Best Long Term Investment for $1000???
 

I’m wondering what card/cards would make the best long term investment for $1000?

Like many people I collected heavy in the 80s/90s and then left the hobby. Got back in 2014 but grew tired of ripping/buying/selling. It seemed like I was breaking even (or even losing) and wasn’t really building a “collection”.

I decided in December to change my goal in the hobby to buy the best I could afford for long term value and love of the cards. I love the vintage guys and history of baseball. Not big into football or basketball. I’ve started a PSA set registry of 1st Ballot HOFers and love graded cards (used to have no interest) and the new buying to keep strategy.

I’m looking to invest in my first BIG card and wondering what to target?

high grade, late year Mantle? Ruth? high grade HOF RC?

1). No one knows.
2). If we did, we would already have purchased it.

Of course no one knows. I’m looking for opinions and speculation. I have my own theories and wanted to see if others align.

And multiple people can own the same card in the same grade.

I believe 1955 Hank Aaron is very undervalued. The 1960 Bob Gibson is also a good value, but I wouldn't drop a grand on one. Just my opinion.

Personally I'd buy the nicest graded '56 Topps Mantle white back I could find for that money. You used to be able to get about a 6 for that, but those days are long gone. You may still be able to get a nice 5 for that money, I'm not sure. That card has definitely appreciated significantly in the last decade. Even back in the heady "Beckett" days of the early 1990's the card used to list for $1400 in NM. Back then I'm not sure how many people paid that kind of money for a nice one, but today they sure do.

I agree on the 55 Aaron I think a 55 Williams in a PSA 7 is another good option.

Since you are a Yankee fan I would go with Mantle. I would aim for a higher grade and more expensive 33 Goudey Ruth for him. You can get 1960, 1961, 1963 or 1965 in PSA 7, 1957 or 1958 in PSA 6, 1956 in PSA 5 or 1953 Bowman in PSA 4.5.

Thanks guys. Interesting stuff. So a higher graded non rookie would appreciate more than a lower graded rookie? That’s why I posted because I’m just learning how graded cards are valued amongst collectors. Thanks for the input.

Also, I’m not a Yankees fan even though my user name includes “yankee”. I’m from Ohio and a Reds fan.

lol, I might need to consider a name change.

rookies schmookies...Go for the 1 K Mantles in the best possible condition you can afford. Clemente is always solid as is Aaron and Mays PERIOD.

And the 33 goudey ruth and gehrigs are nice as well, though I don't think 1K buys much without creases and beat up? There's a laundry list and you'll find yours! Enjoy.:)

Id take a look at the '54 Johnston Cookies Hank Aaron. An undervalued rookie in my opinion. Yes, it's a regional issue. But being a Milwaukee issue is kinda cool to me. Plus the lower pop total is the kicker. Good luck!

I like 1948 Swell "Sport Thrills" Jackie Robinson.

As his Leaf RC is recognized more and more as a 1949 issue, I could see the Sport Thrills taking over RC status, which would obviously impact demand significantly.

And I am aware of 1947 Bond Bread and other early Robinson cards...but I see a genuine gum card as being hard to beat.

Disclosure - I have this card.

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Regardless of the price point, if the objective is to flip I would say:
1. get something you'll enjoy having even if it doesn't appreciate in value, at least you'll get some pleasure out of it.
2. be super picky, find the nicest example you can for the budget, because if it's a superb example for the grade, it will be easier to sell down the road.

It can be difficult to know what has room to grow. I've done some of it and had successes, but also ended up selling for what I bought it for. Not too long ago, I would have said the Frank Robinson rookie was a great candidate, but I'm not sure if things have already gone up after his passing. Regardless, Robinson is an all-timer who is surely underrated.

+1
There's a zillion Mantles out there, how much room can they have really?

I would agree it's undervalued, but it's going to stay that way. If you want the best Aaron card, it's a good buy. If you want a card that's going to be the best investment I would stick with high-grade Topps issues of Aaron, Mantle and Clemente - whether they are rookie cards or not.

Peter,

Great card!:cool:

+1

Out of curiosity, why do you think that? Not to argue but I thought the lower population cards were going up in value because of the PSA population reports.

I've seen steady appreciation from the higher graded cards but when I see the crazy jumps in value on the Cobb rookies, rare back T206's, and even that Michael Jordan Precious Metals auction being discussed in the other thread, it makes me think that Aaron might have some potential.

Disclaimer- I own a Johnston's Cookie Aaron.

cards
 

But supply and demand always come into play

true, the Swell Jackie R, the Johnston aaron and super cool and solid cards, and of course less produced then the Topps stuff..... but there is a reason why the 60s Mantles are still wanted...… more collectors want that , then your Red Heart Musial and Dan Dee Snider...

Because people collect rookie cards, so they are going to want Aaron's rookie card, 1954 Topps, not a regional. I collect Clemente and there are really tough cards of his that I would rather have than a rookie card, but they will never come close to the RC value. Under valued cards have a tendency to stay under valued. Stick with the main stream issues of Mantle and top Rookie Cards from the era, Jackie Robinson, Willie Mays, Hark Aaron, Roberto Clemente & Sandy Koufax.

In your examples, Cobb rookies - rookie card of one of the game's greatest player, t206 - the hobby's most popular set and Jordan PMG Green - one of the rarest 90's inserts of the biggest name in modern cards. There is nothing under the radar from any of those cards. The only one close are the Cobb PC and that is due to the acceptance of Cobb PCs as RCs when there was no consensus before.

Not saying it won't happen, but I would be surprised. Regional cards have never carried the premium of a choice mainstream RC. I used to own the Johnston's Aaron myself, and wish I had it back. But it was nowhere near as pricey as the '54 Topps back almost 20 years ago, and still isn't today.

Exactly. How cool (and to me at least still ungodly expensive) are the Kahn's weiner Clemente cards? I'd love to have one. But I would take a nice '55 Topps #164 first every time.

As much as I love Aaron, he is unknown and not cared about by fans anymore. The baseball fans are mostly idiots and know nothing about the history of the game for the most part. That's the only thing I do care about anymore to be honest.

When he was introduced at Dodger Stadium at the playoff game against the Brewers last year, you could barely hear the crowd cheer for him. IT WAS DISGUSTING. I watched 715 with my parents & I had the 715 poster in my room as a kid. My parents got me a birthday card that played the call of the historic home run when you opened it for my 13th birthday. I played it at my moms funeral and read from it. (yeah it still payed) I saw him as a kid at DS and he always mashed us. The same way my Grandfather told me to watch that guy in the CF, Willie Mays. Then, he proceeded to drop the only fly ball he ever dropped and got picked off first in the same game.

Kids have to take the time to learn about the older players and even though it is so easy, they can't be bothered as they play Fortnite.

We learned about the older players though baseball cards. I hope I'm wrong as I have all the Aaron cards and they still make me feel happy:) but I'm 57. Baseball card collectors are dying, not increasing, IMHO.

yeah, like many of us...have all the Clemente Cards but missing out on the elusive 1955. I would look up the weiner cards, but I don't want to get started on another tangent.

When you look at where the Jackie Robinson Bond Bread cards have gone price wise in recent years, I think Robinson's two Old Gold cards have a lot of room to increase in value. Obviously, those cards will not supplant his more mainstream color issues, but the low population and early date give both cards room to grow, IMO. Both cards still seem crazy undervalued to me. Both cards (especially the dugout version) seem like a reasonable place for collectors priced out of the Bond Bread market to go for a scarce early Jackie card.

In the interest of full disclosure, I do own a dugout version of the card.

I would go with the highest graded Jackie Robinson card I could get for $1000.
Jackie Robinson goes beyond baseball and his legacy will continue to grow worldwide.

Good advice and nice card.

Thank you. :)

1978 #707 is the only regular issue Topps card with 2 HOF rookies on it.

...just some food for thought

I agree the 1948 Old Gold Jackie Robinson is a nice card with great upside. I also think the limited production runs of minor league cards have the same potential. You just need to know which ones to get. Take a look at Baltimore News Ruth, or Joe Dimaggio Zeenut to name a few. I would invest in Ripken, Henderson, Arod, Griffey Jr, Vlady, Trout, Maddux, And one of the best Yankee Captains of all time named Jeter!

FWIW, The Jackie Robinson Old Gold Dugout card was distributed in 1947 (August - September)

Wajo
 

Buy the nicest t206 walter johnson portrait you can find for 1000 and buy it

A 1955 Clemente PSA 3.5 or 4 (if you could get it at $1000) would be a good investment IMO. That card seems to be trending higher in value over the last few years.

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I'm curious, why did you recommend this card? Is it rare? I looked it up on vintagecardprices and there isn't a single price for any grade by any third party grader! I'm not sure if this is an error with their site or what. I'm sure the card sells at least semi frequently correct? There are 2 for sell right now on Ebay.

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Spend half of it on stuff that has a reliable collector's base and history of people wanting it.

Spend the other half on stuff that nobody places any value on today but which has some inherent quality to it that could really appeal to collectors if they someday discover it and it becomes a new niche or even mainstream interest.

The former will prevent you from losing all your money if the latter doesn't pan out, while the latter might give you a big payday in ways the former probably won't.

Not to sound like a broken record, but I am in the “Buy the highest graded Mantle you can buy” camp. PSA Mantles that are at least 6+ are as sure a bet as you can get. PSA 7 1965 Mantles sell for pretty much exactly a grand. Winner winner chicken dinner!

Buy a set
 

If you have a thousand dollars to drop, could you possibly spend more? There are some nice vintage sets that you can buy between $800-$1500 at auction (obviously not the highest grades). You get all the cards, and from that point you can cherry pick cards in better grades, or even graded, to update the set. There are a lot of beautiful sets out there, and there are a lot of trading forums on this site to help you upgrade. As you upgrade, the set will gain value as well (although probably not as much as the money you put into it). If it ever comes time to sell, you can sell as a set, or you can do a set break and sell a few cards individually.

This card.


In 2015 I bought a graded 3 Topps 55 Clemente for $380. I sold it a year later for $460. Now that I am rebuilding my set I can't get a 3 under $1000...on a routine basis. Do an Ebay search...it's crazy...several in the last couple weeks for around $1300. I was tracking this grade in 2016 and most were around $400 to $600 and I was lucky with my $380. I was pleased I made a profit at the time, but wow. If I was investing $1000 I would buy the best Clemente RC I could find.


I've done best by identifying the card I want, and being PATIENT...buying well is the best way to profit if thats what your looking for (I really don't). Going after the best BIN and you'll over pay. I'm a night owl, best buys are those auctions that end in the middle of the night or really early in the morning. Bought some killer Mantles that way. Pick your card...and scan daily...it's a sickness as MANY people here know...lol.

Hahahahahaha my wife calls "scanning" my mistress!

Go Reds!
 

I'm also just starting the graded card pathway. Also a Reds fan! This year is the start of the turn around. Can't wait for Senzel to get called up!

I was in my childhood local card store the other day (while on vacation... none in my current choice of residency). And while they weren't buying baseball cards, there was a pile of kids in there buying basketball cards. I had never seen so many young kids in there. I asked the owner if things were turning around for him, and he said it all happened within the last year. Everything goes in cycles, and eventually, with Betts and Harper and Trout, kids will start hearing about the greats of the game again. They just haven't seen anything like the Sosa / McGwire home run duel. Or the Cal Ripken consecutive games streak. Or even the Three-peat of the late '90s Yankees. But something will come up, it always does. Records were meant to be broken.

I'm 33, and I can remember watching the 1999 All Star game and World Series when they introduced the best of the century team. The reverence that Ted Williams received from the players was unbelievable. It totally made me look at players in a whole different light.

The other issue is that in my neck of the woods, greats of the game aren't coming out for autograph signings anymore. When I was in middle school, there was a card store in Spokane WA that would bring in stars of yesteryear: Don Larsen, Gaylord Perry, Harmon Killebrew, Lou Brock, Maury Wills, Steve Garvey. The last autograph signing in Spokane was a longgggg time ago for Norm Charlton. Kids who don't meet the legends won't know the legends. Traveling to Seattle for an occasional signing is beyond many families' means. It's this way across the country outside major metropolises.

News flash Senzel is a BUM... He has never been healthy since grade school. A complete bust PERIOD Sell all your Senzal rookies now!:D

I see Mantle growing less and less exciting to the next generation of collectors.

I won't confuse my experience with scientific rigor, but most of the guys I know in their 20s and 30s put Mantle a lot farther down on their want lists than Aaron, Clemente, and Jackie Robinson. Mantle is viewed as overpriced and it is thought that the main reason his cards are so expensive is that "his cards are the most valuable."

There is obvious circularity to the reasoning that is consistent with a bubble prone to bursting...kind of an Emperor's New Clothes moment.

Obviously Mantle is a legendary and iconic player and his 18 WS HR is a record that may never be approached. Still, if we look at several of the reasons for his meteoric rise in the Hobby many are generational.

I would be zero surprised if Mantle prices 20 years from now are lower than they are today. I'd put my money on Jackie whose legacy will always remain critical, relevant, and larger than baseball.

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Most Iconic, you said it.

From what i see, as people get older, they want older stuff
todays 20-30 yrs old collecting modern, but when they're 40-50 they'll start collecting vintage.

how many of us ever seen honus wagner and babe ruth play?

Except I didn't say "most iconic." Just iconic. I believe this distinction will become magnified over time.

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"Yes, it's a regional issue." As if that's a downer? As if that's a "lesser than ...". As if that's second-rate? Or even, "Well, I guess I'll have to settle for the...?

Dean, I realize the '54 Johnston Cookie Henry Aaron was released the same year as Aaron's beautiful '54 Topps regular issue, and we both know what the hobby has done with mainstream issue rookies.

But seriously, a regional is most respectable. Some are still referring to them by the antiquated and appalling term, "oddball", but the niche of regional / food issues typically carries with it strong aesthetics based upon attractive card / coin design, very moving player photos not to seen on a Topps card, a fascinating and highly challenging promotion that made cards not only hard to come by, but even harder to hunt a desired player card down in ultra high grade condition. The number of survivors of a given regional issue depended upon what was done with the leftover, unsold "free prizes". Fortunately, some were sold to one of the very, very, very few mail order trading card mail order firms. In the case of the 1954 Johnston Cookie cards, the leftovers were sold to Wholesale Cards Company from New York / Connecticut. Had they not been, surviving specimens would have been those saved by the original intended recipients, children, who tended to handle them, or should I say, mishandle them. Back then, there was nothing to protect a kid's cards, and really, at the time they were just cheap boy's toys, and in this case, a lure to get them to get their parents to buy Johnston Cookies. As I have discovered, EVEN regional sets that were sold to a party after the promotion was over, whether many or just a few, did not eventually sift out PSA 9 MINTs as often as most collectors assume. Didn't happen.

LONG to short, the regional / food issues carry with them beauty, significance, importance, built-in scarcity and genuine rarity, and unchallenged bragging rights that fill your fellow collectors with admiration, and some other unsettling emotions.

Yes, it IS a cool regional issue gem!;)

Furthermore, good choice to advise our fellow collector wishing to plunk down 10 C-notes.

----Brian Powell

Enjoyed your post.

But please allow me to respectfully add one counterpoint to your thoughts. Mantle has one big thing going for him in terms of value that Aaron, Clemente and Jackie don't have... he's an iconic member of the New York Yankees. This must be factored in when considering the "demand" portion of the long term equation. The Yankees are the Yankees. And Mantle is on Yankees Mount Rushmore with Ruth, Gehrig and Dimaggio. There's exponentially more Yankees collectors on the planet and will continue to be unless they go through a huge, multi-multi-decades long organizational slump.

Let me say I think Clemente and Jackie are awesome long term values

You know who was a bum? Homer Bailey. I will still give Senzel a chance. But I don't buy modern rookies anymore. I bought a couple Ichiro and Pujols rookies, and then I watched their prices fall. Not worth it when I can buy older stuff with lasting value.

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Great point, and just as some of us have never seen Mantle, Aaron, Mays, Koufax (... .... .......) play. Those who love the game will want to know the game's history at some point. Kids today who are fixated with all the silly things in modern pop culture will look back and laugh about it in years to come, just as some now might look back and laugh about the days when nothing in the world was more important than cruising to the rock concert in the Trans Am, with a good buzz.

And to the original thread question, I don't think you can go wrong with any graded cards from the Postwar era, of the various hall of fame players that we often talk about here (see my list above, just to name a few). Some collectors prefer higher grades, some prefer lower to mid grades. Collect what you like and can afford. If it's late-50's Topps PSA 4 or 5 Mantles, centered or not, it's all but guaranteed there will be collectors interested in those same cards 20 or 30 years from now (IMO).

And overtime the quantity of available vintage card will decrease due to
1) dog ate it
2) flooding/hurricane
3) fire
4) wife got mad , throw it into trash
etc....

Yep.

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If wrong, I will be happy but I don't see Mantle going down anytime soon if ever. Have DiMaggio, Gehrig or Ruth cards cooled off?

I second this.

Image
 

Snapshot Images and brand name ("topps") matter for future generations much more than scarcity/history....So for example the orange background 1954 Topps Hank Aaron in GD-VG in theory would hold better than a scarcer perhaps better conditioned relatively unknown regional card like the Johnson Cookie Aaron. JMO

53 , 56 mantle
55 clemente
54 aaron

undervalue card will stay undervalue forever. stick with the high demand blue chip

For 1000 bucks I'd find a rare card of a popular player that people seem to be over looking. One that doesn't come to market often. Then hope that it takes off in popularity. Or a 48 Berra. That one seems under appreciated in my opinion.

Dale Murphy or Fred McGriff RCs. If they make the HOF and I think they will there won't be a Smith/Baines mega-surge, but the cards should appreciate substantially. You could buy a lot of 9s for $1000.

Darn it, I forgot to stock up on those Harold Baines rookie cards before he got elected. And to think of how many could've come back slabbed 9 or 10 from PSA! Does anyone think "Joey" Albert Belle will ever get into The Hall? It's not too late to pick up a few bricks of his 1990 Score and Upper Deck rookie cards.....you could probably get 500-or-so of his Mint to Gem Mint rookies for around $15 + shipping.....Woohoo!

I'd buy the nicest 1953 Willie Mays I could find, probably a PSA 4 at today's prices. High number and SP to boot.

1956 Mantle psa 5
1956 Jackie psa 7 ( higher?)


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Agreed. I know this is a postwar board, but a decent T206 Johnson Portrait was 300 to 400 dollars a few years ago, a similar card could be 1000 today. It's really nice looking card displaying the greatest pitcher of all-time. I don't think you could go wrong with that. Just my opinion of course.

There is always the best looking card T206 from Speaker, Matty, Lajoie, C.Young, you could get for 1000. I would say Ty Cobb, but that is out of reach now.

I know these won't jump huge, but 10 or 20 years from now, it would be interesting to see what these cards are worth at that time.

When I started collecting cards from the 30's and regionals were in high demand. There is definitely something of a generational demand curve that switched to the early 50's with 52 topps becoming a very significant set. T206 is also a very popular set and always will be the king of tobacco issues. ( When I started L1 leathers and S81 silks were in high demand but are just to rare to generate large collector interest.
So if I was starting a collection of $1,000 plus cards I would get a t206 Hall of Famer I liked in psa 6 or above.
The market is starting to like Barry Bonds and Clemens more and more I would look at a Bonds before Clemens.
Some of the late 70's early 1980's names like Gwynn ( I have begun looking at PSA 10 Gwynn's myself and own 2 psa 9's)
Hope this helps op and dose not irritate too many..

I've seen E-bay:D and neither will make the hall.

Before Harold Baines I would have agreed with you, but I think we may be seeing a relaxation of standards.

Can't believe Harold Baines is in and the greatest hitter of our generation is not, Bonds. Even though I hate the liar and so does everyone else. McGriff should probably be in...

I just love the "I've seen E-bay" line you use and I wanted to use it just once...:D

Oh I get it hahaha.

The relaxation of standards has been a thing in Cooperstown since at least the 1940's. Bob Meusel? Jake Daubert? George Kell? Rube Marquard?

Even with the relaxation of standards - given the players you just mentioned - Maris? Sorry, I will stop there.

Maris on his career without regard to 1961 is not a HOF'er. As for the exception...eh? I really wouldn't care if Maris got in. He did something virtually unique. Yes, I know it goes against a lot of things to take the position. I don't know that I would vote for him if I had a vote. But just saying I'm going to find it hard to get fired-up about if he gets in one day.

Meusel isn't in the Hall, is he?

Only his brother Stan is. [emoji3]

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Apologies - I used some examples from the wrong "list" in making my point. Neither Meusel or Daubert have plaques in Cooperstown. For purposes of maintaining the example, how about I substitute Freddie Lindstrom and Tommy McCarthy? The point is just that the Hall is not only for the Ty Cobbs and Tom Seavers. There have been less than fantastic ballplayers getting in for decades...

Back to the OP, I would set your sights on the very best 1975 Topps Nolan Ryan #500 in PSA NM-MT+ 8.5. More than a few of your fellow collectors love this card. For a grand you can no longer buy a graded MINT specimen. Still, if you can find a centered 8 without print defects, and choice picture and color quality, buy that.

A long side note I trust will not challenge your attention span. Stay away from the 1975 MINIs. They were once thought to be a scarce sleeper. Then a certain event put the kaibosh on that thinking. When collector-dealer Charles Conlon died over 10 years ago, and his vast collection was auctioned by REA, among the many items were dozens and dozens of 1975 Topps MINI CASES. That's right, I mean unopened cases. Charles did his best to corner the market on the Topps Minis in their year of issue, buying up as much product as he could, thus ruining any chance Topps could successfully gauge its test issue. You see, Topps tested the Minis in Conlon's home state of Michigan. Whatever Charles did not own, mega dealer Larry Fritsch did. Thereafter, Charles made no comment or crowing about what he had done, but once the hobby really took off in the 1980s, Charles quietly advertised in SCD he had an unopened wax box for sale!

Shrewd of Charles, wasn't it?

Someone selling a complete unopened box of 1975 Topps Minis? Wow. His price was $400. Of course, he never hinted he had hundreds of such wax boxes resting nicely in his hundred-plus cases.

Perhaps there were more than a few whispers of what Charles Conlon had in '75 Topps Minis, but if you were interested in them, you had to call Charles, and he'd fix ya right up!

So, when REA auctioned the boat-load of new old stock (NOS) that Charles still had, it sent a clear, crisp message to collectors vying for a place on PSA's Set Registry, or player Set Registry. In a nutshell, if you still don't get the connection, '75 Topps Minis are gonna be common as dirt!

Funny though, REA got a hunka, hunka load o' dough for those cases.

Long to short, in this case, buy a regular issue 1975 Topps Nolan Ryan, one of Nolan's best-looking cards, coming right after his fourth no-hitter.

Regardless, take your time, 'cause a lot of things are uncertain.

---- Brian Powell

That's nuts about the mini's. I never liked them anyway. LCS has a Brett in the case they want like $150 for.