The T206 Titus Bubble

[SetBuilder]

I'm firm in my conviction that it is unethical to hoard the same card. The downplaying by saying "well, I collect hundreds of Greg Maddux cards" or "I have a thousand Ichiro's" doesn't quite compare to 104 year old antique baseball cards.

The word "hoard" has a negative connotation for a reason and it becomes worse when done in a niche that has as much scarcity and value as T206 cards. This behavior is not cute or amusing in any way. In my example in an earlier post I mentioned that an ethical test would be to ask "what if everyone in society did it?" Well, we have a society right here. The entire pre-war baseball card community is a microcosm for a society, and it would be a horrible hobby to be a part of if millionaire retirees decide its cute to buy 250 of the same T206 card. The reason to me is simple: money in this hobby can go a long way and can inflict severe price fluctuations. No one can stop a small group of multimillionaires from bidding up every T206 Shag they find. Would it be fun to be in a hobby where this occurs? It may be occurring now, and could get worse if more decide to hoard. This is why people fear hedge funds from coming into this hobby.

Those that hoard baseball cards on this forum who are viewing this post need to change their avatars to a big middle finger. Because that's what they're giving the rest of the smaller and humble collectors with limited budgets. A big F'U. You have to pay more now for a card because the supply is dry and I have 500 in my cabinet? Too bad. You lost money because I sold off my hoard and now the price dropped? Too bad. Imagine a scenario where you need a particular tobacco card and find out someone has hundreds hidden away. I would imagine the buyer's reaction would be "Hey, you have a card you can spare for my set, you greedy ba$ta*d?" Too bad, he says. I need them all! I don't care that there are 50,000 other people collecting a T206 set. The hoarder is like the fat kid at the little league games who takes all the good potato chips and leaves nothing for anyone else.

[HRBAKER]

Well you are certainly welcome to your opinion. And I'll be keeping my avatar just what it is. I'm not a hoarder but I have no ethical misgivings about it at all. It's up to each collector to decide what and how much of it they collect IMO. Edit to add, if you want to be literal about it, nobody "needs" a tobacco card, they want one. Interesting discussion.

[HOF Auto Rookies]

Originally Posted by SetBuilder

The hoarder is like the fat kid at the little league games who takes all the good potato chips and leaves nothing for anyone else

Wow, sure seems as if you're that little fat kid from your own youthful experience, but you can't get a simple baseball card.

Do you really think someone getting a few hundred Titus's will really matter, of all the thousands upon thousands available!?!? Not at all, because it's a petty common.

What if the collector simply collects Titus, and loves the card. What the heck is the problem with that if they are ENJOYING WHAT THEY'RE DOING!!! I remember the hobby is jusy that, for enjoyment (at least for me). Titus may be their collection, and passion, and who the hell are you to say otherwise. This is a fricken hobby for most, not a war...Just leave it alone and wait til they quit buying, then prices will be back to normal. Shi7, if I had a Titus, I'd sure just give it to you to shut up

I feel like a good Bones quote should be in here. I'm not an ethicist, I'm a baseball card collector, damnit!..eh, close enough

[SetBuilder]

Originally Posted by HOF Auto Rookies

Wow, sure seems as if you're that little fat kid from your own youthful experience, but you can't get a simple baseball card.

You're not that far removed from the truth actually. When I was a kid I enjoyed hiding all the colored pencils in class so that everyone else had to use the undesirable colors to draw their assignments. I always had green grass and blue skies.

[HOF Auto Rookies]

Originally Posted by SetBuilder

You're not that far removed from the truth actually. When I was a kid I enjoyed hiding all the colored pencils in class so that everyone else had to use the undesirable colors to draw their assignments. I always had green grass and blue skies.

LOL, touché sir...touché

[CTrux]

Hi All:

I started this thread over a year ago. I certainly didn't expect that the parenthetical reference to ethics would attract the most attention. (Draw whatever conclusions from that as you may....)

To the point: Any news on the Titus front? Prices still seem high, if not higher. Has the collector revealed anything more regarding his intent and plan?

Thanks again!

[mrvster]

Bradbury would be proud!

I believe " destroying" any vintage cards are almost like committing a collecting "sacrilege" ......

I believe it to be wrong to destroy a piece of history intentionally for personal gain, and deprive future generations of the opportunity to see it one day....technically, if the owner wants to do whatever they want with their cards it's their freedom, is it douche???HELL YA...unethical?? not in the literal context....douche???YES

remember....technically we all are only "borrowing" these while we are alive.....


here is a titus "tweener" scrap the alleged hoarder will not get