Mantle Prices!

[68Hawk]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

What's impressive to me is how far down the condition well the price increases are going on many cards. Two, three, or more times in a year. Having lower grade marquee cards has been a tremendous investment.

I definitely feel for the collectors who are priced out of more and more cards. it isn't a matter of 'deserve', it is a matter of taking the fun out of it for more and more people. That can be a negative thing for a collectible: frustrated collectors may just say the hell with it and move on to something less pricey. There are a bunch of cards I am tempted to sell but won't because I know I won't pony up for replacements even if the market for them falls 50%.

There were so many cards I couldn't afford from the jump I guess I was conditioned to it.
Glad I stuck with the hobby and collected the cards I COULD afford so that I have a collection I can enjoy today.

Interestingly, I think you are Exhibit A for the kind of collector I'm talking about.
I've been watching the cards you've offered up for viewing in threads for nearly 20 years. Often times boxing early on, but increasingly I've seen the esoteric and less obvious card issues of players from various sports. Strip, multi player, black and white, it's never mattered or limited you.
It's why I've loved watching your collection being revealed on here.

Quite obviously too I would think from your posts that price has played an important role in molding your collection.
But it didn't stop you, didn't make you embarrassed to reveal.

Plenty of collectors could learn alot from that kind of lesson, and still end up with important and rare cards that both reflect the players they want to collect and also become ever more collectable because of rarity.

Anyway, sorry for all who can't afford what they want to collect.
But I refuse to feel sorry for myself. I see collecting as a luxury plaything, extraneous to the important stuff in life.
I buy what I can afford, and if I lose it all we won't be out on the street.
Yes, I'd be crushed for a while, but I'd get over it.
If not being able to afford a 33' Goudey Ruth ruins the hobby for you, or any other card for that matter, you shouldn't be doing it in my opinion.