Sterling's CJ 14 auctions last night
 

Very interesting cross-section of offerings there last night and brought big prices, in keeping with current trend, or craze, or bubble, however you look at it. A badly-stained Alexander "3" brought $2500 with juice--as did a scarves Rariden 4.5. Several other scarcer cards brought around $950 or more even though they were mere "2" or "2.5" or "3." And so on. Wonder what anyone thinks of these latest prices--also, an Evers "3" got $1000 at Ebay BIN--and if any will turn out to be bargain. Or maybe entire trend will collapse.

I understand REA will have quite an offering this fall (including my Marquard PSA 7 and someone's Levander 7.5, Speaker 7, Schalk 7, Alexander 7).

I may do update on my Combined Pop Report from 2 months ago as a number of low-to-mid range cards coming out of woodwork and graded.

Sterling: http://www.sterlingsportsauctions.com/catalog.aspx

alexander vs mathewson 1914 cj
 

I'm surprised there's such an overwhelming disparity between the prices of these 2 cards. I realize the picture is different for the Mathewson in the '15 set - but the combined populations for the '14 cj card are almost the same (45 for Alexander and 41 for Mathewson), yet the prices are what, 7 to 8 times apart? Seems to me one is either way overvalued or the other is undervalued.

I think prices will continue to stay strong for the low pop cards even in lesser condition as collectors like myself try and complete the set. I was the winner of the Delehanty and was willing to pay a premium to get what I call one of the "golden 32" in the set (examples with total psa/sgc pops 25 and under). If you look at historical sales data, these cards just rarely ever come to market in any condition. The good news for collectors and possibly bad for investors is that fact that with the latest pricing surge more 14's are being dug out of collections and are being graded adding to the supply. I think it would take quite a bit of added supply to put a damper on the demand as the population reports are 10-20% overstated due to cross-overs and re-grades.

I was in on Delehanty, but lower....Why didn't Packard go (even) higher?

that was the only other card I won and was surprised it didn't go higher. :-)
It has a slighter higher pop of 28 vs. 25 for the Delehanty

I was also in on the Rariden big until it just got too crazy

I am curious whether folks here are expecting the same kind of activity (bubble) for the 1915 CJs when their 100 year anniversary rolls around.

I'd be surprised--there are just so many more of them vs. the 14s. I'm not sure how much the 100th anniversary plays in anyway. But I've said I think prices will go up some because some collectors of 14s either getting priced out of those and/or cashing in their 145s at good time and moving on to cheaper 15s.

Thanks. I have more 15s than 14s so I hope you are wrong. But I suspect you are right.

You guys consider 25 low population? :D