Best investment cards for pre-1990?

[ReggieBush22]

What do you think are some undervalued cards/sets pre-1990?

I'll start with 1980-81 Topps Magic/Bird/Erving. This is one of THE trademark basketball cards of all-time and to have two of the top 5-7 players of all time on one card is truly special. You can get these at NM-MT for about $225-250. That's cheap when compared to an MJ Fleer RC. I just think it has plenty of room for growth.

[Orangejello727]

the population on 80s cards is too big to the supply so demand is affected.

If anything, maybe premium versions of the card might be the investment route. high PSA grades might see a jump in demand if it hasnt already.

[fullmetal]

Simply too many of all the Topps basketball sets to ever appreciate to the level of pre-war baseball cards.

[ReggieBush22]

What are you guys talking about? Basketball cards weren't mass produced until 1989-90. Prior to that, they were produced in very limited quantities as no one collected them prior to that.

[Orangejello727]

What are you guys talking about? Basketball cards weren't mass produced until 1989-90. Prior to that, they were produced in very limited quantities as no one collected them prior to that.

What do you consider limited? If I want any 80s/90s topps basketball set or any 80s fleer set, I can find them all day long, all year long. Infact I can find as many as I wanted.

Give me an example of a limited set from the 80s that I would have a hard time aquiring. We'll use your choice to base the example on.

If you want we can use the 1980 topps set you mentioned. Within the past 30 days I had ample oppurtunity to buy the rookie you talk about. Infact I had over 100 chances available. Currently I probably have atleast 40 chances of still getting one. Im sure tomorrow there will be more and if I come back next year, ill be able to find just as many if not more. Do I have to worry about them drying up? No! Because they have had a good 3 decades to collectors to fill their boots yet many are still available.

[ReggieBush22]

What do you consider limited? If I want any 80s/90s topps basketball set or any 80s fleer set, I can find them all day long, all year long. Infact I can find as many as I wanted.

Give me an example of a limited set from the 80s that I would have a hard time aquiring. We'll use your choice to base the example on.

Look, anything is "available". That doesn't mean it's not limited in production. For instance, there were only about 5,000 Star basketball sets produced from 1983 through 1986. But you can find about 20 Jordan RC's listed on Ebay at any one time. That doesn't change the fact that there still only 5,000 in existence.

You can buy 1952 Topps Mantle RCs. It's one of the most iconic cards of all time but they are still "available" for the right price. Anything is "available" to some extent.

[fullmetal]

80/81 Topps sits unbusted in cases/boxes and sets by the 100s if not 1000s. The boxes go unsold because they are priced too high. Priced based on emotion/nostalgia instead of supply/demand.

That set was produced in extreme volume. Too many quality copies of each card exist to ever appreciate at a rate considered a solid investment.

[fullmetal]

Look, anything is "available". That doesn't mean it's not limited in production. For instance, there were only about 5,000 Star basketball sets produced from 1983 through 1986. But you can find about 20 Jordan RC's listed on Ebay at any one time. That doesn't change the fact that there still only 5,000 in existence.

You can buy 1952 Topps Mantle RCs. It's one of the most iconic cards of all time but they are still "available" for the right price. Anything is "available" to some extent.

You asked for investment opinions. You received them.

I don't think any basketball card from 1950-1980 would return a annual rate better than a median investment.

I don't know every card in that range and I am certain a few exist in such pristine form that they command demand, but on the whole you won't make money by investing in those cards.

I believe that card prices are too high right now and that cards will all lose value in the long run. I might need to start a basketball cards 'short fund.'

[WillC]

ReggieBush22, welcome to blowoutcards. You'll quickly learn that some members are more helpful and friendly than others.

I agree about the Bird/Erving/Magic RC. I bought one recently and think it's a fine card - truly iconic.

It's frustrating that modern players have so many different RCs to choose from. I don't know where to begin with players like LeBron, Kobe, etc. Whereas the old school legends have one obvious RC each.

My personal favourite RC (which I don't own but would love to get one day) is Bill Russell's.

I have RCs of Lew Alcindor, Pete Maravich, Julius Erving, Bob Cousy, etc.

In my opinion, as basketball continues to grow in popularity on a global scale, so too will interest in the game's history. So I think any high-end cards (including RCs) of players like Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Abdul-Jabbar, etc. are bound to retain their value and possibly increase in value.

To a certain extent I agree with the others though; RCs of these players are hardly rare, which means the PSA 9 and PSA 10 cards are the ones worth pursuing from an investment stand point.

Personally, I prefer beaten up old cards - much better value for money for someone collecting on a budget.

[ReggieBush22]

You asked for investment opinions. You received them.

I don't think any basketball card from 1950-1980 would return a annual rate better than a median investment.

I don't know every card in that range and I am certain a few exist in such pristine form that they command demand, but on the whole you won't make money by investing in those cards.

I believe that card prices are too high right now and that cards will all lose value in the long run. I might need to start a basketball cards 'short fund.'

And i agree with you in general in that it's a bad idea to try to make money in the hobby. I'm just talking about if you see something you view as undervalued, you pick it up and hold on to it. I definitely think the Magic/Bird RC is undervalued and will appreciate in value as the years go on. Of course, i'm talking about graded cards graded nm-mt or higher.

[ReggieBush22]

ReggieBush22, welcome to blowoutcards. You'll quickly learn that some members are more helpful and friendly than others.

I agree about the Bird/Erving/Magic RC. I bought one recently and think it's a fine card - truly iconic.

It's frustrating that modern players have so many different RCs to choose from. I don't know where to begin with players like LeBron, Kobe, etc. Whereas the old school legends have one obvious RC each.

My personal favourite RC (which I don't own but would love to get one day) is Bill Russell's.

I have RCs of Lew Alcindor, Pete Maravich, Julius Erving, Bob Cousy, etc.

In my opinion, as basketball continues to grow in popularity on a global scale, so too will interest in the game's history. So I think any high-end cards (including RCs) of players like Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Abdul-Jabbar, etc. are bound to retain their value and possibly increase in value.

To a certain extent I agree with the others though; RCs of these players are hardly rare, which means the PSA 9 and PSA 10 cards are the ones worth pursuing from an investment stand point.

Personally, I prefer beaten up old cards - much better value for money for someone collecting on a budget.

Thanks.

Yeah, compared to baseball, vintage basketball cards are way undervalued.

I just wish i could go back in time and scoop up 1986-87 Fleer wax boxes. I would've been a millionaire. LOL.

[fullmetal]

And i agree with you in general in that it's a bad idea to try to make money in the hobby. I'm just talking about if you see something you view as undervalued, you pick it up and hold on to it. I definitely think the Magic/Bird RC is undervalued and will appreciate in value as the years go on. Of course, i'm talking about graded cards graded nm-mt or higher.

It's possible. I've seen more and more high grade 80-81 Topps cards listed on eBay over the past few years. Some of the owners are using consignment sales. I wonder how many more high grade versions sit in unopened product.

Don't get me wrong, I would love to (will someday) own a Magic/Bird BGS9.5 or PSA 10. The top graded examples have potential, but the graded versions also come with uncertainty. Many in the hobby despised graded cards and I have no idea how that sentiment will grow or wane in the future.

I can remember shows in the 80s where the Bird/Magic in quality ungraded condition commanded $250 and the Alcindor RC commanded $1500. Today a similar condition Bird/Magic can be had for the same amount or less and an Alcindor can be had for much less. (happen to remember Steve Erkel actor on one of the late night shows pull a Jordan RC out of his pocket and talk about his Alcindor? Might have been on Arsenio or Carson).

At the price noted above and included the effects of inflation a Bird/Magic buy in 1987 would have cost you money if you retained until today.

I don't know the printrun, but there must be several multiples of 10,000 of that card.

[Orangejello727]

Look, anything is "available". That doesn't mean it's not limited in production. For instance, there were only about 5,000 Star basketball sets produced from 1983 through 1986. But you can find about 20 Jordan RC's listed on Ebay at any one time. That doesn't change the fact that there still only 5,000 in existence.

You can buy 1952 Topps Mantle RCs. It's one of the most iconic cards of all time but they are still "available" for the right price. Anything is "available" to some extent.

I dont know why you asked for our opinion if you were going to argue it. Next time if you want to hear something, just ask for it, saves everyone the time and effort for trying to help you out.

Lets get a few things straight here.

First, demand vs supply.

A set produced to 5000 is not defined to be limited by the number. Its definated as limited if the demand exceeds the supply. Not the other way around. A production volume can be made to 10 and if there arent more than 5 people who want it, its not a better investment. Its that simple.

A 1952 topps Mantle might not as rare as a Lebron james pmg /10, that that doesnt matter. What matters is the demand. The demand for 52 mantles population wise exceed the number of supply at a certain price point. Tada! thats how we get market value. Otherwise you are right.. "everything is available for a price". I wont argue that!

[thewild3]

I just wish i could go back in time and scoop up 1986-87 Fleer wax boxes. I would've been a millionaire. LOL.

I remember wasting all my money on packs of garbage pail kid cards instead buying 1986-87 fleer basketball cards back in those days!!! :mad::mad:

[hche]

I seriously doubt any card will appreciate in value like before. Everyone now know to put their cards in holders, put them not under direct sunlight, and so on. Cards are being protected a lot better than before, and hence, more good condition cards are available. Furthermore, people now are all about patches and autos, if someone wants an iconic RC, he/she would probably have bought it by now. It's not like suddenly there will be 10,000 people wanting to get those 5,000 jordan star cards and the jordan will sky rocket in price. There are prenty of PSA 9 - 10 BGS 9 - 10 1980's cards available. If they are available, price wont jump. That's why you are seeing higher prices in the 90's inserts now. People know for sure that those are more limited and harder to come by.

[ReggieBush22]

I remember wasting all my money on packs of garbage pail kid cards instead buying 1986-87 fleer basketball cards back in those days!!! :mad::mad:

Tell me about it. A wax box goes for about $30K. Before the basketball hobby took off, you could buy a box for $20 each. Just imagine the profits. LOL.

[Beavers98]

Tell me about it. A wax box goes for about $30K. Before the basketball hobby took off, you could buy a box for $20 each. Just imagine the profits. LOL.

I'm with you guys....I remember a Dept. store (Shopko) in my local area having literally dozens of these boxes on close-out for 25 cents a pack...NO KIDDING. Did I buy any, even though I was a basketball player, no I paid full retail for countless 1987 Topps baseball, with the money I had. AHHHH.....:mad:

[Drdduet]

I seriously doubt any card will appreciate in value like before. Everyone now know to put their cards in holders, put them not under direct sunlight, and so on. Cards are being protected a lot better than before, and hence, more good condition cards are available. Furthermore, people now are all about patches and autos, if someone wants an iconic RC, he/she would probably have bought it by now. It's not like suddenly there will be 10,000 people wanting to get those 5,000 jordan star cards and the jordan will sky rocket in price. There are prenty of PSA 9 - 10 BGS 9 - 10 1980's cards available. If they are available, price wont jump. That's why you are seeing higher prices in the 90's inserts now. People know for sure that those are more limited and harder to come by.


Perhaps you're right. But perhaps as international trade grows, shipping gets easier and safer, and the internet tsunami continues.....there's a large population of foreigners who if turned on to cards have the potential to create serious demand.

[bjtheman1]

One option you could try as far as risk/reward could be to pick up the star rookies during those years ungraded and submit them to PSA, BGS, Etc and hope for th best.

[DrJ Converse]

If you want value and appreciation you need to go high grade PSA 8 and above on cards around 1970 and older. PSA has active registry sets which help drive up value on older cards. I would also look at getting autographed Rookie cards of HOFer and Legends.

That being said, I don't see much appreciation in Basketball cards long term. Less and less kids collect cards and the products keep getting more expensive with less selection. Long term I don't see the collecting base expanding to drive up values outside of the high end.