Are you more picky about picking up our gems?

[T206DK]

I find myself being a bit more cautious when I'm buying any cards these days. Since January, I've had more trouble with Ebay sellers than I have in the past ten years. I cannot discern a reason as to why this is suddenly happening , other than the bad economy nationwide is causing some people to break the rules in an attempt to make money. I've had to file more "cases" this year for not receiving an item than I ever have before also.

[ChiefBenderForever]

I think for many of us a major purchase is any card $500.00 or more, and if you look at the hobby in a class of lower-middle or upper class anything over $1000.00 is very major. Look at Quans E93 Cobb as an example, how has that not sold yet ? We'll it's probably not a high enough grade for the upperclass collection and is a major purchase for the lower to middle class and if the funds are not available ( I sure with they were !! ) it takes time for someone to get the cash ready . So I think for many it's not only being cautious it's just limited funds and a major purchase only can happen if you save up, or sell a bunch of cards and those are never easy options for most !

[Leon]

Originally Posted by JohnnyHarmonica

I think for many of us a major purchase is any card $500.00 or more, and if you look at the hobby in a class of lower-middle or upper class anything over $1000.00 is very major. Look at Quans E93 Cobb as an example, how has that not sold yet ? We'll it's probably not a high enough grade for the upperclass collection and is a major purchase for the lower to middle class and if the funds are not available ( I sure with they were !! ) it takes time for someone to get the cash ready . So I think for many it's not only being cautious it's just limited funds and a major purchase only can happen if you save up, or sell a bunch of cards and those are never easy options for most !

I also think VCP has something to do with the sale of cards when they show up on it. It's easy to go see where that E93 Cobby sold last time and the price it got. I think Quan's price is fair but the history of it makes it a bit more difficult to resell. That being said, I do like VCP, but when I buy something for a great price and it shows up there....it's harder to then get what a real market price is for it. Also, I know some will say...well, if you bought it then that is the market price, but I don't think that is always true. How many of us try to buy, and do buy, things that fall through the cracks? I think the environment for selling is a bit tougher right now...and the instant information we have at our fingertips is also a two edged sword.

[tbob]

leon- I do think I have been more picky unless it concerns scarce and tough cards which I need in any decent condition when collecting a set. There's always the opportunity years down the road to upgrade those if necessary.
tbob

[ChrisStufflestreet]

Anybody who's seen my collection knows that "careful" isn't really a word that's ever applied to my acquisitions, unless that "no haggling, just give me a price or I'll walk to the next table" attitude and then simply saying yes or no is a form of it.

What I am and have always been...is cheap. A Sh---y economy hasn't changed that.

[53Browns]

It's a long term situation. The vintage cards will hold their value and increase but it may be 20 years before we see really significant gains in some of them. Unlike the junk they are selling in today's market made of shiny tin foil. Just my opinion.

[drdduet]

When it comes to cards I still buy what I like, but when it comes to investments I am going green--building a self-sustaining home and clinic (solar, wind, biomass) and ensuring a fresh water supply--with some nifty contraptions.

Even though I can pretty much walk out to the lake behind my home or the bayou in front of it and get all the oil I want, it disgusts me.

[barrysloate]

Darren- is Cut Off close to the oil spill?

[drdduet]

Yes Barry,

We are a shrimping community located on Bayou Lafourche, a tributary of the Mississippi River. We are about 30 miles just north of the Gulf of Mexico. Basically Cut Off and all of the towns of southern Lafourche Parish sit on the banks of Bayou Lafourche surrounded by the marshes of the Barataria-Terrebonne Estuary.

I am the Chief Medical Officer of the company involved in servicing this "rig". We are also the company sending the images to the media with our ROV's. Our community's whole livelihood and culture is based on the seafood industry and oil and gas.

[barrysloate]

It's a terrible tragedy Darren, and it looks like it will only get worse.

[drdduet]

It is a horrible thing, and you're right it will only get worse. As the rest of the Nation celebrates once this thing gets capped off, we will live in a devastated wasteland for years. What's worse one or two hurricanes will stir up the oil from the bottom and push it further inland.

We've given the rest of the country tremendous resources, top producers of oil, seafood, sugarcane--but we're just ignorant folk down here.