PSA 9 52 Topps Mantle sells for $5.2M

[68Hawk]

Originally Posted by cardsagain74

In other news, there is now just one '52 T Mantle graded above a 1 listed on ebay for less than 200,000 now. A PSA 3 for 85 k.

A brand new level of disappearing supply for it

That's wild.
Is your impression those listings are just fanciful ebay sellers hoping to strike it lucky with an impatient less than well informed buyer, or are Auction results heading that way?
Any idea what recent sales of graded 2-4 have been achieving at trusted auction sites?

[cardsagain74]

Originally Posted by 68Hawk

That's wild.
Is your impression those listings are just fanciful ebay sellers hoping to strike it lucky with an impatient less than well informed buyer, or are Auction results heading that way?
Any idea what recent sales of graded 2-4 have been achieving at trusted auction sites?

In the last week, a PSA 4 and a PSA 6 OC sold for around 50 k, a centered PSA 2 for 40 k, and the redheaded stepchild of the listings (an SGC 3.5 that was a good bit OC L/R) for 35 k.

Looks like its market is in that temporary pause mode now, where the new listings are taking stabs at just how much they can get (in a spot with little to no competing supply)

At this point, it's anyone's guess if people actually will pay 85 k for a PSA 3, or offer 45 k for the PSA 1. May not take too long to find out.

Now a second one popped up, at the top of possible asking prices again. A PSA 3.5 that's not even centered that great. 100 k OBO

[68Hawk]

Originally Posted by cardsagain74

In the last week, a PSA 4 and a PSA 6 OC sold for around 50 k, a centered PSA 2 for 40 k, and the redheaded stepchild of the listings (an SGC 3.5 that was a good bit OC L/R) for 35 k.

Looks like its market is in that temporary pause mode now, where the new listings are taking stabs at just how much they can get (in a spot with little to no competing supply)

At this point, it's anyone's guess if people actually will pay 85 k for a PSA 3, or offer 45 k for the PSA 1. May not take too long to find out.

Now a second one popped up, at the top of possible asking prices again. A PSA 3.5 that's not even centered that great. 100 k OBO

Thanks, certainly interesting to see that rising tide.
Funnily enough, I think we're just at the beginning of a serious rise in prices of highly collectable vintage cardboard.

In the 50's/60's/70's hardcore collectors outside of kids buying/flipping/spoke splicing were largely seen as oddballs.
In the 80's there was a swell in the collector brigade as the hobby became full fledged, but it was still very niche and fixed to real collectors and their kids.
The 90's brought some broader speculation, but that again mainly came from within the collector base.
A die off in the early 2000's, then somewhere around 2-3 years ago the concept of enjoyment of collecting - as in owning and holding something that has rising value as well as its emotional sporting connection - crept out of the standard hobby masses into mainstream. With some media splash the broader population became aware that this pocket portraiture stuff was legit and somewhat interesting and not simply 'weird' for poorly socialized 50 something child-men to lovingly handle.
With the enormous growth in modern collector numbers over the last 24 months, mainstream sports fans have been chasing the 'goats' of various sports from within their living memory, and subsequently given over to a tsunami of money into the rarest or important cards of particular players.

IMO, the hard financial numbers of modern sportscards have largely eclipsed vintage in many cases and those modern collectors have started history checking back earlier and earlier to find the greats of each sport back to the 60's.
But they will sate that itch too and inevitably become intrigued in 'investing' and owning much earlier vintage card of the sort discussed on this site.

Because of the far more limited sportscard stock that's survived of early baseball greats, we may see a doubling or tripling of prices for vintage in the next 2-3 years as the relative value is considered highly desirable in comparison to 40k to 1.8m cards of 'modern' players.

If you want in, as hard as it may seem to digest now at current prices, you will be kicking yourself in 5 years if you again put off collecting what is very difficult to afford now - when it becomes unquestionably unaffordable for most tomorrow.

[cardsagain74]

Originally Posted by 68Hawk

If you want in, as hard as it may seem to digest now at current prices, you will be kicking yourself in 5 years if you again put off collecting what is very difficult to afford now - when it becomes unquestionably unaffordable for most tomorrow.

It could happen. While it seems like this current run has been going on for such a long time, it's only been a year. The junk wax boom lasted about 5.

[Exhibitman]

Originally Posted by 68Hawk

Thanks, certainly interesting to see that rising tide.
Funnily enough, I think we're just at the beginning of a serious rise in prices of highly collectable vintage cardboard.

In the 50's/60's/70's hardcore collectors outside of kids buying/flipping/spoke splicing were largely seen as oddballs.
In the 80's there was a swell in the collector brigade as the hobby became full fledged, but it was still very niche and fixed to real collectors and their kids.
The 90's brought some broader speculation, but that again mainly came from within the collector base.
A die off in the early 2000's, then somewhere around 2-3 years ago the concept of enjoyment of collecting - as in owning and holding something that has rising value as well as its emotional sporting connection - crept out of the standard hobby masses into mainstream. With some media splash the broader population became aware that this pocket portraiture stuff was legit and somewhat interesting and not simply 'weird' for poorly socialized 50 something child-men to lovingly handle.
With the enormous growth in modern collector numbers over the last 24 months, mainstream sports fans have been chasing the 'goats' of various sports from within their living memory, and subsequently given over to a tsunami of money into the rarest or important cards of particular players.

IMO, the hard financial numbers of modern sportscards have largely eclipsed vintage in many cases and those modern collectors have started history checking back earlier and earlier to find the greats of each sport back to the 60's.
But they will sate that itch too and inevitably become intrigued in 'investing' and owning much earlier vintage card of the sort discussed on this site.

Because of the far more limited sportscard stock that's survived of early baseball greats, we may see a doubling or tripling of prices for vintage in the next 2-3 years as the relative value is considered highly desirable in comparison to 40k to 1.8m cards of 'modern' players.

If you want in, as hard as it may seem to digest now at current prices, you will be kicking yourself in 5 years if you again put off collecting what is very difficult to afford now - when it becomes unquestionably unaffordable for most tomorrow.

I have to vehemently disagree with you: we collectors are still "largely seen as oddballs".

We're weird, we're here, get used to it.



But seriously, I hope you are right. My retirement window (proposed) is about 15 years, so if my collection doubles or triples in value in the interim, I might be able to exit the rat race a few years early.

[68Hawk]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

I have to vehemently disagree with you: we collectors are still "largely seen as oddballs".

We're weird, we're here, get used to it.

My re-entry into card collecting (past that of my youth assembling scanlens footy heroes in the 70's) truly began when I walked into a hobby store in hometown Melbourne Australia and saw some Coca Cola series 1 cards under glass.

You can't imagine how odd I seemed to my buddies back home as I showed them off in 9 pocket sheaths while they stared at me slack jawed with a beer in their hands.

yup, I really showed them.

[joshuanip]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

I have to vehemently disagree with you: we collectors are still "largely seen as oddballs".

We're weird, we're here, get used to it.



But seriously, I hope you are right. My retirement window (proposed) is about 15 years, so if my collection doubles or triples in value in the interim, I might be able to exit the rat race a few years early.

But would you really sell? I tell my wife, “hey guess what my card was $X and now it’s $Y and my other card increased 3 fold from three years ago... and... after her eye roll, she goes “so what, you’re never selling”.... hahaha

-your fellow weirdo

[tombocombo]

https://www.sportscollectorsdaily.co...qR-J-Q1kgJdGtE

[slightlyrounded]

Presented, without comment:

https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR...EegQIBxAF&ep=6

[Stampsfan]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

I have to vehemently disagree with you: we collectors are still "largely seen as oddballs".
We're weird, we're here, get used to it.

But seriously, I hope you are right. My retirement window (proposed) is about 15 years, so if my collection doubles or triples in value in the interim, I might be able to exit the rat race a few years early.

Originally Posted by joshuanip

But would you really sell? I tell my wife, “hey guess what my card was $X and now it’s $Y and my other card increased 3 fold from three years ago... and... after her eye roll, she goes “so what, you’re never selling”.... hahaha

-your fellow weirdo

As someone who is on the verge of retiring, and has been semi-retired for just over a year, I used to think the same thing. While my cards are not seven figures, they are well into six figures in value, and would make a small difference in my monthly income, by investing them properly.

Except, here is the deal... I'm not done collecting. I am fortunate in that I don't need to cash them out, but with the kids launched and less expenses, I actually have the opportunity to accumulate more. So I do.

I have not lost that desire to keep collecting, and it's something I will continue to enjoy into retirement.

Or maybe I'm just weird

[68Hawk]

Originally Posted by Stampsfan

...............
Except, here is the deal... I'm not done collecting. I am fortunate in that I don't need to cash them out, but with the kids launched and less expenses, I actually have the opportunity to accumulate more. So I do.

I have not lost that desire to keep collecting, and it's something I will continue to enjoy into retirement.

That's awesome!

[MattyC]

Chris and Andrew, thanks and I hope to have time later today to do a thread about how I was connected to the original pack puller and the content of the great conversation he was so generous and kind to provide. Also hoping to pick the card itself up soon, as I just had it re-holdered.

In terms of the pricing discussion, I can contribute that a PSA 1 just sold for $33,000, which I think is the new record. It was the one listed on eBay for 49,999 OBO. I know the seller well and asked him; he has been paid and shipped it. The other recent sale I know of was a 5 which went for 118k in a private sale.

[notfast]

Originally Posted by cardsagain74

In the last week, a PSA 4 and a PSA 6 OC sold for around 50 k, a centered PSA 2 for 40 k, and the redheaded stepchild of the listings (an SGC 3.5 that was a good bit OC L/R) for 35 k.

Looks like its market is in that temporary pause mode now, where the new listings are taking stabs at just how much they can get (in a spot with little to no competing supply)

At this point, it's anyone's guess if people actually will pay 85 k for a PSA 3, or offer 45 k for the PSA 1. May not take too long to find out.

Now a second one popped up, at the top of possible asking prices again. A PSA 3.5 that's not even centered that great. 100 k OBO

I wonder how valid those recent sales numbers are. I’m always skeptical of eBay sales immediately after something is pumped up.

[cardsagain74]

Originally Posted by notfast

I wonder how valid those recent sales numbers are. I’m always skeptical of eBay sales immediately after something is pumped up.

Yeah I know what you mean, but those recent sales were like BIN leftovers that weren't pumped up much. They weren't really overpriced even before the surge of the last week. So they're a little easier to believe.

If someone supposedly pays $100 k for PSA 3.5, then it's time to really wonder. That listing disappeared, btw (without being sold there)