Do you see 50s-70s commons holding value long term?

[crazy4kinsler]

I'm debating getting back into vintage stuff, and am thinking about building sets. I've always enjoyed building sets in the modern stuff, so I'm wanting to try that in vintage. However, I've got a question.

Do you think vintage commons will hold value long term? I'd like to start by picking up lots from a certain year or 2 (or 3) and start set building with those lots. However, I'm afraid I'll get in a situation where I'll lose interest or I'll been in a need for money and need to sell.

I see values of commons anywhere from $1-$2 (late 60s) to 50 cents (early 70s) to maybe $3 (late 1950s-early 1960s). I mean, $3. You can get newer refractors for that, and they're going to be popular with team/player collectors. Will the vintage commons be the same way? I just don't want to spend that kind of money on commons for them not to be worth anything down the road.

Or would it be smarter to start with the big cards (or bigger cards) as singles? Then if I get burned out or need money, it might be easier to move them. I'm strictly talking raw in all of this. I don't deal in graded at all. And my current sets (1957 and 1958) currently feature all raw cards.

[hxcmilkshake]

Originally Posted by crazy4kinsler

I'm debating getting back into vintage stuff, and am thinking about building sets. I've always enjoyed building sets in the modern stuff, so I'm wanting to try that in vintage. However, I've got a question.



Do you think vintage commons will hold value long term? I'd like to start by picking up lots from a certain year or 2 (or 3) and start set building with those lots. However, I'm afraid I'll get in a situation where I'll lose interest or I'll been in a need for money and need to sell.



I see values of commons anywhere from $1-$2 (late 60s) to 50 cents (early 70s) to maybe $3 (late 1950s-early 1960s). I mean, $3. You can get newer refractors for that, and they're going to be popular with team/player collectors. Will the vintage commons be the same way? I just don't want to spend that kind of money on commons for them not to be worth anything down the road.



Or would it be smarter to start with the big cards (or bigger cards) as singles? Then if I get burned out or need money, it might be easier to move them. I'm strictly talking raw in all of this. I don't deal in graded at all. And my current sets (1957 and 1958) currently feature all raw cards.

You know by now you generally spend more building the way you describe than its worth when all is said and done.

Do it for love.

Deep passionate love for the smell of an old less loved well worn common.

Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk

[discodanman45]

With more and more HOF cards getting slabbed from those years and the emphasis put on grading, the number of set collectors will decrease in my opinion. With so many ultra-modern sets and parallels, the emphasis on set collecting is just not there right now. Putting together sets with commons is a money pit and not a good investment. It is fun, but selling those will be very difficult.

[VanLingoMungo46]

There will be set builders of 50s-70s sets for the foreseeable future. The key is to buy in as much bulk as possible and sell off the stuff you don’t want/need piece by piece. Of course that’s a patience game. One of my favorite dealers at the Shriners show is this outfit from NY who usually have binders full of commons from 1948 to 1979. Their table always has guys going through binders so they must be able to make a living at it.

[salas1991]

I would suggest starting with the bigger cards if you can. As someone who's trying to build early 70s NMMT raw sets, it's taking forever to find the last handful of a few of those in the condition I want, but for the most part I only need the odds and ends commons now b/c I got most of the stars years ago for a helluva lot less than I'd be paying for all of them now.

[smanzari]

Can't make more vintage cards

[SpartanWarrior]

Originally Posted by crazy4kinsler

I'm debating getting back into vintage stuff, and am thinking about building sets. I've always enjoyed building sets in the modern stuff, so I'm wanting to try that in vintage. However, I've got a question.

Do you think vintage commons will hold value long term? I'd like to start by picking up lots from a certain year or 2 (or 3) and start set building with those lots. However, I'm afraid I'll get in a situation where I'll lose interest or I'll been in a need for money and need to sell.

I see values of commons anywhere from $1-$2 (late 60s) to 50 cents (early 70s) to maybe $3 (late 1950s-early 1960s). I mean, $3. You can get newer refractors for that, and they're going to be popular with team/player collectors. Will the vintage commons be the same way? I just don't want to spend that kind of money on commons for them not to be worth anything down the road.

Or would it be smarter to start with the big cards (or bigger cards) as singles? Then if I get burned out or need money, it might be easier to move them. I'm strictly talking raw in all of this. I don't deal in graded at all. And my current sets (1957 and 1958) currently feature all raw cards.

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IMO the simple answer is no. You can buy commons for just about the same price you could in 1995 for 1960's. For 1950's commons it might be a bit cheaper today.

The # of dealers at a show set up to accommodate set collectors is much smaller today than 30 years ago. Why? Because many fewer folks are building sets. I don't see that changing anytime soon. Over time more and more complete sets come to market and they get broken up for the Mantles and Aarons and Mays and Clementes. Dick Groat anyone?

Take a look at what large groups of commons sell for in 2nd tier auctions - subtract out 20% consignment fee, shipping and your time and you'll get a feel for what you might hope to get for whatever years your considering building.

All that said, my advice would be to do what you enjoy. If you like building the set then go ahead and do it. Hobby is supposed to be fun and interesting.

[pawpawdiv9]

not affilated with this AH- but Wheatland Auctions usually has a good selection of lots with numerous raw cards for set builders. In fact, their auction ends today 5/21

[Gustomania]

If you collect what you like you likely won’t sell and thus don’t care about future price.

We are on a trend of individual cards and slabs right now, everything has ebbs and flows, and my guess is 50-60s sets will regain attention again the next decade at some point.

[jtclockwork]

If you want to set build in the 1950s-1970s I would start with the big cards first OR buy a big lot of commons from that set year in one big lot. You usually get deals buying in bulk as someone wants to move them and doesn't want the pain of doing so individually. I'm assuming you are not looking for super high grade given the prices you are listing, so buying a bunch in bulk is probably the way to go -- or at least that's how I'd do it. That should give you a "starter" set and make it easier to pick off the the others you need.

As to retaining value, I wouldn't expect the value to rise on the old commons from that era but they probably won't lose much either. You might get lucky and someone gets a late HOF induction, which will drive up the value on that one player, but for the most part, these careers are said and done and cards from this era are not super rare.

As to the market for these, it's been pretty stagnate from what I've seen. Someone said the prices went down. I think that's accurate, but from my experience it hasn't really dropped much since the Internet era. Pre-Internet days it was hard to set build. You had to "find" the card at a shop or card show. Now anyone can go on Ebay and find 20 examples of just about anything from that era. Ebay brought more buyers into the market but it also brought more easily accessible sellers. It created a price fluctuation in the market, but in my opinion that fluctuation for for low-mid grade 1950s-1970s commons already happened and is unlikely to drop much further.

That said, they can be difficult to sell too unless you go with a consignment. So, be mindful of that. Happy hunting!

[crazy4kinsler]

I actually bought big lots of 1974 and 1975 Topps commons in Ex-Mt type shape at a show this past weekend. Paid 10 cents apiece (their asking price) for them, so I've at least started those 2 sets. They were small lots, about 100 different cards each, but it's a start. Figured that's okay. But just kind of tells me how much 1970s commons are worth, haha. Already had a few big 1974 and 1975 Topps cards.

Originally Posted by jtclockwork

If you want to set build in the 1950s-1970s I would start with the big cards first OR buy a big lot of commons from that set year in one big lot. You usually get deals buying in bulk as someone wants to move them and doesn't want the pain of doing so individually. I'm assuming you are not looking for super high grade given the prices you are listing, so buying a bunch in bulk is probably the way to go -- or at least that's how I'd do it. That should give you a "starter" set and make it easier to pick off the the others you need.

As to retaining value, I wouldn't expect the value to rise on the old commons from that era but they probably won't lose much either. You might get lucky and someone gets a late HOF induction, which will drive up the value on that one player, but for the most part, these careers are said and done and cards from this era are not super rare.

As to the market for these, it's been pretty stagnate from what I've seen. Someone said the prices went down. I think that's accurate, but from my experience it hasn't really dropped much since the Internet era. Pre-Internet days it was hard to set build. You had to "find" the card at a shop or card show. Now anyone can go on Ebay and find 20 examples of just about anything from that era. Ebay brought more buyers into the market but it also brought more easily accessible sellers. It created a price fluctuation in the market, but in my opinion that fluctuation for for low-mid grade 1950s-1970s commons already happened and is unlikely to drop much further.

That said, they can be difficult to sell too unless you go with a consignment. So, be mindful of that. Happy hunting!

[TXRunner]

Since starting to dabble in vintage cards, I have been really focused on 1950's, especially the 1952 set. I have been tempted to just swoop up any commons I can find for a good price. My thought is that they probably won't decrease in value all that much since there are only so many of them that weren't lost to the sea. Haven't taken the dive yet, but getting very close to opening the gate.

[Grid]

Do you think vintage commons will hold value long term?

No, they wont. The same way they have always been commons for the past 50-70 years. They will continue to be commons. There are many factors working against you. As these cards get less and less collectable every year.

The hobbyists for 50's-70's era cards are dwindling, and will continue to do so as that generation sells off what they collected due to retirement or simply dies. Its the same thing for all Golden/Silver era common collectibles right now.

People grow up, make money, and want to buy a piece of their youth back. But this new cycle of grownups want 80's - 90's era and up. Which was their childhood. Stuff like Howdy Doody or the Moonkees have completely deflated. As the market isn't there any more. Yet Dream Team stuff and movie Props from the Goonies are breaking records.

High end, still current Pop Culture or Legends can withstand. As each generation still appreciates the best of the best. But really, who now a days care about a 1963 Bob Duliba card?

The days of set collecting commons have long been over. With the advent of chase cards, rare inserts and memorabilia type cards of the 90s. Not many put together a "flagship" set any more. And most common cards these days are just filler. With many newer sets doing away with commons altogether.

And while its true, they arent making any more vintage. The current supply has stayed steady for decades. As the old timers liquidate, and those that buy from them dump commons and grade the better names. Its still an endless cycle.

And people still see old cards as valuable. So no one is throwing a box of 1970's Topps in the garbage. Even if they are all just common cards. So the supply endures.