In today's economy, with reference to collecting, I am ...

[Archive]

Posted By: leon

In today's economy, with reference to collecting, I am only buying cards I really need.

On the other side, with respect to buying cards for resale, I am being very careful.......



Your thoughts??

[Archive]

Posted By: Adam

"In today's economy, with reference to collecting, I am . . . "

I am setting a reasonable snipe price, and if I win it for that reasonable snipe price, then great. If I don't, then oh well, it wasn't meant to be.

[Archive]

Posted By: Steve Murray

"I am only buying cards I really need."

And even then I often have to take a pass.

[Archive]

Posted By: Steve F

I've had to apply the brakes. Of course there's always that impulse buy that can't be ignored. food or cards. mortgage or cards. gasoline or cards. sex or, ummm... nm

[Archive]

Posted By: Matt

I am buying and selling about the same quantity, but I find myself accepting offers I would not have if the economy was in better shape, just to keep my card budget liquid.

[Archive]

Posted By: Bottom of the Ninth

"In today's economy, with reference to collecting, I am . . . "

trying to add to my collection however prices for Cobb, Wagner and Jackson cards seem to defy current economic conditions. May have to start collecting a different trio.

With respect to cards for resale I am being much more selective. What seems like a great deal may in fact not be. Appears you cannot pay too little for some stuff.

[Archive]

Posted By: leon

that last one had me smiling....it hasn't come down to that for me yet.....but when it does.....I will take the choice other than the cards

[Archive]

Posted By: Jodi Birkholm

The same goes for my end of the hobby, but I know you are well-versed in what you should be picking up for resale. I would continue to pick up resale material if I were you, as I'm sure you keep a running tab on who is looking for what. You may not make as much as you could have a few years ago, but, on the same token, you likely won't have to invest as much into each item, either. Everything is about the same on this end; the tide comes in, the tide goes out.

Now if you are strictly talking about resale material for which you have no immediate outlet, then yes, it might be best to exercise a bit of caution, but I wouldn't be overly concerned as of yet. Buying opportunities will likely abound throughout this coming year. Maybe you SHOULD shelve a bunch of stuff for when the nation's prosperity returns. Personally, I view each potential purchase on a per-item or per-lot basis. It can be very difficult to speak in generalities, as there are as many individual factors to carefully consider as there are different cards/autographs/what have you.

[Archive]

Posted By: Martin

I agree - its time to be careful - there is still so much uncertainty in the economy.

I'm in a slightly different position to the other collectors on the board in that I live in England. The exchange rate between the pound and dollar has dropped 25% in the last 4 months. It means I'm now looking at PSA 3's instead of PSA 4's for my t206 set.

On the flipside it would potentially be a great time for me to sell. If I could obtain the same dollar value I paid for my cards over the last 3 years I would gain 20-25% profit (minus fees). However, I have no intention to sell except for a couple of duplicates that I have inadvertently picked up.

Martin

[Archive]

Posted By: Dave Hornish

Hmmmm....I am mainly buying hobby reference materials at the moment and (mostly) not cards but the amount I spend per month has not really changed. I will start buying older cards again after New Year's I think but anything I was thinking of selling I will hang on to for now--I might trade a bit more though if opportunities arise. Ebay has been less than exciting and I want to hit shows again next year and do more in person buying.

[Archive]

Posted By: Jeff Lichtman

"In today's economy, with reference to collecting, I am only buying cards I really need."

Leon, just curious: what cards out there do you "really need"--unless you plan on burning them for heat. That we can still discuss buying cards, even in a reduced fashion, should be indication that the recession (or worse) has yet to rear its ugly head. I suspect 9 months from now things will be much, much worse than they are now and the prospect of buying cards at all for most of us will be a fantasy.

[Archive]

Posted By: peter ullman

I have returned to my type collection...adding types that had become too expensive for my tastes in the past...are now coming back to earth...in a more reasonable fashion.

pete ullman

[Archive]

Posted By: barry arnold

... doing much the same.
I have had a game plan for quite some time and have followed it pretty well.
Some of the ole T206 singlemindedness has come in handy for swimming through
these rough currents---even when i'm doing some 'type' collecting.

best,

barry

[Archive]

Posted By: Bryan Long

I have very little money to buy anything right now, but that is what I am trying to do. Card prices for some are back to what I consider more my style Of course, like someone said the Cobbs and Wagners are still high I think. I don't think there will be much selling for me, as the cards I always want to sell are going for very low prices, but the cards I want are selling very high. The story of my life.

.

[Archive]

Posted By: Bob Pomilla

Sex before cards? That's sick!

Seriously, am finding a few bargains, as a buyer.

[Archive]

Posted By: boxingcardman

--Buying cards I did not think I would buy when I see them at prices I feel comfortable paying.
--Buying scarce cards I need for tough sets, etc., when they surface. They aren't going anywhere except into my collection until I die (or am desperate enough to have to sell them, which would only happen if we had a depression), so I won't sweat it if I "overpay" for them by a bit now.
--Buying cards at lowball prices.
--Dollar cost averaging certain card investments: At certain prices I am happy to acquire and stockpile certain cards that I feel are good investments for the longer term.
--Selling certain cards that I know have a ready market.
--Holding on to the cards I have and don't really care to sell but might sell in a surging marketplace.
--Selling cards that I feel will sell at a substantial loss to the extent that I have gains to offset them (aka tax planning).
--Rediscovering the pleasure of collecting postwar HOFers in off grades at bargain bin prices. Paying $10-$20 for cards from sets that I gave up on collecting from when the demand for them was higher and prices were more like $25-$40. When two Starbucks = 1 vg HOFer, time to kick the coffee habit.

Remember, cards will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no cards.

Sic Gorgiamus Allos Subjectatos Nunc

[Archive]

Posted By: Doug

Buying lower grade, more "affordable" cards. I can't see spending $1000+ on a card again unless it's something I can convince myself that I can't live without.

[Archive]

Posted By: robert a

In this economy, I'm trying to work trades with friends and lay off on spending a bunch.

Would love to make progress on a few sets, but through trading instead of buying a bunch.

I haven't found that many new traders lately.

I'm selling a bit too and plan to sell a bunch more over the next few months.

Rob

[Archive]

Posted By: John S

...doing a lot more trading.

[Archive]

Posted By: Lance

Like most have said, I have cut my spending to almost nil, but what I have purchased has been at a price I consider to good to pass on. My biggest fear is that I will find today's great bargins are on the other end of the spectrum in the future.

May God bless our country and our controlling body once more....

[Archive]

Posted By: Rawn Hill

Buying,(hint hint).

Rawn

[Archive]

Posted By: Anonymous

Buying what I can. I stopped selling last year.

[Archive]

Posted By: Ken Wirt

Buying some tough HOFers at prices that are more reasonable than before. Sort of trying to take advantage of the situation - and I think I have gotten a couple of steals! Still, I'm always nervous above 4 figures, no matter what the economy is doing.

[Archive]

Posted By: Dan Bretta

Trying to cut my spending, but some of the items I collect come up so infrequently and I can't let them pass since the prices are down about 50-75% on some items, so I've spent a bit more than I'd like to this month. I'm no longer hoarding so if I've already got it I don't buy another anymore. I used to buy every single Nebraska Indians postcard that popped up on ebay.

[Archive]

Posted By: Pennsylvania Ted

I sold this Chase card a year (or so) ago for some nice $$. I just recovered it for 1/2 of what I sold it for.
This is the way to beat this "roller coaster" economy ride we are on.





Another recent acquisition that you would be amazed, if I told you how much/little I paid for it ?




TED Z

[Archive]

Posted By: Rawn Hill

Nice Denehy!!

[Archive]

Posted By: Wesley

Like Rob A, I have been doing a lot more trading lately. In some ways, this makes the hobby more fun.

[Archive]

Posted By: Jeff W.

For some reason I am not seeing a big decline in pre war baseball cards. The rare and high grade are still catching eye popping prices and collector grade is still fetching a decent dollar. I am currently collecting the T206 set in collector grade and have yet to see a "big" drop in prices. Maybe its just the supply and demand affect on the card industry or maybe the people with the money will always have money. I don't have all the answers but I do know that most of the cards I collect are still going for strong prices.

Nevertheless, I am still collecting T206's, E103's, and E93's.

Jeff W.

[Archive]

Posted By: Joe

For years I collected everything I could find. cards, memoribilia, jukeboxes, records. I then collected All Detroit, especially Ty Cobb.

I now buy or trade for Old Judge Detroit only. As far as selling, have lots to sell, but the time does not seem right to sell some of this stuff.

Joe

Ty Cobb, Spikes flying!

[Archive]

Posted By: Brian Goldner

In todays ecomony, with reference to collecting, i have slowed my buying pace by greater than 50 percent.

However, in addition to the conventional wisdom of being more careful/selective, many of the cards that i'm looking for either aren't available at present, or are only available if i'm willing to pay prices that are the same or exceed those seen in the past 6 to 24 months.

Thus for the time being, things are often close to a standstill, which i am perfectly comfortable with.

[Archive]

Posted By: Mark Evans

moribund.

But, Adam's reference brought back fond memories of the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers.

Hope to see all in Cleveland.

Mark

[Archive]

Posted By: Rich Klein

Buying what I know about at a good price and not buying at higher than I want to

Ted; you posted in another thread that you paid $50 for that Tom Seaver card so I'll venture a $50 guess

Rich

[Archive]

Posted By: Shawn

I have had a budget, so I am still staying within it... Still just trudging along.

[Archive]

Posted By: Rob D.

Judging from the responses so far, it's primarily buyers who have adjusted to the economy. Because most of the prices I see on the B/S/T and on eBay reflect that a whole lot of sellers think we're still living in Summer 2007. I can't tell you how many times I see a high-end card for sale at a price that's 15-25 percent higher than what it sold for 6 to 18 months ago. I guess when you own the card, prices can go only up.

[Archive]

Posted By: leon

It's a weird feeling when I list something on my for sale site that is less than I paid for it. I did it for the first time very recently. AND that was my starting price. Try asking a price lower than you bought something for, offered in a straight sale (as opposed to an auction) and you will know what I mean....Such is the economy. I think most of the folks that don't want to take a hit on something are either not selling or asking too much and then not selling....It's sort of the same outcome. I keep seeing a D359 common on ebay, in a 10 holder, for about $1900......My guess is that the person probably bought it a few years ago and is STILL trying to make money....and to that I say "good luck"...but there is no harm in trying...regards

[Archive]

Posted By: barrysloate

Look what my two D359's in SGC 40 just went for, and that $1900 asking price is completely out of touch with the market.

[Archive]

Posted By: David Poses

i've been on a buying spree (i'm in the supermarket business. this is a good year for us.). for the most part, everything i've bought recently on ebay (10 or so cards in the past month) have been cheaper than i expected.



i am finding the selection to be not so hot though. i'm guessing that some of the more rare cards i've been looking for (not ridiculously rare- e94 dougherty, e98 vaughn, etc) haven't been showing up because sellers fear getting crushed with an NR auction on ebay starting at 99cents, and if everyone is afraid that nobody has any money, listing a card at a fixed price (BIN on ebay or BST here) can be discouraging when it gets no interest.

i listed a psa3 e101 knight on the BST for almost a month, lowered the price a few times and didn't get any interest. finally listed it on ebay- it sold for almost what i paid for, which was a lot more than the final asking price on the BST but i haven't heard from the winning bidder yet. the card sold on sunday, so i'm not too worried yet, but it does make me wonder if we're going to see more people placing bids on multiple auctions, not expecting to win all of them, winning all of them, and then only paying for the ones they really want...

[Archive]

Posted By: boxingcardman

namely that many (most) sellers on ebay are casual sellers who don't rely on turnover of inventory for profit to make a living. Those sellers can afford not to compromise on their prices because they don't need to sell. If anything, history has taught us collectors that over time prices generally increase on prewar cards, so there is no need to blow them out the wazoo unless you need the cash flow, which many p/t dealers don't. I was recently offered about 50% of what I (admittedly over)paid for a 100 year old card of a HOFer. I declined. It won't affect my lifestyle one bit to carry the card indefinitely and I am not worried its value will decline to zero (it isn't an American car maker, after all ), so why dump it? I'm sure a lot of that reasoning is going on with part timers all over the country right now.

I do agree that there is some good stuff out there at nice prices right now, though, if you have the cash to be a buyer.

Sic Gorgiamus Allos Subjectatos Nunc

[Archive]

Posted By: Rob D.

Leon,

I totally get what you're saying about listing a card for less than the price paid. Not any fun. I have some cards that really don't fit my collection, but I realize that I can't expect to sell them now for what I paid. So I choose to keep them for now, rather than list them at prices that would appear out of whack with the current market.

As you said, if someone can get lucky by trying to make 15-25 percent more than what he paid for a card a year ago, more power to him. I expect that on eBay. I guess on the B/S/T, where you have supposedly knowledgeable buyers and sellers, it wouldn't be the norm.

But again, no harm, no foul.

[Archive]

Posted By: Jason L

but my hope is to at some point take advantage of this economic malaise by snapping up a few of my once-thought-to-be-way-out-of-reach wantlist items, at decent prices. Realizing they won't fall much, they are more apt to stall out in their ascent during tougher economic times, and perhaps be available in collection-must-go sales more often.
the more substantial HOFer rookies, like Musial, Mays, Mantle, and maybe even
Goudey Ruths and Gehrigs

but if not, that's ok, since I don't have the money for them yet anyways!

[Archive]

Posted By: Ken McMillan

doing business as usual. My search is very narrow so you buy when you see.

[Archive]

Posted By: Richard

I'm in the same boat as Ken. My collecting focus is pretty specific, so when something I'm looking for comes up, I generally grab it (provided the price is reasonable). On that note, actually, it's been a really good month for me...

Regards,

Richard.

[Archive]

Posted By: JimCrandell

If someone a year ago would have told me we would be in a recession and card prices would be trending lower overall, I would have fully expected to step up my card budget by 25-50% and try to complete more expensive sets like 52 Topps in PSA 8(I have about 340 psa 8s or better), 1934 Goudey, 1953 Bowman Coloor and 1953 Topps. But due to the losses I had on stock sales that strategy is no longer possible. Instead I have cut back my card budget for 09 by about 50 percent. I am trying to focus primarily on finishing sets in PSA 8 or better and still am actively working on about 50 in my quest of 100 vintage/semi-vintage sets PSA 8 or better. If I can't find too much to buy, I dabble in vintage non-sports, 60s CFL football or somewthing else that is relatively cheap.

[Archive]

Posted By: Jeff Lichtman

Jim, what you mentioned is what people usually think when imaginging card prices going lower: "I'll be in there buying like crazy when that day comes." Unfortunately, for the same reasons the card market softens we all are negatively impacted. Rare is the person whose financial situation improves during a recession (or worse).

[Archive]

Posted By: boxingcardman

Bankruotcy lawyers, foreclosure trustees (for nonjudicial foreclosures), collection agency personnel, suicide hotline workers, and entertainment should all be doing boffo biz. Or as Tony Soprano said:

Anthony 'Tony' Soprano Sr.: Sil, break it down for 'em. What two business have traditionally been recession-proof since time immemorial?
Silvio Dante: Certain aspects of show business and our thing.


Sic Gorgiamus Allos Subjectatos Nunc

[Archive]

Posted By: Jeff Lichtman

True, true. Though even Broadway attendance is way down due to the economy.

[Archive]

Posted By: Fred C

Re: In today's economy, with reference to collecting, I am ...

Looking for BARGAINS...

[Archive]

Posted By: Dan Koteles

Self mutilation over cards is what I expected from you anyway. I knew all along there was a breaking point with you. Grapes and candles?

[Archive]

Posted By: Jerry Hrechka

Having Fun Buying 1962 Topps Civil War News PSA5 cards for less than 5 Bucks per card.

[Archive]

Posted By: Trae R.

Surprisingly the main company my company contracts for has experienced a 100% increase in business the last few months.
We develop websites and web-applications with bleeding-edge technologies. I've never been so busy in my life.

I'm not complaining. However, I'm not buying at all, but that's due to a new house and upcoming wedding - not the economy.

We are sticking our money in the bank though. Hmm.




---
"There ain't much to being a ballplayer, if you're a ballplayer."
-Honus Wagner