Impulsive card purchases -- Trust your gut or run?
 

I was at a card show today with every intention to keep my proverbial powder dry for the National in August. For inexplicable reasons, however, I made a rather large impulse buy for reasons I'm still trying to work out. Currently stuck somewhere between buyer's remorse and excitement.

Thought it would be fun as well as therapeutic to hear others' stories of major (or minor) impulse buys after some time has passed. It might help me sleep a bit better at night... :D


Since you'd ask, my purchase was a '63 Rose RC. I suppose as hot a card as it's been lately, that probably played a role. Never had a Rose RC before, either. That damn centering was calling to me like a junkie. I typically keep to mid-grade (PSA 5-7) cards. For pre-war, I go all SGC/PSA, and post-war all PSA. This is the only BVG card in my collection. Like I said, I have no way to rationally explain what compelled me, other than the card looks absolutely smokin'... sigh.

Attachment 234587

Not sure what to do now -- enjoy it, sell it quick, or push for a PSA crossover to a 7.5 or higher? Double sigh. Some serious first-world problems ;)

Definitely a crossover attempt or two. Nice card. Did you check the measurements before purchase?

Yeah, I carry a small, flexible ruler with me and it seemed to pass. That said, it's never stopped PSA from a MINSIZEREQ with me on an unaltered card in the past. I would have never had the guts to by an unslabbed card of this magnitude, so hopefully trimmed cards in BVG holders aren't an epidemic...

Had my loupe with and card looked stellar with that as well.

You either carry more cash with you to a card show than I do, or you have a trustworthy face and someone took a check or credit card. Either way, sweet pickup. :)

Past Eagle Scout, so the scout motto remains: Be Prepared :D
It's a dealer whom I know, but that didn't make the purchase any easier.

Congratulations! That is a gorgeous Rose rookie.

Rose
 

Beuatiful card Jason

Bob-- it's ok to take a bunch of cash as long as you do not leave it in the rental car

Brilliant card. Definitely try a crossover.

As for the OP. Gut all the way. I've rarely regretted a spur of the moment buy at a show. More often I regret passing on an item at a show.

Awesome pickup!

I actually looked at the card and came very close to buying it myself, for some reason just decided not to.

Glad you were able to get it

Very nice, Rose!

As far as impulse goes, I do it all the time.

I constantly tell myself to stick with 52 Topps cards but more times than not, I deviate from that thought process! :mad:

Being a member on this site definitely doesn't help, and with the direct link to E-Bay postwar, well that just makes it worse! :D

As far as purchasing cards I have regretted purchasing, I don't recall any specific ones but I have questioned myself after the fact, why the hell did I bid on that? :confused:

99% of the times I've passed, I've regretted it.

Maybe 50% of the time I pulled the trigger, I've regretted it


Hard facts right there

Thanks for the comments guys. I'm feeling somewhat more at ease with the decision today.
I really think that a lot of it is down to the BVG slab. I've made other purchases of that magnitude at shows, but always with the SGC/PSA slabs that I'm fully comfortable with.


Scott-- it amazes me that two people on the board would have looked at the same card yesterday!


(Also, I updated pic of the card, as there was an odd black dot showing up on the right border that is clearly not on the card.
I swear the only imperfection I can see on the card is the small white fish eye near the top right corner.
The corners are scary even under 12x magnification. I'm starting to think it's undergraded...)

I've found that the gut is usually right. However, learning how to identify the difference between trusting your gut versus the caustic collecting impulse is a different thing.

When I see something and the impetuous hoarding collector bug hops on my shoulder and starts shouting "BUY IT, BUT IT!" in my ear, I get into trouble. When I see something and I weight the pros and cons and leave the decision to "my gut," I usually fare very well.

Clearly the wife was given some money to look around for purses/shoes etc.
Then when she ask how much it cost, you say ah?? not much, just a bunch of guys on a ugly card- 20 bucks.
Then you quickly change the subject- I'm hungry, where we stop? Or you need to re-fuel.

Or did you do the deed, and leave her at home???
The TRUTH will set you FREE :D

Beautiful card. Buy the card that really speaks to you!

Jeff

Bwahahaha!! Luckily my wife is not a high maintenance girly-girl, although she's certainly not above a shopping spree here and there. She was at home at the time, not left in the car or some other cruel arrangement.

And thank God she doesn't even ask "what" or "how much" anymore... I don't think even she believed some of the sub-sub-VCP prices I was quoting her for stuff that was showing up from ebay back in the day :D:D:D
She's a keeper! :cool:

I don't pick up high end cards in BVG holders often but will make an exception once in a while for a great looking card like this. Nice pickup. Assuming you bought it for between what a PSA 7 and 7.5 would sell for I'd say it's definitely worth a cross attempt at a 7.5 or higher. I believe if you declare the value under 5k it's less than $100 to try.

Well, I bought it for 16K because that's what I saw the PSA 8's going for. Did I do bad? :p:D:D

Lol well you better hope for a PSA 8 in that case. Nice card either way.

I've often wondered why in some places, it is against the law to leave children and animals unattended in a vehicle, but it's perfectly legal to leave your wife alone in the car.

leave your wife and dog in the car* for 3 hours or so and see who's happy to see you when you get back.











* slight suggestion of leaving the a/c on is implied.

This actually made me laugh in front of my 8-year old. He asked what was so funny. I told him that he'd understand someday.