T206 Set...Minus the Big Four, and other Subsets...Will values keep climbing?

[RCMcKenzie]

I forgot to answer Dave's original question. My dad bought me a Leaf Jackie Robinson for $45 and 20 years later I sold it for $250, now it would be $4000. Is this sustainable? I don't know. Maybe Chad is correct, but I try to stay within a budget, like with anything else, vacations, sporting events, etc.

[BobC]

Originally Posted by RCMcKenzie

I forgot to answer Dave's original question. My dad bought me a Leaf Jackie Robinson for $45 and 20 years later I sold it for $250, now it would be $4000. Is this sustainable? I don't know. Maybe Chad is correct, but I try to stay within a budget, like with anything else, vacations, sporting events, etc.

Rob,

Talking about one specific card, from one specific set, from one specific player, who is also recognized as one of the all-time greats of the game, AND as well as for his place in history in regards to issues surrounding segregation and racism not just in baseball, but in everyday life here in the U.S. as well. Not sure that is a good or particularly relevant example to use to help decide this particular question.

Also, I don't think the question should necessarily include or be about the recent pandemic surge in prices we've seen as well. Kind of like stocks, card prices can fluctuate on a more current basis over time. But to me, the OP's question is will those card prices over time continue to show an overall, ongoing rise.

[BobC]

Originally Posted by RCMcKenzie

I forgot to answer Dave's original question. My dad bought me a Leaf Jackie Robinson for $45 and 20 years later I sold it for $250, now it would be $4000. Is this sustainable? I don't know. Maybe Chad is correct, but I try to stay within a budget, like with anything else, vacations, sporting events, etc.

Rob,

Talking about one specific card, from one specific set, from one specific player, who is also recognized as one of the all-time greats of the game, AND as well as for his place in history in regards to issues surrounding segregation and racism not just in baseball, but in everyday life here in the U.S. as well. Not sure that is a good or particularly relevant example to use to help decide this particular question.

Also, I don't think the question should necessarily include or be about the recent pandemic surge in prices we've seen as well. Kind of like stocks, card prices can fluctuate on a more current basis over time. But to me, the OP's question is will those card prices over time continue to show an overall, ongoing rise.

[Rhotchkiss]

Originally Posted by BobC

But to me, the OP's question is will those card prices over time continue to show an overall, ongoing rise.

Of course, I don’t know the answer to this. But I do know prices have gone up regularly and steadily over the 40 years I have been collecting, despite the fact that every person who saw and remember the t206 players has been dead for decades. I believe that trend will continue.

Vintage Vern, you can play with your cars. I will play with my cardboard. Time will tell who is right.

[BobC]

Originally Posted by Rhotchkiss

The OP’s question was how much would it cost to put together/obtain a 520 set in 1-3 condition.

Posters took the the thread in a different direction - whether t206 prices will continue to rise. Of course, I don’t know the answer to this. But I do know prices have gone up regularly and steadily over the 40 years I have been collecting, despite the fact that every person who saw and remember the t206 players has been dead for decades. I believe that trend will continue.

Vintage Vern, you can play with your cars. I will play with my cardboard. Time will tell who is right.

Sorry Ryan, but did you not read the actual title to this thread before calling me out on what I posted?

"T206 Set...Minus the Big Four, and other Subsets...Will values keep climbing?"

That was the initial question posed by the OP, and since it was the actual title to this thread, would assume that it was also fully intended as the main question of this thread as well. Or am I missing something else?

[Rhotchkiss]

Bob, you are correct!! My bad. I was looking at the body of the thread, where the OP asks about the cost of a set, which is what I answered in my early post. But the title does in fact ask if values will keep going up! I will edit my other post

[Exhibitman]

As an academic question, pondering where T206 prices will go is a fun topic, but it seems to me that if you are genuinely concerned with whether values will keep going up, you are investing rather than collecting and you need to set a price point where you will be satisfied, take a profit, and move on to the next investment. You can't whistle through the graveyard as an investor.

For all my pontificating about deals and the finances of the hobby, I am still on the collector spectrum. I bought a lot of great cards a long time ago not because I thought they were good investments but because I enjoyed them. It was my golf club membership, my season seats. The fact that they are turning out to have been a spectacular investment is a bonus. I was happy owning them when they were worth $100 a card rather than $10,000 a card. If I get to the point where worrying about what my cards are worth exceeds the enjoyment I derive from them, I am gone, immediately. Thus far, it has not. One of the few positives in not having bought the marquee cards in the hobby when I could have done so is that I am not faced with a dilemma right now of cashing in for a life-altering sum or continuing to collect. Selling my collection of bric-a-brac would be nice but would not alter my life, so I don't feel that pressure.

That said, I've noticed that my pace of sports card acquisitions has really fallen off recently. It just doesn't feel like light fun. I've actually spent way more time looking at non-sports items like postcards. They are beautiful and so cheap that there is no pressure.

[Casey2296]

Originally Posted by Rhotchkiss

Of course, I don’t know the answer to this. But I do know prices have gone up regularly and steadily over the 40 years I have been collecting, despite the fact that every person who saw and remember the t206 players has been dead for decades. I believe that trend will continue.

Vintage Vern, you can play with your cars. I will play with my cardboard. Time will tell who is right.

Beautiful cards Ryan.

[Vintage Vern]

Originally Posted by Rhotchkiss

Of course, I don’t know the answer to this. But I do know prices have gone up regularly and steadily over the 40 years I have been collecting, despite the fact that every person who saw and remember the t206 players has been dead for decades. I believe that trend will continue.

Vintage Vern, you can play with your cars. I will play with my cardboard. Time will tell who is right.

Unfortunately I don't have any cars to play with. I wasn't afforded the luxury of getting them for a song and a dance 40 to 50 years ago. My dad passed away at 59 and my mom had to sell what he had to live, so I got nothing passed down.The car hobby has been lost to investments over hobby, and it started in the late 80s. The people that hold them want more than most can afford or many don't have the appeal of what people want today. This is happening with every aspect of life for most along with the hobbies that all become investments when big pockets take over.

My parents bought a house for the same money I can buy a top of the line TV for today. My cell phone bill is more than the cost they had for the entire month of living expenses. Cars will always be here same as cards, but less people can afford them. The market will always fade. I'll put it this way. If I could afford to build a show car like my dad was able to do it wouldn't be from the same era of vehicles, same with my son. We may all have the same interest, but wouldn't be the same type of cars. Cards will also follow this path for the most part. I doubt if you where just starting out today with today's prices your outlook would be the same. Its not a buy low sell high type of thing in today's market. Its buy high hope it goes higher. It will for the big fish, but that's about it. Some people are forgetting they started this trend that are posting here 40 50 60 years ago. To say new blood will keep this thing going is a hard sell in my opinion. A big reason is the amount you will get, to what they will have to pay to keep it as popular. Our own greed is a huge part of the problem. It turns a hobby into an investment.

[RCMcKenzie]

Thanks for the feedback, Chad. I don't know why I always mistake your name as "Vern", and have to correct myself.

I have said on here before, that your style of card collecting is advanced and difficult. It's as time consuming as running down a 500 card set 1 by 1, but much less expensive. I defer to your knowledge on the Clemons' cards.

I try not to predict the future, especially for others. My predictions look like the movie "Logan's Run". You escape to paradise with a British model, but Hercule Poirot has already arrived before you, sitting there in rags with his pet cats.

[Vintage Vern]

Originally Posted by RCMcKenzie

Thanks for the feedback, Chad. I don't know why I always mistake your name as "Vern", and have to correct myself.

I have said on here before, that your style of card collecting is advanced and difficult. It's as time consuming as running down a 500 card set 1 by 1, but much less expensive. I defer to your knowledge on the Clemons' cards.

I try not to predict the future, especially for others. My predictions look like the movie "Logan's Run". You escape to paradise with a British model, but Hercule Poirot has already arrived before you, sitting there in rags with his pet cats.

Another issue for me is trying to locate 1 player with 3 different spellings of his first name. I even mistakenly used Vern on accident. Vern, Verne and Vernon are all used Verne is the correct spelling. Also some of his early years before he played for the Cardinals, in minor league ball at least one club spelled his last name Clemens. I also found some magic lantern slides and they had mistaken him as Hornsby. I've tossed this out before, but another person from my small town of 140 at best probably closer to 100 was Dick "Sherb" Noble who was one of the founders of Dairy Queen. The only other was a baseball player who is still living is Jerry Mehlisch. Jerry never made it to the majors do to injuries and polio. Jerry did play with two distinct players Jim Grant aka Mudcat. He was the first African American to win 20 games in the majors and also the first to win a world series game. The other guy was some clown named Roger Maris.

[RCMcKenzie]

Originally Posted by BobC

Rob,

Talking about one specific card, from one specific set, from one specific player, who is also recognized as one of the all-time greats of the game, AND as well as for his place in history in regards to issues surrounding segregation and racism not just in baseball, but in everyday life here in the U.S. as well. Not sure that is a good or particularly relevant example to use to help decide this particular question.

Also, I don't think the question should necessarily include or be about the recent pandemic surge in prices we've seen as well. Kind of like stocks, card prices can fluctuate on a more current basis over time. But to me, the OP's question is will those card prices over time continue to show an overall, ongoing rise.

Bob, I could have chosen more examples. Dave's question has already been answered by many others above. I was responding to Chad's 5 or so posts in a row that cards are bad and realized I was going off topic, and tried to circle back.

I know I oversimplify things and make too many loose analogies.

Around 1980,T206 Cobbs in vg were around $125 when the Leaf Jackie was $45. Leaf Ruth was $75. Prices have soared in the last 20 years. To me the wild surge around the pandemic were cards from 2000-present, which to me is a different hobby.

[Casey2296]

For me this is a hobby, my goal is to put a collection together that means something to me, yes I'm glad that some of my cards are worth more than I paid but that's not the point. I'm enjoying myself and when I'm gone and my kids sell off my collection it may be worth $2000 or $200,000, doesn't matter, they can take the money and do something they enjoy with it.

[BobC]

Originally Posted by RCMcKenzie

Bob, I could have chosen more examples. Dave's question has already been answered by many others above. I was responding to Chad's 5 or so posts in a row that cards are bad and realized I was going off topic, and tried to circle back.

I know I oversimplify things and make too many loose analogies.

Around 1980,T206 Cobbs in vg were around $125 when the Leaf Jackie was $45. Leaf Ruth was $75. Prices have soared in the last 20 years. To me the wild surge around the pandemic were cards from 2000-present, which to me is a different hobby.

Rob,

No problem, you make great points, but I was thinking in terms of what the OP was specifically asking about in regard to the main T206 set. The vast majority of which is actually going to be cards of common players. I can also see, and understand, your point about responding to others. I fully agree with you in regard to what you were saying about the Jackie card, but like I pointed out, that Jackie card, as well as Ruth's Leaf card, and so on, are not exactly your normal, everyday common cards. LOL And cards such as those seem to have been boosted more so than others by the recent pandemic price surge, but lately now seem to have been coming back down to Earth a little bit. I didn't expect them to remain at those apex pandemic price surge values, but also don't count them coming back down some as a free fall, just a bit of a market correction for now, I think. Good posts, great thread.

[BobC]

Originally Posted by RCMcKenzie

Bob, I could have chosen more examples. Dave's question has already been answered by many others above. I was responding to Chad's 5 or so posts in a row that cards are bad and realized I was going off topic, and tried to circle back.

I know I oversimplify things and make too many loose analogies.

Around 1980,T206 Cobbs in vg were around $125 when the Leaf Jackie was $45. Leaf Ruth was $75. Prices have soared in the last 20 years. To me the wild surge around the pandemic were cards from 2000-present, which to me is a different hobby.

Rob,

No problem, you make great points, but I was thinking in terms of what the OP was specifically asking about in regard to the main T206 set. The vast majority of which is actually going to be cards of common players. I can also see, and understand, your point about responding to others. I fully agree with you in regard to what you were saying about the Jackie card, but like I pointed out, that Jackie card, as well as Ruth's Leaf card, and so on, are not exactly your normal, everyday common cards. LOL And cards such as those seem to have been boosted more so than others by the recent pandemic price surge, but lately now seem to have been coming back down to Earth a little bit. I didn't expect them to remain at those apex pandemic price surge values, but also don't count them coming back down some as a free fall, just a bit of a market correction for now, I think. Good posts, great thread.

[Rhotchkiss]

Thanks Phil!

I am a collector who 100% views my cards as material investments. I love cards, and I have collected them all my life, so it’s a fun investment. The collector in me (and he is a biggun) often takes over, which is why I have numerous back runs and several sets and subsets. However, because I view cards as investments, I stick mostly to the “blue chip” players and sets- Cobb, Wagner, Ruth, Jackson, T206, 1914 CJ, E107, D304, T3, etc.

In my opinion, which ain’t worth much, pre war cards are, in general, pretty good investments, and there is NO set more “blue chip” than T206. Cards, and especially t206, have proven this over the last 5 decades, and the way the “hobby” is going, I suspect that will continue into at least the 2030s. The T206 set is legendary for so many reasons. There may be price fluctuations over the shorter term, but whatever a 520 set costs today in a 2 average, it will likely cost more in 2028. Personally, I think owning a t206 set (any grade) is a great investment.

[Casey2296]

I'm not a Tcard guy, with exceptions, but I tend to agree with you on the 206. Personally my goal as an Ecard collector is a Master Set, a high grade set, a complete back run, and a complete color run. As you know in the Ecard world that's a handful.

Originally Posted by Rhotchkiss

Thanks Phil!

I am a collector who 100% views my cards as material investments. I love cards, and I have collected them all my life, so it’s a fun investment. The collector in me (and he is a biggun) often takes over, which is why I have numerous back runs and several sets and subsets. However, because I view cards as investments, I stick mostly to the “blue chip” players and sets- Cobb, Wagner, Ruth, Jackson, T206, 1914 CJ, E107, D304, T3, etc.

In my opinion, which ain’t worth much, pre war cards are, in general, pretty good investments, and there is NO set more “blue chip” than T206. Cards, and especially t206, have proven this over the last 5 decades, and the way the “hobby” is going, I suspect that will continue into at least the 2030s. The T206 set is legendary for so many reasons. There may be price fluctuations over the shorter term, but whatever a 520 set costs today in a 2 average, it will likely cost more in 2028. Personally, I think owning a t206 set (any grade) is a great investment.

[Metsfan0507]

This sums it up well for me- I'm a collector at heart but can't really justify spending big $ on pieces of cardboard unless I think they're good investments too. It would be different if this was 40 years ago and Cobbs were going for under $100- then we could all just be collectors. But it's hard to rationalize spending $1000s on something that's "just" a collection. It's much easier for me to rationalize spending thousands on investments that happen to be more interesting to look at than stock tickers.

Originally Posted by Rhotchkiss

Thanks Phil!

I am a collector who 100% views my cards as material investments. I love cards, and I have collected them all my life, so it’s a fun investment. The collector in me (and he is a biggun) often takes over, which is why I have numerous back runs and several sets and subsets. However, because I view cards as investments, I stick mostly to the “blue chip” players and sets- Cobb, Wagner, Ruth, Jackson, T206, 1914 CJ, E107, D304, T3, etc.

In my opinion, which ain’t worth much, pre war cards are, in general, pretty good investments, and there is NO set more “blue chip” than T206. Cards, and especially t206, have proven this over the last 5 decades, and the way the “hobby” is going, I suspect that will continue into at least the 2030s. The T206 set is legendary for so many reasons. There may be price fluctuations over the shorter term, but whatever a 520 set costs today in a 2 average, it will likely cost more in 2028. Personally, I think owning a t206 set (any grade) is a great investment.

[jsfriedm]

In general, I am in the group that is broadly skeptical of any vintage baseball cards as long term investments because I am not convinced that future generations are going to care as much about Ty Cobb and Walter Johnson as we do.

However, I also look at it this way. I am 40 years old. I may live another 50 years (maybe more, maybe less). If I wait 20 years to buy a card because then it will be cheaper, I have lost 40% of the value of that card to me, i.e. 20 of the 50 years I could have owned and enjoyed it. (And of course, there is no guarantee that I actually do live that long, or that I am able to enjoy the cards then, or, of course, that the cards do, in fact, go down.) So my compromise is don't put money into cards, any cards, that you are counting on getting back, but don't feel bad about paying for something you enjoy now that might be cheaper a while down the road.

[puckpaul]

I need a long flight to read all of these posts…i will keep it simple. This hobby is here to stay, the proces may move some but will remain strong. These are highly collectible items, with variety to satisfy nearly all, and people enjoy it. The naysayers sound like Yogi…”it’s so crowded no one goes there anymore!”.

[Touch'EmAll]

Americans love collectibles.

Over the past 100+ years of this country, what collectibles rival baseball cards in terms of popularity, staying power and value?

Coca-Cola items
Beanie Babies
Records
Coins
Stamps
Train sets
Art
Figurines
Holiday decor
Comic Books
Pokemon
Hats
Silverware
Cars
Signs
Motorcycles
Travel souveniers
Plates/Cups/Dishes
Antiques
Marbles
etc., etc., etc.

Where do baseball cards rank - are they perhaps the #1 collectible in the entire country over the last century ? I'm gonna guess yes!