Flash Them or Keep Them Hidden?

[Jobu]

After spending a decade in New Orleans I can tell you that this question has been considered by many thirsty women (in this case the correct answer is always “Flash Them”).

I would like to know how you would answer this question regarding your cards. Is it wise to publicize a card by showing it to other collectors on a public forum like Net54? It is certainly fun, but what does it do to value?

For common cards there is no reason not to show them. However, for rarer cards I have heard people say that showing a card can decrease its value because it is perceived as being more common than it really is -- in the back of their minds future buyers may think “well I have seen that before somewhere so it can’t be too rare.”

On the other hand, if you don’t show off a rare card a little bit there are many people who won’t know that you have one and may carry on not even knowing that the cards exists. In other words, by showing a card you create a market for it and advertise to potential buyers/trade partners.

I realize that showing and discussing cards is highly enjoyable, I enjoy it too, so we can leave the pleasure aspect out of this. I am more curious about everyone’s feelings on the demand and economics side of the ledger.

I am looking forward to hearing everyone’s thoughts on this. Gracias.

[bbcard1]

Flash them.

Several of the posters have been known to throw lovely beads.

[ullmandds]

if u show your rarer cards often enough...there is a good chance you will get offers for them...sadly they are usually low ball offers!!!!

[yanksfan09]

I'd say go for whatever makes you happier. You only live once, what's a few bucks? It could possibly make rarer cards seem less rare but I don't think the effect would be that big probably.

[39special]

Show um if you got um.

[EvilKing00]

Flash them! Love seeing beautiful cards and sometimes its a card i have never or rarely seen, gets me to either try and buy it from the flasher or begin my search for one like it.

[Bocabirdman]

Let the puppies breathe!!!!!

[MikeGarcia]

...over the years the guys on here have shown stuff which I didn't know existed , and I'm pleased and grateful , and I hope to return the favor every chance I get ;.... in that vein here are four of my beloved obscurities that I imagine some of you pre-war fans may not have seen before ;.... and some of our newer or younger members may not be aware that these baseball players or sets even exist..........I just have to hope TheWidowGarcia never finds out that my collecting of cards like these is the reason the grand-daughters are at the local Community College instead of Vassar and Smith and Wellesley like they claim I'd promised...

[JLange]

I for one would hope that you would show your rare cards. I think the following reasons should be considered when pondering this question:

1. Community. Sharing cards on this forum is what we do. Many of us could never hope to even see some of these items, were it not for forums like this. I aspire to own many rare cards, but I will likely never have the means or opportunity to do so. Sharing and viewing the rare items on this forum is the next best thing, and connects us and makes the hobby that much more interesting and fulfilling.

2. Discovery. Think of how many threads you've read where sharing an item or piece of information has provided the next person that missing piece of the puzzle, leading to some great insight or new understanding of the origins, distribution, date of issue, or breadth of a long forgotten set of cards. Your item or information could be much bigger than you expect.

3. Authority. Ensuring that a rare card remains sight unseen until it is consigned to an auction or otherwise offered for sale, misses out on one of the great benefits of this forum - the expertise and collective wisdom that resides within its members. Your rare item may indeed be rare or even unknown - but it could also be a more common item than expected, or a fake item, or modern fantasy piece, or part of a larger display, etc. Not many items remain unidentifiable once displayed on this forum, and you will have no shortage of opinions and insight into what you may have on hand. Auction house descriptions are nice, but if hobby veterans on this forum say your item is good, and rare, and desirable, there is no better provenance!

4. Marketing. The more eyeballs you get on your item, the more publicity it gets, and the more it is desired and added to wantlists, the greater the likelihood that you will get to sell or trade the item on your terms, for the price you want. We don't know what we don't know. When we are finally made aware that something exists, we want it. Its that simple. Springing something on the hobby right when its time to sell sounds like a great idea to create buzz and build demand at the time of the auction, but think of all the bidders who you will miss, as they are completely unaware of the existence of your item, and wouldn't even know to look for it in an upcoming auction if it was not displayed here or elsewhere in public first.

There are probably other reasons to share your items, but at least these four come to mind. Show 'em, please!

[DeanH3]

This is the rarest item in my collection. Only 6 have been graded between PSA and SGC with a "2" being the highest. How many are out there ungraded in old time collections? Who knows, but I can't imagine there are many. Put me in the flash them category when the opportunity presents itself.

[I Only Smoke 4 the Cards]

Whatever makes you happy

[Exhibitman]

Hiding your cards away and looking at them all alone isn't collecting it is masturbation.

[atx840]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

Hiding your cards away and looking at them all alone isn't collecting it is masturbation.

username checks out.

[Jobu]

Chris, LOL.

Thank you for all of your responses so far. I should have clarified at the start - I do share the cards I have with the forum when appropriate and I am all for sharing. This place is great and openness is why. I have learned a ton and without this community's willingness to share I think I would have learned about 5% of what I have over the past few months.

I was more curious to see where everyone stood on this as I have heard both sides of the argument. I am glad to see that there are so many in favor of flashing them!

[GoldenAge50s]

The Wagner alone answers the question. Do you in any way believe that showing one over & over hurts the value?

NO, it only increases it!

[Leon]

A few folks in our hobby don't like to share their rare cards as they think it devalues them. Actually it is a thought. However, as someone who collects some rare items I have a different view. I like to share them and think the valuation is secondary with respect to showing them. To each their own though and I say "do whatever makes you happy".

[Huysmans]

Great Tommy Leon!

Hobby enjoyment vis-à-vis sharing should trump potential or future valuation concerns!

😁😁😁

[Exhibitman]

Speaking as a collector of oddball items I can say that there is a thin line between rare and obscure. Rare good. Obscure bad. Publicity on a rare card is never a bad thing for resale; if no one knows an item exists there is no demand for it. The only reason I know of to sit on a discovery is if you know of other items you can get on the cheap if you keep mum. That is what Larry Fritsch did with the T206 Doyle variation. He advertised to buy all Doyle cards without revealing the reason or the variation.

[I Only Smoke 4 the Cards]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

Speaking as a collector of oddball items I can say that there is a thin line between rare and obscure. Rare good. Obscure bad. Publicity on a rare card is never a bad thing for resale; if no one knows an item exists there is no demand for it. The only reason I know of to sit on a discovery is if you know of other items you can get on the cheap if you keep mum. That is what Larry Fritsch did with the T206 Doyle variation. He advertised to buy all Doyle cards without revealing the reason or the variation.

Thanks for the info about Fritsch. I hadn't heard that story before. After Googling the story I am left with admiration for patience and ability to keep the find to himself.

[Ladder7]

Please don't,

[FourStrikes]

Originally Posted by Ladder7

Please don't,

.

[Fred]

Dang it Steve, that crap is not going to leave my head for a while... that's just wrong...

[T206Collector]

I show all my signed T206s and other signed pre-war cards on my website. It is hard to argue that I devalued them since I started posting them there 7 years ago. Frankly, I think I have driven interest in them. Prices have gone up - making new acquisitions tougher to afford - but that also brings more into the market, and improves the value of the cards I already have.

Promote your collection! Share the heck out of it! That's how you keep the hobby alive.

[conor912]

There are many cards now on my want list that I never would have known existed had I not seen them on this board. So, in my case anyway, showing them is creating new demand. Never once have I thought "oh, well I saw it on Net54 so how rare could it possibly be?"

[T206Collector]

Originally Posted by conor912

There are many cards now on my want list that I never would have known existed had I not seen them on this board. So, in my case anyway, showing them is creating new demand. Never once have I thought "oh, well I saw it on Net54 so how rare could it possibly be?"

+1

The T206 scrap/printers mark phenomenon is an excellent example.

[Sean]

I vote for showing them.
If another member hadn't posted this card, I would never know that it existed. As a result I was able to obtain it.

Besides, what's the point of being a member of Net 54 if you don't want to post your cards?


scan0001.jpg scan0002.jpg