Selling 80% of your collection for ‘52 Mantle - would you?

[RCMcKenzie]

Originally Posted by theshowandme

It was an IHOP which I figured was a bit more classy! And most of it was rolls of quarters

-Don


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sounds like a good deal. Congrats on the Wagner.

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To answer Fred's question, I guessed 20K, but prices vary based on condition without regard to the technical grade.

One thing to think about is that the card will be available when you are ready to spend for it.

[Exhibitman]

Here's part of the problem with waiting for a high profile card: prices tend to outpace inflation. This is what $23,000 looks like in Mantle World



$28,800



$35,000



Is the card going to drop over the longer term? Has it ever in the last 40+ years? Has anyone who bought and kept this card for a decade ever lost money? If I'd bought a lower grade one 14 years ago, it was five grand.

[RCMcKenzie]

It seems like just the other day, but those examples were $1500 on eBay in the early 2000's. Red Cobbs and 21 exhibit Ruths were under 1k back then is my recollection.

This is the comp I was using. July 2021. Outdated, I guess, 22k all in.

[skelly423]

The Mantle isn’t for me, but I effectively traded my entire collection for one card.

[mrreality68]

Originally Posted by skelly423

The Mantle isn’t for me, but I effectively traded my entire collection for one card.

Great pickup Sean. A CJ Joe Jackson with the color popping

[babraham]

Originally Posted by Belfast1933

Wow! Showing me that a 1.5 can look as great as yours does make this decision a wee bit more likely!

I had been looking for a few months for anything from a PSA 1-2. For sure, most 1/1.5 did not have the same eye appeal. But it can be done!
Best of luck on your search if you end up moving forward on your Mantle quest.

Originally Posted by Aquarian Sports Cards

To be fair, as the auction that got that card graded for the consignor, that may be a once in a lifetime 1.5 It also sold for a significant amount more than a normal 1.5, as could be expected.

I'm still happy with the purchase.

[jimq16415]

So long ago this seemed like such a risk!

[Luke]

Too hard to answer for anyone else. If you're a new collector and really want the Mantle, maybe? If you have any really rare and irreplaceable cards, probably not.

For me I don't have any interest in the Mantle but I have traded for or sold things to buy a few cards in a similar value range. It seems to me if you can't think about it and come to a decision, then it's probably a no?

[Aquarian Sports Cards]

Originally Posted by babraham

I had been looking for a few months for anything from a PSA 1-2. For sure, most 1/1.5 did not have the same eye appeal. But it can be done!
Best of luck on your search if you end up moving forward on your Mantle quest.



I'm still happy with the purchase.

I love that it went to a collector!

[Belfast1933]

I want to thank everyone for their points of view and advice - do enjoy and value the opinions here always!

But sadly, I don’t think I can pull this off - I finished updating the value of my overall collection and decent looking low grade ‘52 Mantle would just take too big of a bite out of my collection. Once I account for the “can’t/never will sell” items, the math just doesn’t add up.

It’s a bit of a bummer but was worth exploring - if anything changes, I’ll finish my story here… but for now, I plan to stand pat!

Thx again, all

Jeff

[Foo3112]

Interesting reading all the replies. I don't think there's any wrong or right in this situation. Just personal preferences is all. Me, personally, I would go for it. As someone mentioned, everyone who has bought that card and sat on it for at least 10 years has always done well and come out on top. That part isn't even up for a debate. Just know that the excitement of owning one will eventually wear off just like any other big purchase (like a new vehicle for example). If you are the type that who gets bored easily and would perhaps sell it in a year or two, then I would not purchase one but would rather have a variety of cards in my collection.

The main issues I see about doing something like that are:

1 - You have to make sure you'll get/win the card you are wanting. To sell off about 80% of your collection and then not get the card you wanted would straight up suck.

2 - A card that big usually continues climbing in price as time goes on. By the time you sell off everything, that card in the grade of a 1.5 may not even be in your price point anymore and so you now would either have to settle for a 1 or even an "authentic". Would you be willing to accept that.