Guess I was wrong!
Overrated
Posts: 454 ✭✭
The price of 52 Mantles contiue to go up! will this always be the trend? what if any guess, will be price 10 years from now be on the Mick? is this the best investment card out there?
0
Comments
While I really don't think anyone can predict how much the 52 Mantle, in any said condition, will be worth 10 years from now, I will tell you that there has never been a bad time since 1952 to buy one .... especially now.
The consistent increase in value can be attributed to the demand factor for the card, plus the fact that most collectors aren't willing to part with the card for less money than they paid for it, as is the case with many other less desirable/more readily available cards.
I have friends that have been procrastinating about getting a 52 Mantle since the 60s, .... and they still don't have one. They have the funds, but they are worried that they might pay too much, so they wait.
I know a guy that has spent well over $20,000 in modern stuff that was going to be worth millions some day (yeah, right!). I'm a firm believer that vintage is the only way to go for long-term investment; that's what I've observed to be true over the past 50 years and the main reason that I still, to this day, only collect vintage Mantle cards.
You just have to find one that pleases you, and if you can afford it ... buy it. If it's a 52 Mantle you want, just remember this .... You'll never regret owning one; you'll only regret not owning one!
52 Mantles are probably on many a collector's "Bucket List".
Hope you find a nice one!
PoppaJ
I think they have crashed.
That being said, a person with experience in card grading and a general knowledge of vintage cards can make money on margin by buying low and selling high. However, the volumes required to make a living, together with the high service fees make this a difficult prospect.
I have considered forming investment trusts that buy, sell and hold high end cards, make annual distributions to its members, and have freely transferable interests. There are a host of problems, including securities registration issues, that make this a difficult prospect. However, it makes owning an interest in a 52 Mick possible. You just can't hold and enjoy the card, and if you are in this business to do that, you shouldn't be in the business to make money, because you are not a dealer/arbitrager, you are a collector.
Kiss me twice.....let's party.
<< <i>I suppose when it comes to long term investment in vintage cards, what's considered long-term?? I'm sure collectors/dealers that invested heavily in vintage in the mid-eighties are happy with the return they are getting 20 years later. I wouldn't mind buying a 51 Mantle or Mays,a 54 Aaron or 55 Clemente or any t206's at high book prices 20 years ago, especially when slabbing didn't quite exist. >>
What's interesting to note is that if you eliminate the slabbing bit from the equation you see that most post-war cards, even those from the 1950's, have barely beaten inflation. This tells us, or at least suggests, that a lot of the value in a high grade vintage card in today's market is tied up in the popularity of the set registry, the faith in the company that graded the card, and so on. If ANY of those things change-- for instance, SGC takes a shady turn (a la GAI) or interest in the set registry wanes-- those high grade cards could be poised to take an enormous fall.
The only card I know of that has never dropped in value, is the T206 Honus Wagner. I can't remember anyone ever losing money on it.
Steve
If enough people think the value can only increase, it is a poor investment
If enough people think the price cannot keep going up, it could be a bargain
The wrench that gets thrown into the equation is when people start to want something simply because it costs a lot of money. There are ways to take advantage of that sort of market if you a high enough cash flow and feel comfortable trying to predict the future
Anyone who at any point in time knew for certain what the best investments were already has a nine figure bank account and doesn't need to worry about the correct time to buy a 52 Mantle
I have niether the resources, the desire, nor the crystal ball, so I stay on the sidelines and enjoy a 53 Eddie Mathews or 55 Willie Mays for $50 instead
<< <i>Jsut wanted to see my name as the last poster on 5 straight threads. >>
Post padder!!