Chrome Printing Plate RC Auto's vs. Gold Ref. RC Auto's

Been thinking about this recently (will show off the card that led me to think about it when it arrives )

From what I have seen, printing plate Chrome RC auto's tend to go for right around what said player's Gold Refractor Auto goes for. The popularity of the gold refractor, combined with the sticker autograph and lack of interest (from some) for printing plates seems to make up any difference in price that would stem from the rarity of the printing plate.

I've thought for a while that while this is true with newer cards and players, it may not hold true once a player becomes a star. My thought process was that while the above may be true initially, the fact is that as time goes on, the gold refractors tend to pop up fairly frequently, while printing plates almost never do. Once a player has become a star and developed a following, I would imagine there would be at least a few people who would love the printing plate and would pursue it heavily, knowing that they may never get another chance to pick one up. With the gold refractors and their print run of 50, the level of scarcity just isn't the same, and I think that as time goes on the degree of scarcity could play a huge role.

This is my thought on the issue, but I was wondering what people thought about this. As time goes on, is there potential for printing plate RC's and RC auto's that might allow them to sell for considerably more than a gold refractor?

Yes, I agree completely. I don't have any evidence of this but it totally makes sense.

If I were to assume there were printing plates of the 2003 Hanley Bowman Chrome RC, I would never pay $800+ for a printing plate. $200-300 would be my max, while if I was in the market for a gold I would pay the $800 it would take to get one.

I always thought plates were more interesting to collectors than they are to investors, so this makes sense to me as well.

Absolutely, I think the potential is there for plates to sell for more than a gold refractor. I feel that as long as some folks like to collect plates, then the potential is there for the reasons stated (rarity foremost).

Personally, I collect cards not parts of the "machinery" that makes the cards. For that reason, I'd never pay more for a plate. I guess I view plates to be more in the realm of "memorabilia". Many folks like them though, and view them more as "cards" because they feature (often) vague images of the actual cards. To each his/her own hobby view/focus.

carlitoson said:

Absolutely, I think the potential is there for plates to sell for more than a gold refractor. I feel that as long as some folks like to collect plates, then the potential is there for the reasons stated (rarity foremost).

Personally, I collect cards not parts of the "machinery" that makes the cards. For that reason, I'd never pay more for a plate. I guess I view plates to be more in the realm of "memorabilia". Many folks like them though, and view them more as "cards" because they feature (often) vague images of the actual cards. To each his/her own hobby view/focus.

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This is exactly what I was thinking. Even if you, Tomlinson21RB and others may prefer gold refractors, because there are so few press plates, all it takes is a couple of people. (Especially if there are a couple of "super-collectors." )

Tomlinson21RB said:

If I were to assume there were printing plates of the 2003 Hanley Bowman Chrome RC, I would never pay $800+ for a printing plate. $200-300 would be my max, while if I was in the market for a gold I would pay the $800 it would take to get one.

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do you see the hanley hitting 4 digits? like in spring after his stellar season?

I don't think that printing plate autographs will ever sell for substanially more than golds on a consistent basis. Maybe there will be a bidding war between two super collectors that drives the plate's price up, but I think the bottom line is that the printing plates are ugly. If the market were rational, the rarest and lowest numbered cards would go for the highest amount, but it's not. The Pujols BC is far from his lowest numbered RC auto yet it sells for substanially more than any other card because of the set and looks of the card. I would never be interested in a Pujols RC plate because they are so ugly.

still new to the hobby...does anyone know what year printing plates were first introduced?

I like printing plate autos, especially in odd years when a player didnt have an Auto in the chrome product, but DOES have one iin Bowman's Best.
2004 for example.

I also think that player collectors love RC plates, and are so hard to find that they are coveted.

I believe this is where the looks/design of a card are important: A plate will not get top dollar compared to a gold refractor of the same player.

Quite frankly a piece of dirty, dinged up metal with sometimes absolutely no semblance of the player on the card (sans a rough outline or typeface) and a sticker autograph is not a good looking card. And the player performing at a higher level does not make it look any better.

You simply cannot force demand because something is a 1/1 rather than /50. Whatever pulse I have on the hobby doesn't tell me that people are trending towards printing plates.

If the player blows up, you'll probably have a nice flip by default.

Codasco07 said:

I don't think that printing plate autographs will ever sell for substanially more than golds on a consistent basis. Maybe there will be a bidding war between two super collectors that drives the plate's price up, but I think the bottom line is that the printing plates are ugly. If the market were rational, the rarest and lowest numbered cards would go for the highest amount, but it's not. The Pujols BC is far from his lowest numbered RC auto yet it sells for substanially more than any other card because of the set and looks of the card. I would never be interested in a Pujols RC plate because they are so ugly.

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While you may not be interested, would it be hard to imagine that of the close to 500 people holding Pujols RC Auto's there would be at least a handful of hardcore collectors (or plate fans) who would go all out for them?

Rico: While scarcity does not guarantee collectibility, there are certainly many player collectors out there going for every card of their player, and a variation of the player BC RC Auto (IMO) would be a card that many would be very interested in. While the scarcity would not (by itself) create the market, the fact is that because of the limited quantities there is the knowledge that "if I let this one pass, I may never see one again" and I imagine that might play a pretty big role. Just my opinion of course.

Topnotchsy said:

Rico: While scarcity does not guarantee collectibility, there are certainly many player collectors out there going for every card of their player, and a variation of the player BC RC Auto (IMO) would be a card that many would be very interested in. While the scarcity would not (by itself) create the market, the fact is that because of the limited quantities there is the knowledge that "if I let this one pass, I may never see one again" and I imagine that might play a pretty big role. Just my opinion of course.

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That you bought the card as neither a collector or player collector should be a small red flag though. Sure, the athlete may not have a coveted player collector yet, but what are the odds there is a player collector who already passed it up?

Forget that the player might never hit stardom (WHO IS THE PLAYER BTW?) I think your thought process relies on a bidding war between player collectors that might never take place.

rico08 said:

Topnotchsy said:

Rico: While scarcity does not guarantee collectibility, there are certainly many player collectors out there going for every card of their player, and a variation of the player BC RC Auto (IMO) would be a card that many would be very interested in. While the scarcity would not (by itself) create the market, the fact is that because of the limited quantities there is the knowledge that "if I let this one pass, I may never see one again" and I imagine that might play a pretty big role. Just my opinion of course.

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That you bought the card as neither a collector or player collector should be a small red flag though. Sure, the athlete may not have a coveted player collector yet, but what are the odds there is a player collector who already passed it up?

Forget that the player might never hit stardom (WHO IS THE PLAYER BTW?) I think your thought process relies on a bidding war between player collectors that might never take place.

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The card I bought was not listed all that well and after the auction had 5 total views in 7 days (including myself) I made a deal off of eBay. The player is Jon Lester, but my question was not specifically revolving around Lester, but more of a hypothetical. I don't know that Lester has the following yet that would warrant such increases.

I bet it was the Upton that was up recently. I was looking at it myself.

I think the best 'investments' will be the rarer but less popular currently cards of players who go on to all time great status.

Things that are considered 'ugly' or not as cool as the standard chrome auto will be the hardest to find and chased items of the future.

Lower buy in, higher pay off % wise.

Mudcatsfan said:

I bet it was the Upton that was up recently. I was looking at it myself.

I think the best 'investments' will be the rarer but less popular currently cards of players who go on to all time great status.

Things that are considered 'ugly' or not as cool as the standard chrome auto will be the hardest to find and chased items of the future.

Lower buy in, higher pay off % wise.

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I missed the Upton (actually a pair of them sold recently, the auction got $350ish and a BO $600.)

It was Lester.

If you're buying it as an investment only, isn't it adding risk? If you buy a gold ref. auto, then you only need to count on the player performing well for the price to rise (hopefully). From the reasoning behind the plate purchase, you need to count on both the player performing well and enough hardcore player collectors to bid the price up. Regardless, if you can buy the card at a discount, it's probably a good bet.

Codasco07 said:

If you're buying it as an investment only, isn't it adding risk? If you buy a gold ref. auto, then you only need to count on the player performing well for the price to rise (hopefully). From the reasoning behind the plate purchase, you need to count on both the player performing well and enough hardcore player collectors to bid the price up. Regardless, if you can buy the card at a discount, it's probably a good bet.

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I paid a price I am pretty comfortable at, enough to buy at a time when I barely even bid on anything anymore. I think he's underrated enough that I'm happy to have the card for investment purposes, but I also like Lester for everything he has done and gone through and my one "weakness" when it came to cards has always been really rare RC's.

As for added risk, I actually think there is less risk because I think that as time goes along the increases in values on Printing Plates will be greater than gold refractors, especially if listed at a good time, or left out there with a BIN/BO option for a while.

Topnotchsy said:

The card I bought was not listed all that well and after the auction had 5 total views in 7 days (including myself) I made a deal off of eBay. The player is Jon Lester, but my question was not specifically revolving around Lester, but more of a hypothetical. I don't know that Lester has the following yet that would warrant such increases.

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LESTER!? Of all guys, I never thought it was Jon Lester. If he doesn't have player collectors now who want a plate auto...5 views in 7 days...came up when I searched for "lester chrome au*" with BIN for goodness sake...

Even if Lester isn't involved I still don't buy the Printing Plate Appreciation theory, only because in my mind plates have had their chance.

The Justin Upton plate:
[ebay:1mn2fcjl]120496931563[/ebay:1mn2fcjl] $360.78

Anyone know a recent gold sale?

rico08 said:

Topnotchsy said:

The card I bought was not listed all that well and after the auction had 5 total views in 7 days (including myself) I made a deal off of eBay. The player is Jon Lester, but my question was not specifically revolving around Lester, but more of a hypothetical. I don't know that Lester has the following yet that would warrant such increases.

Click to expand...

LESTER!? Of all guys, I never thought it was Jon Lester. If he doesn't have player collectors now who want a plate auto...5 views in 7 days...came up when I searched for "lester chrome au*" with BIN for goodness sake...

Even if Lester isn't involved I still don't buy the Printing Plate Appreciation theory, only because in my mind plates have had their chance.

The Justin Upton plate:
[ebay:gk4gbou8]120496931563[/ebay:gk4gbou8] $360.78

Anyone know a recent gold sale?

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The gold of Upton goes for more than the plate did in auction, but another went for a BO of $600, which did not surprise me (a plate is the type of card where the auction could slip through the cracks or wind up in a bidding war, but with a BIN/BO there's a real chance of a huge offer.) Honestly not sure why the listing had so few views. Regardless, I'm happy with the price I paid, and I guess time will tell if it proves a worthwhile investment. The focus of my post was not specifically the Lester though, it was more the idea. Lester happens to be the player I picked up, but the reasoning may lead me to pick up others who I feel are decent prices.