Heritage Auction last night...
mintonlypls
Posts: 2,015 ✭✭✭✭✭
Observations:
- PSA-9s are becoming pricey
- PSA-10s are becoming cost prohibitive
1957 Ted Williams PSA-9 $138,000
1961 Clemente PSA-9 $37000
1962 Maris PSA-9 $105,000
1966 Mays PSA-9 $38,000
1971 McCovey PSA-9 $12,000
1971 Blyleven PSA-10 $138,000
1971 Stargell PSA-9 $21,500
1972 Reggie PSA-10 $50,400
1972 ClementE PSA-10 $48,000
1972 Rose PSA-10 $66,000
mint_only_pls
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There were some cards I wanted none of them won by me.
The card I really wanted was the SGC7 1957 Aaron. Went for $2400 with buyers premium - previous all time high was $1,737 for a PSA 7. I thought bidding higher than the highest ever PSA sale would get it for me so went $1850 but missed it by $550 and wasn’t even close. Does PSA really sell for more now or do collectors pay up for nice cards regardless? Think others have caught on to my strategy.
The other card I really wanted was the ‘66 Mays OPC in a PSA 8. I never bid on it because it was higher than I would go with days left. Went for $12,600 with buyers premium. There was no sales history (which is common for OPC) but OPC usually go for 80% to 150% of the Topps price. The Topps price is about $2600 on that card so went for almost 500% of the Topps price.
Bid on a few others and didn’t win but they were not anything I really prioritized.
Prices were strong on everything I was watching.
SGC cards are rising as well since the equivalent grade PSAs are taking off in price to the point that collectors/investors are looking for alternatives.
I agree that prices were very strong!
it is staggering to me that a 1971 Blyleven rookie in psa 10 can go for 138K.
my little old psa 8 is probably a $600 card.
wow
George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.
138K, that's insane. While I appreciate the market going up it just does not add up!
Successful card BST transactions with cbcnow, brogurt, gstarling, Bravesfan 007, and rajah 424.
Nice to see the 66 Mays OPC PSA 8 go for that price. Watching an OPC Lemieux PSA 10 ending tonight sitting at 56k with BP, will be interesting to see how that finishes.
On the Blyleven it is a pop 1. I never criticize how someone else collects. To that buyer this could be their grail card. If they have the means - go for it. I am sure they are enjoying it and it means a lot to them. At least two people felt that way to get the price where it is.
I will never have the means to consider 10s - but to be honest if I did back when they were cheaper, nothing has gone up more.
I could make an argument for the price - (not that I think this way). There are 280 8s and one 10. it is 280 x more rare. $600 x 280 is $168,000.
Again I personally would not value it that way.
No matter the price I always say congrats to the buyer. Obviously the card means more to that person than $138K does. Seems like it went to the right home.
Mays and Lemieux are in the GOAT discussion so it makes more sense for their cards to skyrocket. Not Bert B.
Successful card BST transactions with cbcnow, brogurt, gstarling, Bravesfan 007, and rajah 424.
What do you think a 1971 PSA 9 Gibson would go for based on these results? If a PSA 9 McCovey and Stargell go for those prices, would a bob gibson too? There are 29 PSA 9’s w/o qualifiers, 32 with.
I recently purchased a 1971 Bob Gibson PSA-9 for $3200...and glad I did.
Any idea what a 1971 Ryan PSA-9 would fetch? Memory Lane has one up for auction starting February 5th...I am interested!
The Blyleven is from the Dmitri Young Collection. Heritage sold it 11 months ago for 55K. From my observations it seems that Heritage has a strong customer base since they auction the same card multiple times over the years. My only reservation concerning these prices is: who's buying it down the road once all the boomers are gone...... Gen Z? Millennials?
As brad31 said...... congrats to the buyer, had the means and got it.
I'm guessing 25k-up. There are no 10s. Nolan collectors will pay up as these don't pop up very often and it being in a very popular set will bring a nice price my opinion.
71's are a whole different breed of card....
UFFDAH, I agree, it's probably my favorite set.
Successful card BST transactions with cbcnow, brogurt, gstarling, Bravesfan 007, and rajah 424.
Chris...
You will break the bank on the 1971 Aaron...what a stunning card. I believe you bought it in a Heritage Auction when you sold off some of your collection.
Monte
I couldmake an argument that > @sayheywyo said:
I am Gen X and I won a 1958 Richie Ashburn on EBay last night. That will be no different than a millennial winning a 1971 Blyleven when they reach my age.
Gen X was part of the 80s boom - Gen Z experienced the “pandemic” boom or whatever this ultra-modern market ends up being called. Many from Gen X came back into the hobby over the years - a few of us never left. I bet the same happens for Gen Z.
Collectors change interest over time in the hobby and many will collect different areas over time.
I have no idea what the future holds - but there are a few YouTubers who collect pre-war and are barely out of high school. Those of us with the collector gene are going to collect something. I bet sportscards are still going to be it for a decent segment of the population. It could go the way of stamps - but I doubt that it will. Time will tell.
1961 Wilt Rookies in PSA 9 have gone to a different stratosphere. $348,000
That Aaron card is so pretty, it’s almost funny. The top border is insane. #Art work.
Oops
Live long, and prosper.
Missed on this one last night at the last second. $8700 for a 4.5.
With these prices might be time to sell extras a few so I can upgrade a few Mantle’s.
KC
@brad31 : No argument intended. Totally agree that collecting sportscards will remain relevant for years to come. I just don't see the desire for Blyleven in future generations unlike UFFDAH's Aaron. Wow!!! Congrats on the '58 Ashburn..... probably his best year.
Let's see, for $138,000 I could buy a 1971 Topps Bert Blyleven or a 1952 Topps Mantle in decent condition. Decisions, decisions...
As far as being a 1 of 1, why would anyone really care? It's still just a card of the immortal Bert Blyleven. I'm sorry, but this is just getting silly. A lot of people are going to get burned when they try to cash in their baseball card "portfolio" in 20 years.
Is it just me, or does anyone else hear the voice of Chris Berman doing a sportscast saying - Bert "be home" Blyleven
Most of the boomers are scoffing at these current prices of cards like the Blyleven because they are accustomed to far lower prices.
For the most part t's not the boomers buying these.
bert was a great pitcher, a top 30-40 I believe. he was not, however, a fan favorite. while It is a condition rarity, I am truly surprised there was enough demand for a 138k price tag.
i too am happy for the buyer. it is a great card, just surprised at the price have paid up on cards others probably are not interested in as well, just not to that level.
George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.
I think this way as well when buying and selling. The person buying the Blyleven however probably does not. They just buy both and then sip on his/her champagne 😁
Yup, if you can pay 138k for a Bert Blyleven card, you can pay another 138k for the Mantle. Probably got rich with Bitcoin or some other crypto!
Just amazing prices and the hobby is in good shape. So true. If you can pay 138k for a Bert card, you can pay another 138k for the Mantle.
My first guess as to the buyer of the Bert Blyleven is Bert Blyleven.
The Blyleven 75 rack went for $4200!! Something going on with Bert 🤣
The jig is up, Bert, you're buying your own cards to create demand! Pretty lame!
I get ill when I think back at what I've sold over the years. I had a '71 Stargell PSA 9 that came in a high grade partial set I bought. I sold one for $455 back in 2011.
What’s particularly silly is that this card would almost certainly have gotten a PSA 9 if graded 15 years later, in which case it would be worth $4K instead of $138 K.
Gemint...
I think that all of us have had sales that we have regretted.
Mine are: 1. 1957 Mantle PSA-8.5, 2. 1967 Seaver RC PSA-9 (my PSA-8.5 is nicer, the PSA-9 serial number was 02xxxxxx, so an early graded card before 1/2 point grading scale implemented) and 3. 1969 Reggie RC PSA-9 (again my PSA-8.5 is nicer...BTW Thunder Dan was rejected 4 times on this card for a bump. I tried once encouraged by Jeff Foy and received the lucky bump to a PSA-9).
So...moral of the story is buy and hold!
You don't know that. Just because you can't afford this tier of the hobby, don't be a hater.
The good thing about not using your hobby to fund your hobby is no regrets of selling anything. Last sale was as a kid at our garage sale in the early 80s. The bad thing is you miss out on purchases you wish you made - I need and want that card - don’t have the funds now.
Instead of regretting the ones you sold you regret the ones you missed out on buying!
I wasn't hating, just stating my opinion. And if I could afford to buy 138k card, it sure as heck wouldn't be Bert Blyleven!
It worked to get him into the Hall.
There remain too many unknowns in terms of valuations for topps high grade early 1970s cards, including what has survived and has yet to be graded. I suspect much has already been acknowledged about the black border and centering for the 1971 topps series that prevent a 9 or 10 grade. Its not hate that drives commentary as to valuations, but more of a genuine concern as whether this activity is sustainable and whether the focus will remain at the 9 or 10 grade level.
Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.
MisterTim seems to have a negative twist to every post that I have read. Are you a collector or just trying to ruffle feathers?
Just trying to warn people here. I collected in the late 1980's when everyone was "investing" in baseball cards. I saw how the market crashed and burned and just hate to see people "investing" in cards again. They will crash and burn once again. Bet on it.
Investing on stocks. A lot of the companies people invest in are not very sound and in fact lie to the public about their financial standing. But you will have people like Cramer telling you to buy them. Then your portfolio crashes.
In the card market, the buyer has direct knowledge of what he is buying. The player, the issue, etc. And if you are buying a graded version, you have even more knowledge. I think Cards are a solid investment and really have been forever, when taken in the totality of their existence.
I feel like I have more direct knowledge of a PSA 9 Mantle then to buying 100 shares of Nextal Biogen services, inc.
Big difference between buying a PSA 9 Mantle card and spending 138k on a Bert Blyleven card! I'm going to start another thread about this subject. It's a reality check for anyone who's investing in alleged 1 of 1 cards, like the '71 Bert Blyleven.
Anyone spending $138k on a Blyleven rookie probably wouldn't miss the money if it evaporated. People invented NFT's because the wealthy are running out of things to buy. So I doubt the new owner of the Blyleven will lose sleep over whether or not it will hold its value.
So, you were a collector back in 1980-90s and you decided to get on a message board 30 years later to warn everyone how disastrous it is to be buying cards? The stock market is also going to crash as well, so are you on the DOW message board warning those guys?
This ^
Plus as stated above you collected 30 years ago, and decided to come out now and issue warnings to people in a hobby you don’t participate in on a message board? Makes zero sense just like I don’t go to the local toy store looking for Big Wheels to ride or a slip and slide since I have not done those in 30+ years.🙄
MisterTim1962 is entitled to his opinion. Nobody knows what things will look like 20 years from now. I would say that I agree in so far as I am not counting in my sportscards as part of my retirement (or an investment at all for that matter). I would definitely take care of your 401k before your sportscard investments. I have laid out why I think cards will be fine in the future, but my opinion is just that. None of us know. He could easily be right.
Twenty years is a long time. When you went to the National in Chicago until a few years ago there was on display the foremost Hummel collection in the world. They since moved it to a strip mall in Rosemont down the street. That collection is worth a fraction of what it cost the collector to put together. Don’t know if Donald E Stephens heirs know or care what was put into the collection or what it is worth today. Read up on them - it is one of tons of examples of collectible markets that have become unpopular and then the pendulum shifts to where supply severely outstrips demand.
I haven't collected much in the last 20 years, but have been selling my cards on eBay since 1999. I sold the last of my collection probably around five years ago. I have been here many times over the years, but never created an account or posted anything. I do know what I'm talking about and do see what's coming.
The same thing happened in crypto and the stock market. People are blindly buying with the thought that their investment will only go up in value. Doesn't work that way. We've had a crypto correction and now a stock market correction.
Do you think it won't happen in the sports card market as well? Just my take on the current investment mania that has taken over this hobby...