A bit OT : What does Strassberg speculation say about the vintage Mkt

[Bicem]

Originally Posted by birdman42

If somebody spends $18,000 (or $100,000) on a card and adds it to their collection I don't think anyone in the hobby is going to bash the buyer. It's when you spend that much money on something you have little appreciation of, strictly as a speculative venture, that you open yourself up to bashing.



Bill

why? what's wrong with someone trying to make a buck?

[alanu]

The only thing I can derive from this is that there are a lot of people out there (vintage and modern collectors) with a lot of disposable income.

[jboosted92]

Originally Posted by alanu

The only thing I can derive from this is that there are a lot of people out there (vintage and modern collectors) with a lot of disposable income.

it has to do with Marketing..... if a company buys this, they will be in every paper around the wrold

[mark evans]

I agree that prices for Strasburg cards say little about the vintage card market.

And, while I would never criticize someone for spending his money as he sees fit, regardless whether a collector or speculator, I just cannot fathom that modern "chase" cards, which are valuable only because of contrived limited supply, will retain their value over time.

Even if Strasburg becomes the real deal (I've attended both of his home starts and he looks overpowering to me), I think my point still holds. Over time, there will be boatloads of Strasburg cards, including autograph cards and game-used cards, you name it. I just can't see how any particular card or cards will remain so much more valuable than all the others.

[Leon]

This sort of reminds me of the little old lady that found the 1869 Peck and Snyder and was subsequently on The Tonight Show and many other media venues with it. That card sold in Memory Lane for around 75k. It's not a 75k card (and wasn't then). About a few days later I got a call from the person who bought it, the gentleman that owns Tri-Star, whom I have met a few times. I guess he Googled the card and found mine on my website and since we knew each other a little bit, gave me the call. I told him I thought it was a neat card and I like mine a lot but it really wasn't quite as valuable as what he paid for it. He said he would get 2x the price of it back in advertising. I think several months after that he consigned it to another auction house and it did only bring about 40k-50k, if I remember correctly. So the bottom line is that some of these very high profile cards come with benefits that have nothing to do with the actual value of the card itself.

I have no issue with anyone spending their money the way they want to. I just hope they don't think the 100k+ card is going to rise a whole lot in value. Historically that has not been the case.

And one last thing. I firmly believe that any GOOD publicity for any baseball card collecting is GOOD for ALL of us. So kudos for the whole spectacle, in that respect .

regards

[barrysloate]

Leon made a good point. It's quite possible that many of the bidders at the high end are in the process of starting businesses and just need some kind of splash to get off the ground. Clearly whoever wins this card will have his face on TV and in newspapers, so maybe that's what he's buying. Because baseball card wise, he's getting virtually nothing for his money.

[mark evans]

I agree with you guys and would clarify my view that there's nothing wrong with the purchase, even if just because the buyer likes the card alot.

[DeanH3]

Check out this Strasburg. Auto'd 1 of 1. Not my cup of tea but someone likes enough to shell out 100k+.

http://cgi.ebay.com/2010-Bowman-Step...58371064372602

[PolarBear]

Originally Posted by Leon

T....He said he would get 2x the price of it back in advertising.....

Good point. Think of all the publicity the guy got who bought the Bonds HR ball.


As far as the market goes, it shows that the vintage market is established and stable, the modern market is speculative.