[ls7plus]

Plus nearly 2200 PSA 7's and/or 7.5's to soak up some of the demand for a nice example. Jordan was truly a tremendous player and icon; its just hard to make that kind of math work in favor of $$ over the long term, especially in light of the probability that there is still a lot of ungraded/unopened out there.

I respectfully disagree with Frank on the broader issue of investment, of course. Ours is a legitimate field for collectible interest over the long term as long as baseball history and heroes are in vogue. The card connects you to the player, the set connects you to the leagues for the most part, and both take you back to the time, almost as if you had a little time machine right there in your hand. They are a "piece of the action" from back then, with the most analgous area of collecting IMO being coins. As I posted some time ago, there have been over 30 sales of coins for over $1 Million, and there are many, many coins valued at over $100K. Check back in time with the assistance of such publications as The Official Red Book: A Guide Book of United States Coins, continuosly published since 1947, or The 100 Greatest U.S. Coins, 3rd Edition, and you will see that many of these got where they are from far more humble levels, and simply compounded in value annually in the range of 10-15%. Coins have history behind them, and take one back to the time of their minting, but lack the personal element our hobby has, ie., the ability to connect one instantly to Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth or Joe Jackson in his own day, through an image they left from just an instant in their lives back then.

Of course, the same rules apply with regard to investing in coins or cards--what you want is rare and significant items, in the best grade you can find or afford. As Q. David Bowers, a very successful and articulate coin dealer for over 50 years with an extremely intuitive, analytical mind, said in the course of his prolific writings, what is common today will be common tomorrow--you can't make something that is common somehow become magically rare. Common coins, such as bright, shiny Morgan Silver Dollars, though certainly historically significant, exist in large quantity in the various mint states coins are graded in. They have been subject to roller coaster rides of up and down values, usually surging when a new hoard of unknowlegable investors come into the field from time to time, then plummeting like a rock when these transients leave. Truly rare, significant coins, however, have plowed a steady upwards course in value, largely immune to these kinds of cycles. Frank, the problem with Tulipmania was that there was a virtually unending supply of tulips, which made investing in them the equivalent of buying into a Ponzei scheme.

Of course, you've still got to pick the right cards. Certainly those cut out of the same mold as the 1914 Baltimore News Ruth (first sale I'm aware of was circa 1989(?), for just $6,000) and the T206 Wagner (Barry sold one in the late '80's for $16,000) fit the bill. The question is whether there are others emerging that will also, and as the thread re the next $100K card reveals, there are indeed others surging towards and past that mark. There are others just beginning that journey, at currently much more modest price levels. And it doesn't have to be a $100K card--one going from $400 to $8,000 over even 25 years represents an annual compound return in excess of 12%. Those cards are out there, as are the cards that are $2,000 now and will be $20,000+ later. Analyze and figure out which ones fit the bill and are much more affordable now. It's okay to buy the Jordan--just buy it because you like Jordan, and not because you think that because of his iconic status, his cards will reach stratospheric levels!

Just my $2.50 worth!

Best to everyone in their collecting,

Larry