$15,000 to spend on 1-5 cards...WWYD?
 

I would like to invest $15,000 on a larger investment type cards(s). Would love to hear everyone's opinions on what they would seek out if it were up to them.

The fact of the matter is, I have a chunk of change I would like to park, and don't feel the best putting it in any financial instrument at the moment.

I respect everyone's opinions here and eager to hear what you would do? Card(s) you would lean towards?

This is a tough one to say. The number one rule would be at what discounted level you can purchase said card or cards in relation to their true value. Bidding in an auction would not work. A much better chance to accomplish my number one rule would have to be a private deal from a collector. I would stick with Regular Issue Highest Grade Nicest Centered one of these Players, Mantle, Ruth, Mays, Jackie, and Cobb. That’s my best advice.

Personally, no rush and no special intent of how/where to purchase. First is to establish player, era, etc. The above-mentioned names are the usual suspects. Eager though to hear specifics people suggest based on their own bias and opinions.

You should also establish a time frame on when you want to sell it for profit.

If I had $15k to spend only on baseball card(s) I myself would buy:

1) 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth #144, or

2) Complete set of 1958 Topps (1958 was a very good year for Topps cards, IMHO). Adjust for condition.

I'd buy a tough regional of Willie May's. Briggs meat or the like.

The usual suspects are completely overpriced based on historical values. Supply will outpace demand IMO. If you wanted to buy something now, that's what I'd do. At least the supply is limited.

I'm looking at a minimum of 5-7 years, up to 20 years at the most.

Pick your player(s) and set(s) first.,...

One idea,
Do the best you can with T206 Cobbs.... IF you buy them right, I think they are as blue chip as anything.
I bought one of these 3 yrs ago, and 2 of them 1 yr ago, and feel they have all appreciated.
.

With my limited experience and knowledge, a Cobb T206 would probably be my first choice due to liquidity, popularity, and fit right in with my own T206 collection.

T206 Red Cobb with Old Mill back and a 1952 Topps Eddie Mathews.

My initial short list:

Cobb Bat Off
Cobb Portrait
51 Bowman Mantle
51 Bowman Mays

Then, there's the more scare/rare items (early Cobb, Ruth, others)

$15k
 

The best and most presentable low grade 1914 Cracker Jack HOF player that you can get…maybe Wagner.

Stick with a main-stream issue of the big names listed above, do not buy a regional or odd-ball issue. Also, do not buy a card with issues, no matter the grade. No one likes qualifiers or cards with obvious distractions.

While I mostly agree with this statement I think, to Leon’s point, the “right one’s” have a much lower supply and will always have a market.

52 Topps Jackie Robinson centered. I think this card will continue to close the gap to Mantle as the years go by.

52 Topps Mays would be my second choice.

My choices would be a nice T206 Cobb, The best 33 goudey ruth you can find for the money or a 51 Bowman Mantle.

I don't think there is any way to predict the future value of cards with any accuracy. So, buy what you like to look at, especially since you'll have them for a minimum of five years.

Ruth. Period. End of discussion. Which one is up to you.

I too think the T206 cobb approach is ideal. Especially if you can get a nice 2 or 3 graded green portrait. Otherwise I think The Goudey Ruth is a close second.

Bill

+1 my thoughts exactly.

Phil yeah, but relatively speaking it seems a pretty safe bet that Ruth and Cobb are going to hold or increase value better than, say, Dizzy Dean or Arky Vaughan, just common sense. One need not be a complete nihilist about this.

I would go for a t3 Cobb as an investment personally. A very beautiful investment...

No doubt, assuming were in the Big 5 pre war and Mantle/Mays market. I would invest in cards I like to look at within that group like a 21 Exhibits Ruth as opposed to a strip card or Sanella.

The best card in the best grade. Only one card. Can’t go wrong with the players mentioned, but pick one player in the highest grade.

Got it, I thought Mark's comment was more general but I may have misunderstood. Agree that within a narrow elite range it's hard to say which turns out the best.

Great centering and eye appeal on those Leon. Congrats!


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Centered 1952 Topps Mays
Centered 1952 Topps Jackie
Another T206 Cobb Green Portrait


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This isn’t much in terms of advice, but since no one else has mentioned it:

Buy what you like! Whatever will bring you joy and make you a little bit happier every time you see it or think about having it in your collection.

In my humble opinion, that should be your primary focus when buying cards, particularly nice ones that cost a lot of money.

If you’re hoping to make money on it, then that’s just a nice side effect, and icing on the cake. But also somewhat unpredictable, even with the excellent suggestions and hopes and dreams that others have suggested here. You might make some money on it, and you might not. But your personal enjoyment should be something that you can predict with much more confidence.

I would sell enough of my current collection to add to the $15,000 to get one of these.
_

Post 17.:eek:

Upon further review…

Since only one other person has mentioned it, and even then only somewhat briefly…

Buy what you like!

I agree with these most likely in reverse order.

I think Peter is right. I might buy the nicest 1921 Ruth exhibit I could get for the money. I would also look at Old Judge HOFers with sharp images. I would pay up for a King Kelly or Ed Delahanty with a sharp image. Especially in that condition they are scarce and I believe undervalued.

Babe Ruth has much wider and deeper iconic/cultural appeal than Ty Cobb, great as Cobb was. Ruth is #1 on every single list you can find of all time greats. Ruth is still arguably the greatest home run hitter ever. Ruth is the Yankees and multiple WS wins, Cobb isn't even in that discussion. Ruth is The House That Ruth Built and the called shot and the stomach ache heard round the world and hitting home runs for dying kids and however many other famous stories, how many does Cobb figure in? Etc.

This type of question has been asked for the past 20 years in this forum (and its predecessor). The answer is always exactly the same because people are predictable.

Not many will venture beyond the most commonly collected sets… so T206, Goudey, Cracker Jack, etc

Not many will venture beyond the most commonly collected players… so Ruth, Cobb, Gehrig, Joe Jackson, Wagner, etc

Put them together and you will have the answer to your question. :)

If you want to be a bit contrarian, instead of playing it safe, you could attempt to identify a currently under loved issue, and go nuts on it. That Briggs meat Mays suggestion could be an example. Although I’m currently the only one on the PSA set registry who collects that set, so you might not want to go there. But maybe that’s precisely the reason to get in now before the crowd goes nuts and bids them up to the stratosphere.

I have a Green Cobb and want a 1952T Mays & Jackie but would not be upset with another Green Cobb.


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Extremely nice looking cards for the grades assigned!

2-3 high graded willie mays cards… if pre war is your thing I’d get a few cobbs. Can’t go wrong with mr Cobb.

I personally only collect the stuff not included in my answer so by my nature I am a contrarian. Common sets have never really appealed to me but I understand I am in the minority and so if one is looking for investment advice buy the commonly collected sets & players.

Buy what you like? Well now that's just too broad as I have way too many interests. That's my first problem.

Hence why I have even contemplated spreading the 15K around and picking off 5, 10, even 20 cards that appeal to me, am actively trying to persue to complete projects, etc.

Investment isn't the end all here, but I would hope that something beautiful, rare and in demand would appreciate.

Most of us have a list that we keep. For some of us, the list grows every year, even when we pick up a lot of the things on the list.

If I were you, I’d take some time to ponder what you want to have on your list. Make it as long or as short as you like, and start with the stuff at the top of the list.

There’s no right or wrong answers here. It’s your list, not mine, or anyone else’s. It sounds like you might even have a pretty good list already, and maybe you just need to decide which items are the most important on that list.

Then it’s just a question of quality or quantity. Do you buy just one item for your $15k that is the nicest you can afford? Or do you spread it around and buy 10 or 20 items from your list that are lower quality?

In some ways, that might be just as important a question to figure out. And if you’re looking to invest for a return, there are good arguments for both sides. But I would argue for buying one piece that is the nicest that you can afford with your budget, particularly if you’re going to buy popular players from popular issues.

I think most people would tell you to buy just one card if you are buying more as an investor than a collector, you're going to get either a card at a better tier or in a significantly better grade than if you split it two or more ways.

One card I haven't seen mentioned yet is a high-end 34 Goudey Gehrig #37. Admittedly, Ruth is probably a safer bet to appreciate than Gehrig, but I'd put Lou in there with Mays, Mantle, Jackie, etc., in the next tier down.

10K in an Ibond for a year and see how things shake out. $5000 for a nice preesentable Topps set from the 1950s or one nice big card.

Funny you should mention the IBond. A buddy of mine mentioned it to me this afternoon. I have never heard of them but they pay a great interest rate.


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Your original OP said investment only, but what you're really asking is "what should I collect that I'll enjoy that will appreciate over time"

The good old value minded collector thing. I subscribe to that.

Have to buy it direct from the US Treasury. They put a cap of $10k per year on you. If you withdraw after less than 5 years then you pay a penalty equal to your interest earned for the previous 3 months.

And the rate is nice now, but it will fluctuate based in inflation. So it could go down, depending on just how transitory inflation really ends up being.

My amateur take on it was that it provides inflation protection over a period long enough that one probably doesn't need inflation protection.