Been so long
 

since I've seen a real rarity that I need to fill a gap in my collection. Ebay is S.O.S. every month. Yet I reflexively check it "just in case." Occasionally some really cool stuff on BST but it's been a while since I found a card I need. And most of the recent auctions have left me cold. Some cool stuff but nothing that doesn't come along with regularity at least as far as my interests. Even PWCC hasn't had something I need in a while.

Maybe it's not you it's me, as I've heard from more than a few females in my life (and never really believed).

I've been a kid in the candy store last couple months. After scouring Ebay and here, I decided to reach out through Facebook groups, and bought some interesting pieces. Not one of a kind stuff, but pretty cool stuff.

Hi, Steve.

You just have to be patient, as with the current growth in the hobby regarding demand for vintage cards (especially the rarest, most significant ones) due to the internet and a significant increase in the number of major auction houses featuring such material, more and more people are snapping them up. Just maintain your continuing searches. My opinion is that what you need will eventually show up on ebay or via auction house.

Good luck in your collecting,

Larry

I’m kind of frustrated with not adding anything to my collection lately either. Part of that is having a very narrow focus. I may need to start working on a few other things to collect.

Yep. Patience. Or develop a new focus, which gets even more expensive.


QUOTE=ls7plus;1752336]Hi, Steve.

You just have to be patient, as with the current growth in the hobby regarding demand for vintage cards (especially the rarest, most significant ones) due to the internet and a significant increase in the number of major auction houses featuring such material, more and more people are snapping them up. Just maintain your continuing searches. My opinion is that what you need will eventually show up on ebay or via auction house.

Good luck in your collecting,

Larry[/QUOTE]

this post caused me to think about my collection, which has been a work in progress for more than 4 decades. i wrote down my 5 rarest cards -- not necessarily most expensive but truly rare or at least scarce. 4 are pre-war and one is from the 1950s. 3 i bought in auctions, 1 at a NAtional and 1 in a private sale.

the years i got them were: 1985, 1990, 1991, 2001, 2012.

on 4 of the cards, i had seen less than 2 examples ever sell before i bought mine. on three of the cards, i've not seen an example come up for auction since i got mine.

i am in my late 60s. my collection likely will stay with me until i die.

i post all of this because i think there are a lot of collectors like me who when they add a truly rare card to their collection, it stays there. i am not a big fish in this hobby so i can imagine a lot of collectors with my mindset who instead of having 5 truly rare cards, have 20, 50, 100 or more.

even though you see many of the same high-grade and expensive cards come to auction every six months or so, there's a reason the really rare stuff doesnt.

+1(guppie)

Been so long since I have been able to add a Miller to my run. It’s a travesty! Someone please help ! E92 nadja, t216 type 1, t216 ve. ��

The rare and exceptional cards that pop up on eBay tend to sell before most have a chance to even see them. There are many out there searching. Unless they show up in a pwcc or probation auction. Then we all get a shot, and everyone complains about the crazy prices they sell for.

Hi Steve,

Listing buy prices for the issues you're interested in might help. I think it's been a successful method for some. It might shake some cards loose that are hidden in collections.

Things I “need” keep popping up all the time. Problem is, I didn’t know I “needed” it until it popped up!!

The risk towards that is you might create a market against yourself. And you may overshoot significantly by re-rating the value of what you are buying. Not saying don’t offer above vcp, as I think you should pay what you feel is worth, but some expectations can get out of hand from some ask prices I fielded after I tried that route. Putting up a fair price may not shake loose those private collections. And providing a max offer way above market only frames the buyer in a disadvantage in negotiating a reasonable offer, as the seller usually then tries to ask for a price above that. For those MBA’ers, it’s a case of the BATNA’s. I guess the narrow road to walk is between what price would attract latent interest and providing some wiggle to make the deal work.

I posted a list of about 15 Gehrig pieces I need on BST and crickets. I guess like someone said these are the kind of things where people who have them aren't parting with them (absent emergency situation).

Yup if it’s really rare I also got no response

Joshua, I'm not disagreeing with what you said. I'm just throwing this out there for debate.

It's tough to determine the "Buy it Now" value of a rare item. If the last time an item publicaly sold was 8 years ago, how do you determine the price? Only way to determine its market value is to place it in an auction. Obviously that's not optimum for a person who wants to buy it now. So the person who wants it now might have to pay a price that might be overshooting its value. That seems to be the dilemma with rare pieces.

As someone on the boards once said. You don't overpay for an item, you just pay early. Or something to that effect.

I’m not talking about stuff that was sold eight years ago. I’m talking about markup expectations from what was just sold last year. And I’m not talking at or even reasonably above premium. At some point I realize the item isn’t really for sale unless it’s for a King’s ransom and I just walk away from the table.

Oh, speaking of not seeing a nice card in a while, there was a 1928 Yuengling Lou Gehrig PSA 4 that popped up on eBay. Not going to last long if I have anything to do with it...

A few great auctions coming up LOTG, Mile High and REA. Has to be something in those to go for!! And I know Brian Goldner (hey Brian) had great taste so I am anxious to see his collection sale in Mile High.

I have not bought anything since October. I have some things on my list, you think that's there is a ton out there, or just too picky.
As Leon mention, I been hearing great things coming up in the fore-mentioned auctions. Just maybe they have something, heck I know they will, its just the factor if I saved up enough to end up with it at the closing bell.
I always consider REA as my XMAS catalog.