Are GU Items Becoming like BB Cards??

[Swoboda4]

I'm beginning to get the feeling that our game used items are going the way of post 1983 baseball cards. Aside from ourselves,ever try to sell an item to anyone else? While doing so did it feel like they looked at you as if you were trying to sell them a piece of pyrite? Most of the people I attempt to sell decent enough items to are in the baseball memorabilia community which makes this suspicion ring true.
Case in point. Yesterday I was in Bay Ridge and stopped off at Legends Sporting Goods. Aside from taking over the sporting goods mantle in the area from Triangle Sporting Goods,Legends hosted autograph signings so I felt this was a decent place at attempting to sell some Brooklyn Cyclone/Mets game used items.They have photographic memorabilia from both teams in their window so I thought what I was offering would enhance that and cause passers-by to stop and look. Anyway,I walked in and I dont know whether it was Pete or Andrew behind the counter but the conversation went like this:
Me: "Hi,How you doing? You guys buy game used...
Them:"No."
Me: "..items?" "I got Cyclones and Mets items."
Them:"No."
Me: "OK. Thanks anyway"
Them:"No problem."
Well,there is a problem. And just like we were slowly made to understand that any baseball card after 1983(some argue 1975) was basically worthless,so to is any game used item not belonging to a Hall of Famer or not tied to a significant historical event.
What bothered or struck me the most from yesterday's encounter was not that they opted not to buy anything(they're a store not a buyer) but that memorabilia people weren't curious as to what I had. I could have had anything and could have been a desperate motivated seller,it wouldn't have mattered. This example is not an isolated incident so actually,what do we really own?

[Jeffredsfan]

Re: Our Stuff is Worthless(Mostly)

Hopefully we all own something that brings us enjoyment. If we own stuff thinking it's an investment, it's just as you stated perfectly, it's like owning post '83 baseball cards. Equipment collectors have a very small group of people in which to possibly move our items. I'm sure your story can be echoed throughout this section of the hobby. Best of luck!

[kellsox]

Re: Our Stuff is Worthless(Mostly)

Speaking from "investment" angle on baseball items, I think that the market has become flooded with GU baseballs. There seems to be tons of these hitting the market in the last 2-3 years. The prices have dropped on these and I don't see these holding any sort of value. To me, it doesn't make a ball any more unique that "Player "x" hit this ball for a foul ball/ single/pop-out/etc...off pitcher "y"- there's just so many of them.
GU Jerseys are getting the same way. Players are wearing them once or twice them they're on MLB.com or sold by steiner. Look at all the crisp tags of GU jerseys that are MLB holo'd over the past couple seasons.
To me bats seem most likely to hold some sort of value mostly because they show unique player characteristics and use is easily visible. A bat used once or twice will appear that way, just as a bat used for several games will.
k

[cohibasmoker]

Re: Our Stuff is Worthless(Mostly)

...... What bothered or struck me the most from yesterday's encounter was not that they opted not to buy anything(they're a store not a buyer) but that memorabilia people weren't curious as to what I had. I could have had anything and could have been a desperate motivated seller,it wouldn't have mattered. This example is not an isolated incident so actually,what do we really own?[/QUOTE]


Is the problem what you own or the attitude of the dealers?

I don't think your encounter is all that unusual. We HAD store owners in our area with the same attitudes and guess what? Most if not all are out of business. Is it the economy or could it be something else like their attitude? To take it one step further, I stopped going to card shows because of the dealers. Every show was the same with the majority of dealers; their items had outrageous prices, they didn't want my items unless they could get it for pennies on the dollars, they would rather eat their sandwich than give you a minute of their time and their over-all attitudes was they didn't give a damn. Their conversations were always the same; "they're not making any money", "the table fees were too expensive" yada, yada, yada. I always found it interesting that with all their complaining, when the next show came-up, there they were again - their tables filled with the same junk and they were still crying the same old blues. It got old and besides, most of them smelled bad anyway.

What happened to the card shows? For those of us who have been in the hobby for a while, card shows used to be events, places to meet new collectors, renew friendships and see rare items. What happened? It could be a variety of reasons but how many card shows can a person attend where the majority of dealers have the "we don't need you attitude"? Another factor is - eBay. eBay eBay popped up and offered an alternative to the card shows.

Don't get too depressed. Even if your items don't have a value to others, it still has a value to you so put it up on the wall and enjoy it.


Just my opinion,

Jim

[CampWest]

Re: Our Stuff is Worthless(Mostly)

I would say that people who are not dedicated game used collectors are afraid to buy anything because they're afraid of getting scammed. They do not have the knowledge to assess validity so they assume its fake and they assume its too expensive. Once I learned that I could buy an authentic game used bat of a minor star player for $50-100 (less than the price of a box of mid-tier baseball cards) and got comfortable in knowing what to look for and how to assess, card collecting became obsolete. I sold a few bats on consignment at the local card shop, but not as many as I'd have expected. Prices were good players were good, I had photo-style matches with each bat, and still buyers ooh'ed and aah'ed but were convinced the FBI was going to say they were all fakes like the Mantle and Ruth autograph scandal.

I think the market is out there for the collector who wants just a bat or two, but they are a very tough sell. I've been thinking of getting a table at a card show to sell almost entirely bats, but I'm nervous that it will be a waste of time and turn into a library stand - everyone will pick it up ask a few questions and move on.

[Neal]

Re: Our Stuff is Worthless(Mostly)

I think your encounter is probably not the norm. I would guess that there are buyers out there that are looking for Cyclone items - you were one of them. Perhaps the dealer is only looking to sell, and may not have any money too buy anything. That is one of many explanations.

When I buy a bat, the last thing I am thinking of is resale. When I was more into cards, I felt the same way, although I did buy a card every so often with thoughts of "flipping". Bats are actually tougher to find for sale, in my experience, which tells me there is a demand, and I wish more were for sale.

I also wholeheartedly agree on modern jerseys - I wonder how many the average player wears during a 162 game schedule.

[Swoboda4]

Re: Our Stuff is Worthless(Mostly)

Yea Jim and others,
I should clear up the fact that when I walk into a place(and its rare I do that.Once every year or so)I don't bring anything with me. If the answer was yes or somebody expressed interest I go out and come back with the item.
I just thought it strange that somebody in the hobby industry and a big N.L./Brooklyn fan didn't even ask what I had,even though his answer was no,which is perfectly OK I guess.
I've walked into "coin/stamp stores" in the good old days and even though the owner wasn't buying anything he always asked,"What do you have?" His interest and love of what he was involved in always got the better of him to at least ask.
In fairness,the store could be completely retail to their interests and that's that.
This example aside,I do get the feeling the $700 Steiner common player game used jersey is completely worthless to investment. Just buy your favorite players item as mentioned,for you.

[Swoboda4]

Re: Our Stuff is Worthless(Mostly)

Neal,I've never bought anything thinking I was going to sell it.Never for investment purposes. All local NY favorites of mine. Which is probably what's bothering me about it's actual worth when the time came.

[Lokee]

Re: Our Stuff is Worthless(Mostly)

If you want to invest for a return game used is not the way to go.

Physical gold/silver/platinum is where it is at.

I was buying gold at 750 and ounce and have almost doubled my return and will for sure double it in the near future.

[Swoboda4]

Re: Our Stuff is Worthless(Mostly)

lokee,how do you compare platinum,etc vs real estate?

[joelsabi]

Re: Our Stuff is Worthless(Mostly)

I don't think your encounter is all that unusual. We HAD store owners in our area with the same attitudes and guess what? Most if not all are out of business. Is it the economy or could it be something else like their attitude? To take it one step further, I stopped going to card shows because of the dealers. Every show was the same with the majority of dealers; their items had outrageous prices, they didn't want my items unless they could get it for pennies on the dollars, they would rather eat their sandwich than give you a minute of their time and their over-all attitudes was they didn't give a damn. Their conversations were always the same; "they're not making any money", "the table fees were too expensive" yada, yada, yada. I always found it interesting that with all their complaining, when the next show came-up, there they were again - their tables filled with the same junk and they were still crying the same old blues. It got old and besides, most of them smelled bad anyway.

What happened to the card shows? For those of us who have been in the hobby for a while, card shows used to be events, places to meet new collectors, renew friendships and see rare items. What happened? It could be a variety of reasons but how many card shows can a person attend where the majority of dealers have the "we don't need you attitude"? Another factor is - eBay. eBay eBay popped up and offered an alternative to the card shows.

Don't get too depressed. Even if your items don't have a value to others, it still has a value to you so put it up on the wall and enjoy it.


Just my opinion,

Jim

Your experiences at card shows were identical to mine. I used to set up at card shows with my brotherinlaw and we always gave attention to anyone one who went to our table. It's just good business sense (repeat business)and normal human behavior. So I thought. Instead of once a week habit going to shows before I got into game used, I now attend 1 show a year around Christmas time to fill out my 70's cards sets just because I enjoy talking baseball with this one dealer who sells old commons. His motivation of setting up a table is to get away from the mrs. for a few hours and just enjoy the hobby. I wish all dealers/shopowners had this mentality.

[Lokee]

Re: Our Stuff is Worthless(Mostly)

lokee,how do you compare platinum,etc vs real estate?

I do not mess with real estate in my opinion that is a risky investment. If you live in Canada especially since they could possible be headed like the US.

I have a friend who lives in Detroit. All he does is buy junk houses for like 500.00 to 2 grand (yes 500.00 dollars). He fixes them up and flips them for 5 to 7 grand. If you can get something like that going it would be worth it.

Remember PHYSICAL gold/silver/platinum is what you want, but you want it in your hand not in holdings.

[Mulligans]

Re: Our Stuff is Worthless(Mostly)

IMO......Real Estate investing and GU Investments can both be HOME RUNS.....Like anything else, you need to buy low and sell high. You should not buy high with hopes of it going higher!

[sox83cubs84]

Re: Our Stuff is Worthless(Mostly)

I remember going intoa small Chicago shop in the mid-1990s, during the Bulls' second three=peat. The owner, while nice, had the same pennies-on-the-dollar view of buying stuff.

I had Michael Jordan oddball cards to offer her, at a legitimate wholesale price. She wanted to get them for next to nothing, though, and her response was "Michael Jordan doesn't sell". During a Bulls three-peat!!
Can you believe that?

Another card shop in the suburbs defended their meage buying prices by telling me that "we pay 15% of Beckett and we've got cards flying in the door". Yeah, right.

Dave Miedema

[stlbats]

Are GU Items Becoming like BB Cards??

I know this has been discussed some recently, but its seems to be getting worse. Quality items just dont sell anymore. Is everyone just broke, or is the market getting flooded. This happened with baseball cards years ago. I have never really collected cards seriously but I do know that the only cards worth anything is the hot rookie or vintage stuff. Kind of the same with bats these days. The old old stuff still sells or maybe the hot rookie bat, but regular star players and others just dont unless the prices are dirt cheap, which is killing the hobby in itself. Its getting hard to buy a nice bat or any item and if you do decide to sell after a while, you can only get a fraction of what you paid. Really sad.

Jason

stlbats@bellsouth.net