September 1990 Prices! WOW

frankhardy

I just got bought a small collection and it had an old Beckett in it from September 1990. You probably remember it - the one with Rickey Henderson on it and the yellow border. Anyway, I got to looking at some of those prices. I was stunned. I mean really stunned. See, I started collecting as a kid in the mid 80's. By about 1988 I got into more of the basketball cards. By 1990 I was totally out of collecting.

Here are some of the prices (hi Beckett) that surprised me. Most of these had an "up" arrow beside them.

1986 Donruss Canseco - $120 (I knew it got over $100, but I didn't know it went that high)
1986 Fleer Canseco - $55
1990 Score Set - $45
1988 Fleer Set - $50
1988 Donruss Set - $27
1987 Topps Set - $42
1987 Fleer Set - $115 (w/ Bonds only being $6)
1987 Fleer Canseco - $13.50
1987 Fleer Bo Jackson $21
1987 Donruss Set - $80
1986 Fleer Set - $130
1986 Donruss Set - $180
1985 Donruss Set - $165
1984 Topps Set - $115
1984 Fleer Set - $165
1984 Donruss Set - $335
1983 Topps Traded Set - $100
1980 Topps Set - $225
1980 Topps Henderson - $150
1982 Topps Traded Ripken - only $25
1983 Donruss and Fleer Sets - $100 each
1983 Topps Set - $125
1984 Fleer Update Puckett - $180
1984 Fleer Clemens - only $140



Oh, to be able to sell some of those sets at those prices!

sagard

That hurts. The worst part is that I still have all almost all those sets and in September of 1990 I was hustling for $4 Friday and Saturday nights for my beer cup.

milbroco

Boy do I wish I could go back in time! I used to sell at card shows in the mid 80's and early 90's. I kept track of a lot of my sales but over time my papers got lost in the shuffle. Every once in a while I find some papers and are amazed at some of the prices I got. A few that come to mind are a 1988 Topps Football rack pack with Bo Jackson on top for $45.00. I bought a case of 1989 Hoops I basketball (for $200.00) and I sold boxes for between $100.00 to $115.00 EACH! Boy were they haot with the David Robinson rookie. I only sold 4 at those prices though. The remainder of the case (less 4 boxes I still have) sold for anywhere between $25.00 and $50.00 each. Boy where those the days!

meuandthelot

Turning those dollars into Vintage buys.....Priceless

jradke4

anyone have the latest beckett to compare the then and now prices

XanaduNow

<< <i>anyone have the latest beckett to compare the then and now prices >>



1986 Donruss Canseco - $120 (I knew it got over $100, but I didn't know it went that high) ---- $10
1986 Fleer Canseco - $55 ---- $8
1990 Score Set - $45 ---- $15
1988 Fleer Set - $50 ---- $15
1988 Donruss Set - $27 ---- $10
1987 Topps Set - $42 ---- $25
1987 Fleer Set - $115 (w/ Bonds only being $6) ---- $60
1987 Fleer Canseco - $13.50 ---- $not listed
1987 Fleer Bo Jackson $21 ---- $8
1987 Donruss Set - $80 ---- $40
1986 Fleer Set - $130 ---- $40
1986 Donruss Set - $180 ---- $40
1985 Donruss Set - $165 ---- $60
1984 Topps Set - $115 ---- $50
1984 Fleer Set - $165 ---- $50
1984 Donruss Set - $335 ---- $80
1983 Topps Traded Set - $100 ---- $40
1980 Topps Set - $225 ---- $120
1980 Topps Henderson - $150 ---- $50
1982 Topps Traded Ripken - only $25 ---- $150
1983 Donruss and Fleer Sets - $100 each ---- $60 each
1983 Topps Set - $125 ---- 80
1984 Fleer Update Puckett - $180 ---- $80
1984 Fleer Clemens - only $140 ---- $325


Arthur

mikeschmidt

Let's be fair, though - Beckett had ridiculously high prices then and it still does now.

Most of the now prices are grossly overstated for the listed products.

XanaduNow

<< <i>Let's be fair, though - Beckett had ridiculously high prices then and it still does now.

Most of the now prices are grossly overstated for the listed products. >>



Hmmm ... yes and no. Recently I started dumping all of my modern stuff because it's way to volatile and has no value to me other than the ability to resell. When it came to modern-issue rookie cards of players that were performing beyond expectations Beckett was significantly behind in what these cards were going for in the open market (eBay). I'd say they're usually behind in whatever is hot at the moment (and rightfully so, considering the gross fluctuations of the modern stuff) but as far as the 80s stuff goes they're probably right around the average.

Two things to consider:

1.) The prices listed above were for "High" value column. The way I look at it is, the high column just about represents what you'd expect to pay in a local card shop. The low value column is what you could expect to pay on eBay. Here are just some examples of what I yanked off eBay for completed recent auctions.

The first value will be for what the set actually sold for on eBay and the following figure will be the "low" column in Beckett:

1985 Donruss Factory sealed set --- $45 --- Beckett Low ($50)
1987 Donruss Factory sealed set --- $15 --- Beckett Low ($20)
1984 Donruss Set --- $36 --- Beckett Low ($40)

I could go on and on but with the exception of the occasional abnomaly I think you'll find this to be relatively accurate. When you consider in the shipping charges you have to pay -- which everyone factors into their total bid price -- then they seem to be spot on.

That being said, the only time I ever look in a Beckett is when I'm killing time on my Glory Chair.

Arthur

Edited to add: I just realized that I said "Two things to consider:" and never added a sceond thing. For the life of me I can't remember what my second point was.

bri2327

I can remember when I was 15 or 16, which would have been '88 or '89, and needed cash. I sold my hand collated 85 & 86 donruss set for $250. At the time I was so mad because I thought I was giving them away for nothing. I have since repurchased each in factory form for a total of around $50.

Brian48

I don't have it handy at the moment, but I recently found an old Beckett from 1982. Here is one of the things I first noticed.

1968 Nolan Ryan rookie = 7.50
1981 Fleer Graig Nettles "C" error = $15

dranoz

I had 4 '86 Donruss Cansecos I pulled from packs and sold 3 for $60 each - $100 book at that time, so of course I was annoyed but there was no eBay way back then - at Ye Olde Card Shoppe.

Now I wish I had blown the other one out.

RipublicaninMass

1984 Donruss Set - $335 ---- $80


I think this set is poised for a dramatic increase!

XanaduNow

<< <i>1984 Donruss Set - $335 ---- $80


I think this set is poised for a dramatic increase! >>



I completely agree.

Arthur

larryallen73

Those prices were high but... I remember, about May 1991, selling 1980 Ricky Hendersons for $125 each TO card shops who listed them for $200. I only had a few but glad I sold them then!

frankhardy

Speaking of high prices - a local man just told me the other day that back in 1998, he sold 5 1985 Topps Mark McGwire's (raw) for $400 each.

TZAHL

I bought a PSA 8 McGwire off the Bay for $125 and was looking for a quick flip (I think $275 was what I was looking to get) but the card took a month to get to me and by then had dropped below $100 so I just decided to keep it and put it in my set. I would take $75 for one in a heartbeat now!

briank1971

This is a supply/demand thing... there are tons of those cards out there and no obvious reason that demand is going to be triggered up. These players' careers are over and the majority of the hobby dollars are busy chasing the trendy new stuff just like it was back in '90 when people were waisting money on essentially unproven players' rookie cards. The best time to collect/keep a rookie card is seven years after they've retired and/or 2 years after they've gone HOF.
bk
collect because you love it, not because you need it to make you money

Allen

In ten years I will pull up this thread and say "The Pujols was going for $4,000 and now $50. Ryan Howard $850 and now $10."

baseballfanatic

Gotta look at the glass as half full rather than half empty. In the same mag you could have purchased 86 Fleer Basketball for 50.00 a set, 86 Topps Football for 11.95 a set, and just about any Hockey set for 10.95. If this was THAT easy, our wives would be doing it........

Skinpinch

I love the old stories of sales. In the late 80's I sold some Eric Davis Donruss rookies to a regular customer at the bargain basement price of $27 each. I believe he bought five of them, and that was at a good customer discount. Those stories are all over the place and not to surprising.

What did surprise me is that I was going through some old Ebay papers in the den(paper and pen record keeeping), and here are a few things I noticed from 1999 sales on Ebay that I forgot about and surprised me.



'83 Fleer Cal Ripken Raw NM/MT $12
'84 Donruss Cal Ripken Raw Nm/MT $16

1974 Julius Erving Raw NM $40
1975 Julius Erving Raw NM $25

1969 Lew Alcindor SGC 88 $1,350

The basketball market has hit the skids(except for the big three).

It seems in the last four years or so, the only 80's baseball card that hasn't gone down is the Fleer Clemens. I don't even know if those Ripkens will even sell for a dollar now.

RipublicaninMass

<< <i>Gotta look at the glass as half full rather than half empty. In the same mag you could have purchased 86 Fleer Basketball for 50.00 a set, 86 Topps Football for 11.95 a set, and just about any Hockey set for 10.95. If this was THAT easy, our wives would be doing it........ >>





Yeah cue the REAL ESTATE MARKET ahahahahhahaa

bri2327

<< <i>Speaking of high prices - a local man just told me the other day that back in 1998, he sold 5 1985 Topps Mark McGwire's (raw) for $400 each. >>



A guy I know owned a video store, and he would put all sorts of stuff in it on consignment, including cards, and in 98 he sold a McGwire for $1200 right after the record fell.

A761506

Reading the old Beckett mags that I saved from my childhood is enjoyable from time to time. I can remember being so excited around the time of the month the new issue was supposed to be delivered. I used to look up every one of my cards, even highlighted them in a few issues. It was baseball card bliss at 12 & 13 years old. The 1984 Donruss set was the king of the 80's sets, seen as ultra high-end.

I can remember a dealer offering to buy as many of those 86 Donruss Canseco cards as he could get for $100 a piece.

I used to think the 1986 Topps Traded Set was one of the best sets ever because of all the rookies, with Canseco and Jackson leading the pack, followed by Pete Incaviglia, Will Clark, Bobby Bonilla, Wally Joyner, Andres Galarraga, Mitch Williams, Danny Tartabull & Bonds. Even the second-tier rookies at the time seemed like hot cards: Kurt Stillwell, Robby Thompson, Dave Sveum, Rob Deer & Bobby Witt. No one knew who Kevin Mitchell was until midway through the 1987 season when he was racking up homers. His cards went crazy for a couple months near the end of the 1987 season, and then again for a short time after he made the bare-hand outfield catch.

Funny how things change in this hobby.

TZAHL

Kevin Mitchell! Ha! That reminds me of a story when I was 10 my 3 year old sister ripped 3 of my Kevin Mitchell Topps RCs and I went ballistic on her. I wanted to hit her so bad! Glad mom was there to stop the madness!

Now I should let her hit me for ever thining that!

frankhardy

<< <i>

<< <i>Speaking of high prices - a local man just told me the other day that back in 1998, he sold 5 1985 Topps Mark McGwire's (raw) for $400 each. >>



A guy I know owned a video store, and he would put all sorts of stuff in it on consignment, including cards, and in 98 he sold a McGwire for $1200 right after the record fell. >>




Was that a raw one? Wow!

bri2327

<< <i>

<< <i>

<< <i>Speaking of high prices - a local man just told me the other day that back in 1998, he sold 5 1985 Topps Mark McGwire's (raw) for $400 each. >>



A guy I know owned a video store, and he would put all sorts of stuff in it on consignment, including cards, and in 98 he sold a McGwire for $1200 right after the record fell. >>




Was that a raw one? Wow! >>



Yep, raw..and I am sure it wasnt more than a PSA 8 card. Just another case of novice buyers having to have something when its hot.

Recall when Puckett died his cards were going for insane money. I seem to remember his 86 topps going for $70-80. A week later they were back down to fifty cents.

baseballfanatic

I remember getting 30 bucks apiece cash or 50 bucks in trade for all of my 1985 Donruss Eric Davis's, 5.00 for 87 Donruss David Cones and Mike Greenwells etc etc. No wonder most of the card shops went out of business. At least it was money well spent (on my part at least).....