The biggest stumbling block to my 1967 Topps chase arrived today via Fed Ex. The Seaver/Denehy rookie is now the biggest hobby purchase I've ever made. By far.
Tom Seaver's death in 2020 forced a bump in the price of an already super expensive card. It was rather discouraging to look at the prices asked in auctions and on eBay. I gave a few thoughts to backing out of my pursuit of the set but I was really too far into it. I was past the point of no-return. I guess I could have sold off what I had put together but I'd have lost money on the graded cards I'd broken out of their holders and the work involved in selling cards just isn't something I find enticing.
Then something happened that changed my way of looking at the last leg of the chase. I won two of my fantasy football money leagues and was the runner-up in the third one. I had a pretty healthy PayPal balance a day or so after Christmas and it was back to eBay for me.
Over the last few months I'd made a few half-hearted attempts at some low-end Seavers but lost out on all of them. As I've done with all the expansive cards in my sets builds I kept my eyes out for graded cards I would accept and raw cards from very well established dealers I trust. Two targets popped up last week and I made an offer on one PSA 1.5 which was turned down and then on this one from a dealer I hadn't bought from before but who had 100% feedback with many, many thousands of sales. He counter-offered, I thought it over and bought it. The cost was a bit more than I had hoped to pay but still within reason.
The corners are decent, there's a scuff along the bottom edge a a stain on the back but considering the $1000+ examples I had been seeing I am more than happy with this one. It puts me at 40 high numbers away from the finish. That includes the spendy Carew rookie. But that one isn't as bad as the Seaver.
I'll get there. Finishing this thing and maybe my '62 Post set are my 2021 hobby goals.
Man, that's a key pick-up.
ReplyDeleteBy the time I get to that stage in the set I hope I still have the enthusiasm to pursue it (and pay for it). I was just looking at some key high-dollar cards in the '56 set and I got discouraged.
I want to be an optimist and say that prices will settle back down at some point. The crazy prices for the new, shiny stuff has had a ripple effect which REALLY brought up quality pre-War stuff and the kind of things you and I chase to a lesser extent.
DeleteW O W. A card I'll never own right there. Congrats.
ReplyDeleteThanks Nick.
DeleteCongrats!
ReplyDeleteThanks Matt
DeleteCongratulations on landing that Seaver rookie for your set... and good job winning those two FF leagues. Who were your first picks in each of those drafts?
ReplyDeleteBoth are dynasty leagues. I had a helluva draft a few years ago in the big money league and got Mahomes, Dalvin Cook, Aaron Jones and Chris Godwin and some other good pieces. I'm 33-3 over the last two years there. In the others I've had Mahomes, Watson, Cook, etc. I'm much better that this football thing than baseball. LOL
DeleteNicely done. A couple years ago I won my main league and bought a Jeter autograph with the winnings.
ReplyDeleteNice! 'Free' money is the best money to spend on hobby stuff.
DeleteI love this set, but sure am glad that I stopped working on it before I reached the point of no return.
ReplyDeleteIt took some real soul-searching for me to move forward with it.
Delete