This is something I'm struggling with as a relatively young (mid 30s) collector just getting into pre-war vintage. Do I buy now because prices will only continue to rise, or wait for prices to drop as older collectors start liquidating their collection (or their heirs do it for them). People in their 20s and 30s now for the most part can't really afford to drop thousands on Cobbs, Youngs, etc while also trying to buy houses and start families, so are they going to suddenly start buying (and spending big $) when they have more $ in their 50s and 60s? I imagine most of the $ being spent now is people in their 50s and 60s that started collecting in their 20s and 30s when costs weren't prohibitive, so they were hooked from an early age. Will the hobby continue to hook people who can only afford to enter the hobby at a much later age? Without new younger buyers, at some point prices have to drop to the point that it does attract new younger buyers.
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Originally Posted by Vintage Vern
Honest question, how many will continue to collect vintage especially with the prices now? I don't know a ton of people collecting especially younger folks, but I know very few that collect pre war, and most that do collect now, have to have a ton of extra cash to just waste. Some day the demand won't be nearly as strong as it is now. I'd imagine most of the high dollar cards/sets are held by people that got them many moons ago at a much more manageable price. Just like collector cars its more about generational interest. Not many 20 or 30 year olds want street rods or muscle cars, and some that do probably can't afford them. The people that have them want more than most can afford so the demand vs value isn't there. They would rather spend 30 grand on a tuner then 60 or 125 grand on something from the 30's - 70's. At some point it will be a very small group that values the cards many think will never lose value. Most of those will be the rich. No one else can really play, so once they (the wealthy) don't care I don't see much future. How many things in life did you think or feel would be forever that are all but forgotten? I don't see cards any different.
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