The First Baseball Card?

[barrysloate]

Originally Posted by Jlighter

Three cards from this "set" just sold at Legendary for 15,000.

http://www.legendaryauctions.com/Lot...ntoryid=154257

Shockingly low. So far this morning there are three separate threads about very low prices for 19th century cards in last night's auction. Can anyone explain that?

[RGold]

I follow 15 auction houses, averaging 3 to 4 auctions each per year. Plus eBay. Throw in that we are all waiting to see the REA preview.

I don't think it's just 19th century material. There were three listings in last night's Legendary auction that I normally would have bid on, and I decided, you know what, I think I would rather hold off and see what comes to market this Spring.

[GaryPassamonte]

Barry,
I think the market is so thin for many 19th century cards that once they are added to the collections of 19th century collectors, the market becomes all the thinner. All it takes is one or two players to not need or want a particular card and the demand collapses. Many hard core 19th century collectors are not sellers, particularly of the more obscure issues. Once they're in a collection they stay there. The result is a thin market with wide price fluctuations. In my thread you mentioned the similarity in pricing for the 1870 Forest Cities, 1870 Athletics, and the 1875 Hartford CdVs historically.. In order, the prices from the most recent sales of these CdVs: $32000, $2000, $16000. They each have a single digit population, but have quite different prices. It would seem the market is very small.

[ullmandds]

I def agree that 19th c rarities have a very thin audience...but I also wonder if perhaps over the last few years shill bidding has artificially inflated prices of many cards...and now that it is more closely scrutinized...we're seeing more normal prices?

[bcbgcbrcb]

I still think that 19th Century material is a good long term investment, take advantage of a soft economy and soft market now to pay off later, I believe..........

I agree with everyone else that last night's Legendary prices were quite favorable to buyers, wish I had some more cash on hand but was precluded from bidding because I am broke right now.

[benjulmag]

The P&S Red Stockings did okay at 81k. The market for that card obviously is much deeper.

[bmarlowe1]

It's interesting (at least to me) that SGC and PSA don't agree on who is Hammond and who is Crossley.

This person matches the guy labeled as Crossley in pencil on an NYPL Spalding collection cricket team photo (that includes Chadwick). But, there a quite a few ID errors in the NYPL Spaldlng collection, so who knows?

[GaryPassamonte]

Corey-The P & S Red Stockings card was a particularly nice example and I think the Ann St reference might have influenced some. Maybe there are some P & S back collectors out there?

[Leon]

Originally Posted by benjulmag

The P&S Red Stockings did okay at 81k. The market for that card obviously is much deeper.

Have always felt it is undervalued and under appreciated. I wonder how much the write up concerning it being potentially the first of the series affected the price?

[oldjudge]

The Ann St address was the sole determinant in the price going where it did. Otherwise, it is a $35,000 piece. The CdV with the ad on the back for Chadwick's 1869 book, followed by the Ann St address trade card, are the earliest Cinc images.

[barrysloate]

Originally Posted by benjulmag

The P&S Red Stockings did okay at 81k. The market for that card obviously is much deeper.

That was my old Red Stockings card. I recognize it because of the smudge on "ew" of New York.

[Runscott]

You could be dead-broke, find that card picking in Maine, and then retire in India.