Blunders and Wonders in Collecting
Most of us have stories that we love to share about the great finds that we've made. Whether it be a scarce card found in a discount box or in a vintage lot or some prospect we banked on when no one else seemed to care.
Less often do we recall, or risk sharing, the blunders that we make. Maybe we sold something that we didn't realize had scarcity or sold before a price spike. Perhaps something or someone that we overpaid or over invested in.
I think it would be a unique exercise to share a blunder and a wonder from our collecting pasts.
Mine:
Blunder -- Investing in Marc Newfield in 1991. I used to buy bulk rookies and received significant discounting on volume. I wanted to buy Newfield and was quoted a nickle a card. I asked about quantity and was told that they had upwards of 500,000 of each player and that quantities over 20,000 were available for 80% off. So, I ordered 25,000 1991 Marc Newfields (along with about 75,000-80,000 other cards) for a whopping total of just over $1800.00 (the Newfields were $312.50) delivered. Needless to say, I've still got 5 5,000 count monster boxes of Marc Newfield rookies sitting in storage. Maybe it is time for a private signing...
Wonder -- Buying a 1900 Clemson Baseball Cabinet card from a group of $10 "common" 1890-1910 cabinets. The coach of the team, and also in the team photo, was John Heisman - of Heisman Trophy fame.
What are your blunders and wonders?
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