Auction dollars spent vis a vis ebay dollars spent

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Posted By: Chuck R

Personally, I wouldn't expect a huge burst in the vintage bubble. Baseball card investors in the late 80's were buying cases of new and recent cards, hoping for the hot rookie. You can't give that stuff away now. If you look back at prices for the last few decades for things like T206, Old Judge and 33 Goudey, I'd expect you'd see a steady climb a lot like the stock market. Quality, vintage stuff may level off some but I think we're dreaming to think the prices will go way down from where they are now.

I'm looking right now at a book I've had since those crazy days (called "The Top 100", written in 1990), telling would-be investors the best cards to own. 1984 Donruss Don Mattingly is just ahead of the 1914 CJ Joe Jackson; 1975 Topps Mini George Brett is well ahead of the E90-1 Mike Mitchell; Wade Boggs and Tony Gwynn rookies are miles in front of the Old Judges, T207s and E102s. I think the late 80's was an aberration...people were blinded by the rookie card speculation thing, much like the tulip craze back in Holland centuries ago. The stuff that is old, desirable and produced in relatively small quantities will hold up in value.