I don’t think your point jives with Rick’s. He said that people are buying a bunch of Green Cobbs and then selling them for substantial profit. So how is “hoarding” creating an artificial “price point” if the hoarders are selling at a higher price?

The greater fool theory

Rick said holding/hoarding OR reselling. In other words they are depressing the available supply and trickling them out at an inflated price.

Peter, it was mentioned that there are display cases of 20+ Green Cobbs offered at the National by these “hoarders.” And they’re selling. How is that trickling out supply?

I am just trying to interpret Rick's words, I have no idea about the Green Cobb market. Though if they're all priced to the moon, then they might as well not be for sale at all, unless you're someone who is price inelastic and just has to have one.

Didn't a member show a pic a few months ago of a couple dozen green Cobb's he's hoarding?

As Peter mentioned it is creating a price spiral. The hoarding causes greater demand and the price keeps going up. If dealers or collectors decide they no longer want to keep buying them, the price will go down. Cards that get very hot typically cool off. Can't say for sure, but right now it looks terribly overpriced.

I am just trying to replay Rick’s words (hi Rick), not interpret them. At the end of the day, he’s right, there are tons of guys who buy cards at auction and then offer them up at the National at significant markups. A bunch of guys on this board do it. And it must work, because it keeps happening. Not for me as I’m purely a collector, but as a capitalist, I can’t begrudge someone else for doing it.

These things usually self correct. Ultimately the supply is too big to control although you can create some short to medium term dislocations.

Yeah, that’s mr rareback. Don’t know him personally, but I think he’s just generally buying a bunch of Cobbs. To own. For a long time. I don’t get the sense he’s trying to manipulate price as he’s said in posts that nothing is for sale. But he can speak for himself if he wishes.

Green Cobbs
 

PSA & SGC, combined, have Encapsulated over 1,100 T206 green portrait Cobbs. I don’t think anyone could possibly be buying enough of them to actually create a “hoarding” scenario. For the record, while the price of the green Cobb has drastically escalated, its only those somewhat scare “dead-centered” and rich green background examples that are realizing the super high price tags.

Green Cobb is hot alright...nice looking 2-2.5 over 5K...already in REA?

excellent points. anyone who thinks that 20-30 cards of any t206 cobb is a "hoard" doesn't understand how many t206s exist.

One dealer at the National mentioned that he buys all the Green Cobb's he can by bidding high. It is a very popular card with plenty of demand to start with. I definitely believe if two, or even one dealer with deep pockets speculated and bought all they could it impact the supply and create hungry buyers. A PSA Cobb PSA 2 being at 6k in only 2 days of bidding is hard to believe

But in the short term, the "float" isn't that great, not that many are for sale, so it is possible for a few people to buy most of the ones that come on the market or at least most of the ones meeting certain criteria.

The population of '52 topps mantles haven't hurt its value. Not saying a green Cobb is more iconic than a '52 Mick. However, the green Cobb is an iconic card. These prices might be the new normal. Who knows, maybe today's prices will be viewed as a bargain at some point.

+1,

notwithstanding the rise past 2 years, I took the plunge and bought a green Cobb last month. Had to fill a hole in my collection, I’m sure there are more others like me... compared to what you see on the pop report.

'52 Mantle is another hyped card. Think about it, to get hyped a card needs to be available, but not so much that you are tripping over it, and have a story. No sense hyping a card if you can't acquire a bunch of before the ad campaign begins.

52 Mantles at least in midgrade seem to have come down back towards the earth. I could be wrong but I don't think we'll see 4s selling for 50 or even 60K for quite some time.

I'd take the wager that a dead-centered PSA 4 with a great image hits 50k— in the right setting, i.e., Heritage, REA, etc.

If we bet, you can't bid. :D

Deal. I will be tapped for years anyway after all these Spring auctions end :)

Dang. Isn't that the truth. Amazing stuff all around

Dead Center Mantle
 

+1

#this

I sold my crispy clean SGC 50 Green Cobb two years ago, and have been really sweating the rising prices. I was SHOCKED when it was resold by Goodwin just a couple of weeks ago for "only" $6,400. The reason -- CENTERING!

http://goodwinandco.com/1910_Piedmon...-LOT37476.aspx

Top to bottom centering like this never bothered me on a T206, but it obviously keeps this card out of the stratosphere!

It's the debate we always have. Why do some cards explode and other don't. Why the Eddie Plank card? Why Chief Bender? The card has the wow factor. I will never buy one and never own one yet every time I see the card I think "wow, that's a beautiful really really neat card." (Sanitized reaction of course. Actual reaction more like "damm, that's an 'effin great card.")

In my opinion, the issue with this card is not as much the top-bottom OC, as it is the fact that his name is partially cut. The card is virtually miscut and I think you are smart to have sold it when you did. Minor top-bottom OC that does not effect the name does not bother me (see this Cobb by comparison -- sorry the pic sucks, the card is much prettier in person)

I’m aware of at least one private sale in the last couple months that confirms this bet.

I love the smell of the REA catalog in the morning.

In the morning. In the afternoon. Pretty much anytime!

I was told that everybody's mother threw out their cards and then I continue to receive auction catalogs filled with cards from the pre war years and the '50's. How did all these cards survive the WWI and WW2 wars and our mothers ? And in Mint condition !!! We all played with our cards. Who stored these cards and never played with them ?

Probably not the buying group.
Got the catalog yesterday. There will be several hours of reading enjoyment over the next few weeks.

.

My wife and I took a ride down to REA yesterday. We chatted with
Michael and Brian and we got to see the Cobb Broad Leaf and Conroy
Drum, Brian and the group at REA couldn't be more accommodating.

Anyone else having trouble viewing the auction? Page won’t load?

Same problem for me

The company that hosts our servers is currently experiencing a major outage. Fixing it and going back online is their primary concern right now. We are in constant contact with our auction hosting provider and the support team at the server company, and we are hopeful there will be a speedy resolution.

Brian

Thanks Brian.

Sorry to hear about problems with the site Brian, but glad to hear it is not just my computer!

This is a good reminder for everyone to spend some quality time with the 720-page catalog that has hopefully arrived to most bidders by now. The digital catalog is also available to anyone who wants to browse on their computer:

http://www.robertedwardauctions.com/about/catalog.php

Brian

Good news, now no one can outbid me!

This auctions is what dreams are made of

and we're back!

Thank you for your patience.

Brian

Thanks for letting us know.

52 Mantle
 

Nicely centered SGC 5 ‘52 Topps Mantle now over $50K....and counting! You are spot on Matty!

Such a difficult card to find nicely centered in that mid grade area with only minor flaws. That is a real nice example.

52 Mantle
 

+1

Which 52 MM are you guys referring to? the only well centered example I see is the PSA 9, all others are OC, or tilted.

REA prices, oh my!
 

Oh my, the current bids of decent REA stuff is already high, and going higher I am sure. A lot of what used to be in my budget isn't anymore, sigh. What do you all do, drop your standards from 5-6 grade and start looking at 2-4 grade stuff? Or bag it on the Iconic names and go for 2nd tier HOF players? Or save up to just buy 1, maybe 2 cards all year? Maybe start to downsize, sell a few to buy one? Decisions, decisions. Glad I picked up what I did 10-20 years ago, whew.

This is what I have been doing. Going after grades 1-3. I'm officially an armpit collector. Sigh.

I’m with you...I’d rather have iconic cards of the greats in low grades vs. higher grades of second tier HOFers...