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Conference school::sports_memorabilia

Title:Sports Memorabilia
Notice:Wanted: 3.*; For_sale: 4.*; Traded: 5.*
Moderator:SCHOOL::KOPACKO
Created:Wed Aug 27 1986
Last Modified:Thu May 08 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:730
Total number of notes:8547

83.0. "1989 Donruss Rookie Sets (Baseball)" by PNO::KAPLAN (subtlety..SUBTLETY..<<S U B T L E T Y>>) Tue Sep 05 1989 20:42

    The 1989 Donruss rookies set has just come out in the Phoenix area. 
    Based on past history, one would have expected this set to retail
    around $9-10, give or take.  Forget past history.  These sets are
    selling for upwards of $20 and are disappearing fast at that price.
    I've talked to several dealers and they all pretty much say the same
    thing.  First, nobody can figure out what this set has that any of the
    other update sets (to be released in the next month or so) won't have.
    Second, supplies are very tight, either because not enough sets were
    ordered or because Donruss cut the allocation.  Third, customers are
    willing to pay almost whatever price is charged, so why not "make a few
    bucks?"  I mention all this because those of you in other parts of the
    country may want to buy your sets now before prices escalate, or for
    those of you who are investors, you may want to speculate on this item.
    
    Allow me to make an obvious general observation.  Sports memorabilia in
    general, and baseball cards in particular, are seeing unprecented price
    escalations.  It appears that there is an endless supply of money that
    people are willing to spend to acquire cards.  I visit a number of card
    shows and the scene is mind-boggling.  Kids routinely ask parents for
    $10 to buy this or that, and the parents rarely balk.  The net result
    is that dealers are becoming increasingly brazen, and it becomes harder
    for a collector, such as me, to negotiate anything near a fair price.
    If you happen to check prices in a Beckett, for example, you will
    notice that 5 to 10 times as many cards increase in price every month
    as compared to those that decrease.  And the average increase isn't 5%
    or less.  Before too long, the true "collector" will become as extinct
    as outdoor baseball played on real grass.  And that is sad.
    
    								phil
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83.1Donruss Rookies, cheap!LEDS::OBRIENRWed Sep 06 1989 13:3211
	For what it's worth, a guy on Main St. in Milford (I don't know	
	the name of the shop; it's near St. Mary's church) was selling the
	sets for $9.95, limit two.

	I don't know if he has any left; as you would expect, they were
	going fast.

	Ron o.


83.2For what it's worthDASXPS::WALWORTHWed Sep 06 1989 14:3612
    AJ Sports of Andover selling Donruss rookie sets for $12.95 +
    tax=$13.20  a set limit two sets. A woman I work with bought one
    got home and Sheffield,Jefferies and Griffey Jr. were missing.
    Went back to the store and was told they are factory sets and they
    can't do anything about it.Gave her an 800 number to call and after
    the usual rua around was told to send sase to the company with the
    list of missing cards and they would replace them.All I know is
    that my '86 rookie set was bought for $10.00 and lists in Becketts
    for $30.00.
    
    Regards
    kcw
83.3MADMAG::NORRISWhat is it, Miss Pfeffernuss?Wed Sep 06 1989 20:3618
    If I was a dealer, I'd include this form letter in the sets. 
    
    
    Dear Donruss
    
    I recently purchase a 1989 factory set. When I got home all the cards
    were missing. The store owner claims he didn't touch them. He always is
    very honest, gives to the homeless fund, helps 90 year old Mrs. Smith
    get her cat out of trees, saved 500 lives during the Chicago fire, and
    will soon be delivering a cure for the common cold. Your factory workers 
    must have forgotten to include them, I'm not accusing them of anything, 
    so don't get me wrong. Enclosed is a SASB, please send me all the missing 
    cards.
    
    My 1984 factor set was missing all it's cards also. Is it too late to
    have those cards sent to me?
    
    <your name>
83.5KIDS THESE DAYSPNO::BRANNIGANThu Sep 07 1989 21:4115
    RE.0
    
    Phil;
    
    You need to cut back on your kid's allowance.  They're in front of the
    line.  
    
    I agree with what your saying.  And to add insult to injury, go to one
    of the dealers and try to sell them your cards.  My favorite excuss for
    dicounting the value of the card is "..it's slightly of center."  What
    do they have bionic vision ??
    
    Anyway, Phil whats your real feeling on the subject.
    
    regards
83.6MADMAG::NORRISWhat is it, Miss Pfeffernuss?Fri Sep 08 1989 12:027
>    How come SCD, Beckett's etc. never report crap like this ?
    
    Who pays for the ads? I know it's us in the long run. Would you
    run that story on one of your big ad accounts?
    
    Ed
    
83.7Re: .8PNO::KAPLANsubtlety..SUBTLETY..&lt;&lt;S U B T L E T Y&gt;&gt;Fri Sep 08 1989 15:3610
    My kids are not in front of the line.  They go directly to distributors
    to buy and hoard cases for future profits.  *8^)
    
    Apparently, I have done a poor job of making my feelings known. 
    Perhaps, I can do better.  If any dealer charges more than Beckett, or
    deliberately downgrades cards he buys while upgrading cards he sells,
    I'd start by stringing him up by his nostrils.  Then, I'd rearrange his
    hands so all 5 fingernails appeared on one finger.  Then, I'd...  Does
    this help clarify my position?
    									phil
83.8Gas Valve on, Ignition, Flame OnWLDWST::DRAKEFri Sep 08 1989 15:5715
    The dealer out here in San Jose pulls that crap! The guy on Monroe
    makes excuses for buying low and turns around and sells this
    "defective" card for mint price saying "oh, it's hard to find" or
    "that's market price" and I say not according to SCD or Becketts!
    Then he says "Those magazines are down level before they even hit
    the stands" WHAT AN A**HOLE!!!! If I did not like the old cards
    so much I'd punch him in the mouth, instead I buy the cheapest one
    available, hoping to send a message to him that I'm not going to
    pay ransom. I'm not looking to send my kid to college on em, cause
    I won't sell. I just saw a 73 Mike Schmidtt(SP) for $45! What a
    rip off! They're just after the quick score on his retirement hoopla.
    
    Flame off(for now)
    
    Al
83.9RE: .12HEFTY::DANIELETFri Sep 08 1989 16:413
    ... are we related 8^) ???
    
    		Tony
83.10Schmidtt?SAGE::JACUNSKIFri Sep 08 1989 19:084
    re .13
    
    Isn't a mint 73 Schmidt going for $200+?  What's the matter with
    $45?  Or does "SP" mean "severely poor" condition?
83.12I mixed up the 73 & 74 (oops)WLDWST::DRAKEFri Sep 08 1989 21:396
    I take that back. It's not a split picture card. It must be a 74.
    Sounds like the 73 is a rookie card, eh?  I still say so what! HYPE
    HYPE HYPE!!!! It's more than the Bench card, more than any of em.
    I'll wait til the frenzy is over,thankyou.
    
    Al
83.13Don't let them do it!!AIMHI::BERNARDMon Sep 11 1989 16:5153
    
    Sounds like some of you forget that you have what dealers want, $$
    MONEY $$! I get a sense that you get nervous at the prospect of
    engaging in a negotiation for a card and not feeling successful. 
    
    The dealers are just negotiating the best price they can for their
    wares. Much like the folks pictured on the cards. After all, if Bob,
    BUM, Stanley can make $1M per year and Jim, I'M HUNGRY, Rice can make
    $2.4M per year, why can't a baseball card cost $100??? Players simply
    negotiate a price and the Teams feels that they can't do without them so
    they fork over the money and we pay. It makes me sick to think that $1
    of every Red Sox ticket goes to Jim Rice. By comparison dealers are
    saints.
    
    Some suggestions.....
    
    Don't set expectations. If you see something that would be nice if
    added to your collection offer a price that you think is reasonable. If
    the person won't sell, just walk. DON'T EVER set yourself up with
    opening lines like "I'll just die if I don't have that card". Get the
    point......
    
    Always try to get them to deal at your level. I always bring my 9 year
    old with me. He's getting great at negotiating!! He even got a guy to
    throw in a Marty Barrett free because he told him it wasn't worth the
    paper it was printed on. (I almost burst holding back my laughter).
    
    Stay out of discussions on the quality of the card. Remember, beauty is
    in the eye of the beholder. If someone doesn't offer you enough for a
    card you have, keep it!! Remember you don't HAVE to buy or sell.
    
    Another tactic I've used with some success is to leave my offer, name
    and phone number with the dealer. If the card's still available and he
    needs the money, they'll call. You can then say.."Gee, I just got it
    from someone else at $X lower than your offer. But I'd own 2 if you'd
    let it go for $Y lower than your BullSh#t number.
    
    Use time to your advantage. I often make a dealer spend a great deal of
    time answering questions or showing me cards. When I'm ready to deal, I
    make them aware on my terms, that I'll walk if they don't provide a
    deal I like. I make sure to remind them how much time they've invested
    in me already and wouldn't it be ashamed if they wasted it.......
    
    For me, collecting cards is a hobby I enjoy with my sons. In my mind a
    hobby is fun and I'm not going to get worked up over it. It's
    challanging to bicker over a few bucks with some of these guys, but
    it's no skin off my hide if I don't buy something. Afterall, I can do a
    lot more in life with cash than they can with a baseball card.....
    
    Keep smiling.....
    
    JMB
    
83.14WHELIN::DIFONZOMon Sep 11 1989 18:0310
    re Jim Rice  
    
    read in yesterday's Globe that back in '77 the Sox were playing the
    Brewers and Rice was up with the bases loaded Sox leading 4-3 and he 
    was walked . Not outwardly intentional but but, but it was an intential
    walk none the less. The Milwaukee manager said after the game that he
    didn't mind walking him. They really feared Jim Rice. That's the Rice
    I'll always remember.
    
    John
83.15I had to say thisFROST::MARRIERPicture of the future-youre not initWed Sep 13 1989 02:1712
re:Jim Rice
		The Rice I'll always remember is a game against the
	Yankees, I don't remember the year, it was quite a while ago..
	Anyway, I remember Ron Guidry was pitching and he hit Rice
	the first time up, Rice glared at Guidry.. Next time up,
	Rice hits a monster home run to deeeeeeep left field at
	Yankee Stadium, he gave Guidry the glare all the way around the
	bases.. And just to make his point a little clearer, he hit
	another mammoth home run his next time up as well...  He was
	a powerful hitter!!!

Rick_a_Yankee_fan
83.16More Rice LoreSAGE::JACUNSKIWed Sep 13 1989 19:259
    And who can forgot Jim Ed going up into the left field stands at
    Yankee Stadium to personally retrieve his hat, which some foolish
    fan had stolen off his head when he crashed into the wall going
    after a foul?
    
    I wish the world would give him just ONE MORE CHANCE with the bone
    spurs gone from his elbow. But given his salary it's not likely.
    Wonder if his pride would allow him to come back next spring under
    a no-perform/no-pay arrangement?
83.17OK, OK, thats enough ...SA1794::DANIELETThu Sep 14 1989 12:347
	Why don't you Rice lovers start your own conference.  Rice is a over-
paid "BUM" !  I get sick when they even closely associate him with the likes
of Teddy and Yaz ... and even sicker when I hear people who think he's gonna be
in the HOF.  Ha !  They're (you're) dreamin.

					Tony
    
83.18SA1794::DANIELETThu Sep 14 1989 16:414
    	You can talk about my mother, but don't you dare talk about
    Mantle and Maris 8^).
    
    				Tony
83.2089 ScoreUSWAV1::VINTONFri Sep 15 1989 18:346
    Dwight Smith appears in the 89 Score set, card #642 I believe. Please
    someone start hoarding them so that the 10 I have will put my kid
    through the rest of his college.
    
    Dick
    
83.21Bowman AlsoUSWAV1::VINTONMon Sep 18 1989 20:113
    He also appears in Bowman card #297.
    
    
83.22Missing Cards SuppliedBOSOX::DLLEVINEWed Sep 20 1989 15:5418
    
    HI,
    
    I'm happy to report that Donruss has sent the three cards that were
    missing from my Rookies set.  I called the 800 number, and the nice
    lady gave me the address and asked for a receipt from the dealer.
    
    I was a little skeptical that the cards would ever be replaced,
    partly because I had no way to prove my story that I opened the
    box, and the three top cards were not there.  However, I followed
    her instructions and mailed the receipt and a letter to Donruss
    on Sept. 6.  I received the cards back on Sept. 19.  I am very
    satisfied with their service, of course.  Also, I did not send SASE.
    
    Regards,
    
    Deb