Thinking about selling...

[caeser70]

Ha, I have everything. I saw on Ebay that a beloit prince from 2002 went for $400+. That is just nuts. I have been thinking about selling my super rare ones. I might pull in like $5000. Ha. Think I should? Tell me I am crazy. Tell me I should. Tell me I shouldnt. Who knows....

[temke]

for $5,000 i would sell lots of things.

 

i think about selling my prince, then decide not to. i am sure at some point it will have no real value to me...and by that time it will probably be worth like $5.

[billyhallfan]

i keep thinking i should sell that prince, but the value keeps going up, i don't think you should, you would miss it all too much, plus, has it ever been the money for you?

[JimH5]

I know nothing about modern bobbleheads and their value.

 

That said, if you could get $400 for something you paid nothing for, then by all means, do it.

 

It seems unlikely to me that there would be a market for a new collectible at a price much higher. The number of buyers willing to dump $400 is much higher than the number of people willing to drop $600.

 

And there's no telling when bobbles could become Beanie Babies, or Pogs. . .

 

And there's no telling that Prince might not turn out to be Pete Incaviglia.

 

If you're in it for the money, then take the money.

[PeaveyFury]

And there's no telling when bobbles could become Beanie Babies, or Pogs

 

Not that I disagree with your point, but bobbles have been 'popular' now for 7-8 years, which is already 3-4 times longer than either of the above mentioned fads.

[caeser70]

It has never been only about the money. I have sold my fair share of bobbles on Ebay and locally.

 

Just some crazy prices right now....

[MHgb]

Sell! Are you crazy!?! $400! No question you HAVE to sell now. It'll never be that high again. Just hope that yours gets the same bidding.

[Hart Of Milwaukee]

Sell! Are you crazy!?! $400! No question you HAVE to sell now. It'll never be that high again. Just hope that yours gets the same bidding.

I am willing to put money down that if Prince continues to have the career he's been having selling at $400 would be a huge mistake. Now if your contemplating selling today or a year from now that's a different story, but my strong reccomendation is to hold on to it. If bobbleheads maintain their popularity (it will be quite some time down the road), the price for early/rare bobbleheads will skyrocket similiar but not quite as much as vintage baseball cards. There may be some risk to holding on to it, but I believe the benefits down the road far outway the chance of it dropping!

[JimH5]

It may just be a generational thing (I'm 45 and way older than most on this board)--or it may also be a regional thing (I've been living away from Milwaukee for the past 10 years, mostly in the East)--but I don't see the bobblehead phenomenon as being universal.

 

I've attended memorabilia shows in NY, Philly, NJ and Florida, and haven't really seen any major traffic in and around modern bobbleheads. I've stood in line for autographs at the Philly show, the MAB shows, the White Plains shows and others, and I've never seen someone with a bobblehead, waiting to be signed.

 

I subscribe to SCD, and don't see much there in advertising or editorial content focused on bobbleheads.

 

I was a regular listener to WFAN in NY, and there was hardly a word ever mentioned on Yankee or Met bobbles.

 

I regularly follow memorabilia auctions, and while they often focus on vintage material, there is often new stuff sold (signed balls, game used jerseys, bats, etc.).

 

I did go to a game in Baltimore this past year and they were lined up early to grab a commerative Cal Ripken, so there is interest in some places.

 

Maybe it's just that all the bobblehead traffic is on eBay or local card shops--or in places I'm unaware of. I'll buy that as a possibility.

 

Now, to my point. . .there are way too many variables to say that this item is DEFINITELY going up in value.

 

What if Prince's performance wanes? What if he is injured? What if the economy tanks and discretionary spending pulls back? What if he leaves via free agency or trade to a market that doesn't embrace bobbleheads?

 

There are only two possible choices, to sell or to hold. . .If you're worried that this $400 item will drop to $250 or $75 or $20, then you should sell. If you're fine with keeping it regardless of its price, then you should keep it.

[gypcasino]

Interesting take Jim. Thanks for that.

[billyhallfan]

well, i think the reason why you don't see them at shows is because it is not the retail bobbles that draw money, it is the SGA, and there are lots of Yankee bobbles that have a high value and they were SGA's.

[JimH5]

billyhallfan, I'm not familiar with the term SGA. . .what does that mean?

[PeaveyFury]

Stadium Give Away.

[mattsr0625]

its simple, if you attended the game and got the bobblehead for free and dont sell it your not losing any money. so whats the point if the value of it drops from 400 to 40 bucks. who cares. if you need the money like sideline did then sell it. if you are just looking to cash in on market value of it thats a risk you are going to take. then what if the value goes up to 800 and never comes down? now you are screwed. and i think that the bobble craze is more of a selected market thing to me. keep your collection the way it is. to the real collectors its not about the money

[JimH5]

Thanks PeaveyFury. The Ripken one I got was a stadium giveaway. I gave it away as a gift.

 

Is eBay the preferred marketplace for these?

 

I would still think that if they were a hot item on the East coast, that I'd see them at shows. Maybe they're all around and I've been blind to them.

[jason21nl]

For me, I enjoy collecting the bobbles but I'm never going to get them all. If I owned that bobble, it would be on ebay tonight. $400 would go a long way towards other stuff.

[temke]

What if the economy tanks and discretionary spending pulls back?

then we get an "economic stimulus package" and people can spend their $600 check on a prince fielder bobblehead http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif