REA as the "State of the Hobby"

[bobbyw8469]

I don't think so. Did the high prices that Mastro used to attain along time ago mean that the card market was on the rise?? It's the same thing....

[Orioles1954]

If a 1500 lot auction determines the state of the hobby then we are in big trouble.

[Bored5000]

I don't think REA is an indicator of overall hobby health. Maybe at the very top end that is true, but not an overall state of the hobby. There are many posters on here with amazing collections, but the overall hobby is made up of far more collectors spending $100 a card or $500 a card than the big tickets items at REA.

[Exhibitman]

Remember when $500 a card was a big ticket purchase?

[oldjudge]

If REA results are a measure of the state of the hobby, the hobby looks to be in pretty good shape, especially the scarce Old Judge portion of it.

[MattyC]

I don't think we can aggregate so many unique, individual results and determine if there's disappointment or not hobby wide. Each lot is its own. Each card is its own. Some blow away others in their grade, like that beautiful Croft Cobb or the D304 Cobb or the e90-2 Wags, to name a few. These will likely sell strong as compared to historical prices for their grade. Other epic icons like that Ruth RC and Cobb Back did amazingly. Conversely, a card with weak attributes as compared to others in its grade will sell for less. So personally I am all about each card/lot as a discrete event.

[e107collector]

Originally Posted by oldjudge

If REA results are a measure of the state of the hobby, the hobby looks to be in pretty good shape, especially the scarce Old Judge portion of it.

Jay,

I don't follow 19th century cards too much, but did the Deacon White portrait card misidentified as McGreachery, Mgr sell for around the price you expected?

Tony

[MattyC]

Also, there's a big issue in discussions like this that involve expectations. Each collector has his own expectations based on his own knowledge, experience, taste, desire, etc. It's impossible to define a hobby wide standard expectation. Many different collectors will value the same card very differently. So to one a card might over perform, to another that same card might be a disappointment.

[nolemmings]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

Remember when $500 a card was a big ticket purchase?

For some of us it still is

[barrysloate]

I don't expect a crash or the bottom falling out either, but it is a marketplace dictated by economics, so ebbs and flows should be anticipated. Not every vintage baseball card will go in only one direction. Some will soften and may be less expensive down the road. But that's a far cry from a crash.