What to buy

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Posted By: <b>TONY III</b><p>I am looking to invest in a set or key card set over the next 2 years and would like a little advice from the experts. If you had $50,000 to spend what would you buy. <br /><br />I am looking to have a top 3 set on the PSA set registry. I did this last year and currently have the #1 300 game winners set(still looking for a Galvin and Nichols) and the #1 3000 strikeout set.

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Posted By: <b>leon</b><p>If I am not mistaking there are registry sets that might not include cards that are only all 8's or 9's or very high grade. I would always suggest pure rarity over condition rarity as I think they will do better over the long run, in value....At least they have so far, imo, except in certain cases of a Mantle in a 10 or Paige...or something like that. regards

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Posted By: <b>barrysloate</b><p>Hi Tony- sit tight and I will have a Galvin and Nichols for you! (shameless plug, I know).

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Posted By: <b>Cashews</b><p>if i had 50 grand sitting around and wanted to complete a set i'd choose the american caramel e90 set. the cards are beautiful and even with the cobb and wagner cards putting together a nicely graded set would be within the 50 grand limit.<br /><br />actually, if you're really just looking to triple or quadruple your investment and are scared of the stock market i'd just put the entire 50 grand into ounces of gold. you spend 50 grand on gold now and in 10-15 years you might be sitting on 150 grand.

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Posted By: <b>Jason L</b><p>not the best mature asset class for investment (yet), but Leon is right...rarity over condition rarity over scarcity, HOFers in tiers over commons...stick to the favorite sets with a collector following...you saw what happened with the surprise over the 1st segment of the Skydash collection <br /><br />and stay away from buying cases of 1987 Topps <img src="/images/happy.gif" height=14 width=14><br /><br />but I'm sure you knew all this already<br />

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Posted By: <b>James Gallo</b><p>Either Cracker Jack set would be perfect. Very nice cards, tons of HOFs, high demand set all good signs for investment.<br /><br />That being said I agree with Jason buy what you like so if you make 10% instead of 50% you are ok with it since you like the cards.<br /><br />best<br /><br />James G<br><br>Looking for 1915 Cracker Jacks and 1909-11 American Caramel E90-1.

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Posted By: <b>JimB</b><p>If it is merely an investment, for that kind of money I would buy a T206 Plank, Cobb/Cobb back, E90-1 Joe Jackson, or other high demand rarities. I would either take the plunge with one of those, or buy 3-5 cards in the 10-15k range. I don't think most sets are the best bet as investments for the short term (2 years), though there are exceptions.<br />JimB

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Posted By: <b>Jeff Prizner</b><p>I don't think sets are a good investment at all. People enjoy putting them together piece by piece.<br /><br />For example, I know the consignor took a real beating on the last high-grade CJ set that sold on Mastro last year.<br /><br />I'd spend the money on a couple of 19th century HOFer's, the tougher the issue the better.<br /><br />edited for spelling...

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Posted By: <b>Cashews</b><p>if i had to pick say 3 cards to get with 50 grand it would be:<br /><br />sporting news babe ruth (gotta love him listed with the red sox) <br />t210 joe jackson (is this in range? not sure what they go for now)<br />nicely graded ty cobb peoples tobacco or a high grade cobb t227 (love the images)

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Posted By: <b>Jeff Prizner</b><p>you could buy maybe a small piece of a t210 Jackson for 50k. <img src="/images/happy.gif" height=14 width=14>

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Posted By: <b>Cashews</b><p>really? they go that high? i haven't really seen one for sale but figured they sold for what his "rookie" caramel goes for. what does the stengel t210 go for?

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Posted By: <b>Dan Bretta</b><p>Barry, will the Nichols be an Omaha card by chance?

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Posted By: <b>Cashews</b><p>a nicely graded collins mccarthy rogers hornsby would be a nice pick up with some change to spare.

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Posted By: <b>JimB</b><p>Cashews,<br />You could probably get a T210 Stengle for 50k, but a Jackson would run over 100k most likely. The two or three examples have all been in that range.<br />JimB

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Posted By: <b>steve</b><p>Just my opinion - do a little price research and go for a few high end singles - but don't overspend, ie, try to get some value.<br /><br />A somewhat new collector can't go wrong with a handful of T206's in PSA 7/SGC 84 or approx. grade - Cobb, Matty, W.Johnson, Young.<br /><br />Buy low, sell high. Gold market is too high, if not already in, leave it alone. The cards I mention are indeed in somewhat of a dip in price cycle.<br /><br />steve

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Posted By: <b>pat</b><p>i agree with leon 100 percent.<br /><br />pat

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Posted By: <b>barrysloate</b><p>Hi Dan- yes, it is Omaha, and to my knowledge he is only known on that team. There is no 1890 Boston pose.<br /><br />It's an SGC 50 with a gem quality photo.

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Posted By: <b>Al C.risafulli</b><p>I'm sure I'm about to make a statement that will cause insults to rain down all over me, but if I had $50,000 and was going to buy baseball cards, and consider them an "investment", I would also be considering the popularity of the player and the size of the potential market once I was ready to sell.<br /><br />As such, I would buy a well-centered 1952 Mantle in EX and another in EX-MT, focusing on the highest-end example for the grade that I could find. Then I'd resubmit the card a few times, hoping to get it into a higher holder.<br /><br />Whatever money I had left, I'd split between well-centered, EX-MT and NMT '33 Goudey Ruths and mid-grade T205 Cobbs.<br /><br />-Al

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Posted By: <b>Dan Bretta</b><p>He does have the Mayo card so I didn't want to assume it was an OJ you were talking about...It will probably be out of my price range, but I can hope.

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Posted By: <b>Jeff Prizner</b><p>Al, that's crazy talk. Let's get him!

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Posted By: <b>leon</b><p>Please email as soon as you can at lluckey@moredirect.com......I need to discuss something with you asap and don't have your email address at hand...

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Posted By: <b>Jeff Prizner</b><p>damn Barry, what else do you have coming up in your auction?

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Posted By: <b>Dan Bretta</b><p>Al, I think you're correct. Popularity of the player will probably always trump rarity in future value.

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Posted By: <b>barrysloate</b><p>Dan- you're absolutely right. I assumed I mentioned OJ. My bad.<br /><br />Jeff- lot's of good stuff, but coming on the heels of REA, I feel a little intimidated.

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Posted By: <b>Jason L</b><p>my entire collection for $50k<br />I'd even deliver it to you! <img src="/images/happy.gif" height=14 width=14><br /><br />Honestly, though, whatever you decide, I'm looking forward to your post in the New Pickups thread!

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Posted By: <b>MVSNYC</b><p>"If it is merely an investment, for that kind of money I would buy a T206 Plank, Cobb/Cobb back, E90-1 Joe Jackson, or other high demand rarities. I would either take the plunge with one of those, or buy 3-5 cards in the 10-15k range. I don't think most sets are the best bet as investments for the short term (2 years), though there are exceptions."<br /><br /><br />i echo JimB's advice...several high demand rarities.

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Posted By: <b>Al C.risafulli</b><p>Prizner, keep insulting me and I'm outta here. I'll go start my own damn board.<br /><br /><img src="/images/happy.gif" height=14 width=14><br /><br />-Al

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Posted By: <b>Cashews</b><p>investing is hard. to me, it seems like a smarter move, in purely investment returns wise, to buy 50 cards for 1000 each than a few high dollar cards. the reason why i say that is because lets say you buy a t206 plank and spend 20 k. chances are in a few years if you re-sell it you're only going make maybe 10 k more after your initial investment. that sounds like a lot but if you were to buy say 50 cards worth 1000 each that in 10-15 years start selling for 1500 each, you've just made 25 k. imagine if the cards begin selling for 2000 each. its a tough call but to me it doesn't seem like the price of those high dollar cards is rising like the prices for say t206 HOFers graded at 5's or 6's are. but that could always change.<br /><br />don't take my word for it though i am by no means a rich man.

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Posted By: <b>barrysloate</b><p>Why not just put together a collection you will enjoy and be proud of? Only you can decide what to buy, just try to get the best quality you can.

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Posted By: <b>Darren</b><p>I generally like variety so<br />a set of .400 hitters ( cobb, hornsby, williams, etc)<br />a set of the initial HOF class (ruth, wagner, johnson, matty, cobb)<br />a set of 30 win/season pitchers<br />a set of HOF catchers<br />a set of 19th century HOFers, deadball HOFers, Yankee HOFers, etc.<br /><br />A sporting news ruth, a t227 cobb, a M116 wagner(blue), a cracker jack johnson, and a e90-1 matty would be my pursuit for initial HOF class.

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Posted By: <b>Bob</b><p>See, I guess I have a totally different philosophy about buying cards for investment purposes. I totally realize that set completion (and I am a big "set completer guy") may not offer the best return when you are putting it together card by card, but the thrill of the chase and the feeling of satisfaction does count for something. I know a lot of you don't want to pay high prices for a Doolan or a Gray or a Hoblitzell, but having a complete set is a thrill to some of us. As far as the economics go, rather than springing for a T210 Jackson or a high priced PSA 7, 8 or 9 prewar card, I'll let the guys who want to do that, do that, and more power to them. I would rather have a complete set in collectible (vgexish) condition. The upside may not be as great but the slippery slope downhill isn't there either. Regardless of how the economy stymies future card prices realized, I can always know that there will be a solid market for a nice E90-1 set or a T206 set minus the Big 4 or a colorful E94, 97 or 98 set, etc. Rarity DOES mean something, I agree, but if the "whales" disappear the harbor of high priced cards may be a lot less desirable...

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Posted By: <b>Dan Bretta</b><p>Bob, I know you completed the M116 set - how hard to find was Bill Davidson?

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Posted By: <b>Bob</b><p>Dan- he was definitely one of the tougher cards to find. I believe I finally got him about 5 from the end, he rarely shows up. Not all 300 subject cards are created equal, some appear fairly frequently, some almost never. I think Tim N. is still working on his M116 set although he is getting close to completion and I recall Davidson was tough for him also...<br />tbob

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Posted By: <b>barrysloate</b><p>I see Eddie Collins with a 300 back fairly often.

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Posted By: <b>Dan Bretta</b><p>That's what I was afraid of...Davidson's only card is that M116 is it not?

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Posted By: <b>Martin Neal</b><p>Hi Tony,<br /><br />If you would, please call me at 434-825-6792.<br /><br />Thanks, Martin<br /><br />or email at lmneal4@aol.com with your email address.

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Posted By: <b>Tony III</b><p>What about trying to collect the OJ N172's set, with only one variation of each player. I know someone had either a complete set or almost a complete set that went to auction with Mastro about a year ago. I know that it would run more like $100k, but I could at least start it.<br /><br />What do you think I could get a T206 Plank for in today's market, say a PSA 1.<br /><br />I do like the idea of a E90-1 set. I don't have any of those.

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Posted By: <b>Jim VB</b><p>You can get this one for under $30,000. Make them an offer.<br /><br /><a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/1910-T206-SWEET-CAPORAL-EDDIE-PLANK-GRADED-SGC-20_W0QQitemZ120225220633" target="_new" rel="nofollow">http://cgi.ebay.com/1910-T206-SWEET-CAPORAL-EDDIE-PLANK-GRADED-SGC-20_W0QQitemZ120225220633</a><br /><br /><br />A couple of days ago you could have picked up a restored one for under $25,000.<br /><br /><a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/T-206-EDDIE-PLANK-PROFESSIONALLY-RESTORED_W0QQitemZ280211764808" target="_new" rel="nofollow">http://cgi.ebay.com/T-206-EDDIE-PLANK-PROFESSIONALLY-RESTORED_W0QQitemZ280211764808</a>

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Posted By: <b>Matt</b><p>TONY - are you looking to have fun with your $50k or do what's best as far as an investment goes. Depending on where you are in that spectrum, the answer will be different.

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Posted By: <b>Tony III</b><p>Thanks for the links Jim. I am tempted to make an offer on the SGC 20.<br /><br />Matt, I am more looking to have fun, not investing to make money. I am kind of old school and could care less if the values ever go up. I almost never sell anything I buy.

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Posted By: <b>MVSNYC</b><p>check out REA, you can certainly have some "fun" with $50K there...<br /><br />

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Posted By: <b>Matt</b><p>Then I would suggest you do not spend it all on 1 or 2 cards - you'd get much more entertainment value out of putting together a collection (whether it be a manufacturer issued set, or a personally constructed set, e.g. a "HOFer RC set") as you'd get a sense of accomplishment with each piece you acquire as well as the satisfaction at the end of a job completed. <br /><br />I'm currently going through such a process; up front I identified what cards would be in my set and now I'm having the fun of finding them and checking them off the list. I highly recommend it.

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Posted By: <b>Scott Mt. Joy</b><p>I like your OJ N172's set idea!

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Posted By: <b>Gilbert Maines</b><p>Keep with your current theme. It is both creative and sufficiently mainsteream.<br />Add to your 300 wins club by completing the 350 club.<br />Which consists of pitchers with 350 wins and hitters with a .350 or better lifetime average.