So, is the 1952 Bartirome guy crazy?

[SMPEP]

So, the 1952 Topps Bartirome card is now consider one of the 10 most expensive cards in the set. So, was the guy driving the price higher crazy - like people said at the time or visionary (meaning he created a craze and will like make money off of it)?

[egri]

I was going to say that he’s about ten cents short of a dollar, but then I considered some of his off-the-forum antics and decided he’s about ten cents short of a dime.

[ALR-bishop]

Was the guy banned here ?

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by ALR-bishop

Was they guy banned here ?

Yes he was banned.

My only question, since his hoard has not hit the market that I know of, was he doing it to make $ or just have some fun manipulating the card market?

[Republicaninmass]

He's still buying, not sure if he has sold any. They appear pretty infrequently even in auction houses

[rats60]

Set collecting is losing popularity outside of the t206 set. The hobby has shifted towards rookie cards and superstar cards. Buying up a 1952 high number common is not a money maker. He is causing a few people to over pay, but in the end his beneficiaries will end up with a bunch of cards that will sell for a fraction of he paid for them.

[savedfrommyspokes]

Originally Posted by rats60

Set collecting is losing popularity outside of the t206 set. The hobby has shifted towards rookie cards and superstar cards. Buying up a 1952 high number common is not a money maker. He is causing a few people to over pay, but in the end his beneficiaries will end up with a bunch of cards that will sell for a fraction of he paid for them.

IMO, there is indeed an increase in popularity with RC and star cards.

However, set collecting does not appear to be losing popularity with collectors. There are several complete sets on the registry I used to be ranked solidly in the top 20, now I am ranked in the 30s-40s for the active sets( I have not gone back and done any updating). This has happened in the past 2-3 years.

A prominent advertiser on this board auctions off 20K singles a week, 15k+ are commons....if set builders aren't buying all of these commons, I don't know who is.

If building the 52 set is losing popularity, the prices are not indicative of this. While I am 29 HI #s short of completion now, in Jan 2016 I was 40% complete and had an ATF rank of 120. Now a similar set has an ATF rank near 140. That means over the past 2.5 years, nearly 20 additional 52 sets have surpassed the point I was at in Jan 2016.

Ironically, fwiw, some years ago I picked up a psa 5 332 card for less than $150.

[irv]

Originally Posted by SMPEP

So, the 1952 Topps Bartirome card is now consider one of the 10 most expensive cards in the set. So, was the guy driving the price higher crazy - like people said at the time or visionary (meaning he created a craze and will like make money off of it)?

Judging by previous sales, I'd say he has created some higher prices, especially the recent sales through PWCC.
https://www.psacard.com/cardfacts/ba...rome-332/23351

Despite what people say about the guy, if he were to cash out responsibly/intermittently, I have no doubts he'd likely make out pretty good money wise based on the sales seen above.
Here is the 21 page post that was started back in 2015.
http://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=211710

This is a recent PWCC sale.
https://www.psacard.com/auctionprice...ction/1814952/

[Republicaninmass]

Many people are buying on speculation they can sell to the hoarder. Once prices drop, I have a feeling people might run for the exits. Therefore, it is in his best interest to overextend, even when, or if, he plans on selling off.

[irv]

Originally Posted by Republicaninmass

Many people are buying on speculation they can sell to the hoarder. Once prices drop, I have a feeling people might run for the exits. Therefore, it is in his best interest to overextend, even when, or if, he plans on selling off.

I never assumed that, I just thought people were purchasing the card based on how popular the card has now become.

In all honesty, I just figured the guy was out of the hobby and was no longer trying to collect them, but then I read your post and read he was still active.
I assume he is on other forums/sites?

Any idea if he is still "aggressively" collecting them or has he slowed considerably the last little while?

[ALR-bishop]

Can not remember when I got that card for my set but it was before all this started. Feel bad for those building the set currently that need it. Who would have thought when starting the set that Bartirome would be a top 10 expense in doing so.

[bobbyw8469]

There were other cards that were being "hoarded"....the T206 Titus, and Three Stooges cards if I remember correctly. I'm not sure the market was sustainable on EITHER of those examples.

[1963Topps Set]

I don't understand:

Why this guy has been banned from this forum just because he is hording the 1952 Topps Tony Bartirome card. That is his choice and it is his option to spend his money as he pleases.

He is claiming he is buying up all of this card for family members so that everyone in Tony's family can have a copy, however,

Why is he not hording the 1953 Topps Tony Bartirome card? (As far as I know, poor Tony only had these two cards)

The whole thing is crazy to me.

[irv]

Originally Posted by Republicaninmass

Many people are buying on speculation they can sell to the hoarder. Once prices drop, I have a feeling people might run for the exits. Therefore, it is in his best interest to overextend, even when, or if, he plans on selling off.

Likely not many CDN's are purchasing his cards, nor many of anyone else either!
Check out the CDN difference on this recent sale.

Winning bid:US $2,881.00
"Approximately C $3,828.27"
[ 21 bids ]

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/1952-Topps-S...19.m1438.l2649

Winning bid:US $4,538.00
Approximately C $6,030.09
[ 46 bids ]

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/1952-Topps-T...19.m1438.l2649