Auctions I lost - 10 years later

[Fred]

When I think of all the auctions lots I was underbidder on or near the top (but lost) from over 10 years ago, I kind of laugh and figure it would have put me closer to retirement if I did pull the trigger, but then I look at the cards/memorabilia I did come away with and don't feel so bad.

If you've been in this hobby for a few decades, you've probably scored so much good stuff at comparably low prices when considering the recent valuations. I feel sorry for people that are just getting into vintage card collecting now because the dollars today just don't go near as far as they did a decade or more ago.

[Aquarian Sports Cards]

Originally Posted by Fred

When I think of all the auctions lots I was underbidder on or near the top (but lost) from over 10 years ago, I kind of laugh and figure it would have put me closer to retirement if I did pull the trigger, but then I look at the cards/memorabilia I did come away with and don't feel so bad.

If you've been in this hobby for a few decades, you've probably scored so much good stuff at comparably low prices when considering the recent valuations. I feel sorry for people that are just getting into vintage card collecting now because the dollars today just don't go near as far as they did a decade or more ago.

add 20 years, rinse, repeat.

[Snapolit1]

Originally Posted by Aquarian Sports Cards

add 20 years, rinse, repeat.

You never know. I remember when my wife and I bought our first home. Prices were running away with crazy bidding auctions in the town we wanted to live in. Like 27 people bid for the house and we bid $125,000 over the asking price and got it. Of course I was convinced I had made a life altering error in judgment. The day we were moving in a neighbor stood in front of his house clapping like a jackass and thanking us for paying such an extravagent amount for our house and raising his home value. Sort of dick move but I played along.

Fast forward 20 years later, the house is easily worth 2.5x what we paid for it. Maybe more.

Moral of the story is you never know. Today's absurd price might not look so absurd someday. Or I guess it could.

I also remember not buying Amazon at $50 because I was sure I had muissed the boat.

[ParisianJohn]

Originally Posted by Fred

When I think of all the auctions lots I was underbidder on or near the top (but lost) from over 10 years ago, I kind of laugh and figure it would have put me closer to retirement if I did pull the trigger, but then I look at the cards/memorabilia I did come away with and don't feel so bad.

If you've been in this hobby for a few decades, you've probably scored so much good stuff at comparably low prices when considering the recent valuations. I feel sorry for people that are just getting into vintage card collecting now because the dollars today just don't go near as far as they did a decade or more ago.

I'd have to take a deeper dive but from some numbers in this thread and my own experiences it feels like the T206 portraits have really increased in value (even for commons) more than other cards in the set.

All HOFers have spiked but the elite among the HOFers (Cobb, Ruth, Johnson, Young) have done so at insane rates. This makes T206 HOFer portraits nuts and elite HOFer portraits really isane from that set.

And yes, a decade ago and longer I did come away with some good purchases but I never won a 1933 Goudey Ruth!!! Back then I would only buy a card if it had the eye appeal of at least a 3 to me (even if ungraded) but now I wish I'd lowered my standards - or raised my bids.

[StraightRaceCards]

Originally Posted by Fred

When I think of all the auctions lots I was underbidder on or near the top (but lost) from over 10 years ago, I kind of laugh and figure it would have put me closer to retirement if I did pull the trigger, but then I look at the cards/memorabilia I did come away with and don't feel so bad.

If you've been in this hobby for a few decades, you've probably scored so much good stuff at comparably low prices when considering the recent valuations. I feel sorry for people that are just getting into vintage card collecting now because the dollars today just don't go near as far as they did a decade or more ago.

Darn, that is me. Too bad my childhood 90’s junk wax didn’t pay off!

It has been hard getting into the hobby in 2021, with prices skyrocketing.

I wished I started before I had a wife, kids, and now we are house hunting. Not a good time for me, but one of the upsides is savoring each card I get a lot more now. My banged up t206 Matty portrait means a whole lot more to me now than if I had bought it way earlier.

Other bright side (at least I tell myself), is that ignorance is bliss and all I know are current market prices!