Please explain Cracker Jack price increases

[Goudey77]

There are a few Cracker Jack cards I’ve got my eyes on, doesn’t matter ‘14 or ‘15 variety.

I am shocked at the vcp data for how much prices have jumped in 2017, 2018. I cannot make sense of the erratic price on a card that has been around for over a hundred years. Price trends for 100 years do not support the new going rate.

Something happen in the last two years?
What am I missing?

[oldjudge]

Supply-Demand. Demand has gone up.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by oldjudge

Supply-Demand. Demand has gone up.

Way up in some cases. 55K or so for a 4.5 Cobb in REA with a crease, still stunned over that one.

[Goudey77]

Demand is indeed the driver. But why now? What’s changed.
I’m certainly not a buyer if you look at the prices just a few years ago it makes zero sense...it’s like seeing gold or silver quadruple since 2016.

Not sustainable and I’d be nervous as a buyer at this rate.

[Republicaninmass]

People stated it was the 100 year anniversary that boosted sales.

Cobb and Joe jax are always outliers


I think they are pretty, with 1914 having some low pops. Only takes 2 new collectors without VCP to fuel prices

[jasonc]

I was thinking about starting a thread about this... but what is the reason 1914 or 1915 crackers are so expensive in general. I know demand is there, as it's a great set. and it contains Cobb and Jackson

But, were the print numbers low, are they considered scarce?.. It's really hard to find a common under $100, where a T206 common would be $25-$30.

[Goudey77]

Originally Posted by jasonc

I was thinking about starting a thread about this... but what is the reason 1914 or 1915 crackers are so expensive in general. I know demand is there, as it's a great set. and it contains Cobb and Jackson

But, were the print numbers low, are they considered scarce?.. It's really hard to find a common under $100, where a T206 common would be $25-$30.

If you look at prices 2016, 2015, 2014 you’d think there was an error. In comparison to current value. I cannot even give the 100 year anniversary theory the nod on this.

Some of the price hikes makes the Mantle explosion look tame.

When have you seen a low pr-1 card go from $2,000 to $14,000 in less than 5 years. Cobb cj’s did

[Peter_Spaeth]

Arguably the best player selection of any set ever.

Cobb Jackson Speaker Lajoie Collins Wagner Johnson Mathewson Alexander Plank

T206 has Young but no Jackson or Alexander, and Wagner and Plank are extreme rarities.

M116 has Young but no Jackson or Alexander.

[swarmee]

bitcoin investors cashing out and diversifying?

[jasonc]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

Arguably the best player selection of any set ever.

Cobb Jackson Speaker Lajoie Collins Wagner Johnson Mathewson Alexander Plank

T206 has Young but no Jackson or Alexander, and Wagner and Plank are extreme rarities.

M116 has Young but no Jackson or Alexander.

That is a good point.

[Exhibitman]

Jay's got it right: demand. They are preferred by those who like them best and those people have money at the present time.

[oldjudge]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

Arguably the best player selection of any set ever.

Cobb Jackson Speaker Lajoie Collins Wagner Johnson Mathewson Alexander Plank

T206 has Young but no Jackson or Alexander, and Wagner and Plank are extreme rarities.

M116 has Young but no Jackson or Alexander.

I’ll take the players in the M101-4/5 sets over these any day, or E135 type cards for that matter.

[Rhotchkiss]

I acquired these in the last year, and none was cheap. But they don’t come up often, and when they do it seems they just keep going for more money. So I bought mine (all 1914) betting that if I didn’t get them now, they would cost more later. Maybe I am right, maybe I take a loss in the long run (although I don’t know you can ever lose with these if you are able to hold).

[swarmee]

Originally Posted by Republicaninmass

People stated it was the 100 year anniversary that boosted sales.

And to commemorate, everyone who was a PSA collector's club member that year got a free coffee table book. Plus, the top tier HOF market is solid in T206. PWCC advertising to the dotcom millionaires and business tycoons is certainly helping the market turn.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by oldjudge

I’ll take the players in the M101-4/5 sets over these any day, or E135 type cards for that matter.

I hate those pinhead cards but yes I'll give you that the addition of Ruth trumps the loss of Mathewson and Speaker.

[swarmee]

Isn't actor Charlie Sheen also big into this set?

[riggs336]

If you were an investor with a limited amount of card knowledge but an unlimited amount of money and looking to diversify your portfolio, which set name would catch your eye: "Cracker Jack" or "E135"?

[oldjudge]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

I hate those pinhead cards but yes I'll give you that the addition of Ruth trumps the loss of Mathewson and Speaker.

Addition of Sisler too

[oldjudge]

Originally Posted by riggs336

If you were an investor with a limited amount of card knowledge but an unlimited amount of money and looking to diversify your portfolio, which set name would catch your eye: "Cracker Jack" or "E135"?

Old Judges, why do you ask?

[swarmee]

Same question was asked about modern cards on Blowout so I'll use the same image there... ;-)

[Donscards]

I love the Cracker Jack cards---The selection of Hall of Famers (including as always Ty Cobb And Joe Jackson)--I had 2 showcases of CJ's at the last 2 Nationals and now I am down to 1 Showcase---Just sold a PSA 2 1914 Cobb last week---I think the prices started to go up about 3 years ago. I bought a near set from Steve S. on net 54 and continued to buy CJ's where ever I could.--The Hall of Famers are in high demand and there are many short printed commons especially in the 1914 set. As far as VCP, it really is too low on most all the cards---All the big boys sell well over VCP.---My Favorite 3 sets are CJ's , Turkey Reds and T206.---As far as prices jumping up, Try to buy a Goudey Babe Ruth or a T206 Cobb----And if you really want to see a price jump, Good Luck on the Ty Cobb Post Cards. Check out some of the current auction houses, prices are crazy.

[pokerplyr80]

It probably only takes a few new collectors with money to really move the needle on a set as rare as the 14s. Then other collectors like myself who haven't pulled the trigger but have had an eye on them start jumping in and prices go nuts.

[mechanicalman]

I think CJ prices look like a bargain compared to Magic the Gathering cards.

[Peter_Spaeth]

For a set that gets no love 52 Berk Ross has an incredible selection of all time great players -- Williams Musial Mays Mantle DiMaggio Jackie Robinson Berra Campanella Mize Snider -- but no Spahn or Ford so pitching is a bit weak with Feller and Roberts.

[BobbyVCP]

I think this set is looks much better in a tomb. Having them raw it does not feel very good in your hands since they are so flimsy.

[oldjudge]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

For a set that gets no love 52 Berk Ross has an incredible selection of all time great players -- Williams Musial Mays Mantle DiMaggio Jackie Robinson Berra Campanella Mize Snider -- but no Spahn or Ford so pitching is a bit weak with Feller and Roberts.

But these are ugly cards

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by oldjudge

But these are ugly cards

So are M101s IMO.

[oldjudge]

LOL, obviously your son gets his artistic talents from his mother’s side.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by oldjudge

LOL, obviously your son gets his artistic talents from his mother’s side.

Indeed.

The cards are aesthetically appealing. Great checklist and no other “candy” is more linked to baseball. Can’t ask for much more from a pre-war set

[Yastrzemski Sports]

You can go to the Philly show and find many many dealers with tons of T206 cards. Good luck finding a handful of cj in the room. Try that at almost any show. They have been long overlooked as truly rare cards.

[glchen]

I think the other aspect of this is the entire card market has gone up. Just about everything that I watch has increased in price. People who sell their cards have a lot more money. This gives them a lot more money to buy cards.

[CrackaJackKid]

Excluding print error/anomalies, comparing low pop commons from both sets.

T206 basic commons is 200+ population just with PSA
1914 Cracker Jack common is 30 or less with PSA.

There’s some basic commons from the 14cj set that only now come up once every six months or so.

[C-mack]

So whatcha saying is I'm getting on this train too late lol

[uniship]

The 1914 Cracker Jack set is the greatest set in the history of card collecting. Period.

[ValKehl]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

I hate those pinhead cards but yes I'll give you that the addition of Ruth trumps the loss of Mathewson and Speaker.

Peter, Joe Jax is also in the M101 set.

I see the M101 set being to real-photo, black-&-white card lovers (like me) as being what the T206 set is to collectors who prefer the colorful, artist-created cards. Both sets have lots of HOFers and lots of different advertising backs.

[PSACJ]

The 1915 Cracker Jack is a tremendous set as well if you like high end cards. I have been collecting this set since 2007 and I tell you, they are hard to find in PSA 7 or higher which is how I collect them.

Every year I go to the National looking for cards and you will hardly ever see any 1915 CJ PSA 7 or higher for sale. I have mostly put my set together from either eBay, Auction Houses or trading with other collectors. Heck, sometimes I even buy doubles to trade with other collectors for cards I need. Most of the commons have a pop of less than 15 in PSA 7 or above. All you need is 10 to 15 collectors putting the set together and you will find yourself in my shoes. Very hard to find high end cards.

I love this set so much that I’m going for the Triple Play. Im putting the whole set together in PSA 7 or higher as well as Conlon Type 1 Photos of each 176 player and Autographs in either index or GPC PSA/DNA 9 or 10’s. In my opinion best looking set ever, period!

Best of luck to everyone who wants to put this wonderful set together. They are simply amazing!

Andy

[edhans]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

Way up in some cases. 55K or so for a 4.5 Cobb in REA with a crease, still stunned over that one.

+1

[1952boyntoncollector]

I also think the last real generation of super card collectors are at an age where they can buy things. People who were 13 or so buying 1987-1992 or so Topps cards are buying all of those cards they heard of but never were going to buy at 13..... Cracker Jacks were also the candy of baseball choice for those. For kids today Cracker jack doesnt mean the same thing

anyway when you add a few more well heeled collectors to the mix prices can increase.....like i have said before..if you just pay what a card has sold for before then the prices will never go up ever...

i go by price points..not buy percentage higher....a 600 card can go for 950 for example as an under 1000 dollar price point....

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by PSACJ

The 1915 Cracker Jack is a tremendous set as well if you like high end cards. I have been collecting this set since 2007 and I tell you, they are hard to find in PSA 7 or higher which is how I collect them.

Every year I go to the National looking for cards and you will hardly ever see any 1915 CJ PSA 7 or higher for sale. I have mostly put my set together from either eBay, Auction Houses or trading with other collectors. Heck, sometimes I even buy doubles to trade with other collectors for cards I need. Most of the commons have a pop of less than 15 in PSA 7 or above. All you need is 10 to 15 collectors putting the set together and you will find yourself in my shoes. Very hard to find high end cards.

I love this set so much that I’m going for the Triple Play. Im putting the whole set together in PSA 7 or higher as well as Conlon Type 1 Photos of each 176 player and Autographs in either index or GPC PSA/DNA 9 or 10’s. In my opinion best looking set ever, period!

Best of luck to everyone who wants to put this wonderful set together. They are simply amazing!

Andy

How many more to go for you?

[PSACJ]

I currently have 101 Cracker Jack cards in my 1915 set. All of them are in PSA
7, 7.5, 8, 8.5 and 9’s. All of my HOF cards are in PSA 6, 6.5, 7 and 7.5.

[taul166]

Hi, were and your CJ collection recently featured in the PSA SMR publication? If so, it was an excellent article. I am collecting 1915 CJs but in a lower grade. It is a great set to collect, and very challenging not to mention the current prices.
Your set is outstanding!

[PSACJ]

Taul166,

Thank you so much for your kind words. Yes, that was my collection featured in the PSA SMR Magazine September 2018.

[PhillyFan1883]

I am also collecting 1914 CJS and silly as it sounds the fact that the 1914 Cracker Jack cards were obtained from the box of cracker jacks themselves is cool to me- as were the 1915s but you could send in for 1915 Cracker Jack cards in addition. The fact most cards have caramel stains is cool to me. Also baseballs anthem has forever memorialized cracker jacks. The population is very low on 1914 cracker jacks compared to a t206 common for example. Like Jay said supply and Demand. I agree also with 1952boyntoncollector about the younger generation of collectors appreciating the sets they only heard of as a youngster. With more information at our disposal like population reports collecting what we think is a good investment is easier and people are gravitating towards cracker jacks.

My first love for sets of that era will always be the 1916 M101-5 and 4.. Scarce Ad backs, the first set of action poses, and the Babes inaugural issue trumps all IMO.

Best,
Connor Ciallella

[Sterling Sports Auctions]

Don't forget, there are Cracker Jack collectors of all kinds not just baseball cards.

Also remember there was a big spike three years ago and then it settled down until now. Definitely a strong demand at this time.

Great set, I thought 15 years ago they were too expensive to collect, my mistake, wish I would have purchased more. I mainly just purchased the Fred Clarke, favorite pose on any card, and Tris Speaker, love the glove in back pocket.

Happy collecting!!!

[Republicaninmass]

Hmmm so 2016 psa 3.5 sell for 840

Same auction house, same card in 2019 already at 1800 with 10 days left


Makes no sense, glad I sold off

[Leon]

Originally Posted by oldjudge

Old Judges, why do you ask?

Because you have about a million of them?

Cracker Jacks are like everything else though in going up some, but I have seen a bit of a fall in 1914 commons prices, or maybe that is just the ones I am watching.