Ridiculous

[CMIZ5290]

Agreed....interesting article, i did not even know that there was a psa 10 clemente rookie.....

[scmavl]

So are you calling me LUDICROUS for buying that PSA 10 Aaron RC???

Oh wait, I meant SGC 10... My bad...

[Abravefan11]

I think it's worth keeping in mind that everyone has a personal threshold for what is ludicrous. While some people's may be the premium paid for a 10 over a 9, others would consider $100 for a piece of cardboard ludicrous. To each their own.

[terjung]

Originally Posted by Abravefan11

others would consider $100 for a piece of cardboard ludicrous.

Good point.

In the grand scheme of things, we all collect cardboard pictures of dead guys who used to play a game. There's not a whole lot of intrinsic value in that. (...says the guys who has spent more than he cares to admit)

[barrysloate]

The prices do seem crazy but the label says "10" and that's what they are buying. The "9" may look just as nice but the label doesn't read "10", it reads "9." And that's all the difference in the world.

You also have to appreciate just how much money some people have, so paying six figures sums for some of these cards may not be a big deal to them.

I find the sale fascinating and the question I would ask is not how someone could afford 432K for a Clemente, but why someone would actually think it is worth that much. I bet you would get some interesting answers.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by barrysloate

I find the sale fascinating and the question I would ask is not how someone could afford 432K for a Clemente, but why someone would actually think it is worth that much. I bet you would get some interesting answers.

For friendly debate........I am not saying this as necessarily a bad thing but I think I can sum up why it is worth 423k in one word. Ego.

I even admit to collecting and having an "ego" doing it. Why would we ever pay 100s or 1000s for these pieces of cardboard otherwise.

[RichardSimon]

Leon - I am rarely on this side of the board but this thread caught my eye, and your analysis hit the nail on the head.
EGO,,, mine is better than yours, mine is bigger than yours,, older, rich white men playing with what was originally children's cardboard.
To each his own I guess.
Oh, and let's not forget the power of the PSA Set Registry and the ego involved with that. The autograph/memorabilia guys that I know tend to chuckle about registry sets but the marketing genius at PSA who dreamed that one up does deserve a bonus.
I think many if not all collectors do have some ego about what they have. On the autograph side why do so many of us frame our pieces and mount them on walls all over our homes. I know I do . I love it when a visitor makes a glowing comment about my Thomas Jefferson or Abraham Lincoln signed documents.

[barrysloate]

Ego is absolutely part of the equation. Maybe the winning bidder believes this is the best Clemente rookie known. Maybe if he was told it was the fourth best he wouldn't even have placed a bid. Who knows. But one thing I believe is he really does think the card is worth that much money. I don't think just because people have a lot of money they are willing to make stupid purchases. Bill Gates can afford to pay $1000 for a hamburger but he never will because he knows no burger is worth that. So I bet the winning bidder will not only tell you he got a good deal but that it was undervalued. And maybe next time around someone will pay him 600K and he'll turn out to be right.

[Al C.risafulli]

I used to work for a guy who would only drive a Mercedes. He had five or six of them, and if you asked him why he didn't sell one and buy a Cadillac, a Ferrarri, a Ford Taurus or whatever, he'd reply that he would only drive "the best car." It didn't matter if it was a completely subjective thing, in his opinion, Mercedes was the "best."

In some people's opinion, a PSA 10 is "the best." It's just another way to collect. I have no issue with it.

-Al

[kcohen]

I find the characterization of "ludicrous" as overly judgmental. If you've got the bucks and it brings you some pleasure, whether it be ego-driven, investment-driven or whatever, why not? Each to his own.

[sportscardtheory]

Originally Posted by RichardSimon

Leon - I am rarely on this side of the board but this thread caught my eye, and your analysis hit the nail on the head.
EGO,,, mine is better than yours, mine is bigger than yours,, older, rich white men playing with what was originally children's cardboard.
To each his own I guess.
Oh, and let's not forget the power of the PSA Set Registry and the ego involved with that. The autograph/memorabilia guys that I know tend to chuckle about registry sets but the marketing genius at PSA who dreamed that one up does deserve a bonus.
I think many if not all collectors do have some ego about what they have. On the autograph side why do so many of us frame our pieces and mount them on walls all over our homes. I know I do . I love it when a visitor makes a glowing comment about my Thomas Jefferson or Abraham Lincoln signed documents.

Sorry, I saw this and had to say something. You do know who bought and sold this, right? I don't know what "old and white" has to do with anything when it was a 38 year old black man who just sold this collection.