I can't wrap my head around some things in this hobby

Wandei Temmuz 18, 2022

Granted, I am not a set collector and when it comes to completing themed sets, the best I will hope for is a team run or a certain type of insert or subset. I also appreciate the obscure players as much as the stars to some extent. Topps Total and UD 40 Man were neat sets to get some really obscure players not otherwise featured on a team. I can see that there are plenty of different collectors out there and that you never really know when something will be ice cold or on fire. Sets are immortal so to speak when it comes to collecting, as there may always be a new person starting an old set from scratch. Same can be said for team related issues. Maybe a younger modern day Dodgers fan finally discovers the 70s and all of the sudden is collecting Dusty Baker. In the end though, I think we can all agree that once a player has finished his career, there is very little that can be done that will significantly change the demand for that player.

I am laying the basis for my rant today, but I can almost appreciate anything a collector might want to chase. Even though I often wonder why on certain things, to each their own. I'm sure some of my purchases are head scratchers to others. Given all the scanarios listed above though, it is no wonder that an old item might sell out of the blue many years later. Someone was completing a set, adding a player from their favorite team , or maybe it was just a card they remembered from a part period of time that they always wanted to own, but never did. I think price usually plays a role in this though.

What bothers me is that there seem to be a large number of people "trying" to sell items at what can only be described at ridiculous prices. Maybe these sellers are not really interested in selling unless the right person (sucker) comes around. Maybe they are out of touch with the market. Maybe they think they will recoup a lost ago cost or who knows what else drives someone to hold a card hostage with a crazy price, when listing it at auction would surely bring a fraction of the asking price.

Today I found what I think is a very good example of this type of pricing strategy. The card is Denny(s) Abreu and the set is 2001 Topps Golden Anniversary Autographs. Keep in mind that I have no interest in this card, player or team and if anything, I am an admirer of the set, but would never want to complete it. I buy singles when I see them at decent prices, of players who had decent careers (never been much of a common collector, unless they are Dodgers). This card to me is the perfect example of a card I have sero intererst in whatsoever. If I am to believe the listing, this card is a SP or maybe even a SSP card from the set though. I can appreciate that a SP card would drive value, especially for set collectors or when the player was popular and strongly collected. If the player is common, then the set value is still there to some extent. In this case, the set is almost 100 cards, with several very expensive SP cards of popular Hall of Famers like Koufax, Aaron, Brett and a number of deceased stars too but equally loaded with guys who never did much in baseball. Neat design, but not exactly a nice set to have in complete form given the checklist, as the value of key singles drives most of the price. Guys like Bobby Kielty, Chris Clapinski, Juan Rincon and others really have no value added unless they are SP cards.

Dennys was a prospect for the Cubs when this set came out. He never made the big club and ended his 14 year Minoe League career toiling in the Foreign/Independent Leagues. I am firmly convinced that only a diehard Cubs collector, a family or personal friend or a set collector would want this card. I am not surprised, but rather disappointed, to find 2 listings for this card on eBay nearly 20 years after it's issue where one person wants $35, the other over $50! The closest reality check I found was that you could spent close to the same amount ($39.99) and get yourself a nice Mike Cuellar autograph from the same set. Cueller had a sold 15 year career , was a 4 time all star and won the Cy Young award once.

Maybe the Abreu will sell at those prices and I am the foolish one for even questioning it. But in my mind, these two sellers need to let go, give the market a chance to decide and give someone who might truly love to own this card a chance to do so at a reasonable price. What do YOU think would happen if that were the case? I did a completed ebay search and sure enough, one card had sold in the last couple of months. This is what I thought would happen...and it did!