Notes from the National

[xcgrammer]

Josh was just awesome as a speaker the highlight of the weekend for me.

[xcgrammer]

Here is a shot of the flyer that went out with the program picturing the Kendrick Collection. The Wagner was not there, but pretty much everything else was.

[conor912]

Originally Posted by xcgrammer

Here is a shot of the flyer that went out with the program picturing the Kendrick Collection. The Wagner was not there, but pretty much everything else was.

I consider this more of a portfolio than a collection. I agree that there's nothing terribly impressive here. The rarity with his hoard lies in the condition and not the cards themselves. This guy is an investor who happens to have a fetish for baseball cards....not a collector.

[CW]

Originally Posted by conor912

I consider this more of a portfolio than a collection. I agree that there's nothing terribly impressive here. The rarity with his hoard lies in the condition and not the cards themselves. This guy is an investor who happens to have a fetish for baseball cards....not a collector.

That is a valid assumption. Many here also thought the same thing, until a video was posted of Mr. Kendrick talking about his collection with the passion of... a true collector. It left the viewer with the sense that this man truly loved baseball cards, despite having a large bank account.

[conor912]

Originally Posted by CW

That is a valid assumption. Many here also thought the same thing, until a video was posted of Mr. Kendrick talking about his collection with the passion of... a true collector. It left the viewer with the sense that this man truly loved baseball cards, despite having a large bank account.

Fair enough. Not trying to dog on the guy.....he can spend his money however he wants. I've just seen it too many times to be impressed by it.

[wonkaticket]

Originally Posted by conor912

I consider this more of a portfolio than a collection. I agree that there's nothing terribly impressive here. The rarity with his hoard lies in the condition and not the cards themselves. This guy is an investor who happens to have a fetish for baseball cards....not a collector.

What does it matter in the end if Mr. Kendrick is a passionate collector or a total D-bag? I have always found this whole discussion hard to wrap my head around. He’s buying things in a free market that are publicly offered for sale.

I often wonder if many of the folks who stand on this soapbox about ”is he a real collector?” would have such an opinion one way or the other if it was their Gem Mint 52 Topps Mantle on the auction block for sale? Would they stop the sale, or only let “qualified” collectors bid on the card?

I get it, it’s a bonus if the guy digs the stuff you have common ground with somebody. But the real common ground is somebody is putting money into the hobby of which we all have a vested interest in to some degree shouldn’t that be enough?

[travrosty]

Originally Posted by wonkaticket

What does it matter in the end if Mr. Kendrick is a passionate collector or a total D-bag? I have always found this whole discussion hard to wrap my head around. He’s buying things in a free market that are publicly offered for sale.

I often wonder if many of the folks who stand on this soapbox about ”is he a real collector?” would have such an opinion one way or the other if it was their Gem Mint 52 Topps Mantle on the auction block for sale? Would they stop the sale, or only let “qualified” collectors bid on the card?

I get it, it’s a bonus if the guy digs the stuff you have common ground with somebody. But the real common ground is somebody is putting money into the hobby of which we all have a vested interest in to some degree shouldn’t that be enough?

You are overanalyzing it. nobody said he was a jerk but he didnt do anything particularly difficult.

[wonkaticket]

Originally Posted by travrosty

You are overanalyzing it. nobody said he was a jerk but he didnt do anything particularly difficult.

I think it’s you who is perhaps over complicating it. Travis why does anything he has done need to be deemed “special” or have to have some level of perceived difficulty ?

Mr. Kendrick isn’t claiming to have cured cancer. He’s just showing off his collection which everyone on this forum does to a degree. Have any of us really done anything amazing? I mean how do you buy your baseball cards? Do you do it by hanging from a wire over a pit of cobras, while saving children from a burning bus and reading to the homeless?

We all collect on some sort of budget, and buy from pretty much the same places it’s all relative.

[drcy]

I'm not sure I understand. Would the homeless guys be in the pit with the cobras?

[CharleyBrown]

Originally Posted by wonkaticket

Do you do it by hanging from a wire over a pit of cobras, while saving children from a burning bus and reading to the homeless?

[barrysloate]

Originally Posted by travrosty

You are overanalyzing it. nobody said he was a jerk but he didnt do anything particularly difficult.

How difficult is it for somebody to sit in front of a computer at two o'clock in the morning, press a few buttons, and then write a big check in the morning? Doesn't seem like what Mr. Kendrick does is any more or less impressive than what any other collector does. If you have a lot of money the hobby is very easy to navigate.

[Big Ben]

Just a couple of observations. A friend of mine and I attended The National two years ago in Chicago. That was the first National that both of us attended. Like 2011, Sunday was the only day that we could attend the show so this is the basis for our observations.

I thought that the attendance was higher this year and that there were more dealers.

As a rule, we thought that the dealers whom had price tags on the front of their cards were easier to negotiate. Not all, but some dealers who did not have price tags on their cards seemed like we were bothering them when we inquired about the price of a card.

Compered to 2011, I thought that there were a lot more newer cards on display. Maybe that was because I started out only looking for vintage cards.

There were a couple of dealer tables in the Olympic Pavilion that were very cool! One dealer displayed an Olympic medal from the 1960 Rome games that was amazing.


As usual, the show is/was amazing and we will be back the next time The National is in Chicago!

[4815162342]

Originally Posted by barrysloate

How difficult is it for somebody to sit in front of a computer at two o'clock in the morning, press a few buttons, and then write a big check in the morning? Doesn't seem like what Mr. Kendrick does is any more or less impressive than what any other collector does. If you have a lot of money the hobby is very easy to navigate.

The difficulty is earning the ability to write a big check.

[wonkaticket]

Originally Posted by barrysloate

How difficult is it for somebody to sit in front of a computer at two o'clock in the morning, press a few buttons, and then write a big check in the morning? Doesn't seem like what Mr. Kendrick does is any more or less impressive than what any other collector does. If you have a lot of money the hobby is very easy to navigate.

Correct Barry and in a society that tends to vilify the success and wealth of some. We tend to forget how many of these wealthy collectors have left behind great collections for the public to enjoy via a variety of public venues.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by conor912

I consider this more of a portfolio than a collection. I agree that there's nothing terribly impressive here. The rarity with his hoard lies in the condition and not the cards themselves. This guy is an investor who happens to have a fetish for baseball cards....not a collector.

Reverse snobbery?

[nolemmings]

Reverse snobbery?

Are you Net54's Reggie Jackson-- the straw that stirs the pot?

[glchen]

For some reason, there is a real bias against wealthy collectors on this board. Sure, Kendrick is wealthy, but there is a lot of other things that he could have chosen to spend his money on. From what I've read, it seems like he genuinely enjoys collecting cards. What's wrong w/ that? Some people may say that he's only looking at it as an investment, but I thought that I read somewhere that he said he doesn't plan on selling any of the cards he's purchased in the past. It's a pretty rare investor that says that I have 1000 shares of Apple stock that I never plan on selling, but I just want to display the certificates in my office to look at every day. Another criticism is that he displays his collection so much, he's obviously bragging about it. So what? It's nice to see the cards of wealthy or long time collectors. I wish that the owner of the T215 Pirates near set would display his collection at National someday. It'd be nice to see the Just So Cy Young at some event. There are plenty of iconic cards in the hobby that I wish their owners would display more often, so I don't think Kendrick deserves the backlash for showing his collection.

[slidekellyslide]

Originally Posted by glchen

For some reason, there is a real bias against wealthy collectors on this board.

How so? What have you seen that brings you to that conclusion? There may be a bias against jerks and trolls, but I don't see what you're seeing at all. There are many obviously wealthy collectors on this forum who seem to be getting along fine here with everyone.

[Vintageclout]

Originally Posted by glchen

For some reason, there is a real bias against wealthy collectors on this board. Sure, Kendrick is wealthy, but there is a lot of other things that he could have chosen to spend his money on. From what I've read, it seems like he genuinely enjoys collecting cards. What's wrong w/ that? Some people may say that he's only looking at it as an investment, but I thought that I read somewhere that he said he doesn't plan on selling any of the cards he's purchased in the past. It's a pretty rare investor that says that I have 1000 shares of Apple stock that I never plan on selling, but I just want to display the certificates in my office to look at every day. Another criticism is that he displays his collection so much, he's obviously bragging about it. So what? It's nice to see the cards of wealthy or long time collectors. I wish that the owner of the T215 Pirates near set would display his collection at National someday. It'd be nice to see the Just So Cy Young at some event. There are plenty of iconic cards in the hobby that I wish their owners would display more often, so I don't think Kendrick deserves the backlash for showing his collection.

+1!

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by nolemmings

Are you Net54's Reggie Jackson-- the straw that stirs the pot?

I just find it ridiculous that someone with no knowledge of the man is making pronouncements that he is not a true collector, whatever that means.

EDIT TO ADD I think Gary stated it very well above.

[nolemmings]

For some reason, there is a real bias against wealthy collectors on this board.

I couldn't disagree more.

[MattyC]

So if a collector prefers a 52 Mantle or the like to a CJ Pratt or other rare, relative common, then he's not a "collector?" Says who-- maybe I missed the memo that specified what cards constitute a collection over a mere portfolio.

If I track down a Frederick Foto Ruth I guess I'm a collector-- but if I add a PSA 9 Schmidt or PSA 10 Brett, where do I go to forfeit my collector badge?

Some guys like both cards that are tough in any grade and cards that are just pricey in higher grade. Some guys enjoy spending money on a common player that other guys would have trashed right out of the pack. Some guys collect plastic holders and grades and don't compare the cards within said holders, just choosing the uglier yet higher graded specimen. Some guys will only buy from one TPG and blind themselves to great cards. Some collect to compete with other collectors over arbitrary GPAs of sets on a website. Some like to buy unopened. Some like freakish errors even if the player featured was a scrub. Some just like the most popular images of the most accomplished players ever.

Some of that seems very silly and foolish to me, some is the way I go, but I say live (collect) and let live (collect). If a guy is happy no need to rain on any parades. Almost always, there will be others out there somewhere who likes what another guy likes, so there will be a group of some size to appreciate any card and make a market for it.

Above all I'd hazard the opinion that collectors of cards-- no matter what cards-- have more in common than not, and should therefore be collegial toward one another as opposed to catty (like chicks). Reminds me of how silly it seems when sports fans of rival teams pummel each other in a brawl; meanwhile these combatants are probably both passionate fans of their sport, and would likely help each other if caught in some crisis. But perhaps that's the human condition, to look for reasons to divide rather than come together.

Hence my constant, raging misanthropy