The T206 Titus Bubble

[CTrux]

There have been a few passing references on at least two threads in this forum that a member is buying up all of the T206 Titus cards and has, as a result, created a price bubble.

1.) Does anyone know if this rumor is true?

2.) If it is, does anyone know what is his/her intent behind collecting over 100 Tituses? And, does anyone know exactly how many he/she has?

(Despite the fact that this would be extremely unethical, the cynical side of me is wondering if he/she is considering destroying a large number of the cards and thereby dramatically driving up the price and creating a new elite T206 card).

Thanks for your thoughts.

[CMIZ5290]

Yes, there is at least one collector who is known to hoard Titus T206's. Having said that, the card is still a tough common with a very low PSA Population, especially in grades 6 and higher. Thus, the value.....In lower grades, it is not that difficult of a card to obtain.

[CTrux]

Thanks for the quick reply. I'm a little confused though. You said that he hoards Titus cards and that the card is already scarce. But, then you said that obtaining a low grade isn't difficult.

Is he only collecting high grade cards? And, aside from the fact that T206 Titus wallpaper would be amazing, any idea why?

[seablaster]

I'm just curious as to why you would consider the destruction of the Titus hoard as unethical.

[Cardboard Junkie]

Originally Posted by seablaster

I'm just curious as to why you would consider the destruction of the Titus hoard as unethical.

+1 Mean, (to garden variety collectors) but unethical?

[CTrux]

Originally Posted by seablaster

I'm just curious as to why you would consider the destruction of the Titus hoard as unethical.

Really? Well... I'd direct you towards an ethicist and/or a historian/art historian. Professionally, I'm neither. (However, from what I know of Plato, Aristotle, Kant, and John Stewart Mill, et al., I'm confident that they'd likely think that preserving the cards is the most ethical thing to do).

In my own opinion, I consider it unethical because the cards are part of our collective heritage, both as collectors and as Americans in general. Destroying the cards deprives many, many, many other people from enjoying them and encourages other people to similarly destroy other cards. (Imagine if there were no Mantles to collect). Meanwhile, only greed is served and, in the long term, we would risk losing the hobby in general if/when others decide to hoard and destroy.

So, I think the cards should be preserved and the price left to natural market forces.

[rdwyer]

Seems to me, it would be better to hoard them. Then when prices go up, sell them.

[seablaster]

Originally Posted by CTrux

Really? Well... I'd direct you towards an ethicist and/or a historian/art historian. Professionally, I'm neither. (However, from what I know of Plato, Aristotle, Kant, and John Stewart Mill, et al., I'm confident that they'd likely think that preserving the cards is the most ethical thing to do).

In my own opinion, I consider it unethical because the cards are part of our collective heritage, both as collectors and as Americans in general. Destroying the cards deprives many, many, many other people from enjoying them and encourages other people to similarly destroy other cards. (Imagine if there were no Mantles to collect). Meanwhile, only greed is served and, in the long term, we would risk losing the hobby in general if/when others decide to hoard and destroy.

So, I think the cards should be preserved and the price left to natural market forces.

I appreciate your response.

I agree that these cards represent an aspect of the history of baseball and of America in general; part of me even felt conflicted throwing out 1989 Topps cards.

That being said, these Titus cards are the property of the buyer and I feel they are within their right to destroy them if they wanted to. Would it be unfortunate? Definitely. Would other collectors be angry if they were destroyed? Absolutely...but I don't think it's unethical.

I think the market manipulation accompanied by hoarding is an interesting one. The hoarder puts himself in difficult situation; the more they acquire, the competition will become more significant, and prices paid will move upward accordingly. Case in point, the Obak Miller.

I don't think destroying them would realize the most gain for the hoarder. I think the only way it could be done is as already suggested. Hoard them and then slowly bleed them out into the marketplace while perceived scarity and demand continue to make them valuable.

[atx840]

The collector is a boardmember & has a very neat project in mind for the stache.

[ullmandds]

i think it'd be pretty funny if someone destroyed a stash of stashes...or any mass qty of another card. throw some gas on the pile and flame on?! shred them and use them to stuff a beanie baby? send them swimming and just tear them to bits with your hands...so many ways!

whomever owns the cards...can do whatever he/she wants with them...

[JasonL]

and other sordid tales."

Sounds like a great book title.

And for the record, I believe it to be unethical to not euthanize every card from the 1990s that you encounter

[Cardboard Junkie]

Originally Posted by atx840

The collector is a boardmember & has a very neat project in mind for the stache.

Is the board member and project a secret?

[HRBAKER]

If he/she decided to destroy some of "their" cards you could then say that their life was "nasty, brutish and short." The cards that is.

[drazz5]

Originally Posted by Cardboard Junkie

Is the board member and project a secret?

Seriously it seems this whole "project" is shrouded in secrecy.

[glynparson]

Titus PSA 1 priced $185 during set up.

[joeadcock]

I dont believe there was ever an ethical issue here

[glynparson]

But I find it highly unethical to question someone's collecting habits. Why can a person not collect as many copies of a card as they so choose? Even if profit is the motive how is that unethical. Those calling this individual unethical without even k owing his motivations are worse in my opinion than the hoarder even if he did ecentually destroy the cards. To those criticizing this as unethical exactly how many copies of a particular card are you allowed to own before its unethical. I'm sorry but I just see that position as silly at best.

[CobbvLajoie1910]

Originally Posted by glynparson

But I find it highly unethical to question someone's collecting habits. Why can a person not collect as many copies of a card as they so choose? Even if profit is the motive how is that unethical. Those calling this individual unethical without even k owing his motivations are worse in my opinion than the hoarder even if he did ecentually destroy the cards. To those criticizing this as unethical exactly how many copies of a particular card are you allowed to own before its unethical. I'm sorry but I just see that position as silly at best.

+1; Sour grapes.

[frankbmd]

i had two (2) Titi, until I sold one (1).

[ullmandds]

I bought into the whole net54 created Titus craze a few years ago when I was still collecting T206...but sold it when I liquidated. I mean why should a card be more desirable just because it's the only one with a moustache? Seems silly to me?!

T206 is a pretty easy set to complete...to me it adds interest when certain cards are tougher to obtain than others for whatever reason.

[HRBAKER]

Originally Posted by glynparson

But I find it highly unethical to question someone's collecting habits. Why can a person not collect as many copies of a card as they so choose? Even if profit is the motive how is that unethical. Those calling this individual unethical without even k owing his motivations are worse in my opinion than the hoarder even if he did ecentually destroy the cards. To those criticizing this as unethical exactly how many copies of a particular card are you allowed to own before its unethical. I'm sorry but I just see that position as silly at best.

This! A person's right to acquire and do as they will with their property is the key here. No one in entitled to be able to acquire "x" card @ "x" price thereby creating an obligation for others to stand aside or not engage in what is perfectly legitimate behavior in order to create a path. I think John Stuart Mill would even agree with that, not sure about Immanuel Kant.

I understand the frustration but this is not an ethics issue. Bid more or wait.