Time to Sell?
Avardan
Posts: 22 ✭✭
A couple of weeks ago I was in a discussion with my brother-in-law about cars. He runs a Precision Tune up in Minnesota and was remarking that my dream car ('68 Mustang) was selling for $40k about 5 years ago, but now is going for around $25k. His thought was that the younger generation really doesn't care about the older cars like we do, thus the demand is steadily going down.
The thought occurred to me last weekend as I had bought a few packs of cards for my son, and was showing him my 1952s. He didn't seem all that interested and didn't care about why Gus Zernial had 6 balls stuck to his bat, or why Larry Jansen was holding up 7 fingers. It seems that this newer generation really doesn't care so much about the history, nor will they ever - like the interest in old cars.
This brings me to my point: I'm thinking that this is the right time to sell. The prices are skyrocketing. My generation isn't getting any younger (I started collecting in 1978) and perhaps - perhaps - there won't be the huge demand in the coming years that there is now. It may be that in the coming decade something I sell now for $500 might very well have lost significant value and I could snatch it up (if I so desired) later in life.
Thoughts?
Collecting...
1978 Topps Baseball autograph set
1952 Topps Baseball raw
Comments
Humm. There are lots of discussions on the exploding prices and theories on the what / when and why, if you search around.
It is interesting re your 68 Mustang comment. My brother is in the high end car restoration business and he has never been busier. His stories about what people are buying and paying is amazing. Even the auto auction shows are setting record prices.
So, who knows.
That's the $64K question.
Might depend if you're a hobbyist /collector or an investor.
I'm not too anxious to sell and see years of hard work down the drain. For what?? A huge profit and a massive tax bill!!?? lol
My heirs can deal with it. I have liquidation instructions (if needed)
not sure how close your brother in law are, but i own quite a few classic cars myself including a 65 mustang and 71 mach1. i have turned down quite a few respectable offers. of course as w cars, cards are all about condition. prices are strong on both, so i would suggest selling. i would hold any cards partial to you or the ones your son actually does like for sentimental value. keep in mind, just because he doesn't like them today, doesn't mean he won't tomorrow. i remember thinking girls were gross once.
I appreciate your perspective..... I have seen nothing along the lines of collector auto's decreasing in price as Mecum auctions etc consistently break records for Porsche's and Ferrari's etc.... and today we have private equity funds buying Michael Jordan and Wayne Gretzky RC's etc. ~by the barrel.... but I do get your concept of selling and I would concur to a degree with your way of thinking.... I think 1952 Topps BB cards will consistently rise in value as sophisticated money chase the Rembrandt's of that era....... Art, Collectibles etc are very frothy no doubt with interest rates next to zero .... banks are dying to lend money to anyone with a pulse... I would share your optimism for selling IF I knew interest rates were going to rise quickly higher with Inflation ~~~~ Then I would be more ready to eject some assets like we are discussing...... Ultimately I agree with you that if you feel squeamish Sell.... you cannot go wrong taking profit .... but then where do you stick your money ? Bonds are a dog with fleas.
My son didn’t seem interested in my cards a year ago. Now he loves them. Collectors of modern cards and sneakers are gradually migrating into vintage— not Gus Zernial or Razor Shines or Sixto Lezcano but certainly Mantle and Ruth. Yet I think the key is not what others think or may like or not like but what each individual likes— and that individual doing just that, and thereby enjoying themselves.
The way I’ve chosen to make sense of things is by sticking to my core of being a collector who truly loves his hobby and derives great enjoyment from it. I can chat with fellow hobbyists about whatever the craziness du jour is in the hobby, and have fun shooting that breeze— but in the end when it comes to decisions about my own collection, I simply collect as I always have. I may come across new pieces I want and then do some selling; I may reshape and shift gears now and then; but I always make it about what pieces I appreciate and what makes me happy, never about whatever storm or activity is going on outside the sacrosanct quiet space that exists between me and my cards.
It may be that cards get even more popular than they are in this surging time. It may not be. I think the truth for many of us, and I have read this sentiment posted here often over the years, is that collectors are equally happy no matter what prices are doing. I’m thrilled if my cards go down in value because I’m hardly ever selling and prefer to keep— and I can buy more at lower prices then. I’m okay (though actually not as happy) if my cards soar in value, because extra financial safety is good, though what I want to buy becomes more expensive and likely harder to find. So it’s all good. The one constant, fixed variable in the equation is a collector collecting and enjoying the cards.
and while i think you need to requestion those figures on classic cars that your BIL stated, please also keep in mind that while both are discretionary & collectible items, they are two completely separate markets. just because the collectibility of stamps or beanie babies died, doesn't mean cards or cars will.
Blurry,
Sorry for the slight hijack but my brother and me just bought this Mustang. 20k miles, Original owner. Was ordered for police department but dealer kept it as PD never took delivery. We used to own a 66 hardtop and 68 Shelby GT350 but sadly sold.
Like 80’s cards, the 80’s cars are emerging as that gen comes into some disposable income.
The younger generation doesn't care about Monet or Renoir or any other old art, but they also keep setting records.
I think it's less generational than it is economic. While the economy in general sucks, the rich are still hella rich and they'll spend on anything. Heck, have you seen those "exclusive" blockchain NBA videos that people are paying $70,000 and up for? It's a video! Of a dunk we could watch for free on TV!
that is awesome! if it's a pd order then i guarantee you it should have all sorts of other bells & whistles like additional suspension that probably aren't easily seen. paint looks super clean too. i would definitely have it checked out prior to ever selling it or comping it to a regular civilian 5.0 off the floor. some low line white walls would really make that paint pop. my best friend in high school had that same car in green but it had the 5.NO 4 cylinder. 😉. btw: can't remember off the top of my head, but there's a mustang website you can go to and type in the vin number to find out all the factory specs on it.
i knew the 80s cars were on the brink of coming back a few years back. i bought a couple of 1st gen honda accords, 81s i think. one from cali that only had 13k miles on it. original everything. paid $4k for it. get just as many, or more, compliments strolling in that thing as i do in some of the others. and worse conditioned ones are fetching 5 figures these days and only going up by the day. honda's were a lot of people's first cars and they did a lot of first things ever in them. same goes for datsuns, mazda r600etc, smaller blazers etc.
Keep in mind, kids have loved collecting things and cards for 100+ years.
Dad smoked the cigarettes and Jr wanted the cards
people have collected cards for over 130 years. I would imagine that would continue for a long time after I am gone. Investors will come and go. I rarely sell, so price swings dont affect me all that much other than when they are high, I cant afford as much.
George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.
I think that vintage cards of popular HOFs in high grade will always be in demand and appreciate or at least hold their value.
Nice. Which engine is in your Mach I and what color? My father (who has since passed) was a car guy and for a long time while I was growing up, he had a '67 Ford pickup with a 429 SCJ that I suspect came out of Mustang Mach I or maybe a Cougar at some point. It was completely rebuilt and had the big carb, rollin cam, headers, etc. but man could that thing roar. I have no idea why he put it in a truck but that's what he wanted to do. Of course, I was a kid so it probably seemed a lot faster to me back then. With the type of factory production power coming out these days, it would probably be slow. LOL I still wouldn't mind having that truck these days.