Best way to spend $3k - Jordan PSA 9, Ryan PSA 8, or 75 mini box

KendallCat

You have $3k to spend on cards and it is found money. Your choices are the following cards for long term appreciation:

1986 Fleer Jordan rookie in PSA 9

1968 Nolan Ryan rookie in PSA 8

1975 Topps mini box with BBCE certification

Which would you pick of the 3 and why?

PaulMaul

Definitely not the mini box.

Unknown

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grote15

I don't know about long term appreciation, but as an unopened collector, and an avid mini set collector, I'd take the mini box!

PaulMaul

<< <i>I don't know about long term appreciation, but as an unopened collector, I'd take the mini box! >>



It's interesting to discuss how unopened would stack up against graded stars as an investment...but a '75 mini box is not a great example of a wise unopened investment IMO.

JoeBanzai

Logically the mini box would be the least rare and should be the last choice. After seeing the prices skyrocket on unopened material of late, I would go here for investment purposes.

The cards you mention are fantastic choices as well, but whenever a box of 75 minis gets busted, yours gets more valuable.

Can't really go wrong with any of these items IMO.

frankhardy

I have been tracking Jordan RC's off and on lately. These cards are rising. I believe they will continue to rise. I just bought a PSA 7 for well more than I bought my last PSA 8 for just a few years ago. PSA 9's are going nuts right now and I don't see them slowing down.

grote15

<< <i>

<< <i>I don't know about long term appreciation, but as an unopened collector, I'd take the mini box! >>



It's interesting to discuss how unopened would stack up against graded stars as an investment...but a '75 mini box is not a great example of a wise unopened investment IMO. >>



For investment purposes you may be right. Though the mini boxes and packs I've held onto over the years have appreciated quite nicely, even better than graded cards over that same span (other than PSA 10s, that is), and vintage unopened product from the 1970s is only going to get scarcer in the years ahead, while pop reports for graded cards will increase. And as you stated in another thread about cards and investments, the hobby is not all about that anyway, is it? Or have you changed your position on that?

PaulMaul

Haven't changed my position at all, just answering the current question

grote15

<< <i>Haven't changed my position at all, just answering the current question >>



OK, David, I just wanted to make sure you didn't convert over to the dark side.

Value appreciation is also a great thing~and as an unopened collector, I've been the beneficiary of that market over the past 5 years, but for me, primarily, this is still a hobby, and I have to love the items I'm collecting, regardless of long term appreciation possibilities.

mattyc_collection

Ooh, fun choice. For strict appreciation I'd probably go with the MJ 9. But I never buy strictly for long term appreciation; so for 3k I would personally go with these, and they wouldn't do too shabby upon some crisis-induced resale either, as there might be bumps involved. Who knows, while it's possible that with picky buying these could wind up the best choice in terms of appreciation, I know I would definitely have the most fun with these over a single MJ or Nolan, and fun/enjoyment definitely has a value, however hard it is to quantify...

So with 3k for a shopping spree...

1. 1968 Ryan RC - PSA 5 that could crack resub to a 5.5 or even a 6: $375



2. 1986 Jordan RC - PSA 4 that was actually once a PSA 8: $400



3. An early low-grade, high eye appeal Mantle, i.e. this 53B PSA 2.5: $500



4. An early mid-grade Mantle that is still affordable, i.e. this 52B PSA 5 or 56T PSA6: $1000-$1400 depending on premium





5. A "sleeper" pic that could really gain steam, in the grade right before they jump up huge in price, potentially setting yourself up for a big win in a crisis resale if it bumped, for me this Aaron/Mick classic, in a PSA 7.5: $350



6. Lastly, a pair of nice looking PSA 8 HOF RCs, half-point bump candidates, from the 1970s to cover that era, such as these two, cost: $400, but could also be Murray/Molitor, Schmidt, etc.





That to me is a really nice haul for 3k!

frankhardy

Could you please explain how a PSA 8 Jordan was cracked out and now it is a PSA 4? Very interesting.

PaulMaul

<< <i>

<< <i>Haven't changed my position at all, just answering the current question >>





Value appreciation is also a great thing~and as an unopened collector, I've been the beneficiary of that market over the past 5 years, but for me, primarily, this is still a hobby, and I have to love the items I'm collecting, regardless of long term appreciation possibilities. >>



I literally never think about investment potential when I buy cards. Doing so sullies the childhood fun aspect of collecting which is my primary motivation.

On the other hand, I also don't buy a lot of multi-thousand dollar items. I can see how those that do would want to protect that investment.

mattyc_collection

I bought it as an 8. It looked great. Later, a friend noticed a very small warping along in the right side-- very hard, nearly impossible to see with the naked eye. Technically, this would knock the card down to a 4 or so. I showed it to PSA, they saw the microscopic flaw, gave it the technical grade it was due, then reimbursed me for the remainder. The card wound up costing me only $400. A case where buying the card really paid off! The card in hand looks as good as any 8 or even an 8.5 here and there, and yet cost a fraction of the loot.

Sometimes a guy is looking to see his cards go up in grade, but I have on several occasions been THRILLED to find a flaw that knocks a card of mine DOWN, for this very reason; I bought the card because I love the card, and so to wind up getting the same card I was willing to pay X dollars for a second ago, now for less than X, it's like getting that Monopoly card as a kid: BANK ERROR IN YOUR FAVOR!

Frank-- LOVE that sig line. Really funny!

MiniDuff

1. Jordan - The only item of the three with appeal outside the hobby. An iconic card of maybe the most famous athlete on the planet. The odds of a non cardboard collection owning or caring about a Ryan 8 or mini box are about nil.
2. Mini Box - Right now there are 599 Ryan PSA 8s, plus a good number of SGC 88s (I dont consider BVG an investment), and over time that number will only grow. If there are still 600 legit mini boxes, that number will still only shrink over time.
3. Ryan - The item of the three that I personally would own and have as a collector.

CenteredMantles

If the question is what will return the most value then I say the MJ. A few have already sold well over $3k and the card has been on a steady incline in all grades lately. He also has by far the biggest fan/collector base.

For "investment" and enjoyment, which is most important in my card buying decisions, why not find a lights out MJ in an 8 holder and a nice Ryan for around $1k. That even leaves you with nearly another $700-1000 to buy another sweet card. It's not like an MJ in an 8 has been performing poorly of late and a nicely centered Ryan will always see a nice return no matter what the holder says.

MrNearMint

<< <i>If the question is what will return the most value then I say the MJ. A few have already sold well over $3k and the card has been on a steady incline in all grades lately. He also has by far the biggest fan/collector base.

For "investment" and enjoyment, which is most important in my card buying decisions, why not find a lights out MJ in an 8 holder and a nice Ryan for around $1k. That even leaves you with nearly another $700-1000 to buy another sweet card. It's not like an MJ in an 8 has been performing poorly of late and a nicely centered Ryan will always see a nice return no matter what the holder says. >>



+1


However, I would have a hard time spending 3k on any one card even if the money was "found". As already been said, I'd try and be patient and look around for some very nice, high eye appeal versions of these cards for a lower price.

flatfoot816

1st--you're gonna pay more than $3K for the MJ nowadays and I do not see that train slowing soon. The Ryan PSA-8 is a good card to have--it'll continue to climb as the price for a PSA-9 goes into the orbit. I would have many options before the mini box.

Including a Bird/Magic PSA-9 - PSA-8 and PSA-7 for that $3K

rtimmer

<< <i>1st--you're gonna pay more than $3K for the MJ nowadays and I do not see that train slowing soon. The Ryan PSA-8 is a good card to have--it'll continue to climb as the price for a PSA-9 goes into the orbit. I would have many options before the mini box.

Including a Bird/Magic PSA-9 - PSA-8 and PSA-7 for that $3K >>



I'd combine two other ideas and for $3k get two unopened Bird, Magic rookies of which there are truly a handful out there.

But to answer the question I would go with the '75 minis.

jmsodpc

I like 2.5 oz of gold eagles for the $$

SumoMenkoMan

What are the average current prices for all three items? It'd be interesting to revisit this thread over time to see how we all do. I'd take the mini box.

BLUEJAYWAY

Jordan.Current collectors perception as GOAT in his sport/media attention to drive the price well into his aging.Have my reservations that LBJ will equal/surpass MJ's finals win total. Also don't believe with the price of sealed packs/boxes of 86 Fleer that they will be broken open anytime soon to look for 9's/10's.Price to open may be well out of most collectors range. Will be worth more/increase in value left unopened. With that given taken into this equation, the supply of singles that exists currently may not increase from which to choose from later. Would not be surprised to see many 8.5's residing in slabs to be bumped to 9's. Would increase pop. but would quickly be absorbed by a market yearning for a 9.

Warriors8

Jordan in PSA 9 is best option. As the price of the 10 is continuing to increase the 9 has been following the trend recently.

KendallCat

Thanks for all of the replies everyone and some interesting points of view on all options. The reason I chose those 3 options is that all of them have been trending up recently, all are very strong items from a demand standpoint, and all three average around $3k give or take a few hundred. Based on VCP the Ryan is right at $3k, Jordan has gone up a bunch in the last 6 months and is at $3500 VCP, and the Topps Mini box sells for around $2800-3300 on average.

IMO all 3 have positive things going for them. Jordan is seen as the GOAT and will always have high demand for his rookie. Only thing working against him is there will be more graded over time which could impact prices as well as if a premium is given for PSA 10/BGS 9.5. The Ryan rookie is probably "the" baseball rookie card of the last 50 years, and outside of Mantle cards is the only one that commands such a premium. The 1975 mini box is probably the last vintage baseball box that can still be had in today's market, and it also the last key year for major rookies - Brett and Yount plus Lynn and Carter.

Overall I don't think you can go wrong with any of the there options, and that is the great thing about this hobby - at the end of the day it is about what one likes as a collector.

jfkheat

As an unopened collector I would like to have the 75 box but for an investment I would have to go with the Jordan. The 75 boxes have dropped in price in the last couple month.
James

slum22

I agree with the consensus that the Jordan PSA 9 is the best long term investment. It does have the advantage of being already the highest value item between the three. A Jordan PSA 9 is probably as close to a $4000 card as it is to a $3000. Each of the last 25 completed sales for Jordan PSA 9's have closed above $3000. Meanwhile, only 6 out of 11 1968 Ryan's closed above $3000 and a 75 mini box can be had for less than $3000 pretty easily these days.

I agree that the hobby is great because each of these three are terrific options and depending on what you like to collect you could easily make a case to buy any of the three.

BLUEJAYWAY

I might add in support of my choice of the Jordan RC. That I would hazard a guess that MJ has more worldwide recognition than the other 2 choices noted in the OP example. Being that basketball seems to be more exposed over a broader range of outside the US countries.

dtkk49a

1. BBCE sealed FASC designated 1975 mini box
2. Jordan
3. Ryan

cpamike

As much as I love me some unopened, I have to go with the 1986 Fleer Jordan RC. The demand will always be there for that card. Of course, I personally would like the highest grade Gretzky $3k could buy. He isn't known as the Great One for nothing.