Card Inflation?

ndleo

Anyone who follows the commodity markets knows that prices have increased significantly since the summer and are forecast to go higher in 2011. One of the reason cited is the amount of cash the Fed is printing is causing investors to speculate on commodities to get a higher return. The art and historical antique market is strong, is the sportscard market next?

During the crash of late 2007-2009, graded sportscard actually did pretty good compared to real estate and stocks. It could have been a delayed effect since the overall card market seems to be down. Compared to other investments sportscards have good liquidity.

So is it a good time to buy?

ThoseBackPages

This is the best time to buy imo. i have been collecting slabs for 5+ years now, and the prices have never been lower.

That being said, it is tougher and tougher to find eBay sellers with the stones to list true auctions.

WinPitcher

It's always a good time to buy.

As long as you buy properly graded material.


And as long as you pay what you feel is proper value.

digicat

<< <i>So is it a good time to buy? >>



Depends. If you're collecting vintage HoFers, maybe. If you're thinking of buying "low pop" graded commons, then no.

RipublicaninMass

<< <i>Anyone who follows the commodity markets knows that prices have increased significantly since the summer and are forecast to go higher in 2011. >>






(card) prices have never been lower.

As a great man once said "I can't eat my cards, so I am auctioning off all my auto'd 52's"

chaz43

Auctions on feebay are drying up, big auction houses are very expensive and BIN's are taking over....prices are going to go up and stay up....vintage is vintage and will not stay down much longer...you cheapskates and bottom feeders better hurry...chaz

akuracy503

Let's get serious here for a minute...are vintage (pre 1970's) cards really going to go up in price?
Granted consumer spending is leaning towards stronger than the last few years but does this really translate to sportscards?

I do like the reference to other genre's such as art and historical items holding strong, any other area's worth "investing" in before a price hike.

ndleo

<< <i>Let's get serious here for a minute...are vintage (pre 1970's) cards really going to go up in price?
Granted consumer spending is leaning towards stronger than the last few years but does this really translate to sportscards?

I do like the reference to other genre's such as art and historical items holding strong, any other area's worth "investing" in before a price hike. >>



When talking about "investable" graded cards, the discussion should probably be limited high grade (PSA 8/9, PSA 7 or lower on some really key cards like the 1952 Mantle) pre-1970's key star cards. The scale would drift a little down to the mid grade for the pre-war stuff. The lower grade cards would probably rise along with the high grade stuff, albeit at a slower pace.

Dialj

I have heard that gold and platinum is really doing well. I would still take vintage any day. I can hold them and remember that feeling I always got watching all the games.

weinhold

<< <i>Auctions on feebay are drying up, big auction houses are very expensive and BIN's are taking over....prices are going to go up and stay up....vintage is vintage and will not stay down much longer...you cheapskates and bottom feeders better hurry...chaz >>



LOLOLOLOL!

mtcards

<< <i>Auctions on feebay are drying up, big auction houses are very expensive and BIN's are taking over....prices are going to go up and stay up....vintage is vintage and will not stay down much longer...you cheapskates and bottom feeders better hurry...chaz >>



Agreed. I have been buying "lots" of a particular type on ebay (all via auction btw) and turning around and selling them on sportlots and other sites. Granted, there are dozens of these type lots ending every day, but only a few will return positive results. In the last month, I bought two lots, one at $13.76 and one at $21.00 respectively and have tripled my money on both lots. How long will it be before sellers stop selling those cards in lots (or at all for that matter) because of how little they are getting??

cadets68

Keep in mind that as the Fed weakens the dollar, some commodities go up. Others go down. Check the price of commodities that are not transported world wide, like natural gas. It continues to drop in price. Cards are probably more domestic than global. Art and antiques have scarcity and people in other countries where their currency is getting stronger help to drive up the price.

I can not answer if now is a good time to buy. I do know that it is better to buy now than it was a few years ago. But that does not mean prices will not continue to drop.

I know some people who bought up real estate when it started to drop. They thought they were getting great deals. The prices have continued to drop and drop.

If you try and pick bottom you will only get poop under your fingernails.

Just keep buying, just like dollar cost averaging into your retirement account. You will buy some high and low.

Good luck

Shawn

Dpeck100

The ultra high end sports cards are getting more expensive.

The less common are holding their ground.


The very common are losing value as people need to free up cash.

MULLINS5

<< <i>It's always a good time to buy.

As long as you buy properly graded material.


And as long as you pay what you feel is proper value. >>