Still say this card in the link that sold, is not a Gem Mint 10. If it were a SGC 98 or BVG 9.5 it would have been scrutinized even more. Slightly older label, apparently weaker grading standards yielded this one a "Gem Mint 10" grade. A bit bogus though not criminally bogus like some grades I've seen. I'd still rather have a high end 9 and save the $$$.
<< <i>I respectfully couldn't disagree more, in terms of an overgrazed 9 getting more respect than an under graded 8, just because of their monetary value. In fact in an auction setting a super high end PSA 8 #311 might sell for much closer to the overgrazed hypothetical 9 than one would initially suspect.
Granted, this is a personal and highly subjective topic, as to whom and what we give our respect. But I agree with Grote on this matter. It seems some are very focused on value and appreciation and grade. To each his own, all good. I am however focused strictly and always on what is the best card.
I give zero props to a guy who buys a 10 that looks bad. I give much props to a guy who buys a bump worthy card. Again, if one's focus is mainly MONEY, and how many dollars a card appreciates, because of the sticker grade, that's their thing. But to me that is not really passionate card collecting. And really, a card collector striving to curate a great collection is very different from someone looking to see his cards rise and then sell them.
For example, my cousin has this one card that is in a lowly PSA '1' holder. This card utterly destroys cards that are graded much higher and cost much more. I respect and admire his lowly 1 way more than an OC, creased 5 that someone paid much more for. But that's just me; so much of collecting is personal choice and as long as the individual is happy with their purchases, that's what matters
What's also interesting is the concept of worth. Because even though a card can fetch a given sum, that does not mean all collectors value it the same. This of course goes for anything in life. I have a buddy who just does not get sports cars. He wouldn't pay 10k for a Ferrari. Similarly, there are cards that I know cost a ton, but they don't appeal to me. I would not pay ten cents for some cards that others covet. And then of course there are cards I covet and would spend a bundle on, that others might not pay a penny for. >>
Look I get it that you think you are a "true" collector and only in it for the sole purpose of collecting. There are plenty of "true" collectors who enjoy collecting pieces of cardboard in plastic tombs as someone once said but they also get turned on by the monetary value or the rarity. There is nothing wrong with that.
I have sent in loads of cards to get graded that have a raw value of less then a $1 but I also have some of the most rare singles from the past 30+ years. I love collecting cards but I am not disillusioned into thinking this is something I due out of purity for cards. I would be lying if I said I didn't like the fact that a card is a Pop 1 or could sell for a decent amount. I don't ever see myself selling my top cards but I certainly like the fact that many could sell for more then I paid. That is just human nature.
Just because something is rare doesn't mean it even sells for much. The market for the cards I collect is drastically smaller then a card like this but I don't begrudge someone who can afford to go after these cards. I personally don't own any cards in this price range but supply and demand dictate the price and time and time again these lower pop PSA 10's continue to bring stellar prices compared to their lower grade counterparts.
I see that the PSA 9 sold for $400 last night. That means a PSA 10 commands over 20 times as much. I don't set the prices, you don't set the prices the market does. You and others can laugh at these so called "slab collectors" but at the end of the day who ever purchased a card in this grade just a hand full of years ago is laughing all the way to the bank. I don't have exact numbers but I believe the PSA 9 was close to a $300 card in the same time frame. If so even on a percentage basis the top grade increased in a dramatically higher fashion then its lower grade counterpart.
Anyone who is constantly shelling out money for a hobby either has to have loads of money to blow or be somewhat cognizant that they are not just throwing money away. I fit in the latter and give some thought to the likely hood that I could at a minimum recover my money and at a maximum compound it. Being concerned about the financial impact of a purchase to me just makes since.
It is not my business why someone is buying a card and if they are doing so just to pound their chest that they have the top grade of a card good for them. I won't lose an ounce of sleep and neither should you. >>
Great analysis. However, we've missed the diversification benefit that buying multiple 9's provides. In addition to having loads more fun having 17 different 9's instead of one 10. Moving and acquiring cards now is a non-issue. The hobby is officially liquid. I'm strictly a PSA 9 buyer, for multiple reasons. I am concerned about "value" and "equity" in my cards, but I also like the thought of building high end sets. In the early 70's my dad would come home from the liquor store (he smoked backed then) with BB packs for the my brothers and I. When I see those cards now, it brings back many fond memories. The cards I had from the early 70's are in horrendous shape. I have thousands, but probably nothing better than a psa 7.
It still astounds me that there are PSA 9 cards from that era, yet alone PSA 10. I still haven't come to grips that someone could of kept these cards in amazing shape.
No different than stocks. You can buy one share of Berk. Hath for $170K, (PSA 10). Or you can buy about thousands of shares of google, apple, chevron, etc. that equals $170K.
The real analysis is this: if you have $8K to blow on a Molitor rookier, you can get the equivalent in PSA 9 (approx):
72 Aaron in Action 72 Ryan 75 Yount 73 Clemente 74 winfield 71 Bench 71 jackson 73 schmidt 72 fisk
Which is it? Holding 9 HOF in PSA 9's with low pops, or one PSA 10 Molitor rookie. >>
Paul Molitor is not a super heavily collected player. This card has just always been known to be a tough card and an important one. You could come up with a number of different scenarios of cards to use the same funds for. This card has made a strong move up so perhaps it has already made its move for the time being and others haven't.
For my own money I would rather have more cards but in my view there is no right way to collect. You buy what you like and what you think has a chance to do well. If someone wants to bet on less horses that works too.
<< <i>I will take the surprisingly high number.... Let's say over $7k >>
Did I win the price is right game? Considering all the strong arguments and valid points of view on this card maybe not being the best 10 example, I had a feeling this was going to be a very strong auction pulling a mid $7000's number and even my high expectations were surpassed. Congrats to the seller and I'm feeling better about all I've spent on my '78 Molitor unopened collection today too!
Comments
<< <i>
<< <i>
<< <i>I respectfully couldn't disagree more, in terms of an overgrazed 9 getting more respect than an under graded 8, just because of their monetary value. In fact in an auction setting a super high end PSA 8 #311 might sell for much closer to the overgrazed hypothetical 9 than one would initially suspect.
Granted, this is a personal and highly subjective topic, as to whom and what we give our respect. But I agree with Grote on this matter. It seems some are very focused on value and appreciation and grade. To each his own, all good. I am however focused strictly and always on what is the best card.
I give zero props to a guy who buys a 10 that looks bad. I give much props to a guy who buys a bump worthy card. Again, if one's focus is mainly MONEY, and how many dollars a card appreciates, because of the sticker grade, that's their thing. But to me that is not really passionate card collecting. And really, a card collector striving to curate a great collection is very different from someone looking to see his cards rise and then sell them.
For example, my cousin has this one card that is in a lowly PSA '1' holder. This card utterly destroys cards that are graded much higher and cost much more. I respect and admire his lowly 1 way more than an OC, creased 5 that someone paid much more for. But that's just me; so much of collecting is personal choice and as long as the individual is happy with their purchases, that's what matters
What's also interesting is the concept of worth. Because even though a card can fetch a given sum, that does not mean all collectors value it the same. This of course goes for anything in life. I have a buddy who just does not get sports cars. He wouldn't pay 10k for a Ferrari. Similarly, there are cards that I know cost a ton, but they don't appeal to me. I would not pay ten cents for some cards that others covet. And then of course there are cards I covet and would spend a bundle on, that others might not pay a penny for. >>
Look I get it that you think you are a "true" collector and only in it for the sole purpose of collecting. There are plenty of "true" collectors who enjoy collecting pieces of cardboard in plastic tombs as someone once said but they also get turned on by the monetary value or the rarity. There is nothing wrong with that.
I have sent in loads of cards to get graded that have a raw value of less then a $1 but I also have some of the most rare singles from the past 30+ years. I love collecting cards but I am not disillusioned into thinking this is something I due out of purity for cards. I would be lying if I said I didn't like the fact that a card is a Pop 1 or could sell for a decent amount. I don't ever see myself selling my top cards but I certainly like the fact that many could sell for more then I paid. That is just human nature.
Just because something is rare doesn't mean it even sells for much. The market for the cards I collect is drastically smaller then a card like this but I don't begrudge someone who can afford to go after these cards. I personally don't own any cards in this price range but supply and demand dictate the price and time and time again these lower pop PSA 10's continue to bring stellar prices compared to their lower grade counterparts.
I see that the PSA 9 sold for $400 last night. That means a PSA 10 commands over 20 times as much. I don't set the prices, you don't set the prices the market does. You and others can laugh at these so called "slab collectors" but at the end of the day who ever purchased a card in this grade just a hand full of years ago is laughing all the way to the bank. I don't have exact numbers but I believe the PSA 9 was close to a $300 card in the same time frame. If so even on a percentage basis the top grade increased in a dramatically higher fashion then its lower grade counterpart.
Anyone who is constantly shelling out money for a hobby either has to have loads of money to blow or be somewhat cognizant that they are not just throwing money away. I fit in the latter and give some thought to the likely hood that I could at a minimum recover my money and at a maximum compound it. Being concerned about the financial impact of a purchase to me just makes since.
It is not my business why someone is buying a card and if they are doing so just to pound their chest that they have the top grade of a card good for them. I won't lose an ounce of sleep and neither should you. >>
Great analysis. However, we've missed the diversification benefit that buying multiple 9's provides. In addition to having loads more fun having 17 different 9's instead of one 10. Moving and acquiring cards now is a non-issue. The hobby is officially liquid. I'm strictly a PSA 9 buyer, for multiple reasons. I am concerned about "value" and "equity" in my cards, but I also like the thought of building high end sets. In the early 70's my dad would come home from the liquor store (he smoked backed then) with BB packs for the my brothers and I. When I see those cards now, it brings back many fond memories. The cards I had from the early 70's are in horrendous shape. I have thousands, but probably nothing better than a psa 7.
It still astounds me that there are PSA 9 cards from that era, yet alone PSA 10. I still haven't come to grips that someone could of kept these cards in amazing shape.
No different than stocks. You can buy one share of Berk. Hath for $170K, (PSA 10). Or you can buy about thousands of shares of google, apple, chevron, etc. that equals $170K.
The real analysis is this: if you have $8K to blow on a Molitor rookier, you can get the equivalent in PSA 9 (approx):
72 Aaron in Action
72 Ryan
75 Yount
73 Clemente
74 winfield
71 Bench
71 jackson
73 schmidt
72 fisk
Which is it? Holding 9 HOF in PSA 9's with low pops, or one PSA 10 Molitor rookie. >>
Paul Molitor is not a super heavily collected player. This card has just always been known to be a tough card and an important one. You could come up with a number of different scenarios of cards to use the same funds for. This card has made a strong move up so perhaps it has already made its move for the time being and others haven't.
For my own money I would rather have more cards but in my view there is no right way to collect. You buy what you like and what you think has a chance to do well. If someone wants to bet on less horses that works too.
I believe this 9 is nicer than that 10 and that's good enough for me.
TheClockworkAngelCollection
<< <i>I too have switched gears and stopped chasing the grade.
I believe this 9 is nicer than that 10 and that's good enough for me.
That's a nice, clean 9. Not an 8.5 masquerading as an 10. I'd take it over the 10 also.
<< <i>I too have switched gears and stopped chasing the grade.
I believe this 9 is nicer than that 10 and that's good enough for me.
Ditto
<< <i>I will take the surprisingly high number.... Let's say over $7k >>
Did I win the price is right game? Considering all the strong arguments and valid points of view on this card maybe not being the best 10 example, I had a feeling this was going to be a very strong auction pulling a mid $7000's number and even my high expectations were surpassed. Congrats to the seller and I'm feeling better about all I've spent on my '78 Molitor unopened collection today too!
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1980-1989 Cello Packs - Rookies