REA bids - health of the hobby

[glynparson]

entering the hobby over the last couple years. It is not just wall street types either, several athletes and team owners have jumped into collecting and they obviously have passion and loads of money.

[iowadoc77]

I am relatively new, just back into collecting since 2012 but I follow the big auctions fairly closely. The prices seem ridiculous and unsustainable until the next auction comes and they increase even more. I acquire more "collector grade" cards, so the huge numbers don't affect me as much, but I am still blown away by the cash that is being thrown around in the bigger items. Or I guess instead of thrown around, you could say invested based on recent performance.

[Bored5000]

I think the hobby is in decent shape right now, but there is also a difference between REA and the hobby as a whole. The collector that buys $100 cards or $300 cards (which is a much larger pool of collectors) isn't reflected by what happens at REA or other high-end auction houses.

[GregMitch34]

As I've noted previously, not just the mega-cards in some cases--for example, huge surge in prices for 1915 Cracker Jacks in the $600 to $900 range....

[Jewish-collector]

The REA separates the men from the boys. If you're thinking of bidding for that high end card, sometimes you gotta say "WTF" and do it.

[sjim8660]

One of the things to considered and I may be off a little in saying this. Serious collectors seem more inclined to spend big dollars on REA compared to eBay because it is a LOT easier to shill on eBay. I personally am always cautious to spend over $1K on eBay because of shilling. eBay is great because no buyer premium, so that helps. As far as high prices, Baseball season just got under way, its also tax season so people have extra cash. So those things could play a factor in the higher prices. I personally am bidding on a few things for some sets I am working on and I don't mind spending more on a few cards that I have been waiting months to pop up. It makes me happy to see the vintage Baseball market healthy and growing. Cards like that 14' CJ Joe Jackson should be going for big money for several reasons. I think what people are willing to spend is finally catching up with the rarity of some of these cards.

-James Steele

[Pilot172000]

If you take a long look at hobbies across the board you will see that all are at record highs. A lot of that has to do with the fact that the investment value of a top tier card has better growth potential than a 5 year CD worth the same amount of money. I also collect Colt Revolvers and the price and value of a Colt Python was around $350 to $400 prior to 2008. Today it hovers anywhere from $1800 for a rough specimen to $15,0000 for a LNIB. Folks with money aren't gonna sit around and wait for the Fed to raise interest rates. They are gong to pour their cash into investments like what the REA is auctioning off.

[ls7plus]

Originally Posted by Pilot172000

If you take a long look at hobbies across the board you will see that all are at record highs. A lot of that has to do with the fact that the investment value of a top tier card has better growth potential than a 5 year CD worth the same amount of money. I also collect Colt Revolvers and the price and value of a Colt Python was around $350 to $400 prior to 2008. Today it hovers anywhere from $1800 for a rough specimen to $15,0000 for a LNIB. Folks with money aren't gonna sit around and wait for the Fed to raise interest rates. They are gong to pour their cash into investments like what the REA is auctioning off.

You are exactly right, David. Rare, significant cars and coins are seeing similar substantial increases in value!

Regards,

Larry

[ls7plus]

Originally Posted by glynparson

THERE IS TONS OF BIG MONEY entering the hobby over the last couple years. It is not just wall street types either, several athletes and team owners have jumped into collecting and they obviously have passion and loads of money.

This is exactly what is happening, and the internet and increase in the number and quality of auction houses is making it much easier to find even the toughest items you may desire. In the '90's, you were pretty much relegated to Sports Collector's Digest and hoping to be the first to call and reserve such an item, or going to tons of major regional shows, including the National, the Rosemont shows twice per year in Chicago, Strongsville in Ohio, the Pittsburgh show and a few others in the midwest. As truly rare and significant items are purchased and stowed away by these new, well-heeled collectors (and they are collectors, not speculators, by and large--this is not a bubble!), prices rise accordingly for the fewer and fewer examples available. Remember, the supply part of the supply/demand part of the equation relating to value IS THE AVAILABLE SUPPLY, NOT THE TOTAL NUMBER IN EXISTENCE! Many of the key pieces now being purchased will not surface again for many, many years.

All the more reason for trying to think outside of the box re rare, significant and in the best condition you can find or afford, and being on the cutting edge of demand re the future, rather than on the trailing edge of the present--the latter will require a much larger bankroll!

And that's my 75 cents worth,

Larry

[BeanTown]

+1 and well put Larry. I will add TeleTrade to your list of the 90s. I think I built half a Cracker Jack set from them!

Originally Posted by ls7plus

This is exactly what is happening, and the internet and increase in the number and quality of auction houses is making it much easier to find even the toughest items you may desire. In the '90's, you were pretty much relegated to Sports Collector's Digest and hoping to be the first to call and reserve such an item, or going to tons of major regional shows, including the National, the Rosemont shows twice per year in Chicago, Strongsville in Ohio, the Pittsburgh show and a few others in the midwest. As truly rare and significant items are purchased and stowed away by these new, well-heeled collectors (and they are collectors, not speculators, by and large--this is not a bubble!), prices rise accordingly for the fewer and fewer examples available. Remember, the supply part of the supply/demand part of the equation relating to value IS THE AVAILABLE SUPPLY, NOT THE TOTAL NUMBER IN EXISTENCE! Many of the key pieces now being purchased will not surface again for many, many years.

All the more reason for trying to think outside of the box re rare, significant and in the best condition you can find or afford, and being on the cutting edge of demand re the future, rather than on the trailing edge of the present--the latter will require a much larger bankroll!

And that's my 75 cents worth,

Larry

[BobbyVCP]

Glad I only collect values because prices are just going up. Last night someone shelled out $65K for a Koufax rookie PSA 8.5, that's insane.

[pokerplyr80]

Originally Posted by BobbyVCP

Glad I only collect values because prices are just going up. Last night someone shelled out $65K for a Koufax rookie PSA 8.5, that's insane.

Thats crazy. It wasn't that long ago that I remember 8s sitting on ebay at 4k and 9s at 20k.

[BobbyVCP]

Originally Posted by pokerplyr80

Thats crazy. It wasn't that long ago that I remember 8s sitting on ebay at 4k and 9s at 20k.

The seller bought the cards about 3 years prior for 6K and sold it for a very nice profit.

[William Todd]

Its bubble city...

[pokerplyr80]

Originally Posted by BobbyVCP

The seller bought the cards about 3 years prior for 6K and sold it for a very nice profit.

An awesome return obviously. Anyone who bought big cards PSA 8 and up more than two years ago did very well. Whether this is a bubble or just the new norm remains to be seen. My money is on the latter. There are only so many of these cards to go around and plenty of new guys in the market who want them.

[Republicaninmass]

Originally Posted by BobbyVCP

Glad I only collect values because prices are just going up. Last night someone shilled out $65K for a Koufax rookie PSA 8.5, that's insane.

Fixed

[sjim8660]

Anyone have any ideas as to where that 14' CJ Joe Jackson will end? They don't surface a lot even though the grade is low seems to be going pretty strong. Any chance it breaks $20K (not counting buyers premium)?

[Joshwesley]

When you guys say it mention "bubble" you don't mean this pre-war stuff is going to peak at all time high prices and then end up like my 80's-90's collection, right?

I would assume the shear lack of numbers of these pre-war cards (comparatively speaking) would keep that from happening?


Thanks