever sold a card for a reason other than funding something that did fit within my focus. For some reason I can't bring myself to part with cards easily. I'm too attached to them, with or without fitting within my collecting focus.

That sounds about right.
I feel as though I force myself to think of it as a business sometimes to rationalize my spending. Yesterday I bought an expensive card included with a lot. The card is arguably too "nice" for my current set, and figured to sell immediately to help pay for the rest of the purchase. In less than 4 hours the card found its permanent home on my display and now i have a payment plan for the card...its sweet though! Still not a business.

bcbgcbrcb · #5 01-19-2012, 07:16 AM

1981 Topps Fernando Valenzuela & Tim Raines rookie cards................

Chris-Counts · #6 01-19-2012, 07:50 AM

The first cards I recall being hyped as money-making ventures were the 1954 Topps Aaron and the 1963 Topps Rose rookie. This was in about 1976 or 1977. I believe the Rose rookies were faked at about this time a well, a sure sign that money-making was becoming a bigger part of the hobby ...

pitchernut · #7 01-19-2012, 08:20 AM

3 to 4 years after ebay came online.

CW · #8 01-19-2012, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drc

The source of all evil is Dwight Gooden.

In 1965, Topps was making lots of money selling baseball cards and kids were spending lots of money buying them. Baseball cards was a big market, just not on the secondary market.

Ah yes, I remember that. Even prior to Gooden, we had the Darryl Strawberry and Don Mattingly from the '84 set, which were instantly worth $5-$7.50 right out of the pack.