Thought experiment: You have $25,000 what to do.
 

I'd like to throw out a thought experiment to members:
You have $25,000 to spend in the next 3 months and another $25,000 in the following 3 months.

What names, sets, eras, are you buying?

There's economic pain around the corner for most folks, hell my buddy just put $300 in his gas tank of his stupid ass truck. My friend owns a taco stand and now has to charge 10 bucks a taco to make a living.

My personal feeling? Cats here have known about pre-war for decades, new money discovered us 6-8 months ago and it's a brutal landscape now. So, my 50k over six months is pretty simple. Anything Cobb, for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, the earlier the better.

I'm probably shooting myself in the foot here but I love this sub so please don't outbid me on Cobby for the next 6 months.

I pay off the motorhome; can now afford the fuel; go out Cobb hunting.
Agree, Phil.
The motorhome thing gave me a giggle.
Ben
"I love baseball history backstory; especially when it involves cards."

https://www.net54baseball.com/pictur...ictureid=32488

Ben, you need to change the name of your rig to the Cobbmobile.

Ruth, Cobb, Jackie, Mantle And Mays. No one else. The best nicest Centered Example you can afford. No odd ball, just regular issue.

When you buy quality you lower your chance of losing, when you get cute you get your ass handed to you.

Ha!!! Love it Phil.
To blather the point further; I had no say, in the formal name, in the first place! lol. The former tow vehicle (my 2500 van and 2nd vehicle now) has "Santo 10" plate on the front. She named it the "Banxten".
And so it shall be.
Ben

This is sage advice. I would recommend a "flaw free" PSA 4 - 4.5 Green Cobb or PSA 5 -5.5 Other Cobb (Red, Bat On, Bat Off) with your first 25K. And a 1933 Goudey Ruth 4 to 4.5 with your second 25K.

It's kind of like buying Apple stock instead of the latest "hot" stock that may (and most likely will) fade.

Assuming you mean strictly for appreciation/investment- Babe Ruth. End of conversation (but not a cartoonish strip card)

I have a feeling Cobb>Ruth over the next 6 months in regards to appreciation

I would put all 50k into the S and P 500 in the next 6 months. Sit back, relax, and watch your money grow.

You can't do that, you have to invest it in cards over the next 6 months with 25k per 3 months.

Good luck with the S&P when the Fed is unwinding its $9T balance sheet and raising rates substantially in the face of significant inflation pressures. Hope I am wrong since most of us (myself included) have a vested interest in the stock market doing well.

Who knows but at least once a week for the past 20 years I get some doomsday prophecy from someone selling a newsletter about how it's all about to go to hell.

Can we stay on topic please? What would you invest in Over the next 6 months Peter?

I would try and find the “under appreciated Ruth Cards”. They have all been going up but some like the 1921/22 Ruth throwing pose have been spiking for an extended time and have gotten to point where they will go up in value but not as much as others. And the 1933 has done the same
So I would look for 1921 to 1928 for some comparative values(the Oxford confectionery, the American Caramel holding ball, the exhibit postcards, )


Cobbs are also good, real good but to me Ruth first

Casey Just Park your $25k in those 5 Names I mentioned above with a strong focus on centering with the best grade you can get for your money. I’d do 3/4 cards in the $5,000-$7000 range cards in those names. At that those levels I believe you’re most liquid especially for in person non AH sales down the road. More average guys can afford those cards then can say one $25k card. If you need the cash you won’t have to give to a AH get a check nah nope you go to one major show Philly, Chantilly, White Plains and you will sell it :-)



Do it again 3 months from now, You will be happy.

Unfortunately I'm a collector and not a seller. I wouldn't invest in Robinson or Mantle in the next 6 months. Agree on the Ruth 21 exhibits, 33 Goudey has taken a rest. Early Cobb is where I see the greatest appreciation.

Well, I am not a doomsday prophet who thinks things are going to hell. I hope the economy and the stock market do well and that the Fed and Congress get inflation under control. That will require some hard choices that I don't know if the American people are willing to accept. I am a patriot and stakeholder in this country.

Ruth. If you want to diversity, Gehrig, Mantle, DiMaggio, early Jackies.

I'll buy Gehrig as a secondary but not the other three over the next 6 months

I would have 2 manikins in my house. One with a Wade Boggs Red Sox game worn jersey and the other with a Wade Boggs Yankees game worn jersey.:D

E102 Cobb.
All the time.
E98 Cobb Blue
Cobb - Orange Borders; just because.
Ben

25k
 

1948 Leaf Jackie. Maybe 2.

Investment
 

Strictly for investment and not for love of the hobby? Short term or long term investment?

When Aaron died we all saw the PSA 7s rookies run up to nearly $30k then really cool off.

I suspect we will see the same with 52 Topps Mays and 55 Koufax rookie when they pass. If you want to throw in football; mix in some '58 Jim Browns best centering you can find.

Not enjoying the thought of this, but your question is about investment. If you assemble a nice group of multiple examples of each; you will make a nice profit if you sell right after.

As for longer term, I agree with the Ruth advice. It just keeps going up.
Centered Cobbs as well.

1933 Goudey Ruth, and the best looking card you can get. It’s the most popular Ruth and the one collectors want.

One ounce Pamp Suisse gold bars with assay cards.

I agree with Cobby and the Babe...
these aren't easy to find. As shown before, just got it in the last few months...not perfect but not too bad...

https://luckeycards.com/cobborange.jpg

Out of curiosity, why, specifically, Cobb’s E102 card?

I’m assuming it’s because E102 is associated with coming out in 1908, which would make it the first tobacco card (postcards and other larger issues aside).

Cool, Leon.
Thanks for sharing.
Ben

That is what I figured, but the E102 set is definitely not from 1908. Late 1909 at the earliest.

Casey - sorry for hijacking your thread.

My vote would go to Ruth cards that issued during his prime, especially his Exhibit cards.

His 1933 Goudeys are great, but I generally do not like cards that were issued at the tail end of a player’s career.

1990 Fleer Jose Uribe? The nice people trying to sell them have told me it's a great investment. :eek::eek::eek:

In all seriousness, I would chase the following players:

• Roberto Clemente
• Jackie Robinson
• Mickey Mantle
• Babe Ruth
• Willie Mays
• Hank Aaron
• Lou Gehrig

My experiences buying cards for investment purposes have taught me that I either get something so esoteric that I overvalue it and overpay accordingly, or when the time comes to sell I've grown attached and regret selling. With that in mind, I'd stick to something that I wouldn't mind keeping around, regardless of what the value does. Either the nicest 1933 Goudey #144 I could find, or handful of T206 HoFers.

Much like other investments, it depends on your goal.

If you stick to the blue chips, they will usually end up ahead by a few percent a year.

If you look at some cards that are what I call "2nd tier" likely there is more appreciation to be had. Over the last few years it was Mays and Aaron along with a few others as an example.


Just going with what everyone else knows, seldom allows one to beat the market.

Very interesting that Joe jackson name has not been mentioned his cards having been on a huge upswing and now his 1915 CJ Joe Jackson are really starting to jump and his m101-4 and 5 have steadily gone up over last 2 plus years

Yeah, good point. Besides Ruth, I think a strong place to go would be Cobb and Shoeless CJs.

investment cards
 

You beat me by an hour, Jeff! Joe Jackson is a great call. And Eric Perry,
I am with you! Trent King

I've been going to a few local shows the last 6 months it seems like Jackie Robinson has gained a ton of interest.
John

For more evidence, take a look at the current REA auction. There are 10 Goudey Ruths for sale in this auction. Always a market for these cards.

52T Mantle would be a good bet as well.

Honestly, I would go low grade and try to grab every iconic card that was on the cover of a price guide when I was a kid. So essentially my collection would look the same, lots of 1's to 3's, but more of them.

That said, more questions from the Mrs on "So when are you going to sell all of these?!"

So I might have to ship her off to a spa with some of the $50k as a diversion, perhaps in the same spot as the national?!?!?

Though the spas in Rosemont are probably not up to snuff.

The 1920s Exhibits of Ruth-Gehrig-Cobb-Johnson still have some relative bargains but they are rising fast. I'd also look at Fro-Joy, Babe Ruth Candy, and similar Ruth-related issues that have yet to really move. Also, as a purely contrarian play, some of the Star Michael Jordan early cards that rose like crazy in the wake of the documentary but have now fallen substantially back to earth. As a short-term play, early Magic Johnson cards. There is the series on HBO about the Showtime Lakers and Apple is releasing a documentary series on Magic next month. Figure a nice pop on his cards as casual sports fans become interested, as was the case with Jordan after the release of the docuseries on the Bulls. Sleeper there, as far as I am concerned is the Sportscasters pre-RC card.

https://photos.imageevent.com/exhibi...ohnson%201.jpg

Apologies for the lengthy post:

Phil, I do not believe in “timing the market” (probably bc my timing is terrible). Also, I am not a flipper. When I buy something for investment, whether it be a card, a stock, real estate, etc. it is because I am long on that asset and I believe it will safely increase in value over time. I also do not look for home runs. Rather, I weigh downside risk as much as upside. I am very happy with slow and steady appreciation with relatively nominal downside. I got back into collecting cards for investment (in 2015 after a decent-sized break), as a store of long-term wealth, not as a way to make short term money; the hobby seems to have different ideas. With that in mind, my "collection" is relatively narrowly-focused because (1) I want to be an expert in what I collect and it’s easiest to be an expert in a few things rather than many, and (2) I believe that only a small band of cards/collectibles fit my desired profile. Thus, I decided long ago I would focus on pre-war only, and buy primarily those sets and players that I felt were “blue chip” and/or had unique qualities/staying power:

T206, 1914 CJ, 1933 Goudey, e107, W600, Rose Co. PC, Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner, Ty Cobb, Joe Jackson, and other issues of stud or unique players such as Young, Matty, Wajo, Cubs, Thorpe, Plank, Lajoie.

If you are looking to put $50k into cards over the next 6 months, this is where I would place it, and I would focus on rarest and/or best looking examples. For example, if you are going to buy a T206 Cobb, get a rare back. If you want a Cy Young, go after a W600 or Rose Co. If you want a Plank, get a T variation (bc they are rare) or the T206, which is likely now out of reach. I strongly believe all of the above will increase in value over time. I also think its ok to "over pay" for some of these things, especially when they are rare.

As far as longer-term items that I feel may be undervalued today, here are a few, in my opinion:

1. T205 set. T206 is getting unobtainable for most and T205 has most of the same players, lots of cool variations, etc. I think it is "silver" to T206's "gold"
2. T206 Magie error -- T206 has exploded, Magie is one of the "Big 4", and Plank has really taken off, meaning all those pining for Plank may now go Magie
3. T206 Demmitt and O'Hara Polar Bear -- these would be 5-6 in the T206 Big 6, so for similar reasons as above with Magie
4. T206 rare back HOFers, the rare the back the better and the better the HOFer the better (beating a dead horse with T206, but it is the greatest set of all time and appeals to the widest audience)
5. Lou Gehrig - his stuff just seems undervalued to me
6. Honus Wagner, especially portraits-- he is one of the best ever, part of the inaugural HOF class, and the face of the most famous collectable in the world. As the hobby gets bigger, his name will only grow and very few people can have "the" Wagner, but people will want a Wagner

If this $50k is a relatively once-in-a-lifetime event and you want to invest it long term in cards, go Babe Ruth. Ideally something from Red Sox days or early Yankee years. Cobb is amazing (like half my collection is Cobb), but Ruth is the King, plain and simple. Nothing is safer and more certain to increase over time than Babe Ruth.

If you cant find Ruth, I actually put both Wagner and Joe Jackson on par with Cobb for investment, considering how expensive most things Cobb have gotten over the passed few years. As mentioned,. Wagner is the face of the most famous collectible in a rapidly growing asset-class and Joe Jackson was a great player, has hollywood and hobby lore, has the 1914-15 CJ cards (iconic), and there are so few cards of his. Thus, if you cant find a Ruth that makes sense, I would suggest a portrait pose of Wagner or an E90-1, 1914 CJ, or some other Joe Jackson item

As others have mentioned, you can't go wrong with Ruth, Cobb, Mantle, Gehrig. I'd probably start with the nicest green Cobb and Goudey Ruth I could find for 25k each if I didn't already have one.

I'm currently looking for a 14 CJ Cobb, and would put the whole 50k into that card if that is allowed for this experiment.

I didn't notice anyone mention Honus Wagner, but with the t206 well out of reach for most these are my two favorite cards of his.

I may be on a small island here, but Im in the Ruth and Mantle camp.
I have several Cobbs and love them, but investing objectively , I don't think you can beat Ruth, and Mantle is not far behind in name recognition. Speaking of name recognition , as mentioned before, Gehrig will forever be associated w/ that terrible disease, thus will be a name that lives on maybe forever. His cards , US Caramel ,Goudey and Delong have allot of upside when compared to the biggest names in the game.
Again, just my $.02

Both great but that e90-2 is out of this world.

What do you guys think of the cobb turkey red as a stable investment moving forward? Trying to learn valuations on them but it seems like you could put 20k or more into a mid end one these days.

Solid, Jeff and Jim.

Ben
"I love baseball history backstory; especially when it involves cards."

I am happy with this Gehrig. Hope to add a few more like Cobb, Jackson, Wagner and Plank. Always wanted a Jackson RC. Would like a well presented A at some point.

My 2 cents - The best you can afford with very nice eye appeal:

T206 Cobb's (but not the red - too many)
Exhibits Ruth & Gehrig
1941 Playball Ted Williams
1960's Aaron & Mays in PSA 9
1970's Nolan Ryan in PSA 9

Those would be high up on the want-list with some headroom to grow.

I am sure this has been discussed before, but I am curious why Ted Williams always gets left off the list of most important "vintage" ballplayers. Clemente/Jackie make sense from a cultural perspective, and obviously Ruth, Gehrig, Cobb and Wagner are pre-war titans. But, how is Ted Williams not part of the Aaron, Mays, Mantle level? It is not one or two omissions, he is consistently on a lower tier when I have seen folks listing the best player cards by era (whereas, he is almost always Top 10 by baseball analysts compiling "best of" lists). As someone newer to vintage collecting than many of the long-timers here, I am wondering why his performance is viewed as less significant than his contemporaries in the 40s-50s.