1952 Topps Mantle PSA 8 - Unique bidders?
 

How many unique bidders can there really be out there offering $400,000 + for a 1952 Mantle. Is it safe to say less than 10? I know there may be a few more bidders out there then just the dwindling number of card collectors as it may be a bidder that doesn't collect cards..but just wants the Mantle so that would add a few.

I would be surprised if there are 20 of them out there...I also think that many of the bidders are familiar with each other

what do you think...

I would think the numbers are well higher. It's a big country, and there are probably well more than ten men in each age group-- let's say 30's, 40's, 50's, 60's, and 70's-- who want that card and can afford it at high levels.

If there were only ten men in the entire country in each of those age ranges that would still be 50 bidders.

And of course the number of men goes up a great deal as we go down in price.

Just my .02.

Anecdotally, I remember having lunch with one such bidder, who now owns a 9 I believe. This was a few years before he got into cards. I mentioned to him how cards were my passion and hobby, and he said to me, "I grew up loving cards and intend to get back into it one of these days. One day I will definitely have an amazing '52 Mantle." He would later get into the hobby in a huge way, but I always found it telling that he singled out The Mick from the jump.

There are a group of people that buy HIGH END collectable object for their with the single goal of resale for profit. Art, Cars, Comics and Autographs, Cars, Restate, ect. They don't care about item as a hobby its stickily money, and current/projected returns.

There are only 3 10s and 6 9s and none of them seems to be going anywhere (4 of the 9s I believe are with the same person), so the 8 is the only place to buy in for folks with lots of money.