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

[Exhibitman]

Nicolo, I agree with your comments on the math, but I am not sure whether it makes better sense in the context of a card investment. The math is not the end of the game. Heck, I wish you were right, because I have lots of lesser cards but none of the super-duper ones; I wish my collection had grown in value like the marquee cards have. It hasn't. There is also the mechanics of realizing my gains. I can sell a $100K card in one auction and I probably can negotiate back a piece of the BP too. That is not realistic if I have 100 $1,000 cards to sell. If I have multiples of the same card, even if they went up a lot, it is even worse. I can't just throw them all into a single REA auction; I'd get killed. I have to sell them over time in different venues.

I don't think there is one good answer to the question. Liquidity is an element that definitely comes into play. I've never been one for having a 25 or 50 card collection, but in considering how to unwind a collection of thousands of items, dumping 80% for one or two items sure does sound appealing conceptually. If I wasn't planning on doing a multiyear-controlled liquidation once I retire, I might consider it.

[Republicaninmass]

If you have no mortage, no car payment, no debts, why not?

Otherwise you (may) put your family in peril over a piece of cardboard

[raulus]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

Nicolo, I agree with your comments on the math, but I am not sure whether it makes better sense in the context of a card investment. The math is not the end of the game. Heck, I wish you were right, because I have lots of lesser cards but none of the super-duper ones; I wish my collection had grown in value like the marquee cards have. It hasn't. There is also the mechanics of realizing my gains. I can sell a $100K card in one auction and I probably can negotiate back a piece of the BP too. That is not realistic if I have 100 $1,000 cards to sell. If I have multiples of the same card, even if they went up a lot, it is even worse. I can't just throw them all into a single REA auction; I'd get killed. I have to sell them over time in different venues.

I don't think there is one good answer to the question. Liquidity is an element that definitely comes into play. I've never been one for having a 25 or 50 card collection, but in considering how to unwind a collection of thousands of items, dumping 80% for one or two items sure does sound appealing conceptually. If I wasn't planning on doing a multiyear-controlled liquidation once I retire, I might consider it.

Fair enough!

And those are certainly important elements for us to all ponder in our collecting adventures. I'm guessing for a lot of us, we stick to the "more is more" maxim. Because more really is more!

[Exhibitman]

Well, I found my answer: yes, I would trade a big chunk of my collection for this:

[ullmandds]

i've been considering doing this...selling many babe ruth cards for 1 special one...i can't pull the trigger!!

[ullmandds]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

Well, I found my answer: yes, I would trade a big chunk of my collection for this:

wowsers! now...to get it signed!!!

[Johnny630]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

Well, I found my answer: yes, I would trade a big chunk of my collection for this:

That's a Beautiful Card !!

[mrreality68]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

Well, I found my answer: yes, I would trade a big chunk of my collection for this:

That is a great card and I would trade a chunk of my collection for it but no where near 80 % of my collection