What did you buy for investment purposes/resale and tanked???

[suave1477]

I thought this might be an interesting topic since I see so many times people over pay for items and I look at my computer screen and say is "he crazy to pay that much for something like that"
Now I know some of those items I am sure are bought for personal collections or you may have a sentimental attachment to it so your willing to over pay for it.

But quite a few of these items get picked up where someone things down the road its gonna be worth a lot or someone buys an item at a high cost thinking they are going to be able to flip it for more.

Here is an item I purchased.

Mets Lastings Milledge Triple AAA Game Used Helmet (Lastings being noted at the time as the Next big Phenom)
I paid quite a few hundred for it figuring I would be able to flip it and make a pretty hefty profit.

Lastings Milledge career goes no where that it was expected and there goes my investment - I couldn't even get rid of it for $200 or $300 if I tried none the less the helmet is still sitting in my inventoiry.

WHATS YOUR ITEM??

[flaco1801]

ballplayers arent the only greedy people. its a hobby, not a place to make money off of collectors. a full time job supplements the FUN of collecting, when u learn that u might be better off

[suave1477]

I do treat this as a Hobby for fun.

But if I see some great deals come along where I have potential to make a few dollars for myself I don't think there is anything wrong with that.

[bigtruck260]

I do treat this as a Hobby for fun.

But if I see some great deals come along where I have potential to make a few dollars for myself I don't think there is anything wrong with that.

Not at all Suave.

I said this in another thread...

I bought a big lot of McGwire signed baseballs from Steiner for $499 each, knowing full well that he does not sign anymore (at shows, etc.) - This year, I unloaded them for an average of $165 each.

About investing vs. collecting. I am sure many of us have bought something we really wanted and later sold it for a profit in order to buy another item...no big deal as long as the markup is at or near market price. Even then it is the seller's discrection.

[CollectGU]

ballplayers arent the only greedy people. its a hobby, not a place to make money off of collectors. a full time job supplements the FUN of collecting, when u learn that u might be better off


Not to get off topic, but it's much more than a hobby. The sports memorabilia industry which game used is a part of, is a billion+ industry. Many people either make a living off of or supplement their income in this industry. Because someone doesn't see the industry from the perspective of a collector doesn't make them greedy...

Regards,
Dave

[Vintagedeputy]

I know someone who may be interested in that Milledge helmet if the price is right!

[jppopma]

I collect with my heart and will pay more for the things I like...however there is a bottom line and I try to limit what I buy and how much I spend. I guess keeping an eye on what I spend compared to how much it's worth would make it an investment.

Suave, Don't worry too much about one investment tanking, I'm sure you have made up for it with other deals over the years. Just think, you could have had the money in a 401K and had it cut in half...hope you didn't loose that much on the helmet.

[suave1477]

I collect with my heart and will pay more for the things I like...however there is a bottom line and I try to limit what I buy and how much I spend. I guess keeping an eye on what I spend compared to how much it's worth would make it an investment.

Suave, Don't worry too much about one investment tanking, I'm sure you have made up for it with other deals over the years. Just think, you could have had the money in a 401K and had it cut in half...hope you didn't loose that much on the helmet.

Thanks for the kind words looks like relativley it hust may be cut in half lol lol Oh well.....

I was just curious to see what others as far s players people may have picked up game used stuff of that didn't pan out to what they thought.

Vintage here is my email address suave1477@yahoo.com

[frikativ54]

Back when I bought baseball cards, I bought a bunch of duplicate Scott Elarton cards, thinking I had a great investment. Then he has arm trouble and his career tanks. Meanwhile, I have I whole box of his rare cards. I wish I knew him, so I could give them to his family. My brother still makes fun of me for the Elarton blunder.

As far as game-used for investment, I don't do that, because items are too expensive. I once bought a Hunter Pence bat, and sold it for 3/5ths the original price. I though he was going to be much better than he has been thus far, so I didn't think the bat was worth holding on to.

[jppopma]

Like I mentioned my game used buying style...I guess that has some to do with my exit from the card business and my story of something that tanked.

I had purchased my cases of the Topps Archives Basketball directly from Topps and it was being hyped as the next great set. Based on that, I bought more cases than I normally would have. Sad point is that the set was a bomb and other dealers were selling boxes of it for less than I paid direct from Topps. To make things even worse, I was stuck because I had not even received my shipment yet. I ended up selling them for whatever I could get and saw the light then for the card industry and made my way out.

[frikativ54]

Like I mentioned my game used buying style...I guess that has some to do with my exit from the card business and my story of something that tanked.

I had purchased my cases of the Topps Archives Basketball directly from Topps and it was being hyped as the next great set. Based on that, I bought more cases than I normally would have. Sad point is that the set was a bomb and other dealers were selling boxes of it for less than I paid direct from Topps. To make things even worse, I was stuck because I had not even received my shipment yet. I ended up selling them for whatever I could get and saw the light then for the card industry and made my way out.

Although I miss a few of the cards I had, overall I am glad that I got out of the card industry when I did. Although many of the cards were gorgeous, there were more and more sets coming out, and I just got tired of the oversaturation off the market with those silly swatches of game-used equipment. For all the money I was blowing on game-used cards, I could have bought a whole jersey. And many of the cards don't retain their value, because they are seen as "just another set".

[cohibasmoker]

I collect with my heart and will pay more for the things I like...however there is a bottom line and I try to limit what I buy and how much I spend. I guess keeping an eye on what I spend compared to how much it's worth would make it an investment.

Suave, Don't worry too much about one investment tanking, I'm sure you have made up for it with other deals over the years. Just think, you could have had the money in a 401K and had it cut in half...hope you didn't loose that much on the helmet.

jppopma - We think alike. But like most things in life, we win a few and lose a few. The goals are to keep it all in perspective and have fun. In the end, it usually all works out OK.

Jim

[chakes89]

Back when I bought baseball cards, I bought a bunch of duplicate Scott Elarton cards, thinking I had a great investment. Then he has arm trouble and his career tanks. Meanwhile, I have I whole box of his rare cards. I wish I knew him, so I could give them to his family. My brother still makes fun of me for the Elarton blunder.

When was Scott Elarton ever considered to be good?

[TAFKADixie]

In the middle of Billy Koch's 44 save season in 2002 with the A's I bought a Blue Jays spring training jersey (whichever year has the 25th season patch) with team LOA on ebay for $248. While I don't regret the purchase since I didn't buy it as an ivestment as I am a huge Clemson alum collector, had I known he was going to collapse in the 9th of the A's playoff series I would have held off and bought one for half that price. Case in point, in 2006 I bought a 2004 White Sox pinstripe gamer for $140 on ebay.

[AWA85]

When was Scott Elarton ever considered to be good?


On draft day when the Astros took him in the first round, after that it was all downhill ;)

[frikativ54]

On draft day when the Astros took him in the first round, after that it was all downhill ;)

Career: Batting (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/stats?playerId=3869&context=batting) | Pitching | Fielding (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/stats?playerId=3869&context=fielding)SEASONTEAMGGSCGSHOIPHRERHRBBSOWLS VHLDBLSVERA1998Hou2820057.0402121520562120--3.321999Hou421500124.011155488431219510--3.482000Hou303020192.2198117103298413117700--4.81

I think I bought my stash toward the end of 1998 when he was an Astros' top prospect. I know people only remember the later version with Elarton, but he was decent for a little while.

[frikativ54]

Career: Batting (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/stats?playerId=3869&context=batting) | Pitching | Fielding (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/stats?playerId=3869&context=fielding)SEASONTEAMGGSCGSHOIPHRERHRBBSOWLS VHLDBLSVERA1998Hou2820057.0402121520562120--3.321999Hou421500124.011155488431219510--3.482000Hou303020192.2198117103298413117700--4.81

I think I bought my stash toward the end of 1998 when he was an Astros' top prospect. I know people only remember the later version with Elarton, but he was decent for a little while.

Wow - those stats didn't translate well - http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/stats?playerId=3869. I bought my stash after his first year when he had a very respectable ERA.

[chakes89]

On draft day when the Astros took him in the first round, after that it was all downhill ;)
Im surprised he was never a Red

After all we did sign Jason Johnson and Joey Hamilton

:eek:

[AWA85]

The 5.33 ERA in AAA 4.01 the second round in AAA should have been the time to sell QUICK. Oh well, learn from our mistakes.

[AWA85]

Im surprised he was never a Red

After all we did sign Jason Johnson and Joey Hamilton

:eek:

JUST STOP.... Elarton was floating around with KC and the Indians the past few years. JUST STOP, don't jinx it.

[frikativ54]

The 5.33 ERA in AAA 4.01 the second round in AAA should have been the time to sell QUICK. Oh well, learn from our mistakes.

Yeah I've done plenty of dumb things in my life. I was also a big Elarton fan, I don't even remember why, so buying two and three and four copies of his rare parallels didn't seem bad at the time. I've made a lot of mistakes in collecting, like overpaying for items. I try to learn from those errors in judgment.

[allstarsplus]

I thought this might be an interesting topic since I see so many times people over pay for items and I look at my computer screen and say is "he crazy to pay that much for something like that"
Now I know some of those items I am sure are bought for personal collections or you may have a sentimental attachment to it so your willing to over pay for it.

But quite a few of these items get picked up where someone things down the road its gonna be worth a lot or someone buys an item at a high cost thinking they are going to be able to flip it for more.

Here is an item I purchased.

Mets Lastings Milledge Triple AAA Game Used Helmet (Lastings being noted at the time as the Next big Phenom)
I paid quite a few hundred for it figuring I would be able to flip it and make a pretty hefty profit.

Lastings Milledge career goes no where that it was expected and there goes my investment - I couldn't even get rid of it for $200 or $300 if I tried none the less the helmet is still sitting in my inventoiry.

WHATS YOUR ITEM??

I know a Milledge collector that may want it!

My worst item was my Roger Clemens 2000 Game Used jersey that sold thousands under what I paid..........

[AWA85]

My purchase was an autograph Alex Rodriguez jersey. Purchased before I was into game used items, decided it was time to move it and only made about a 1/2 of what I paid. Guess I never knew the Arod autograph market would be so saturated :rolleyes:


Delmon Young autograph has not taken off yet, still holding out that the Liriano price goes up if he can stay healthy.

[chakes89]

JUST STOP.... Elarton was floating around with KC and the Indians the past few years. JUST STOP, don't jinx it.
Fingers crossed for another miracle

:D

[stradermays]

I once traded a '76 Whitey Herzog Royals jersey for a Steve Sax '82 Rookie Jersey. I tried to throw the Jersey away but kept missing the trash can from 15 feet away.