Overpaying for your Holy Grail?

[jboosted92]

Collect what makes you happy. If you're willing to buy the item at the dealer's cost, what difference does it make if nobody else on Earth would spend that much? Unless you're investing to resell at a profit, buy what you like at the cost you're willing to pay. On the other hand, if you've been looking at the bat for a couple of years, it sounds like you're not that willing. That's fine, too.

I've overpaid for bats that filled holes in my collection. Just last night, I spent $158.50 on a Steve Kline bat. The bat is worth nowhere near that price, but he was a short reliever on the 2004 Cardinals -- tough bat on a team I collect. So, I overpaid. Financially, it was a dumb move. But, it's only the second Kline bat I've ever seen.

in My opinoin, BirdBats made a good purchase. If and when he decides to sell his 2004 NL champs Bat set, the fact he has rare commons, helps the value.

I know im going back in time, but look at the value of 1919 sox bat commons, 1927 yankee player commons.

I think they same can be said for good teams. At one point i was collecting the 2004 Red Sox bats, i had about 13 of them. I know if i had 19 to 20, I would be able to sell them at a lofty amount, off-setting the higher purchase price for a "dave roberts" type bat

just my 2 cents

[AWA85]

I agree with all the points that have been made. What I have learned as a collector it is about what makes you happy in your collection. Price is a big part about it, but collecting is all about enjoying what you have and making yourself happy. If this is a big item to your collection, I think you have to go for it!

[geoff]

I also overpaid for a Bat that was my holy grail at one point in time.I still love the bat but everytime I look at it and say why did I over pay for the bat.

[earlywynnfan]

I must be the only one puzzled: How "rare" is this bat? How do you know you'd be paying $400 more than you'd ever get -- where do you get your comp prices?

Also, you say that it's for sale by a dealer with an exclusive to this player; that leads me to believe it's a current player. If so, perhaps you might want to show some patience; there's very little out there in current players that won't be available again.

I'd ask you to tell us who the player is, but then you might run the risk of someone here swooping in and buying it first, but if you want to tell us, maybe we can help with clearer advice.

Just my 2 cents, and as an FYI, my 2 cents usually kills off a thread.

Ken

[helmets]

There has been many nights that I have tried to sleep while thinking that I should have pulled the trigger on something and didn't or bid a bit higher. I didn't buy the item, didn't bid high enough, or didn't have the balls. The item(s) were gone, and some of them I haven't seen or had the opportunity to get since. I made a promise to myself some time ago, that if I ever wanted something again, and it was within reach of my budget, and made sense, to get it.

So there I was, on ebay last night, looking at 4 season Packer tickets. Perfect buy. Green package. Low price. Buy it now - 3500.00 for Seven games. 28 tickets total. Lower bowl. On the aisle. Includes Monday night opener against Minnesota. I called a buddy in Wisconsin. "How 'bout going in half?" His response, "...let me ask my wife and I'll call you in the morning." The next two hours I wanted to buy them. I resisted. At about 10:00, I checked prior to going to bed. Gone. Sold. Again I layed in bed beating myself up over it. Thought about it all day. Kicking myself. Went on ebay, - 2 tix to Monday night opener...$750.00. Two season tickets similar seats - $2995.00 AAGGHHHH!

My dad once told me, "If you want something, you'd better buy it because if you don't, chances are someone else will."

I never really listened to him much...

[Chris78]

As long as you can afford it and you will not have any short term problems, if it means that much to you, I would buy the item. If you have been thinking about buying it for awhile, then it probably is worth purchasing. $400 in the long run is not going to break your account as long as you have a decent job.

Honestly, for me, there have been many times that I have considered purchasing something, but few times I have totally regretted not buying something in the end. With regards to game used items, I may have rather purchased a different jersey than the one I purchased. For instance, I would have rather picked the Geoff Geary Red Barons jersey instead of purchasing the Robinson Tejeda Red Barons jersey, but I do not consider it to be a total regret.

Keep this idea in mind as well. Would you rather purchase something else with that money (especially if you are on a tight budget)?

[jwasserman]

Odds are you're not going to get a second shot at something like that. If it's something you're planning on keeping for your personal collection, go for it.

[jayt1234]

I think too many people concern themselves with resale value...The hobbby should be on some level, for pure enjoyment and if you have the opportunity to get something that means something to you, and is not going to put you in finacial harship, Buy it...I just did this with a Drew Bledsoe Cowboys jersey offered to me from a member of this forum...I posted an Items wanted and got a reply with a price that was absolutely fair, but was the most I would have ever paid for an item, but I thought about it for all of one hour and bought it and never regreted it...I will NEVER sell this jersey so I am glad I got it.

jay

[gingi79]

Just my 2 cents.....if it's a Grail, is their really such thing as overpaying?

I always have the following question on my mind during a purchase, especially if it is a keeper:

"When it's on my wall, will my first thought be I paid too much or Damn fine piece of lumber!"