OLDS2 non-sketch items officially virtually worthless

[Bigmuc13]

No one is paying inflated prices that I'm aware of. Your prospective of inflated prices is probably different than any one else's. Buying and selling is no different than trading. If your calling someone out you should just go ahead and say it and let them defend themselves. This has turned into a very bad conversation because how do you know what someone needs? How do you know what I need? I buy a bunch of stuff and to say I'm over paying is an insult to me.  Why say someone is paying inflated prices when, do you know what is an inflated price? Do you have any examples? If you follow the sketches you would know they were all not created equal.

There are always inflated prices on ebay.  If there are two 'gotta have it' buyers, then the price gets inclated.  Years ago, I sold a nice Umbrella sticker on ebay for $33.  Two guys went nuts.  I listed another one right after that and it sold for something like $8.  There was only one guy left that had to have it for that auction.  I would say that the first guy definitely bought the sticker at an inflated price one week before it sold for over 300% less.

[JasonLiebig]

There are always inflated prices on ebay.  If there are two 'gotta have it' buyers, then the price gets inclated.  Years ago, I sold a nice Umbrella sticker on ebay for $33.  Two guys went nuts.  I listed another one right after that and it sold for something like $8.  There was only one guy left that had to have it for that auction.  I would say that the first guy definitely bought the sticker at an inflated price one week before it sold for over 300% less.

Wouldn't it be fair to characterize the incredibly high prices currently commanded for original Saunders Wacky paintings, is due in large part to just two or three buyers battling each other for them?  Remove those men from the equation, and folks might scoff at $20,000 for an original Wacky painting.  But now, people have bought into those values, and are happy to pay.

Similarly, remove a few buyers from the post Old School 1 release, and would anyone pay $1,000+ for a colored sketch?  My guess is, without those few battles, the answer is no.. but now the perception is in place, and people accept and expect those prices. 

It's the "gotta have it" buyers that set the prices...at least when supply of wanted items is limited.  It's hard to call that over-paying or inflated prices.  It's simple supply and demand.   

 

[JasonLiebig]

I wanted to add one more thing (maybe just because my previous post wasn't long enough - har):  

I recently paid hundreds of dollars for a 1980's Lik-M-Aid Fun Dip package.  

Just a year or two ago, I would have thought it to be an insane price for such a thing - and have assumed this piece to be something I'd pay $30-$50 for.  But due to myself and just one or two other guys, I've had to accept that prices like this can happen (at least in rare instances - fortunately I'm still getting most of my stuff for less than $30), and now I'm willing to pay that kind of coin for something special and possibly unique like this item.

Remove me, and just a couple other guys from the last couple of years, and I don't believe anyone is paying nearly as much... but when more and more people find out how much has been paid, and no other examples show up (this is the only known example in collector's hands, believe it or not) - people just accept that, "Yeah, that's worth a bunch of money."  

And as crazy as the amount is that I paid for it, I have already been offered several times that, to give it up.  It's just nuts.  But that's the way it is with these things that you can't get more of.  Like Saunders originals and maybe even some Old School sketches...


Sunline Brands - Lik-m-aid Fun Dip - 3-flavor candy package - 1986 by JasonLiebig, on Flickr

[Paul_Maul]

And as crazy as the amount is that I paid for it, I have already been offered several times that, to give it up.  It's just nuts.  But that's the way it is with these things that you can't get more of.  Like Saunders originals and maybe even some Old School sketches...

 

I think you have one of the coolest collections out there. It makes perfect sense to me that you would pay high for something like this. That said, I see no similarity to OLDS sketches. Vintage items are either out there, or not. Much of your stuff was treated like garbage literally, so it's as rare as anything. Jay Lynch and other wacky artists have been doing sketches for years, in many cases ones that are much more detailed and impressive. Those seem to elicit no great collector enthusiasm.  Yet somehow, apparently only because they have the Topps stamp of approval, the current sketch cards are hot.

To call these sketches "one of a kind" -- though that's technically true -- and liken them to an original Saunders wacky painting -- seems a bit of a stretch.

[JasonLiebig]

I think you have one of the coolest collections out there. It makes perfect sense to me that you would pay high for something like this. That said, I see no similarity to OLDS sketches. Vintage items are either out there, or not. Much of your stuff was treated like garbage literally, so it's as rare as anything. Jay Lynch and other wacky artists have been doing sketches for years, in many cases ones that are much more detailed and impressive. Those seem to elicit no great collector enthusiasm.  Yet somehow, apparently only because they have the Topps stamp of approval, the current sketch cards are hot.

To call these sketches "one of a kind" -- though that's technically true -- and liken them to an original Saunders wacky painting -- seems a bit of a stretch.

You're right, and I didn't mean to draw such a strict comparison.  

The discussion just got me thinking about what "inflated prices" really means, in the realm of collectibles, where ALL cash value is based purely on perception.  I understand that we could stretch this out to almost anything, but I hope this point is clear.  It's interesting how an inflated value can easily become expected.  But it's all just a bunch of film flam, in the end.  

I mean, at a point, what's a Mickey Mantle rookie card worth to someone who didn't grow up listening to him play?  

I think my real point is that, we should try to enjoy these things now, in spite of what others say they are worth.  Whether it's old candy, unopened packs, Saunders originals, or sketches with a Topps stamp of approval - their real value is in the joy we get by having them or hunting for them or pulling them from cases...  In this way, a colored sketch truly can be "more valuable" than a Saunders original.

[Plan 9]

I think you have one of the coolest collections out there. It makes perfect sense to me that you would pay high for something like this. That said, I see no similarity to OLDS sketches. Vintage items are either out there, or not. Much of your stuff was treated like garbage literally, so it's as rare as anything. Jay Lynch and other wacky artists have been doing sketches for years, in many cases ones that are much more detailed and impressive. Those seem to elicit no great collector enthusiasm.  Yet somehow, apparently only because they have the Topps stamp of approval, the current sketch cards are hot.

To call these sketches "one of a kind" -- though that's technically true -- and liken them to an original Saunders wacky painting -- seems a bit of a stretch.

Most of the Wacky sketch cards just barely qualify as one-of-a-kind and in many cases do not. Especially the Lynch cards that are traced. The variations that occur when tracing are not enough to distinguish them as unique works. It would be like saying everything ever made in China is one-of-a-kind just because a factory worker repeatedly painted various details by hand. Making something by hand is not a qualifier of something being one-of-a-kind. Uniqueness is the qualifier.


A thought about values. We're all used to going into a store and finding things at MSRP. Manufacturer's suggested retail price. So many of us have grown to believe in the idea that all things have a set value. But outside of the corporate controlled retail world nothing has a set value. There is only what you're willing to pay and what the current demand is. "Inflated price" is not a true term outside the retail industry.

[bandaches]

I wanted to add one more thing (maybe just because my previous post wasn't long enough - har):  

I recently paid hundreds of dollars for a 1980's Lik-M-Aid Fun Dip package.  

Just a year or two ago, I would have thought it to be an insane price for such a thing - and have assumed this piece to be something I'd pay $30-$50 for.  But due to myself and just one or two other guys, I've had to accept that prices like this can happen (at least in rare instances - fortunately I'm still getting most of my stuff for less than $30), and now I'm willing to pay that kind of coin for something special and possibly unique like this item.

Remove me, and just a couple other guys from the last couple of years, and I don't believe anyone is paying nearly as much... but when more and more people find out how much has been paid, and no other examples show up (this is the only known example in collector's hands, believe it or not) - people just accept that, "Yeah, that's worth a bunch of money."  

And as crazy as the amount is that I paid for it, I have already been offered several times that, to give it up.  It's just nuts.  But that's the way it is with these things that you can't get more of.  Like Saunders originals and maybe even some Old School sketches...


Sunline Brands - Lik-m-aid Fun Dip - 3-flavor candy package - 1986 by JasonLiebig, on Flickr

This is awesome!  One question though, what protection do you have from this package being reproduced?  Doritos is using the old bags again.  I think the retro craze is kicking in again and I expect to see lots of old packaging being reused.

[JasonLiebig]

Most of the Wacky sketch cards just barely qualify as one-of-a-kind and in many cases do not. Especially the Lynch cards that are traced. The variations that occur when tracing are not enough to distinguish them as unique works. It would be like saying everything ever made in China is one-of-a-kind just because a factory worker repeatedly painted various details by hand. Making something by hand is not a qualifier of something being one-of-a-kind. Uniqueness is the qualifier.

Is Jay tracing? 

A larger point is, "one-of-a-kind" has no intrinsic value as a quality... Yet we often give it extra value, but even then, not always.  Same as we do something being done by hand, as opposed to something printed by machine.   Sometimes uniqueness doesn't create the kind of value we are discussing.  What creates that is this; someone else wanting what you have.  THAT is often the value we look to.

I feel like I should make this Twain quote my sig, but it's appropriate to re-paste again, when discussing REAL one-of-a-kind as opposed to a lesser version.

"No one puts bric-a-brac to any very practical purpose. There’s some human instinct which makes a man treasure what he is not to make any use of, because everybody does not possess it. From an interview, “Mark Twain in London,” London Chronicle, 3 June 1899, p.3. (Found this over at twainquoats.com.)"

[bandaches]

I think you have one of the coolest collections out there. It makes perfect sense to me that you would pay high for something like this. That said, I see no similarity to OLDS sketches. Vintage items are either out there, or not. Much of your stuff was treated like garbage literally, so it's as rare as anything. Jay Lynch and other wacky artists have been doing sketches for years, in many cases ones that are much more detailed and impressive. Those seem to elicit no great collector enthusiasm.  Yet somehow, apparently only because they have the Topps stamp of approval, the current sketch cards are hot.

To call these sketches "one of a kind" -- though that's technically true -- and liken them to an original Saunders wacky painting -- seems a bit of a stretch.

I collect buried treasure stickes(ice cream sticks from the 1960s and 1970s that featured various characters) and recently fell upon the mail away train and full booklet that I never knew existed until recently.  There are only two known to exist in collections, mine and one other.  I found it on ebay for $65(low supply, low demand, low price).  Ironically, the seller had sold a pile of wackys to someone who met him on the NJ Turnpike years before(probably greg).Anyway, I would have probably paid several hundred $ to get this train but luckily didn't have to. 

Same with the uncut sheet of mad ad foldees. I sniped the ebay auction for like $900 and won it for $150. Haven't seen one of these uncut sheets hit ebay since then(like 3 years ago).  There are some things we are just willing to pay high and sometimes we have to, sometimes we don't.   Always be ready!

[JasonLiebig]

This is awesome!  One question though, what protection do you have from this package being reproduced?  Doritos is using the old bags again.  I think the retro craze is kicking in again and I expect to see lots of old packaging being reused.

Why would I need protection from a retro reproduced package?  Whatever the case, I have no protection... I think it'd neat if they did a retro package like this.

Doritos did one near version of an early 80's package... But so far that's it.  And it's far from an exacting reproduction... But I liked it a lot.

[RawGoo]

I wanted to add one more thing (maybe just because my previous post wasn't long enough - har):  

I recently paid hundreds of dollars for a 1980's Lik-M-Aid Fun Dip package.  

Just a year or two ago, I would have thought it to be an insane price for such a thing - and have assumed this piece to be something I'd pay $30-$50 for.  But due to myself and just one or two other guys, I've had to accept that prices like this can happen (at least in rare instances - fortunately I'm still getting most of my stuff for less than $30), and now I'm willing to pay that kind of coin for something special and possibly unique like this item.

Remove me, and just a couple other guys from the last couple of years, and I don't believe anyone is paying nearly as much... but when more and more people find out how much has been paid, and no other examples show up (this is the only known example in collector's hands, believe it or not) - people just accept that, "Yeah, that's worth a bunch of money."  

And as crazy as the amount is that I paid for it, I have already been offered several times that, to give it up.  It's just nuts.  But that's the way it is with these things that you can't get more of.  Like Saunders originals and maybe even some Old School sketches...


Sunline Brands - Lik-m-aid Fun Dip - 3-flavor candy package - 1986 by JasonLiebig, on Flickr

That's fantastic Jason!!  I remember that product well, my sister and I loved it.  Looks like a great candidate for Old School 3!

[Duznt]

Jason that Lik-m-aid Fun Dip pack rocks!!! Thx for posting. Wonder why that was never spoofed back in the day. I agree with Pat, that needs to be in OldS!!

[Duznt]

I collect buried treasure stickes(ice cream sticks from the 1960s and 1970s that featured various characters) and recently fell upon the mail away train and full booklet that I never knew existed until recently. 

I think I remember those. Would love to see some pics.

I also remember the colored plastic sticks which were "slotted" so you could put them together and build stuff with.

[JasonLiebig]

That's fantastic Jason!!  I remember that product well, my sister and I loved it.  Looks like a great candidate for Old School 3!

Thanks, guys.  

Though it is a candy classic, I don't know that this qualifies for the right era for Old School.  This package style was probably introduced around 1978 or 1979, though I'm really not certain - I have two mini-packs dated 1982, and I recall having this when I was younger, but it might have been released as early as 1977 or as late as 1980.   I've dug up pretty much zero documentation on this era of Fun Dip, so I can't say for sure.

Do any of you guys have specific memories and years from when this was on store shelves?

[CanadianClod]

Thanks, guys.  

Though it is a candy classic, I don't know that this qualifies for the right era for Old School.  This package style was probably introduced around 1978 or 1979, though I'm really not certain - I have two mini-packs dated 1982, and I recall having this when I was younger, but it might have been released as early as 1977 or as late as 1980.   I've dug up pretty much zero documentation on this era of Fun Dip, so I can't say for sure.

Do any of you guys have specific memories and years from when this was on store shelves?

I used to buy those all the time,seem to recall your right about later 70's.
Very cool,would not thought to collect those,but they really are an important part of candy history!

I think considering it was rebranded as Fun Dip from the much earlier Lik-M-Aid product it could very well be a good product for OLDS.The 16th series and beyond would have broght it up to those late 70's dates anyway.

[sco(o)t]

Thanks, guys.  

Though it is a candy classic, I don't know that this qualifies for the right era for Old School.  This package style was probably introduced around 1978 or 1979, though I'm really not certain - I have two mini-packs dated 1982, and I recall having this when I was younger, but it might have been released as early as 1977 or as late as 1980.   I've dug up pretty much zero documentation on this era of Fun Dip, so I can't say for sure.

Do any of you guys have specific memories and years from when this was on store shelves?

Jason, you must run into some interesting challenges in cleaning some of these items for
long term storage and collection. I had some Fleer Crazy TV Dinners that still had the candy in them.
Even though the candy containers had never been opened, ants where able to get in and strip the candy
coating off of whatever was inside each piece. How do you go about prepping something like the Fun Dip?

[JasonLiebig]

Jason, you must run into some interesting challenges in cleaning some of these items for
long term storage and collection. I had some Fleer Crazy TV Dinners that still had the candy in them.
Even though the candy containers had never been opened, ants where able to get in and strip the candy
coating off of whatever was inside each piece. How do you go about prepping something like the Fun Dip?

Critters are ALWAYS a concern when working with the kind of things I collect - they love decades old food, and sometimes even the cardboard.  My rule is almost always to empty the item of the food/candy contents, to avoid infestation, or damage from the decomposition of the contents themselves.  It's simply better for the item, long-term - but there are many examples of packages that lose something magical about them, when they've been emptied. 

"Double-Dipped" Nerds candies are some of the worst to leave full, and will, if left in a box, often destroy that box entirely.  Something about the double-dipped coating liquifies and saturates the cardboard of the box - it's awful.  Regular Nerds, though... appear largely inert. 

With this Fun Dip, which still holds its' original contents, there is a bit of sugar/dye staining already evident.  Due to the currently-unique nature of this piece, I'm torn about whether or not I want to empty it.  I'm hoping that the contents have decomposed to their final state, and won't be damaging the package anymore.  Currently, I'm leaving the contents intact, and in the package, but I plan to rescan it in six months or a year, and see whether or not any further spotting has occurred.  If it has, I'll empty the thing. 

I've saved a couple of sealed things.  I have a Post Sugar Crisp cereal box from 1959.. sealed with the cereal.  I might end up emptying it some day, but for now, I've got it triple wrapped and sealed up in collector bags.  I also have an awesome 1970's Brach's salesman assortment that, without the candy contents, is largely a bunch of fairly bland wrappers:


Brach's Candy Salesman Sample box - 1970's by JasonLiebig, on Flickr

[JasonLiebig]

I used to buy those all the time,seem to recall your right about later 70's.
Very cool,would not thought to collect those,but they really are an important part of candy history!

I think considering it was rebranded as Fun Dip from the much earlier Lik-M-Aid product it could very well be a good product for OLDS.The 16th series and beyond would have broght it up to those late 70's dates anyway.

Well, if it falls within Dave's range for inclusion, I agree that it could be a great Old School parody target.   I wish I could know for sure, when this package design and product were introduced..  

Hold on, I just checked the old Trademarkia site, and though it doesn't have a listing for Fun Dip, it does for Lik-A-Stix, which were created for the Fun Dip package.

http://www.trademarkia.com/likastix-73129597.html

That lists the filing date as June 1977, and the actual registration date as November 1978.. so I think it's safe to assume that this package design was on shelves by 1978, but possibly as early as 1977.  

And since you brought up Lik-M-Aid, here's a 1963 trade ad I have for that.. this stuff goes WAY back, and is still around today, in Fun Dip form:


Sunline - Lik-m-Aid - trade ad - Candy Wholesaler magazine - May 1963 by JasonLiebig, on Flickr

[BumChex]

Getting back on over inflated sketch prices. What would people consider over inflated?
I have opened around 500 boxes and know the tough ones.
Let say you see a sketch for $100 that you really like or maybe it's $175. How is that over inflated? At that price you would have to buy 2-4 boxes at $50 each just to see if you can pull it. Chances are you will fail.
People can't believe that a Zapata or Gross will sell for $400-$500 when I just opened 2 full cases (48 boxes total) and only pulled one Zapata and no Gross. Those 2 cases costs $2400 + shipping.
Non Lynch color are the same way. I've only pulled 3. If you don't think those are worth $500 - $1000 each go try and pull one and see how much money you spend doing it.
I guess that is the rational when someone PM's me or emails me and asks if I will take $50-$100 for a tougher artist card and I say no. It's not worth selling it that cheap. I'd rather keep it.
And Mark, don't worry about my family. I just used my profits from this series to buy the family a new furnace yesterday.

[deadpresidentsvisa]

What does the fact you are willing to pay $50.00 a box have to do with the OLDS sketch market,what would these boxes be going for with no sketch card.....$25.00?
It's a crapshoot with the odds being against you,JL did 3000 sketches and everyone else did 2000
PS..... I didn't know furnaces are going for $50 to $100 dollars nowadays

[Paul_Maul]

People can't believe that a Zapata or Gross will sell for $400-$500 when I just opened 2 full cases (48 boxes total) and only pulled one Zapata and no Gross. Those 2 cases costs $2400 + shipping.
Non Lynch color are the same way. I've only pulled 3. If you don't think those are worth $500 - $1000 each go try and pull one and see how much money you spend doing it.
 

If someone wants those sketches, they should pay what it takes for them. However, just because a Zapata sketch may be harder to find certainly doesn't make it more desirable per se. Topps could have one artist do only one sketch as an ultra chase item. Would that make it worth 10K? Would anyone sensible even care?

[BumChex]

just because a Zapata sketch may be harder to find certainly doesn't make it more desirable per se.

No it doesn't. Only the sketch makes it desirable. Some will sell less and some more. A Zapata ghoul or Playskull will sell quite a bit higher than a blue beanie. That is why if someone has a Zapata or Gross ghoul don't expect to find someone dumping it for $200.

[BumChex]

What does the fact you are willing to pay $50.00 a box have to do with the OLDS sketch market,what would these boxes be going for with no sketch card.....$25.00?
It's a crapshoot with the odds being against you,JL did 3000 sketches and everyone else did 2000
PS..... I didn't know furnaces are going for $50 to $100 dollars nowadays

I'm just referring to over inflated prices. Yes the cost of a box does play into it. It is a crapshoot and I was willing to take the challenge. If I got stiffed in the first few boxes I would have been probably done but with all the really cool variations the artists came up with it's tough to not try and find the cool stuff.
Mark just ribs me because he hates sketches. He doesn't feel they should be that desirable. I know better and make it part of my collecting strategy.
By the way a new furnace costs $2500.

[Dr Popper]

No it doesn't. Only the sketch makes it desirable. Some will sell less and some more. A Zapata ghoul or Playskull will sell quite a bit higher than a blue beanie. That is why if someone has a Zapata or Gross ghoul don't expect to find someone dumping it for $200.

I wouldn't say only the sketch itself makes it desirable though.  It's a combination of the sketch itself and the rarity.

[BumChex]

I wouldn't say only the sketch itself makes it desirable though.  It's a combination of the sketch itself and the rarity.

Right, he was referring to Zapata though as an example so therefore it's more of a rarity.

[Plan 9]

I'm just referring to over inflated prices. Yes the cost of a box does play into it. It is a crapshoot and I was willing to take the challenge. If I got stiffed in the first few boxes I would have been probably done but with all the really cool variations the artists came up with it's tough to not try and find the cool stuff.
Mark just ribs me because he hates sketches. He doesn't feel they should be that desirable. I know better and make it part of my collecting strategy.
By the way a new furnace costs $2500.

Last week you were in the hole with Old School 2 by $50. How did you get ahead by $2500 in one week?

I don't hate the sketches. I love them! I think everyone should pay top dollar for sketch cards while the market is down. They're a great investment and far superior to those shoddy paintings.

[Hustler08]

Last week you were in the hole with Old School 2 by $50. How did you get ahead by $2500 in one week?

I don't hate the sketches. I love them! I think everyone should pay top dollar for sketch cards while the market is down. They're a great investment and far superior to those shoddy paintings.

I don't get the math either--- $2400 +shipping - and one Zapata - so how can he make his money back on that?? even selling the 47 sketches @ avg $ 20 - nets $800 + selling the zapata @ 1000 = 1800 - how do you account for the rest...no offense just curious...would love to employ your method..but i just don't see it...i think i can do better making a 'profit' from apple options...that's good about the furnace though 

Yea those original paintings are CRAP!! need more Bhob sketches...yea that's the ticket...which is more RARE Zapata or Gross?? they actually sell higher than the color sketches??

[BumChex]

I don't get the math either--- $2400 +shipping - and one Zapata - so how can he make his money back on that?? even selling the 47 sketches @ avg $ 20 - nets $800 + selling the zapata @ 1000 = 1800 - how do you account for the rest...no offense just curious...would love to employ your method..but i just don't see it...i think i can do better making a 'profit' from apple options...that's good about the furnace though  

Yea those original paintings are CRAP!! need more Bhob sketches...yea that's the ticket...which is more RARE Zapata or Gross?? they actually sell higher than the color sketches??

$20 a sketch? We need for you to buy boxes and we will buy from you! You also don't know how many boxes I have gone through since that last post. You guys assume way too much.
Zapata and Gross did less than any other artist. That is all I know. Also keep in mind that Lynch did about 6 of each color character while the other 2 artists only probably did one so you can imagine what a Bhob ot Griffith color sketch could go for, again, dependiing on the sketch.
So essentially Zapata and Gross sketches are more desirable than the color sketches.
People like to speculate but these are facts. Zapata and Gross each did a smaller amount of sketches than there are color sketches so they would be more valuable. If there were only 150 color sketches and Lynch did 100-120 of them you can see how the other artists colors are so rare.

[JasonLiebig]

Topps could have one artist do only one sketch as an ultra chase item. Would that make it worth 10K? Would anyone sensible even care?

But of course this is what most chase cards are... And I don't know if I'd say that the folks that buy into it lack any sense (I DID just pay hundreds for an old package of candy, after all), but the "ultra-limited" nature of these things has been a cornerstone of the trading card market for over a decade.

[BumChex]

.

Similarly, remove a few buyers from the post Old School 1 release, and would anyone pay $1,000+ for a colored sketch?  My guess is, without those few battles, the answer is no.. but now the perception is in place, and people accept and expect those prices. 
.   

 

The problem is no other have shown up. Not many of the PC series cool sketches have shown up either. The only ones you see is the same rehash of what everyone has already.
My take is that you should probably be ready to buy or they may never show up again. Some people think they can wait until until all the prices drop but it hasnt happened yet except for the obvious sketeches. People think they can obtain the really cool sketches later on cheap but I have not seen any evidence of that.
Get them now at the over inflated prices

[Plan 9]

People think they can obtain the really cool sketches later on cheap but I have not seen any evidence of that.

I totally agree with that. The very best of the sketch cards will likely hold value and possibly increase in value because the cream rises. Look at the paintings. Many of them sell for mere hundreds. But the few best sell for thousands.

[deadpresidentsvisa]

I'm just referring to over inflated prices. Yes the cost of a box does play into it. It is a crapshoot and I was willing to take the challenge. If I got stiffed in the first few boxes I would have been probably done but with all the really cool variations the artists came up with it's tough to not try and find the cool stuff.
Mark just ribs me because he hates sketches. He doesn't feel they should be that desirable. I know better and make it part of my collecting strategy.
By the way a new furnace costs $2500.

The way I remember it,you got a whole bunch of JL the first 5 to 7 cases.Anyway you and a couple of other people are going to keep OLDS alive and well for a long time,keep on keeping on.
PS.......For future series they need to have the cojones to tell the artists involved with the sketches to do whatever they like and when their sketches are submitted,they will be notified if any of them were rejected.

[Paul_Maul]

And I don't know if I'd say that the folks that buy into it lack any sense (I DID just pay hundreds for an old package of candy, after all)

Why do you compare apples and oranges? You could pay $1,000,000 for a candy wrapper and you would be paying a lot for an item you really wanted. Paying for an item simply because it's a manufactured rarity is not remotely similar. But haven't we been through all this in the flashback golds discussion?

[Dr Popper]

The problem is no other have shown up. Not many of the PC series cool sketches have shown up either. The only ones you see is the same rehash of what everyone has already.
My take is that you should probably be ready to buy or they may never show up again. Some people think they can wait until until all the prices drop but it hasnt happened yet except for the obvious sketeches. People think they can obtain the really cool sketches later on cheap but I have not seen any evidence of that.
Get them now at the over inflated prices

I think it really depends on how and what you collect (as far as whether you should wait or buy early).  If you're like me, who has specific parameters of what you are going to collect, like you said it can be risky waiting because you don't know if they will show again.  If you are a little looser with your collecting strategy, and just want some cool sketches without caring too much about specific titles or artists, waiting is the way to go for sure.   

[JasonLiebig]

Why do you compare apples and oranges? You could pay $1,000,000 for a candy wrapper and you would be paying a lot for an item you really wanted. Paying for an item simply because it's a manufactured rarity is not remotely similar. But haven't we been through all this in the flashback golds discussion?

I am trying to get to something, and I fear I'm not doing it successfully.  And you are right, we did go over this with the Gold Flashbacks.  

My point is that, for some folks, manufactured rarity, or something that was once commonplace and is now scarce, are no different.  They have equal appeal and worth.  Not to you perhaps, and not to me, but to many collectors one is just as appealing, or even more so, as the other.  

In the end, there is simply no intrinsic value to any of it, so it really is all up to what you enjoy.  It's all perception.  You and I think manufactured rarity has little value, but I often bring up my favorite Mark Twain quote, because he points out that true rarity is also a bit of flim flam itself - but we perceive it to have a special value.  We're right, but only because we infuse the value onto the item.  And if the IDEA of exclusivity and owning something that was intentionally produced in low numbers gives a collector, due to their interests and tastes, the same thrill that I get from something that was once in every Woolworth and 7-Eleven in the country, and is now non-existent, what's it matter?  As long as no one is being hurt by it, at least.  

To me, the most important quality for an item is the joy it brings to the individual collector.   It's while I'll occasionally pass an item from my collection onto someone else, because I know it will have more value with them - they'll enjoy it more.