Long Term Effects of Economic Slowdown

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Posted By: <b>ErikV</b><p><br> While much has been expressed on the board about the <br> recession and our beloved vintage card collecting, one <br> can already begin to see the landscape changing in <br> our hobby. Prices have begun to taper off some, <br> news of GAI filing chapter 11 and the stocks of the <br> mother company of PSA, CLCT have fallen drastically.<br> There's also chatter about a major auction house<br> being investigated over possible shill bidding activities. <br> Some expets are already predicting 2009 is going to <br> be a worse year economic-wise than 2008. With the <br> short terms effects such as prices falling some, <br> what long term effects does the board see taking <br> place to change our hobby for the good or bad? Anyone? <br><br><br> <br>

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Posted By: <b>barrysloate</b><p>As the economy goes, so goes the hobby. Eventually there will be a turnaround, but estimates as to when vary. Some feel the economy will improve by the second half of this year, others see it taking longer.<br><br>The baseball card hobby is not impervious to what goes on around it. It will survive but with a few bumps in the road. When prices peaked a year or two ago I often felt it was a bubble that would soon burst- they just rose too fast to make sense. Now the market is correcting itself, but business goes on.<br><br>The hobby, like everyone else, will get through all this, but 2009 is likely going to be a tough year.

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Posted By: <b>Jim VB</b><p>Well said, Barry. <br><br>And I might add... Dealers, grading companies, and auction houses will experience the pinch the most. Collectors, not so much. Downward pressure on prices is relatively unimportant to those who rarely sell. <br><br>

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Posted By: <b>DJ</b><p>2009 should be pretty much what it was the last six months, a difficult time for many and it's likely that people have put a halt to buying (or being very selective and cherry picking or bottom feeding essentials) for the time being, as structures that are half built in Las Vegas are at a standstill. One thing assisting this hobby/business is that many financial experts (like Jim Cramer on 'Mad Money' even stated this) are telling people to put money not only in items that have proven to increase during difficult times (I.E Gold) but collectibles to hedge to diversify that portfolio. After all, a T206 Red Background Ty Cobb is probably a far better bet than Corning (GLW)or Cisco (CSCO) or eBay (EBAY) stock right now. <br><br>DJ

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Posted By: <b>davidcycleback</b><p>GAI was having well publicized issues well before the DOW dropped.

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Posted By: <b>stosh</b><p>STOP the doom and Gloom!!!!!!!!!!!<br><br>Enough Already!!!

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Posted By: <b>Fred C</b><p>Recent auction catalogs have been fairly healthy with material. I guess that if all holds true we will either see smaller auction catalogs or lower prices on the material in the larger catalogs. I'm hoping for the latter.

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Posted By: <b>leon</b><p><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAqPMJFaEdY&amp;eurl=http://www.commonsensejunction.com" target="_new">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAqPMJFaEdY&amp;eurl=http://www.commonsensejunction.com</a>/

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Posted By: <b>boxingcardman</b><p>Why not go back to one of the things that makes collecting fun and start trading again instead of monetizing everything? It would drive the dealers and auctioneers crazy, of course, but we collectors could go great!<br><br>Sic Gorgiamus Allos Subjectatos Nunc

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Posted By: <b>davidcycleback</b><p>Buy based on the material's collectible merits rather than price tag. You'll find lots of cool stuff that doesn't register on the Memorabilia Market Exchange. For example, I always though vintage booklets enticing. They're much like baseball cards, but a whole lot cheaper and often much rarer.<br><br>I once had a simple 19th century regional Michigan baseball league schedule booklet that baseball card collectors paid little attention to. Then the Ford Museum asked to purchase it for their museum, where the booklet currently resides. That confirmed my suspicions that booklets can be cool, even if they are part of the in crowd with baseball card collectors.