Thread No Longer Needed

[MattyC]

Originally Posted by OsFan

Referring to the 52 Mantle sounds like you’re missing the demand portion of the equation.

I concur. The demand part and the centering part are missing in that assessment, which does not account for the nuanced ways in which the market has evolved today.

To merely cite population numbers as a whole when it comes to the 1952 Mantle is specious. When someone is shopping for one and wants the best in whatever their price range, it comes down to this: how many are centered?

The market is parsing the centered examples from the herd, and in that respect those examples are indeed scarce. We see this dynamic at play even in mid/low grade centered Mantles — cards that are plentiful in any condition, yet rarely centered; 1957, 60, 61, 62, when a focused and centered example shows up, it breaks out from the herd.

Do I see a lot of basic issue Mantles on ebay? Yes.

Are 99.9% of them ugly, tilted, and OC? Yes.

That makes that 99.9% a decisive turn off, for me.

That small fraction of scarce and highly sought-after specimens that are gorgeous with great centering? Major turn on.

While I agree that rare/scarce and significant is a great way to go, I also think that the evolving hobby and market is redefining rare/scarce in nuanced ways. I also think the 1952 Topps Mantle will always be the most in-demand card. And the demand for centered examples of the 1952 Topps Mantle will continue to far outstrip the supply.

[frankbmd]

"hahahahahahah" reminds me of the canned laughter used on early sitcoms taped without a studio audience.

Humor is in the eye of the beholder.

[OsFan]

Originally Posted by frankbmd

"hahahahahahah" reminds me of the canned laughter used on early sitcoms taped without a studio audience.

Humor is in the eye of the beholder.

Clearly

[Leon]

Originally Posted by MattyC

I concur. The demand part and the centering part are missing in that assessment, which does not account for the nuanced ways in which the market has evolved today.

To merely cite population numbers as a whole when it comes to the 1952 Mantle is specious. When someone is shopping for one and wants the best in whatever their price range, it comes down to this: how many are centered?

The market is parsing the centered examples from the herd, and in that respect those examples are indeed scarce. We see this dynamic at play even in mid/low grade centered Mantles — cards that are plentiful in any condition, yet rarely centered; 1957, 60, 61, 62, when a focused and centered example shows up, it breaks out from the herd.

Do I see a lot of basic issue Mantles on ebay? Yes.

Are 99.9% of them ugly, tilted, and OC? Yes.

That makes that 99.9% a decisive turn off, for me.

That small fraction of scarce and highly sought-after specimens that are gorgeous with great centering? Major turn on.

While I agree that rare/scarce and significant is a great way to go, I also think that the evolving hobby and market is redefining rare/scarce in nuanced ways. I also think the 1952 Topps Mantle will always be the most in-demand card. And the demand for centered examples of the 1952 Topps Mantle will continue to far outstrip the supply.

I agree completely. Try to find one of these (received yesterday), in a mid tier grade, which is centered nicely. They are quite scarce....and their value is quite a bit higher than normally centered ones...

[MattyC]

Leon— that Ted Williams is INCREDIBLY SCARCE. I know because I have long looked for an example exactly like it. Where on earth did you find it and CONGRATS.

On a related note, I just finally found a centered 1957 Topps Mantle. Talk about a card rarely centered. And I had to set a record way over VCP to bring it home. Methinks the seller of it did exceptionally well, though

[pawpawdiv9]

Leon- NICE!! I would love to have that beauty. She's like Kim Khardashian with/out the junk in the trunk.
I've got to start on these B&W rookie cards soon.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by MattyC

Leon— that Ted Williams is INCREDIBLY SCARCE. I know because I have long looked for an example exactly like it. Where on earth did you find it and CONGRATS.

On a related note, I just finally found a centered 1957 Topps Mantle. Talk about a card rarely centered. And I had to set a record way over VCP to bring it home. Methinks the seller of it did exceptionally well, though

Thanks. It was on our BST a few days ago. It was on there for more than a day before I offered and got it. I am sure I also paid a very high price for a 3.5 but it's hard to find them like that. Watching the BST does pay off sometimes.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Well-centered enough for me if not for the elite.