Money in the hobby

[Snapolit1]

Everywhere in life it's "the good old days this" and "the good old days that". People who sold their homes in my neighborhood 20 years ago because they thought it was the top of the market were wrong. Very wrong. Yet when you meet them they will give you 10 reasons why they are happy they got out when they did. They were dead wrong and want to justify it somehow in their own minds.

Anyone who doesn't think high end graded cards can be an investment must have slept through the recent REA auction. And what's so hard about selling high quality cards? I have a friend who extended himself a decade ago and bought a card for $3800. Just sold it for over $60K. Sounds like a decent investment. I agree that not every card can be viewed as an investment, and most of them probably aren't, but if you don't believe the good stuff will appreciate more in value your kidding yourself.

The one point that people here ignore over and over and over is that the same well heeled buyer can be both a lover of baseball cards and baseball and be an investor in cards at the same time. Why is that so hard to grasp? The dentist driving a Ferrari can love cars his whole life just as much as the guy who buys spare parts and works in his garage every weekend reconditioning an old Mustang. Not mutually exclusive.

[rainier2004]

I did get into some stuff early, high grade isn't the only "investment" though. Truly rare or iconic items have done awfully well based on the same REA auction. But the fact of the matter is I have been priced out of some things, doesn't mean I am bitter though as I love the hobby. I would love to do a 1914 CJ set but that will never happen after the huge spike 3 or 4 years ago. Yes, ultimately I agree its all ego driven by definition, but there are some innocent factors as well like connecting to our childhood.

I guess I am just amazed...and there are definitely a ton of people with tons of cash.