The Dallas Dinner- Curing the hobby's ills

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Posted By: barrysloate

Well, vintage cards are the glue that keeps this group together...it certainly isn't politics, we've already proven that

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Posted By: JimCrandell

Exactly--there are some however who talk about the investors in this hobby and how bad it is and they don't know anything about cards blah blah blah. I am still looking for an "investor". Everyone I know who collects loves the hobby.

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Posted By: barrysloate

There are some people who start out by purchasing cards purely for investment, but each of them will eventually want to learn as much as they can about them; and there is a certain aesthetic appeal to baseball artifacts that in the end is hard to resist.

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Posted By: Jeff Lichtman

Barry, I wonder if anyone who actually buys rare baseball cards does so as an investment only. There are so many investment vehicles and most are less speculative than rare cardboard -- you'd be hard pressed to find any financial advisor that would ever suggest in a serious manner that cards are a prudent part of any investment portfolio. That being said, clearly one can make plenty of dough investing in cards. In my mind, I have yet to meet a single person -- even among the most mercenary of dealers -- that was not initially drawn to cards due to their love of the game or hobby.

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Posted By: barrysloate

I think there are people who do buy cards as an investment, but probably get some enjoyment out of owning them along the way. I know everybody says they are not a good form of investment, but if you bought a lot of candy cards five years ago, I think you would be ahead. What they do starting tomorrow is anybody's guess.

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Posted By: JimCrandell

I see no reasons why cards shouldn't be a part of an investment portfolio. I love the hobby but I include it in my investment portfolio. The assets are liquid, it has outperformed(vintage high grade cards) most other asset classes, more people are entering the hobby, the supply is limited and the direction still appears to be up. Sure beats a CD or a govt bond. I would have no qualms about recommending a portfolio have 10-15% in vintage graded cards.

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Posted By: Jeff Lichtman

Jim -- agreed. But do you know any financial planner that has ever suggested cards as an investment vehicle?

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Posted By: barrysloate

Jim- I agree. Nothing wrong with squirreling away a few quality cards purely for the sake of investment.

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Posted By: JimCrandell

Jeff,

No--I don't. Unless mine has after hearing my pitch for them.

Jim

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Posted By: Ted Zanidakis

Over the past 30 years the following investment breakdown has been a winning formula for me......

% Invested....Instrument

55........Real Estate (homes, wooded property, etc.)

20........Sportscards (BB, FB, BskB)

15........Stocks

10........Bank CD's during the late '70s to mid-80's....after which gains were Xferred to above 3 items)

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Posted By: Cat

I have been thinking a lot about cards and my percentage of net worth tied up in my collection. I am probably twice as passionate about the stock market as I am collecting cards. I enjoy each but certainly cards a little bit more. I have kept a personal balance sheet since 9/20/1991. I was worth ($20,892) on that date. Yep, I was upside down in life. Half of the debts were student loans...not an "investment" I will ever bitch about.

About three/four months ago, I decided having 23% of my net worth in cards was too much, and I wanted to go to 20%, but today I have about 25% of my net worth in cards...whoops wrong direction. I believe my cards will be passed to my heir(s), so no way do I consider them an investment. In fact, I look at them as an asset, but a dead asset (no return, assets only have returns when you sell them, until then it's just paper gain).

I am a firm believer in the stock market, but only keep a small portion of my net worth in individual stocks, but approximately 50% of my net worth is in mutual funds. Real Estate can be very lucrative but equally disastrous.