What is happening with baseball card prices?

[irv]

Originally Posted by hcv123

1) Finite supply of vintage cards
2) HUGE increase in demand for 2 primary reasons including Sports cards and memorabilia being recognized as a legitimate "investment" and the "covid effect" - many people rediscovering collecting and getting back in the market.
3) Lots of money sloshing around the economy courtesy of the stimulus.

Only if we see a significant drop in demand (which I am not so sure is coming) would there be downward pressure on prices.

The 1952 Topps Mantle is a great example - you can go and buy one any day of the week - the supply exists. The price has continued to go up in response to demand - think for a minute about the fact that a PSA 9 just sold for 5.2 MILLION dollars! If the Mantle is the yardstick - what are the rest of the significant 52's worth? Or many other vintage cards?

An anecdotal observation - It seems to me there are a lot fewer higher grade 7-10 cards coming to market. I think about this in a context of old muscle cars - I used to be able to go to a car show and see rows and rows of incredible cars including some of the most rare. It seems these days most of these cars have been gobbled up and sit in private collections for years.

Another thought I have is the prices relative to other collected categories - How much does a great or rare painting sell for? Previously mentioned cars? Coins? Art other than paintings? Jewelry? In that context Sports cards and memorabilia are in their financial infancy.

One way or another, things are going to stay interesting....... Collect what you enjoy and you'll rarely be sorry.

I only seen a tiny bit of the last Mecum auction but how did prices compare to previous auctions?
I believe it was Carol Shelby's Cobra that sold for 5.3-5 million. I also believe that was a new record?