Collecting For Fun and/or Investment

I collected cards for fun until I was 38 years old. Then I wanted to see if I could be a seller of cards also, so I tried it, and liked it. Now I just buy cards as something I can resell for a profit later, and also a few for investment-- cards that might go up in value in the future. People ask me what cards I buy for investment and I tell them vintage cards in good condition will be your best bet. The cards of great players and Hall of Famers are just like blue chip stocks. The best thing to do for investment is to buy cards in Near Mint condition, then have those cards professionally graded. This could lead to the card's value increasing to about double, triple and sometimes much more. Here's an example: You find a 1963 Topps Carl Yastrzemski (card #115) at a card show or on eBay or whatever, that the seller is describing as being in Near Mint condition. You look it up in Beckett's Baseball Price Guide that you're carrying with you and see that it's listed value in NRMT condition is $40. The seller (card show or hobby shop) might have a price on it of $45 (not unreasonable), so you buy it. You send it in to a professional card grading company, let's say PSA, and it comes back to you graded at Mint 9. This would make you very happy because the value of that graded Yaz is now about $950. Pretty cool, huh? This is done over & over by savvy investors that know the hobby, and know the potential of making a lot of money doing this.

Collecting for fun: Collecting sportscards for fun is just that-- a lot of fun. You don't have to spend a lot of money if you don't want to. The advice I give people is to collect what you like. Some folks like to collect All-Star cards, Rookie Cards, cards of their favorite team, Hall of Famers, etc. Still others like to buy a factory set every year, or put a set together card by card. And putting a set together can be a great family activity. This is where those seemingly worthless Checklist cards come in mighty handy. Try it, you'll like it!

Have fun out there!

Investing Can Be Risky Business

Investing in certain cards is not without risk. Take Rookie Cards- There are thousands of RC's out there that are basically worthless. Sometimes a Rookie ballplayer will live up to the hype, like Ken Griffey, Jr., but he's a rarity. I remember when his RC came out in the debut edition of Upper Deck, and his card was zooming up in value, a 'whopping' $9 at the time. Some people were scooping them up by the truckload, even at that price, but most folks figured he was another over-hyped Rookie. At the time some people around me were saying no card of an untested Rookie was worth $9. Well, of course they were wrong, as most of us were, because he has since put up Hall of Fame numbers.

Another speculative venture was Steve Avery. When I was doing card shows in the early 90's many collectors were buying his RC, and many dealers were hoarding them. But, alas, his career tanked, and lots of folks were left holding Steve Avery cards, kindling for the fireplace.

Then there's the story of Barry Bonds. Ever since the BALCO scandel broke I've been trying to dump everything Bonds, even if it meant selling the items for a fraction of the Book Value. And now that he's been indicted by a Federal Grand Jury, well, you can just use his cards as flippers now, because they are worthless. And just like Pete Rose, Bonds will never be elected to the Hall. Wait a minute, maybe never was a bad choice of wording- Maybe in about 100 years or so, after the current sportswriters have passed away, Bonds & Rose might get in. By that time perhaps the younger generation of writers will look back and forgive the cheaters.

Have fun, kids!