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David RI just have a hard time believing that today's younger generations (under 30 and especially under 20) are going to care about, or be willing to pay as much for, these old pieces of cardboard as we are when they reach the age when they have the most disposable income. My impression is that most folks on this board are in the 35-65 age range. Younger generations seem much less interested in, or religious about, collecting baseball cards than folks of our generation. Today there are so many more distractions -- video games, text messaging, pokemon, lots of other sports that have grown in popularity, etc. -- for kids growing up. And with all the media coverage today exposing every human flaw and misstep, kids today just don't seem to look at professional baseball players with the same reverence that we did when we were kids. While many folks of our generation may be willing to shell out big bucks to get that mint condition Mickey Mantle that they could never find as a kid, or to buy that tobacco or gum card of the players their Dad or Grandfather worshipped and talked about so fondly while they were growing up, I doubt that kids today will feel the same way.
For those of us who have lots of money "invested" (whether we consider ourselves investors or collectors), it's nice to think (for our own self-interest) that the market for these will continue to prosper as time goes on. And maybe it will for the next 20 years or so and maybe that's long enough. But as a long-term investment vehicle for younger folks, I don't think it makes much sense.
I'm sure I'll get some pushback from those of us who have lots invested, but as Barry would say, that's my three cents.