Buying Vintage Cards – Buy Now or Buy In 12 Months

[skelly423]

If I had a crystal ball, I'd have a real answer for you. Like all markets, the baseball card market is cyclical and will go up, and will go down. Which direction it's going next is anyone's guess. I have a simple philosophy; if I like a card, and the price is right, I buy it.

[MR RAREBACK]

Wait 12 months,
and ask again

[Snapolit1]

Magic 8 ball says Future Cloudy. Try Again.

[Smarti5051]

My experience is anything I buy will drop in value over the next 12 months, while anything I hold off on buying will be much more expensive in 12 months.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by Smarti5051

My experience is anything I buy will drop in value over the next 12 months, while anything I hold off on buying will be much more expensive in 12 months.

Yep. Heads you win, tails I lose. Seriously, trying to time the market is a fool's errand except perhaps where it's obvious prices have been manipulated or are due to some undeniable extraordinary circumstances.

[Snapolit1]

I wonder if the PSA registry is still capturing the imagination of people like it did in the past. Once guys stop engaging in "collection measuring" contests about who has a top 5 or 10 or 20 registry set, it seems like a lot of cards of less desirable fellows will take a dive. Not saying it's happening or will happen. Not a registry guy and never have been, but it's a weird dynamic that has nouby really skewed the demand curve.

[JollyElm]

It doesn't matter how many Paul Bunyans you bring to the collecting forest, they'll never bring the mighty Mantles, Cobbs, Ruths, Jackies, etc., down, so I wouldn't hesitate in buying (if they're priced right) those types of big names now before they continue to grow higher and higher. The other 'regular' HOFers? That's just a crapshoot.

[Fall1963]

Originally Posted by Smarti5051

My experience is anything I buy will drop in value over the next 12 months, while anything I hold off on buying will be much more expensive in 12 months.

I 2nd that answer.

[Snowman]

I think it's more important to wait for the right copy than it is to attempt to time the market. Eye appeal, eye appeal, eye appeal. Everything else is just noise.

[brianp-beme]

My serious and well intentioned advice is to buy Now and Later, because I believe more people like the fruity flavors of Now and Later over the licorice tang of Good and Plenty.


An additional tip is to buy low (condition) and sell (while) high.


e90joss.jpg


Brian (E90-1 Joss shown is not for sale...whaddya think I am, high?)