Overvalued players, series, sets?

[KCRfan1]

Are there any particular cards, players, years, or series within a year that you believe are overvalued?

[Snapolit1]

Not vintage, but I'd say really high end Mike Trout cards are obscenely overvalued and will be terrible investments if that's your goal. Trout could have another great decade and will still have very limited long term value. Amazing player, seemingly a wonderful real down to earth guy, with no almost no star value.

[clydepepper]

1952 Topps #311 - priced way, way outside of a lot of wallets including mine.

- not even a true Rookie Card

[Fred]

I'll say it....

most "rookie" cards.

Could you imagine what you could obtain if you sold a NRMT 52T Mantle? Heck, you could get most of the T206 set and lots of other stuff (ok, maybe not NRMT, but....).

As mentioned before, not even his "rookie" card.... :p

If I had a NRMT 52T Mantle I'd sell it and buy another lesser grade 52T Mantle card and a T206 Wagner in not so bad/great shape. Edited to add - oh yeah, and a 51B Mantle "rookie".

[jasonc]

1952 Topps #311 - priced way, way outside of a lot of wallets including mine.

- not even a true Rookie Card

Agree with this one, I think it has to be at the top of the list, IMO.

[Snapolit1]

Sherry Magee (Magie) spelling error cards. Who cares that some dude that no one has ever heard off outside of this board and SABR meetings had his name spelled wrong on a tobacco card 100 years ago.

Well who cares to the tune of 80K or 100K might be a better question.

[Baseball Rarities]

If I had a NRMT 52T Mantle I'd sell it and buy another lesser grade 52T Mantle card and a T206 Wagner in not so bad/great shape. Edited to add - oh yeah, and a 51B Mantle "rookie".

I do not think that you are going to find a T206 Wagner to buy with the proceeds from a NM 1952 Topps Mantle.

[Fred]

How much is a NRMT PSA graded Mantle going for these days? Perhaps I could by the "restored" T206 Wagner being discussed in another thread.

[rats60]

How much is a NRMT PSA graded Mantle going for these days? Perhaps I could by the "restored" T206 Wagner being discussed in another thread.

It would definitely have to be an A. PSA 1 Wagner is more than PSA 8 Mantle.

[familytoad]

Almost all Topps cards are overvalued or overrated in case that has different meanings to some.
Don’t get me wrong, I still like them, but they ain’t rare.
How many Nolan Ryan RC are there? That’s my example of crazy hype prices.

On the other side of the spectrum, is it possible that all original Babe Ruth cards are underrated? No bigger sports personality before, during or after his career...

[KCRfan1]

I knew the 1952 Mantle would be on everyone's mind. What are your thoughts about Mantle cards in general, as overvalued. They're readily available and in nice condition. I understand the reason behind the price, but those prices.... Someone posted a while back that, anyone who thinks Mantle is overpriced doesn't own one.

Clemente also seems to be in the overvalued realm. Great player, the face of Latin baseball and an example for all of us as a humanitarian. He isn't Jackie though.

[frankbmd]

Registry cards for the sake of getting a Joe handshake.

[benjulmag]

Condition rarities.

[mechanicalman]

Rare backs or printing anamolies of commons.

[ValKehl]

Are there any particular cards, players, years, or series within a year that you believe are overvalued?

All T206 cards! :D

[oldjudge]

1915 Crackerjacks, all postcards.

[Throttlesteer]

Green Cobbs and Ohtani cards.

[Bored5000]

I am always amazed when I see what some collectors are willing to pay for Old Judges where the image is so faded that the buyer has to take the seller's word for who is depicted on the card.

I have always been kind of amazed by the value of the Fatty Arbuckle Zeenut card. I get it that the image is fun and unique, but his Exhibit cards are worth very little.

[brianp-beme]

I have always been kind of amazed by the value of the Fatty Arbuckle Zeenut card. I get it that the image is fun and unique, but his Exhibit cards are worth very little.

Besides the popularity of the image and his notoriety, the Arbuckle card is a true scarcity in the 1919 set, and because of this it is the one card that will keep most collectors from completing the set.

Brian

[rhettyeakley]

Besides the popularity of the image and his notoriety, the Arbuckle card is a true scarcity in the 1919 set, and because of this it is the one card that will keep most collectors from completing the set.

Brian

Also, the Zeenut Arbuckle card is part of a Baseball Card Set and not simply a promotional card for an actor/actress of which there are hundreds of out there with some to minimal collectors value.

[oldjudge]

“I am always amazed when I see what some collectors are willing to pay for Old Judges where the image is so faded that the buyer has to take the seller's word for who is depicted on the card.”

I agree completely

[CurtisFlood]

I'll say it....

most "rookie" cards.

Could you imagine what you could obtain if you sold a NRMT 52T Mantle? Heck, you could get most of the T206 set and lots of other stuff (ok, maybe not NRMT, but....).

As mentioned before, not even his "rookie" card.... :p

If I had a NRMT 52T Mantle I'd sell it and buy another lesser grade 52T Mantle card and a T206 Wagner in not so bad/great shape. Edited to add - oh yeah, and a 51B Mantle "rookie".

I think I would upgrade my house.

[silvor]

I think I would upgrade my house.

Well, it could be argued real estate is overvalued for the most part. Or at least it's not really an "investment".

[EvilKing00]

Any derek jeter card

[CurtisFlood]

Well, it could be argued real estate is overvalued for the most part. Or at least it's not really an "investment".

In our neck of the woods real estate is a big bargain. Buy or build, it is affordable on most budgets.

[EvilKing00]

In our neck of the woods real estate is a big bargain. Buy or build, it is affordable on most budgets.

Real estate usually a good investment as long as the schools are good.

[bbcard1]

Understanding it is relatively tough for the issue, the T212 Ten Million would come to mind. It's probably worth 10X what it should be because of the interesting name.

[trdcrdkid]

“i am always amazed when i see what some collectors are willing to pay for old judges where the image is so faded that the buyer has to take the seller's word for who is depicted on the card.”

i agree completely

+1000

[CurtisFlood]

Real estate usually a good investment as long as the schools are good.

Ours are good. We have produced a quality graduate able to go into whatever field they choose. Even a Chicago lawyer in the bunch.:eek:

[darwinbulldog]

I'm interested in collecting the best players and the rarest cards, so anything that is highly valued for some other reason seems overpriced to me. And there are plenty of literally unique cards, so the fact that I could pick up this one (http://loveofthegameauctions.com/lot-17161.aspx) for under $200 while others that I'd really like to own, such as this one (https://www.robertedwardauctions.com/auction/2010/spring/1/1889-n172-old-judge-doyle-san-francisco-california-league/) cannot be had for under $100,000 does make the latter (equally rare as a specific set/player combo, much more common as a type, even if you specify the California League) seem a bit odd. Maybe if Jennings had sharper corners...

The other thing I'd say in general is that wherever there's a discrepancy between how great a player was and how popular he is to collect, that seems almost by definition to be an overvaluing of the cards. That's true even for some of the greatest players in the game's history. For instance, I'd have Mathewson, Gehrig, and Mantle each ranked among the top 25 players in MLB history (but outside of the top 10), whereas the prices their cards command suggest they're all among the top 10 players. Eddie Collins by contrast, also one of the top 25 players, seems undervalued. Not to say that buying Collins or selling Mathewson is a brilliant financial move right now, but if there's much value in cards 100 years from now I suppose I'd bet that Eddie Collins would rank a bit higher and Mathewson a bit lower than where they are right now.

[packs]

Cracker Jacks. Haven't gotten any rarer. Prices continue to climb.

[orly57]

T206. Other than rare backs and a handful of individual cards, they are beyond abundant. And even some of those “rare” ones are errors or variations. Also, I don’t fully understand why anyone would want to own the cards of 400+ common players. It’s a legendary set, but I think it’s way overrated. In contrast, CJ’s are more rare, much nicer, and came inside a product that goes hand in hand with baseball. I don’t collect either, so I have no dog in this fight. There was a thread recently where guys were posting T206s next to their T3 counterparts and the T3 images blew the t206 out of the water. Much like the 52 mantle, I think anything as popular and common as T206 belongs at the top of the overrated list. Don’t think I’m winning any popularity contests with this suggestion, but hey, it’s just my opinion.

[Rhotchkiss]

T206. Other than rare backs and a handful of individual cards, they are beyond abundant. And even some of those “rare” ones are errors or variations. Also, I don’t fully understand why anyone would want to own the cards of 400+ common players. It’s a legendary set, but I think it’s way overrated. In contrast, CJ’s are more rare, much nicer, and came inside a product that goes hand in hand with baseball. I don’t collect either, so I have no dog in this fight. Much like the 52 mantle, I think anything as popular and common as T206 belongs at the top of the overrated list. Don’t think I’m winning any popularity contests with this suggestion, but hey, it’s just my opinion.

-1 Boo!!! You lose my vote in the net54 popularity contest! But I will agree with you one thing - t206 Titus; I mean, great stash but otherwise who cares. Totally overrated

[rats60]

T206. Other than rare backs and a handful of individual cards, they are beyond abundant. And even some of those “rare” ones are errors or variations. Also, I don’t fully understand why anyone would want to own the cards of 400+ common players. It’s a legendary set, but I think it’s way overrated. In contrast, CJ’s are more rare, much nicer, and came inside a product that goes hand in hand with baseball. I don’t collect either, so I have no dog in this fight. There was a thread recently where guys were posting T206s next to their T3 counterparts and the T3 images blew the t206 out of the water. Much like the 52 mantle, I think anything as popular and common as T206 belongs at the top of the overrated list. Don’t think I’m winning any popularity contests with this suggestion, but hey, it’s just my opinion.

T3 is the most beautiful set ever made. T206 is still one of the most beautiful sets ever (T3 borrowed many of its images) and blows away Cracker Jacks. I have sold off most of my sets, but the t206 set is one that I will keep until I die. I don't see how any prewar cards can be over rated. They are far more scarce than most post war sets. Those "common" t206s still have smaller populations than the "rare" 1952 Topps Mantle.

[paul]

It seems like every card I want to buy is overpriced, while any that I want to sell are underpriced.

[KCRfan1]

It seems like every card I want to buy is overpriced, while any that I want to sell are underpriced.

Amen to that. That's the life story of my collection.