Sell my 52T Mays?

[egri]

Originally Posted by jchcollins

Aaron could prove us all wrong, but historically anyway - I usually think that player deaths are extremely overrated in terms of their effect on card values. Sure there may be a temporary spike, but in most markets a year or so later it was hard to tell exactly what had happened to the cards only because the player died. Mickey Mantle cards were already valuable when he died. They remained that way, but not necessarily because he died. Does that make sense?

I disagree; when a player of Mays’s caliber dies, there is an extensive amount of positive media coverage that exposes people who otherwise wouldn’t be as aware of that player’s accomplishments. When Tom Seaver died, after reading some of the press coverage, I nearly went and picked up a couple cards of his (I couldn’t find a signed 1987 Topps at a reasonable price). I wouldn’t have looked into his cards if it hadn’t been for the attention he got, and he had been in declining health for a while, so it wasn’t really a shock.

[AGuinness]

One of the great parts about a hobby, any hobby that is, is the decisions that need to be made and how people prioritize parts of that hobby. What to collect, how to display it, when/if to sell, etc. are all valuable experiences to go through in their own right, not to mention the process of reevaluating things and shifting your collecting goal or focus.
I have my PC cards and I have also flipped, in part to help fund my PC. Unfortunately, I flipped my Mays 52T in an SGC holder a couple years before this boom, but it was the decision I made at the time. But again, I think these decisions and the process to make them are valuable in their own right.
Whatever you do, take some time to really think about it and make the call when you feel like you're ready. If you're not ready, just hold on to it until you are.
And one thing to consider if you do look to downgrade and try to keep some profits - after selling fees and taxes, the downgrade might be larger than you would want, so do those calculations first.
Oh - and congrats on having a great card and having the opportunity to make a good decision on it, whatever it may be!

[Tao_Moko]

This is and has been an under valued card for a long time. He is the last of the most iconic players still living. A well centered 6 will have a home in the market no matter the boom happening now. However, I have to agree that selling and buying a nice looking lower grade might be a reasonable compromise.

[jchcollins]

Originally Posted by egri

I disagree; when a player of Mays’s caliber dies, there is an extensive amount of positive media coverage that exposes people who otherwise wouldn’t be as aware of that player’s accomplishments. When Tom Seaver died, after reading some of the press coverage, I nearly went and picked up a couple cards of his (I couldn’t find a signed 1987 Topps at a reasonable price). I wouldn’t have looked into his cards if it hadn’t been for the attention he got, and he had been in declining health for a while, so it wasn’t really a shock.

Again, temporary spikes - yes. Did Mantle's card prices double when he died? Did anything like that happen for Ted Williams? No. I'm simply saying that the perceived effect of the death is less in my estimation than some people make it out to be. Most of the time significant increases in card values are attributable to other things.

[skelly423]

I sold mine in early 2020 and have regretted it ever since. It's got nothing to do with the money I left on the table by selling before the boom. It's the sadness of knowing what a great card I had, and that I can never replace it. Anything less than what I had feels like a cheap knockoff. Even with the market losing its mind lately, when you're talking about your favorite card, leave money out of the equation.

[Republicaninmass]

Originally Posted by jchcollins

Again, temporary spikes - yes. Did Mantle's card prices double when he died? Did anything like that happen for Ted Williams? No. I'm simply saying that the perceived effect of the death is less in my estimation than some people make it out to be. Most of the time significant increases in card values are attributable to other things.

Didnt even happen for Berra. Who among his jokes, was the captain of the yankee ship, and very under rated

[jchcollins]

Originally Posted by Republicaninmass

Didnt even happen for Berra.

True. Berra has always puzzled me in that the baseball establishment seems to value him more like a clown prince than a 3 time MVP with 10 World Series rings...