Willie Mays

[rugbymarine]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

There's a FOMO factor to a lot of superstar cards right now, especially for cards that have 'only' gone up 300% in the last two years. I'm amazed what "A" cards get now; collectors just want in on some issues.

I've got a bit of this FOMO going on right now:

1) I'd like to own more Mays cards than I currently own.
2) The prices of his cards will very likely increase significantly when he passes.
3) I'd rather purchase them at pre-death prices than post-death prices, in the same any collector would rather pay 2018 prices for the items they pursue, than 2022 prices.

What I'm feeling has a lot to do with an expected price increase upon his passing, but it has nothing to do with me wanting to profit from that event. i hope that makes sense.

And a card..

[MattyC]

There was a thread like this about a Mays and Mantle card on the PSA threads a little ways back— it was about how in a Memory Lane auction, a PSA 9 of the 1961 Mays was blowing away the price of the PSA 9 Mantle after a few days of bidding.

When it was all said and done, the Mantle sold for double the Mays. Who knows what happens in this new instance based on these two cards in question, their relative eye appeal, who is bidding, etc., but I think judging any auction by early bidding is always tough to do.

That said, anecdotally I have seen guys looking to grab Mays cards now due to his eventual passing; some fearing a price spike and others just blood merchants looking to flip at that time— the latter is a bit dark yet it is just part of the card world I guess.

[JohnnyKilroy]

I’ve been a Mays collector for awhile, you can definitely see the uptick in prices. But I don’t see a huge jump when he passes. I feel like this is already starting to get baked in. I think people have been trying to “get in” before his passing for awhile now, Mays stuff shot up after Aaron passed. I don’t expect a huge jump when it happens, but as someone eluded to earlier… human nature will prevail. My bet is that bump will be short lived and prices will settle quickly. What you’re seeing, IMO, is more what the original poster was eluding too.. a gap closing between Mantle / Mays.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Could someone claiming a narrowing gap post evidence please? Subjectively I am not seeing it and I am not counting aspirational BINs. My post on 65T (admittedly one card one grade only) doesn't seem to support it.

[MattyC]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

Could someone claiming a narrowing gap post evidence please? Subjectively I am not seeing it and I am not counting aspirational BINs. My post on 65T (admittedly one card one grade only) doesn't seem to support it.

Goldin just sold a PSA 4 1952 Topps Mantle for $120,000. Two sales prior in that grade were 63k and 90k. The Mays from the same set, same grade, last sale was 7500. Before that, 10.2k and 9.1k. It doesn't look much different in gap as the grades go up, either.

Even in the signed card realm, the record high for a signed Mays ROOKIE is 31.2k. A 1952 Bowman Mantle signed just sold at SCP for 39k.

I think Willie Mays was an astounding ball player. Nothing but respect for the guy. But card wise, the prices of his cards vs. Mantle are what they are.