Ticket Stub Lunacy

[71buc]

It appears that my goal of completing the 1971 Pirate Season in ticket stubs home and away will be very expensive. Until recently most of these stubs could be had for $15 or less. That has been changing recently. This morning this http://www.ebay.com/itm/August-17-1971-Pittsburgh-Pirates-Baseball-Ticket-Stub-Roberto-Clemente-HR-4-RBI-/331538100746 relatively pedestrian stub went for $60. I can't rationally explain of justify this price. Has anyone else experienced such silliness? :confused:

[Leon]

It appears that my goal of completing the 1971 Pirate Season in ticket stubs home and away will be very expensive. Until recently most of these stubs could be had for $15 or less. That has been changing recently. This morning this http://www.ebay.com/itm/August-17-1971-Pittsburgh-Pirates-Baseball-Ticket-Stub-Roberto-Clemente-HR-4-RBI-/331538100746 relatively pedestrian stub went for $60. I can't rationally explain of justify this price. Has anyone else experienced such silliness? :confused:

I don't collect stubs but there were 5 bidders above $47. Supply and demand is the reason, or so it seems, unless I am missing something? Interesting niche.

[vintagesportscollector]

It appears that my goal of completing the 1971 Pirate Season in ticket stubs home and away will be very expensive. Until recently most of these stubs could be had for $15 or less. That has been changing recently. This morning this http://www.ebay.com/itm/August-17-1971-Pittsburgh-Pirates-Baseball-Ticket-Stub-Roberto-Clemente-HR-4-RBI-/331538100746 relatively pedestrian stub went for $60. I can't rationally explain of justify this price. Has anyone else experienced such silliness? :confused:

That does seem insane, but look at it this way....your current collection just quadrupled in value.:rolleyes:

[71buc]

I thought I found a nice interesting niche that would be fun challenging and affordable. It was all of those things until recently. I have no idea why there is a sudden increase in interest in these stubs. I guarantee if I attempted to sell those currently in my collection I wouldn't get these prices:mad:

[Scott Garner]

Mike,
Be patient, my friend!
As you know, an auction requires at least 2 motivated bidders to create an elevated selling price. Look at it this way, your most motivated bidder is now out of the bidding on the next auction for the same ticket date. Another one will surface.

No worries. Stick to your guns and only bid what you are comfortable with. :)

[vthobby]

Mike,

You say "relatively pedestrian stub" but I have to strongly disagree along with that description of this particular ticket.

#1 - Clemente hit HR #229 in the game
#2 - 4 RBIs in the game
#3 - attendance was fairly low at just under 17,000
#4 - hit #2837 and #2838 in this game

He would go on to ONLY hit 6 more regular season Home Runs at home before his untimely passing so this ticket in that regard is pretty special.

The "coup de grace" so to speak is that this is Roberto's last regular or post season game to EVER knock in 4 RBIs. I think for a Clemente fan or any fan for that matter that his last 4 RBI game EVER is very special indeed.

I'm sure there are Clemente die-hards collecting his HR games and career hit games or at the very least, the early career games and the twilight career games which this stub fits into nicely.

I'm actually VERY surprised it did not go higher but if the seller had listed all of this, maybe it might have.

Peace, Mike

PS I saw Clemente Jr in Cooperstown on the golf course in the mid 1980s. He would not respond to anyone in the crowd calling for him .....except for me. I yelled "Arriba"....he immediately looked at me, smiled and jogged over to sign my 8x10 of his dad and my HOF book on a special page that I save only for family members of HOFamers. He signed 2 for me and none for anyone else around me! That was incredible!

PS2 Good luck in your quest and I agree with the previous post that patience is key. At least you have a really good head start on everyone else and you have all the post season ones so that is key also. Take care.

[hcv123]

Hi Mike. I don't completely agree with previous post of the significance of the stub. While it is all things mentioned, I'm not convinced that many clemente collectors care. It is a niche within a niche. I do echo previous sentiments.
Interestingly, I had considered doing his hr stubs - then considered he was not known as a home run hitter. Then had the idea to collect his 3000 hits stubs - decided it would be completely insane and have settled for a few significant stubs - 1st game, 3000th hit, etc.

Happy collecting

[vthobby]

Howard,

That meaningless and pedestrian stub went for $60 and the original poster talked about most others going for much less so.......along with my original line of thought, IF the seller had noted all of the things that I had about this game, I am sure that the ticket would have sold for even more. There were obviously a few buyers that were interested in it.

That was a big game for Clemente. Not if you only collect first games or 3000 hits but to any player that would have been a big game. For Clemente fans and collectors, it is a very cool item. I only wish I had seen it for auction but unfortunately did not. I guarantee you it would have gone higher if I had seen it.

Thanks, Mike

[71buc]

Hi Mike, perhaps my choice of the word pedestrian was poor. I collect all of the tickets from the 1971 Pirates season. My interest centers on the team as a whole not on the individual players. I would understand Bob Gibson's no hitter, opening day, September 1st, September 23rd or milestones such as Rose's 100th HR from that season as significant and likely to command a premium. It surprises me when others command such interest.

[hcv123]

Howard,

That meaningless and pedestrian stub went for $60 and the original poster talked about most others going for much less so.......along with my original line of thought, IF the seller had noted all of the things that I had about this game, I am sure that the ticket would have sold for even more. There were obviously a few buyers that were interested in it.

That was a big game for Clemente. Not if you only collect first games or 3000 hits but to any player that would have been a big game. For Clemente fans and collectors, it is a very cool item. I only wish I had seen it for auction but unfortunately did not. I guarantee you it would have gone higher if I had seen it.

Thanks, Mike

Clearly if you are implying that had you seen it you would have bid more, I believe you. Nor will I dispute that there were 4 bidders over $10. It sold for what it sold for and was "worth" that on that day, at that time, to those bidders.
I consider myself first and foremost a hard core Clemente collector. I have over 500 unique Clemente items all dating from 1973 or earlier. All of his regular issue cards, all of his inserts, almost all of his test issues and regionals. I have sub collections of Clemente magazines, Clemente newspapers, Clemente store model gloves, Pirate photo pennants among others. I have a handful of significant game stubs and programs (including what I believe to be Clemente's first program from Puerto Rico from February of 1952, Montreal Stubs from 1954, 1955 Pirates opening day , 1955 Dodgers opening day and September 29th and 30th, 1972. Probably some other programs. I have relationships for many years with Clemente collectors across the country. The highlights of the game you point out notwithstanding - I do not believe most of them would care to the $60 level (my humble opinion - which is always open to being incorrect). On that day 2 did. On another day, you might. Averaged out over time, I would be surprised to see it maintain that level. Unless I was doing some type of defined stub collecting like Mike, this stub "does nothing" for me.

A pleasure to disagree with you :D Happy collecting.

[vthobby]

Clearly if you are implying that had you seen it you would have bid more, I believe you. Nor will I dispute that there were 4 bidders over $10. It sold for what it sold for and was "worth" that on that day, at that time, to those bidders.
I consider myself first and foremost a hard core Clemente collector. I have over 500 unique Clemente items all dating from 1973 or earlier. All of his regular issue cards, all of his inserts, almost all of his test issues and regionals. I have sub collections of Clemente magazines, Clemente newspapers, Clemente store model gloves, Pirate photo pennants among others. I have a handful of significant game stubs and programs (including what I believe to be Clemente's first program from Puerto Rico from February of 1952, Montreal Stubs from 1954, 1955 Pirates opening day , 1955 Dodgers opening day and September 29th and 30th, 1972. Probably some other programs. I have relationships for many years with Clemente collectors across the country. The highlights of the game you point out notwithstanding - I do not believe most of them would care to the $60 level (my humble opinion - which is always open to being incorrect). On that day 2 did. On another day, you might. Averaged out over time, I would be surprised to see it maintain that level. Unless I was doing some type of defined stub collecting like Mike, this stub "does nothing" for me.

A pleasure to disagree with you :D Happy collecting.

Howard,

In the military where BLUF (bottom line up front) is encouraged, your post would read:

I am a hardcore Clemente collector and I have MANY vintage Clemente items. I also have relationships with many Clemente fans (no not that kind!). I respectfully disagree with you on this ticket in question.


I'm good with your points. To each his own I guess.

Peace, mike

[vthobby]

Hi Mike, perhaps my choice of the word pedestrian was poor. I collect all of the tickets from the 1971 Pirates season. My interest centers on the team as a whole not on the individual players. I would understand Bob Gibson's no hitter, opening day, September 1st, September 23rd or milestones such as Rose's 100th HR from that season as significant and likely to command a premium. It surprises me when others command such interest.

Like Howard pointed out, any given day can bring surprising prices (either very high or hopefully if you collect...very low).

Good luck in your quest,

Peace, Mike

[pbspelly]

I'm always surprised by how little ticket stubs sell for. I have a couple of field level stubs from Game 1 of the '86 world series. I keep them locked away and forget about them. Then every five or ten years or so I run across them, think they might be worth something, and run a couple of searches. Only to find that they're worth maybe $50-75 apiece. If that. Then back into the closet they go.

Reminds me of when a friend, browsing at a used book store, found a manuscript from the 1600s, selling for only $20. What a steal, he thought. So he bought it and took it to an appraiser, who told him, "It's probably worth about $20."

[ibuysportsephemera]

I'm always surprised by how little ticket stubs sell for. I have a couple of field level stubs from Game 1 of the '86 world series. I keep them locked away and forget about them. Then every five or ten years or so I run across them, think they might be worth something, and run a couple of searches. Only to find that they're worth maybe $50-75 apiece. If that. Then back into the closet they go.

Reminds me of when a friend, browsing at a used book store, found a manuscript from the 1600s, selling for only $20. What a steal, he thought. So he bought it and took it to an appraiser, who told him, "It's probably worth about $20."

The lesson with many collectibles (especially books) is that just because it is old, doesn't make it valuable. Just my 2¢.

Jeff

[mcgwirecom]

The thing to remember about tickets is that if everyone saved the ticket and nothing much happened in the game its probably not worth much. This happens mostly in World Series tickets. As mentioned earlier a game 1 1986 Series ticket doesn't usually bring much. But a game 6 is a different story! But even a game 6 doesn't compare to a June 4th, 1986 Braves ticket.

People who go to a World Series tend to save that ticket as opposed to a regular game where you think nothing happened. That June 4th game in Atlanta probably seemed pretty pedestrian to most fans and they didn't bother to save their stubs. Some rookie hit his first homerun. Now years later a lot of people are looking for that one and can't find it. A lot also want game 6 but the supply is pretty good on those.

[vintagesportscollector]

The thing to remember about tickets is that if everyone saved the ticket and nothing much happened in the game its probably not worth much. This happens mostly in World Series tickets. As mentioned earlier a game 1 1986 Series ticket doesn't usually bring much. But a game 6 is a different story! But even a game 6 doesn't compare to a June 4th, 1986 Braves ticket.

People who go to a World Series tend to save that ticket as opposed to a regular game where you think nothing happened. That June 4th game in Atlanta probably seemed pretty pedestrian to most fans and they didn't bother to save their stubs. Some rookie hit his first homerun. Now years later a lot of people are looking for that one and can't find it. A lot also want game 6 but the supply is pretty good on those.

Good points and perspective...I admit it, I googled to see who that rookie was...Bonds :p.

[GDoggy]

71Buc-If you have any 1971 Pirate regular season game stubs (home or away games) please let me know what have!

I have a ticket stub from 5/19/1971 Cincinnati Reds vs. Pittsburgh Pirates
Roberto Clemente 3 Runs, 3 RBIs and 4 Hits (#2745 - #2748) including a Inside-the-park Home Run (Career HR #220) and a triple.

I also have several other Clemente HRs/Hits and other Pirates tickets (also Musial/Aaron/DiMaggio...).

Looking for 3000 hit/strike out, 300 Win, 500 HR, perfect game and pre-WWII stubs.

[71buc]

PM sent

[71buc]

If the winner of these two stubs is a member here please contact me. I am ready to sell my 1971 regular season Pirate stubs. I have 57 of them and now that they are selling for $100 a piece I'm ready to cash them in. I fear that in my quest to collect all regular season games for the 1971 Bucs I may have artificially inflated their value. When I started two years ago I paid less for an unused 1971 opening day Buc ticket than these two stubs sold for. I needed one of them and thought I would splurge and make a $50 offer after it failed to reach the $99 opening bid. I was even uncomfortable offering $50. M**E if you are here you are either very very wealthy or much crazier than I am for 1971 Pirates. If you don't need my stubs at this time please let me know when you are done with your own stub chase so I may resume my own.

http://r.ebay.com/wvUES9
http://r.ebay.com/Y9TMw3

[Scott Garner]

That's just crazy! Wow... :rolleyes:

[slidekellyslide]

Wow. I feel for you Mike. That really is insane.

[ooo-ribay]

That's just crazy! Wow... :rolleyes:

What's also crazy is the $6 shipping....and I doubt that seller combines.

[hardware303]

Yeah, those two stubs going for that much was stunning. Mike, I actually thought you about when I saw them go down because I knew it had to be frustrating. I had my eye on them as well and never imagined anyone would make that opening bid. I'm with you though - if the buyer surfaces and is interested in my 1971 Pirates stubs, I'm a willing seller at that price too!