The days of "a great deal" appear gone forever

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Posted By: tbob

Unless you take a chance on a raw card and get it graded, the days of deals appear gone forever. Graded cards are bringing a ton of money in caramel and some tobacco sets and high graded cards are bringing insane money. For example look at the E93 SGC 60 Joss scooting over a thousand bucks, non-HOFer M116s selling for over a thousand for high grade examples, etc. Gone are the days when deals could be had in auction sales. I think the only way left is to either buy a huge lot from Mastro or Edwards and break it up and sell them individually on ebay or try and spot nice looking raw cards from guys with little feedback and take a chance.
(A little sour grapes after last night's Goodwin results, I guess).

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Posted By: Judge Dred (Fred)

Bob,

You aren't kidding... the popularity of the internet has killed most of the good deals that could be had. ebay, ebay and more ebay - double edged sword...

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Posted By: Bryan Long

I am sorry to say that I am forced out of most sales due to these high prices. I simply cannot compete anymore. I am lucky to get a card that I really want for a price that I can afford. The sad part is that I have been forced to start buying some newer cards just to satisfy my habit of buying cardboard. I do have some rather large bids right now in certain auctions but I do not have high hopes for winning any of them. I actually even forced myself to sell of my cards in order to get some extra cash for other buys. Not to mention I sold some just because the prices people are paying right now are just to good to pass up. I hope that I am not forced to keep buying 40's and 50's cards for long, but I don't think that the prices will ever go down, and I'm pretty sure that the prices will only continue to go up. I guess I need to find another job just to buy cards. Again I say, you out there needs a marketing person? Mastro? I'm cheap, but not too cheap as I have to buy cards Any lawyers need a marketing guy

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Posted By: robert a

Greetings folks.

You're right...especially with the high grade stuff. Lowgrade "deals" may still be found among collectors. I'd be more apt to give a fellow collector a good deal and I feel that I do from time to time and I think some others around here feel the same way.

However, ebay is not the place to look for good deals obviously unless you find something listed incorrectly.

As far as lowgrade cards go however, I still consider m116s in vg condition for $20-25 a good deal or e90 commons in fair condition for $10 a good deal. These can still be found.

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Posted By: warshawlaw

between wanting my collection to keep appreciating and wanting to appreciate new items for my collection. The only thing going up faster than the cost of vintage cards is the cost of gas...

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Posted By: DJ

I agree. I hit the auction and estate circuit perhaps fishing for the "find" that would be named after me. When I go to an auction now, the dreaded four letter word is uttered by every vendor and buyer. "E--y".

Everyone is somehow connected to the Internet and a sixty-five year old farmer suddenly knew what a hammered lot of 1954 N.Y Journal American's that I tried to steal with my low absentee bid was worth and sold for about what it should. Ten years ago, this would have never happened and something tells me that they probably found their way on eBay. Ten years ago I would walk away with 3-4 good yearly purchases, now...today...nada.

DJ

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Posted By: JamesFeagin

Good deals can be found, just in weird and unexpected places. I purchased a lot of 12 t206 beaters on Craigslist under the heading of "antique baseball pictures". Included were 3 HOFers and I got the lot for $120. I just bought an ungraded t206 common from Wayne Varner for $35. I submitted it to SGC and it came back a 70. I think I will dump some pre-war projects and work on more affordable vintage from the 1950's. I am also working on oddball and international issues. I understand the sentiment thought. To start a decent pre-war collection you have to be fairly wealthy. Guys in their upper 20's (like myself) who have their first home, financial aid repayments, and are first-time parents.....they are pretty much priced out and have to be creative.

James

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Posted By: James Feagin

Same topic, separate thought. For those of us with limited budgets, and those who wish to start pre-war collecting, I think a "bargain" section on the B/S/T board would be an idea. In the bargain section, cards of any type from below $50 can be sold....Just an idea....

James

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Posted By: Anson

I've found the best deals right here on this forum!!

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Posted By: J Levine

The days of the deal are not gone...just changed, at least for me...

In the last year, because of the internet, I have been contacted several times from people who wish to sell...granted, most were reprints but this year alone, I have spent less than $1000 and managed to get 3 OJs (one graded a 70), a Mayo Anson, a Mayo Robinson, 2 e-94 close, 22 T205s incl. a Joss and a Grant, and a group of 34 Obaks...all from private individuals who contacted me through the net...

bargains are around, just not on ebay or at shows anymore...

joshua

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Posted By: Josh K.

Josh,

How did these good people with cards to sell find you on the net?

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Posted By: Judge Dred (Fred)

a good website with good meta data

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Posted By: Chris Counts

I was just thinking about how great it is that I'm still finding good deals regularly on eBay. Back in the days before eBay, I used to feel guilty if I got too good a deal, because usually I was looking someone in the eye before they handed over a card. With eBay, I'm still getting good deals, but it's so impersonal. Plus, I figure, everybody has the same the same chance as me at buying the card ... By the way, I buy almost exclusively raw cards. I've never received a fake, but I've received a few trimmed cards, although I never paid much for them ...

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Posted By: J Levine

I have my wantlist linked with the OBC website...because my Phillies wantlist is so extensive, I often have people just e-mailing asking what they have...

I usually ask how people found me...the answer I most often get is they did a google search under old baseball cards (OBC site pops up) and then used the OBC search engine to find the specific card listed on my wantlist.

I have also had fellow collectors pass on my info. to potential sellers as well...I have done the same (I think Rhett was my most recent person to help facilitate a deal).

It really is about knowledge, doing the legwork, and NETWORKING. Deals are still out there.

Joshua

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Posted By: warshawlaw

Like I do. I still routinely get major deals on boxing, non-sports and offbeat baseball stuff.

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Posted By: Bill Kasel

I've gotta admit that it is geting very tough to add to my collection (E95 & T206 Port HOF) at a reasonable price, but there are deals out there. Like someone else said earlier, many can be found right here.

I was able to get nine E95's including Bender, Chance, & Crawford for $27.50 each. Sure they were beat up a bit, but that doesn't bother me. Now that my second child is on the way (Feb '06) I am sure it will get even tougher.

Bill

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Posted By: Greg Ecklund

I agree that there are still deals to be had with raw cards. I bought a raw e90-1 Home Run Baker off EBay a few months ago for around $60 and it ended up being graded an SGC 40, which was exactly what I was looking for (an SGC 30 just sold on EBay for $150).

So far, I have yet to get burned when buying raw cards off EBay - I'm sure someday I will, but to me it is acceptable risk when I can also get cards like the Baker for 1/4 of what I would pay if it were graded.

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Posted By: warshawlaw

Even local shows. We may be moving into a market where in person pick-ups are the best source of bargains.

I have noticed that my ebay purchases have fallen off as compared with previous years, and most of them are not baseball cards. The market is becoming ever more efficient.

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Posted By: joe brennan

As most of you know I just started vintage 3 months ago. I wasnt around when all the bargains were to be had, but for me a nice PSA 4 T206 common for $40 seems like an affordable price for those on any kind of budget. The card is presentable and I can build a nice collection over a period of time. I still find bargains every day on E-bay collecting real PPC of minor and factory team from the turn of the century. Most can be had for under $12. Not quite baseball cards but close. Out

"I had the right to remain silent. I just didn't have the ability" Ron White

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Posted By: tbob

Maybe it's just the stuff I collect, but the great bargains for E94s, E98s, M116 rare backs, D311s, etc. are just not there, on ebay or off. Sure you can find nice deals on lower grade T206s, there's a zillion of them around, but I long for the time only 4 or 5 years ago when you could actually buy a lot of 3 E90-1 tough cards(Sweeney, Graham and Walsh), in creaseless and nice shape for around $700 in a major auction or an E94 Cobb, E95 Plank and E95 Wagner, all creaseless for less than $1500 in Leland's. These were all lots I bought in just a few short years ago. You used to also be able, a couple of years ago, pick up some nice cards at a super deal from smaller auctions like Barry Sloate, etc. Not very often anymore.
Again, I think the only way to get the super deal anymore is: 1) miscategorized on ebay 2) mislabeled on ebay 3) raw cards from sellers with little or no feedback or 4) other red flags which scare people like on the T206 Pirate Tinker (Gary N.)that turn out to be no flags at all and just a terrific pickup. I'm not one of the "gee cards were cheaper 25 years ago" guys, I am talking about cards for sale just 4-5 years ago when 95% were collecting. I see guys now trying to start collecting the E90-1 set or the E94 set and wish them the best, the prices have become outrageous.

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Posted By: Scott Elkins

At any price! However, I miss the "good ole days" of LAST YEAR, when Louis Bollman auctioned off quite a few Cocoas. That is when I bought my first one - an SGC 40 Zimmerman for under $90! My only regret now is that I didn't buy every card Louis listed. However, than Zimmerman did get me started collecting a set of cards I really love.

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Posted By: Richard

Like Joe, I have also only been collecting prewar for only a few months (beginning of the year). These prices are pretty much the only prices that I know. I wonder if I am buying at the peak, or if a similar thread like this will be started in a couple of years asking why prices are not as good as they were back in 2005.

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Posted By: warshawlaw

In 2000, the stock market was still high-flying, housing was 1/3 of what it is today, and gas...don't get me started.

I share your pain, Bob, but whaddayagonnado?