Justifying a Big Purchase

[Mark17]

Originally Posted by G1911

If one is spending what constitutes a lot of money for them, the ability to turn back into cash if they need too should be considered.

One can never turn a vacation, attending sporting events, movies, going to restaurants, bars, the circus, and so on "back into cash" at all.

The point isn't to try to calculate the percentage profit (or investment retention) of a hypothetical card, in a possible future sale. The point is, of all the ways people can find enjoyment in life while laying out cash, buying cards is far more fiscally prudent than most. And therefore, I would suggest, something that should let the OP's mind rest easy in that decision.

[G1911]

Originally Posted by Mark17

One can never turn a vacation, attending sporting events, movies, going to restaurants, bars, the circus, and so on "back into cash" at all.

The point isn't to try to calculate the percentage profit (or investment retention) of a hypothetical card, in a possible future sale. The point is, of all the ways people can find enjoyment in life while laying out cash, buying cards is far more fiscally prudent than most. And therefore, I would suggest, something that should let the OP's mind rest easy in that decision.

I am not disagreeing with you whatsoever. Any card is a better return than going to a bar.

I think one should factor in, if they are spending more than say 5% of their cash on a cardboard picture of a dude, what they could turn that back into if they needed to, and the likelihood they will gain or lose. If you end up needing cash, how much you can get back is very relevant. That it is a better return on investment even if craters than wasting money on booze or food or circus trips isn't the only comparison.

[Mark17]

Originally Posted by G1911

I am not disagreeing with you whatsoever. Any card is a better return than going to a bar.

I think one should factor in, if they are spending more than say 5% of their cash on a cardboard picture of a dude, what they could turn that back into if they needed to, and the likelihood they will gain or lose. If you end up needing cash, how much you can get back is very relevant. That it is a better return on investment even if craters than wasting money on booze or food or circus trips isn't the only comparison.

You don't know what the card is, the OP says it won't be sold for a very long time, you and Ben are speculating about whether there's sales tax, you're assuming auction house fees, etc., etc. With so many unknown variables, including what the economy will look like down the road, why try to pretend you can make any reasonable guess at what the unspecified card might sell for after an unspecified interval? This is where I think you took this thread off topic.

[G1911]

Originally Posted by Mark17

You don't know what the card is, the OP says it won't be sold for a very long time, you and Ben are speculating about whether there's sales tax, you're assuming auction house fees, etc., etc. With so many unknown variables, including what the economy will look like down the road, why try to pretend you can make any reasonable guess at what the unspecified card might sell for after an unspecified interval? This is where I think you took this thread off topic.

I don't think you actually read my post. Nowhere did I say or imply that I know what this card is, what it mights ell for. I never said a word about auction houses (who I have never recommended using and spoken against) whatsoever. I said these are things the OP, who does know the card and I would hope the market, should consider. I think sales tax is part of the calculation that wasn't listed in the total expidenture previously.

A card that you think will grow, even if you don't plan to sell, is a better buy when we are talking a signifiant amount of your capital than a card that is rare but with few buyers and which it may be difficult to get a good return on if you need to get capital back in the future. I am surprised this is controversial and it is obviously not off topic to the question about the wisdom in spending large amounts on a card.

[JollyElm]

On your deathbed, you always regret the purchases you DID NOT make.

[ClementeFanOh]

1911- if by “meltdown” you mean the ability to follow a directly stated line of thought, then sure. You can call it a “melt down”, Socrates. It just strikes me as amusing that the self proclaimed Professor of Dialectics can’t stay ON POINT. Don’t worry, I know you’re never wrong and, if you are in danger of being called out for being a clown, will try to institute your own rules to rescue your failing point. Seen it before 1911- you do you!! Trent King Original point still stands- make the buy!!

[ClementeFanOh]

Mark17- thanks for your lucidity. Get ready for a furious tap dance by resident psycho 1911 though. He’s such a fun guy, not a colossal bore at all! Trent King

[JLange]

In situations like this I have come to rely on my own sense of rarity / scarcity. I have put my eyeballs on 100s of thousands if not millions of items at this point in my collecting life. I know if i’ve seen something once or twice or a thousand times. I scale it in terms of time - does this item come around once a week, month, year, or perhaps only once every decade. I buy everything I rarely see because I don’t know if I will get another bite at the apple or not. I have no regrets with these scarce purchase decisions so far. If someone knows better than you how scarce this item is, and how infrequently it is offered for sale, then maybe check in with that person, otherwise trust your own instincts here.

[G1911]

Originally Posted by ClementeFanOh

1911- if by “meltdown” you mean the ability to follow a directly stated line of thought, then sure. You can call it a “melt down”, Socrates. It just strikes me as amusing that the self proclaimed Professor of Dialectics can’t stay ON POINT. Don’t worry, I know you’re never wrong and, if you are in danger of being called out for being a clown, will try to institute your own rules to rescue your failing point. Seen it before 1911- you do you!! Trent King Original point still stands- make the buy!!

We have the question "What do you tell yourself in moments like this? How do you handle the mental gymnastics?" about putting a significant amount of capital into a card purchase. My post that one should consider their return if they need to convert it back into capital, as it is a significant amount of their capital, is directly on topic and answers the question.

Your post, #54, continuing your personal vendetta, which you hijack a thread every 2 or 3 months to do, last time bitching that I was not in support of lynching people, is not on topic to the question whatsoever and provides 0 answer.

Never change!

[ClementeFanOh]

1911- hilarious, you did exactly what I said you would. I’m stunned, truly. You can’t stay on point, but you are infallible so obviously someone else is at fault. Do you practice this outhouse-level fluffery on 8 year olds? Wait, on second thought don’t answer that- I just don’t care. Many commenters who manage to stay on point- despite being clearly inferior to your giant intellect- have espoused the opinion that the poster should buy. THAT was the point. Fini… Trent King