Seriously, who is buying from Heritage/CertifiedLink?

[Amermoe | 150]

1 hour ago, Mr. CIB said:

While agree with you a popular title with the rarity will win........ that has not been the case in this collecting hobby ever.

I understand your sentiment, and you are correct to say that has been the case for a long time, but this was before the hobby became public. At that time, the hobby was very niche, and only collectors/enthusiasts were dictating what was rare and valuable. It was also before some of the more popular titles were getting harder to find.

Even back then however, Bronty's sticker sealed SMB was considered one of the most desirable finds in the sealed collecting community (which at the time, consisted of only a few known handful of people). It was not on par with a sealed stadium events, but it was close, and was only a matter of time before someone bit the bullet and decided to offer an absurd sum for it. It's public knowledge from Bronty himself, that he had a legitimate offer from a long-time collector, higher than the $100,150 price Heritage paid (I believe it was $105k), and decided to turn it down because it would be better for the hobby in the long term.

Contrary to what some might think, I don't have a problem with one of a kind items like that going for astronomical prices. There's very few first edition Dr. Wright Mega mans in sealed mint condition, same with the sealed stadium events, and same with gold and grey NWCs. So the natural price appreciation for those items is understandable. What I take issue with, however, is common mass printed sealed games, with little to no historical significance, selling for thousands on the secondary market, and people believing that they are making a good "investment". This is the reason why the market is so volatile at the moment. Some people, mainly long-time collectors, will greatly benefit from the chaos that is ensuing at the expense of the vast majority, who will undoubtedly be wiped clean once the dust settles, the market stabilizes, the prices correct/adjust.

It's sad.

Edited August 16, 2020 by Amermoe