Has the T206 bubble burst?

[DaveW]

I think all of the T206 money has been sucked up into buying Titus cards.

[bbsports]

T206 cards are still strong. I have a harder time selling graded SGC cards than PSA cards. Maybe because PSA's registry is twice as large. However, the big 4 HOFers, Cobb, Young, Mathewson, & Johnson are selling very strong by either graded company. Most customers are buying commons only if they need them for a team set or full set minus the big 4 cards.

[sreader3]

I don't think there is any general softening at all. I think what's happening is that T206 collectors are becoming ever more knowledgeable about the relative scarcity of different subjects, which is leading to more divergent pricing.

Taking one of countless possible examples, a few years ago the going price of a Dots Miller (Pittsburg) and Tenney in SGC 60 would have been roughly the same--somewhere in the neighborhood of $90. Today maybe you can grab Miller for $75 but you will have to pony up $150 or more for Tenney.

The same thing has happened with backs. Better knowledge equals larger pricing disparities.

Edited to add: Also agree with Bill about PSA v. SGC prices. There are more PSA T206 set builders than SGC T206 set builders, especially in grade 5 and higher. Hence higher prices.

[iwantitiwinit]

I also agree about the PSA pricing superiority over SGC being more pronounced as of late. I also agree it is tougher to sell straight commons at say the 90-110 range lately. I feel as if many individuals, myself included, already have most if not all of the set that they are likely to accumulate and that additional purchases of subjects already owned are now made only in "special circumstances". For instance I might accumulate say 4 red chance portraits but only if the they are non piedmont or sweet cap backs, i might buy say four sovereigns but never four piedmonts.

[mrvster]

is a "micro-cosm" in itself....

T206 are different from other issues because Wagner keeps the set extremely popular amongst other variables and highly, highly collected.....there will be deviations sometimes and anomalies in pricing due to other variables( venue, timing, marketing, ect_).....but trending for these cards should follow the Wagner trend over the last 100 years...


all positive increases overall over the years...

the "bubble" never really exists for T206, because of the viability and proven collectability for over a century...

[Luke]

Two things that might have been at work in my opinion:

- I missed out on a card (not one of these) on Sunday because gavelsnipe didn't enter my bid and someone won a $120 card for $60. You might have had a potential buyer or two with the same problem.

- I also think there are tiers of t206 commons. The set collector wants them all, but some other collectors (including me) want some commons more than others. I would say the desirability of t206 commons goes roughly like this:

1. Major League portraits
2. Major Leaguers with colorful and interesting backgrounds
3. Minor League portraits (the artists spent less time on these, and they are just less pleasing to the eye)
4. Major Leaguers with monotone or boring backgrounds
5. Minor Leaguers with monotone or boring backgrounds

I mention this because the Clark stands out to me as a pretty boring, not real desirable card, at least to me. If you had a few in the bottom tiers, that could be part of the reason for the low prices realized.

[BleedinBlue]

You know the market has softened when you see T206 Honus Wagner cards selling for under $200. And since I saw it on the news it must be true.

Seriously though, my experience with pricing trends is that any card I'm trying to sell is currently in a price slump. Any card I am looking to acquire is experiencing a surge.

[frankbmd]

Originally Posted by LukeLyon

..........- I missed out on a card (not one of these) on Sunday because gavelsnipe didn't enter my bid and someone won a $120 card for $60. ..................

Thanks Luke (and Gavelsnipe)

[ullmandds]

Originally Posted by sreader3

I don't think there is any general softening at all. I think what's happening is that T206 collectors are becoming ever more knowledgeable about the relative scarcity of different subjects, which is leading to more divergent pricing.

Taking one of countless possible examples, a few years ago the going price of a Dots Miller (Pittsburg) and Tenney in SGC 60 would have been roughly the same--somewhere in the neighborhood of $90. Today maybe you can grab Miller for $75 but you will have to pony up $150 or more for Tenney.

The same thing has happened with backs. Better knowledge equals larger pricing disparities.

Edited to add: Also agree with Bill about PSA v. SGC prices. There are more PSA T206 set builders than SGC T206 set builders, especially in grade 5 and higher. Hence higher prices.

I agree mostly with this theory...as t206 collectors mature and gain more knowledge...the rarities will continue to climb...whereas the commoners will lag.