Overflow Error Message...Is The Hobby Oversaturated?

[iggyman]

Is the prewar card market oversaturated with auctions??? It would make for a nice thesis paper. Is it affecting prices? Is it a sign of a healthy or sick industry? Do lawyers, dentists, and lonely bachelor(s) really have an indefinite amount of money to spend on old cardboard every week???

You know, it's tough to be a prewar card junkie in the year 2010. Our forefathers had it easy compared to us. I barely have time to sip my first cup of coffee, without seeing the mailman trying to stuff the next catalog down my throat mailbox. Can we have like a one-week holiday without one of the fifteen major auction houses running some sort-of auction? Come-on now!

By the way, at 8 p.m. sharp tonight, please join me as I will be raising a glass of wine to the only yearly auction house in town.

Lovely Day...

[Bicem]

Huggins preview is up, Goodwin to follow soon.

[Delray Vintage]

I like having a fluid market and look forward to the many auctions. It shows the "real" prices because of the true match of supply and demand. Only havng them once a year can create distortions which may artificially raise prices. In terms of quality material we only have about 6 houses and while it is true we have an auction going on almost continually, the real gems are still rare. I only see a Kalamazoo Bat or Yum Yum two or three times a year. Yes we see the 52 Mantle alll the time and that may keep prices down. I am sure the frequency has affected prices for 1950's Topps and Goudey Ruths for example.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by 19th century

I like having a fluid market and look forward to the many auctions. It shows the "real" prices because of the true match of supply and demand. Only havng them once a year can create distortions which may artificially raise prices. In terms of quality material we only have about 6 houses and while it is true we have an auction going on almost continually, the real gems are still rare. I only see a Kalamazoo Bat or Yum Yum two or three times a year. Yes we see the 52 Mantle alll the time and that may keep prices down. I am sure the frequency has affected prices for 1950's Topps and Goudey Ruths for example.

Hmmm....we might need our new user here, 19th Century (howdy, btw) to change your User ID. You aren't 19thCenturyOnly and I don't want there to be any confusion. I do agree with the sentiment that there can never be too many auctions (I have a vested interest though).....regards

[Steve D]

I don't think we've reached the over-saturation point yet.

I'm fairly lucky though (or maybe it's actually unlucky ). Many of the major auction houses don't handle cards in the condition I collect (think bottom-feeder ). If they do have one, it's one of the rarities like E107, T208, D359 etc....., that I can't afford. There's also a tendency for the auction houses to lot low-grade cards in groups, so that if a card comes up that I would be interested in, and could afford, it's grouped in a lot with other cards, to where I can't afford the lot anyway. More than once, I've seen a card like an N172 HOFer, E95 Cobb, Wagner or Plank, or an E90-1 Wagner that I would competitively bid on, but it's in a group of cards, making the lot unaffordable for me. So my participation in the major auctions is limited.

Steve

[Jewish-collector]

Don't forget the newest & greatest auction house: Brockelman & Luckey auctions. As George Costanza said, "Everyone from Texas is a _______ and a ____ of a ________ "

[Shoeless Moe]

..........wine to the only yearly auction house in town.

Who's that?

[iggyman]

Delray Vintage, I can't say I disagree with your statement. Actually, it is quite wise. I am obviously suffering from the fourth stage of prewar auction card burn-out. Perhaps, I should be more like Matt and go watch some Seinfeld reruns and forget all about tonight's Legendary Auction clock.

Lovely Day...

[Leon]

Originally Posted by Jewish-collector

Don't forget the newest & greatest auction house: Brockelman & Luckey auctions. As George Costanza said, "Everyone from Texas is a _______ and a ____ of a ________ "

Thanks Alan,
Free parking pass in the mail.
LL

[barrysloate]

There can never be too many auctions for bidders because you are free to participate as often or as seldom as you choose.

The only ones who should be concerned are the auction houses and consignors. They're the ones who could feel it in their pocketbooks if there is too much material being offered.

[Delray Vintage]

Leon- how do I change my id. I am not married to the name 19th century. Agree we do not need confusion.

[nameless]

Yeah there are a lot of auction houses out there I agree. Being mainly a 19th century boxing collector I do not have as many choices just due to the audence of baseball vs boxing. But I must admit my mailbox is getting stuffed. Just thought I would let you guys know everyone is feeling the pain. I won't lie though... I definitely skim through all of them for any boxing memorabilia.
Take Care Guys,
-John

[glchen]

I'm an auction junkie, and I don't think that there are too many auctions at all. I'm always looking for goodies in the next one. With ebay becoming more and more of a Buy It Now museum, it's nice to have auctions where the pricing can be established at the right levels.

[iggyman]

Okay, so almost everybody agrees that we can't get enough auctions going at the same time. Which seems to be the case now, no sooner did the National wrap-up its tent, we've had four major auctions (Legendary, Collect.com, Legacy, and Hunt) with more on the way. From a collectors perspective, of course it's nice, but it also makes this hobby very stressful and seem like work. It might be only me, but I know have a hard time keeping track of everything, and sometimes feel overwhelmed to the point of frustration. Why am I complaining about it, I'm not sure??? But in the year 2010, this industry seems to have an overabundance of material with a seemly overabundance of buyers.

Lovely Day...

[Delray Vintage]

It seems that with so many auctions we do get a lot of investor short-termers who buy one month and sell a few months later. This can be both good and bad. It takes away the special feeling of seeing that rare card appear. On the other hand it makes those same cards more frequently available to those that want them as collectors. I buy because I love the cards and will not sell unless forced to. I just got the brunners bread cobb and the tip top wagner from memory lane and legacy. Those cards are now off the market for years and in a collector's hands(mine). I like to make money but am not looking for a quick profit. Our wonderful hobby/business satisfies both collector and investor/speculator. So the increasing number of auctions can be seen both positively and negatively.

[Delray Vintage]

Gary is absolutely right about ebay. It is so boring to see the same stale listings that are BIN. Why keep listing cards that are so overpriced that never sell? The auction catalogs keep me going. Ebay used to be fun, now a bore without real auctions.

[Delray Vintage]

Iggyman-you are right aboutthe work keeping track. All those digfferent user id's and passwords give me a headache but I still love it.