Non 1/1 cards you would pay more for than 1/1s

[mouschi]

It is my opinion that the most beautiful cards have come out in the past 5 years or so. Sick, insane auto/patch cards, etc. Cards destined to get BIG money. You know what I'm talking about - the 1/1's that, when they make themselves seen, angels will sing.

For me, the big three that have always stuck out are
1996 Select Certified Mirror Gold
1997 Pinnacle Totally Certified Platinum Gold
1998 Donruss Crusade Red

All of them are #'ed to 25-30, yet I would consider each to be more valuable than most (if not all) of the 1/1's out there, ever made. Why is this?

I personally think it is because they are now all about 20 years old, are huge with both player and set collectors and, simply put, have become legendary. These have been on checklists of people for, in some cases, a few decades.

What are your thoughts, and what NON 1/1 cards of your favorite player would you pay MORE for than a 1/1 of your guy ... and why?

 

[bstanwood]

This is a really great topic. The 1/1 "craze", or whatever you want to call it is based on scarcity but most players have so many 1/1s each card may be rare but finding a 1/1 isn't all that hard. The three sets you mentioned have been holy grails to several types of collectors for so long now at times they seem mythical, at least at a price that's on this planet.
I'm a bad example for this question, but I'm going to continue to ramble anyway. My main guy, Tim Wakefield, has comparatively very few releases, my last known count of non 1/1 cards I don't have is 39. At this point if I see it I need it and I'm going to get it regardless of print run.
In my Biggio collection, which is much more expansive I'd say either 98 Tek diffractors/99 Tek golds...Maybe not the gold's, they seem to be more prevalent, but close. 1993 finest refractor and the 97 gold embossed/diecut for sure

 

[Joey_peapod]

I have the answer in my head but hard to explain lol.

Almost all of the higher end 90s stuff (Gold Embossed, EX Now, Red Crusades, Mirror Golds) carry heft price tags because there are a limited number that many people want. Honestly there are only a handful or so of Griffey 1/1s that carry a hefty price tag over an awesome limited insert to say /25. For me it was always the 97 Gold Embossed. They are rare though how rare is always a question and they have awesome appeal in person.

97 Legacy Masterpieces (because they were the first)
Mirror black
Gem masters.
98 Pinnacle Mirror AP
Basically stuff that stands out and is significantly different.

I think most one of ones are honestly super boring. Like the Gold Label 1/1. The front is exactly the same! Only current 1/1 cards I see as must haves if you collect newer stuff would be Bowman Chrome Superfractors.

 

[MOFNY]

2001 Fleer Platinum Parallel #267 B.Sheets/R.Oswalt /21
This is a card I doubt will ever seen, because I don't think there are any prominent distinctions outside of numbering.

2003 Lead Certified Materials Emerald auto
Technically available but has been overpriced for years. I don't think I've seen another copy in those many years.

2001 Leaf Rookies and Stars Longevity #207 /25
I don't think I've ever seen this one.

2001 Studio Proofs #167 Roy Oswalt ROO /25
Another one I can't recall seeing for at lea

Most Bowman Chrome Red Refractors /5
I think I only own one.

 

[gitarst182]

2011 Bowman Sterling Kyle Seager Black Refractor

2011 Bowman Sterling Kyle Seager Gold Refractor Autograph

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Freedom Card Board mobile app

 

[mrmopar]

1/1s have lost their specialness for me. I'd rather grab someone oddball/unique than another manufactured scarcity stamped 1/1. Fan favorite buyback autos are a perfect example of how blah they have become with 1/1s. I get a vintage rookie card or a high demand HOFer vintage card or not that I have seen them, but a proof or test issue buyback would be great, but a 1985 Drakes or 1984 Glossy AS card #'d to 1 or 2. WTF?!

The common cards are boring and not worth the extra cost and the really nice ones are driven up by specialty collectors who like patches, buttons, barrels, etc. regardless pif the subject on the card. The same can be said for 90s inserts too. Some of the sets are neat and I could see people completing some of them, but I think most buyers these days are hoarding cards in hopes of a value spike to make money.

My collecting has become almost solely player oriented except for signed cards, so that is how I see the collecting world now.

 

[MOFNY]

I think when it comes down to it, you create your own notion of what makes a special card.
1/1s can be more special (superfractors and mirror blacks for me), and a lot less special (printing plates) than most cards.

 

[hive17]

The Brett/Yount dual auto-gu from UD 3000 hits set is probably more valuable than most Yount 1/1s, and there were 10 of them.

 

[joey12508]

Been collecting Bernie a long time, never seen another.

 

[michaelstepper]

there are plenty of cards I'd pay more for than a 1/1. never cared for the 1/1 craze. now they pump them out so much they've become the jersey swatches of modern serial numbered cards to me.

 

[1998 SPx]

The novelty of having a 1/1 has really gotten watered down. I've even passed on a few for guys I specifically collect. There are some I'm still happy to pay a decent price for though...my avatar card, for example. For me to go after a 1/1, it has to not only be a card I think is attractive, but it has to be of a player or set I'm collecting. Outside of that, I don't really have an interest in it. I've got a short list of cards I still need to complete the master set of 1998 SPx Finite, including a few numbered to 50, like Andres Galaragga, Travis Fryman, Charles Johnson, Matt Williams, Joe Carter and yes, Jose Canseco. I would pay more for those than 99% of the 1/1s out there.

It's a shame that Upper Deck and Pacific are no longer in the game because they seemed to be the ones who were constantly pushing the innovation envelope. Topps has always been pretty much useless in this regard. They came up with refractors back in 1993 and have been on cruise control since. Take the Rediscover cards for example. No one wanted these commons from the late 80's when they were issued. Why would they think anyone wants them now?




Looking for Juan Gonzalez cards from 2016 National Treasures.

 

[1st4040]

It is my opinion that the most beautiful cards have come out in the past 5 years or so. Sick, insane auto/patch cards, etc. Cards destined to get BIG money. You know what I'm talking about - the 1/1's that, when they make themselves seen, angels will sing.

For me, the big three that have always stuck out are
1996 Select Certified Mirror Gold
1997 Pinnacle Totally Certified Platinum Gold
1998 Donruss Crusade Red

All of them are #'ed to 25-30, yet I would consider each to be more valuable than most (if not all) of the 1/1's out there, ever made. Why is this?

I personally think it is because they are now all about 20 years old, are huge with both player and set collectors and, simply put, have become legendary. These have been on checklists of people for, in some cases, a few decades.

What are your thoughts, and what NON 1/1 cards of your favorite player would you pay MORE for than a 1/1 of your guy ... and why?

Those 3 cards were worth more than any 1/1 to me.. I had one opportunity to buy the Mirror gold and platinum gold and I jumped on it paying more than I'd ever paid for a single card. in todays market they would be steals but at the time even the biggest spenders wouldn't pony up what I did. I have still never seen another copy of either come up for auction they are practically unicorns much rarer than any current 1/1 which the market is flooded with

 

[1998 SPx]

Those 3 cards were worth more than any 1/1 to me.. I had one opportunity to buy the Mirror gold and platinum gold and I jumped on it paying more than I'd ever paid for a single card. in todays market they would be steals but at the time even the biggest spenders wouldn't pony up what I did. I have still never seen another copy of either come up for auction they are practically unicorns much rarer than any current 1/1 which the market is flooded with

Let's see the photos!

 

[1st4040]

Let's see the photos!

I have sold all 3 now.. but here they are

 

[Juan Gris]

When it comes to evaluating the desire of non 1/1 cards vs. 1/1's, a collector needs to consider many options including set desirability, design, year (seemingly the older the better), player uniform worn on card, if the player jersey # is in the serial numbering... the list can go on and on and be different for everyone. For me, I liken card desirability to how Supreme Court Justice Stewart described the threshold test for obscenity: "I know it when I see it".

 

[mouschi]

I have sold all 3 now.. but here they are

Beautiful! What order would you place those 1, 2, 3?

 

[1st4040]

Beautiful! What order would you place those 1, 2, 3?

they are 3 of the 5 toughest inserts of the 90's.. visually the Crusade is #1 to me with the other two 2nd and 3rd respectively. I've seen at least 7 copies of the Crusade though so its the most common to market of the 3 by a long shot.

 

[Joey_peapod]

This is my number 1

 

[BunchOBull]

One I don't think I've seen mentioned.

 

[magicpapa]